A boy and three girls of the Chamar community, Kutch, Gujarat 1975

This monochrome photograph by Jyoti Bhatt captures a boy and three girls of the Chamar community in Kutch, Gujarat. It's amazing how a photo can freeze a moment, but still suggests so much that came before, and even more that might happen next. I imagine Bhatt waiting patiently, watching these kids, maybe trying to capture something essential about them. You can see it in the textures of the wall behind them, the way the light catches the cracks and imperfections. There's a rawness, an immediacy to the image. You see the details: the boy standing casually in the doorway with his hands on his hips, the girls covered in traditional dress, their bare feet on the ground, their eyes looking away from the lens. This photograph feels like a conversation with other image makers who were interested in capturing similar scenes. The artist is almost like a conduit, channeling something bigger. It's that spirit of exploration, that constant questioning, which makes art so alive and relevant. Bhatt captures something real, something complicated, leaving space for us to bring our own perspectives and emotions to the encounter.