Arjun Kamath Instagram – The evening light was growing golden by the minute when I was driving through the quaint city of Khuldabad in Maharashtra. On the way, I saw an unusual whirlpool of dust outside my car window, so I decided to stop. As I cut through the flying dust, I saw a man engrossed in sculpting, his hands masterly guiding the machine that fervently chipped at a stone slab. Having acknowledged my presence, he carried on with the arduous task in all sincerity. I took the time to walk around and explore his petite workshop, which was decorated with half-made figurines and fine sculptures. The dusty haze of grey all around with the only colour being that of the man’s vibrant mask stood out for me, while the figurines in the background hinted at his work of the past few days. Intrigued by the whole setting, I quietly took the hold of my camera. In that exact moment, he looked up for the very first time and that was a sign enough for me to click on the shutter button of my camera. It was only later when we got talking that I could know more about him. His name was Hiralal Chauhan, and along with his family, he spent most of his time sculpting figurines out of kala patthar. Other talks were shared, about his work and how he has pursued it for 20 years. But the thing that stayed the most with me were his parting words. He told me that he was not able to pay due attention to me because his work demanded precise attention and a distraction of even a split second could result in grave injury. As he uttered those words, I was taken aback and could only see him in a light of greater respect. I believe that is what I love the most about travelling, that it allows me to learn more about the world and the people who live in it. Through my frames, I try to capture a sneak peek into people’s lives and tell their stories, capturing the essence of their personality. In a way, this act makes all my travels creatively fulfilling and fruitful, and I see it as one of the most enjoyable things about photography. #CapturedOnCanon with a Canon EOS 5D Mark IV & a 24-70mm F/2.8 II Lens #arjunkamathphotography #portrait #man #carving #stone #khultabad #aurangabad #yourshotphotographer Bhadra Maruti Temple, Khuldabad