The Ugly Truth

Street photography is my favorite field in photography; it shows the realities we face every day. I find it also appealing because I get to shoot from the hip and in burst mode. Out on the streets, I don’t worry much about composition or settings; I just shoot what is available because everything happens so fast.

On the day when our beloved city celebrated its 73rd founding anniversary, I was out on the streets shooting the festivities. I never expected that the shots I liked best were the ones that showed not the colors of the parade but the ugly truth about life on the streets. As we celebrated, there were people walking about, sticking their heads, even half of their bodies, inside the garbage bins looking for something to sell to the local junk shops or food. It is sad to think that we were celebrating while they starved. After seeing the half starved kid being carried by her mother, I lost interest in the parade; my interest shifted to the people that were there but not for the parade but fighting for their survival.
I know that it isn’t really pretty to look at, but I’d rather shoot pictures showing the real plight of the people than the glitz and glamour of parades and festivals. This is the ugly truth: there are people out there that are starving and need our help.

I hope we can make a difference.