Monk and Clouds
China 2007, near the Tibetan border
Oh, I missed it here! Sometimes when I look at my old shots, I wonder what I was thinking or if I was thinking at all. I’m talking about the reflection of clouds on the bus window…to the right of the monk. Why didn’t I make use of that? Why didn’t I pose the boy next to the bus?
Here are my excuses: I didn’t see the reflection. And that is my fault. The other is that the boy was shy. We didn’t speak the same language. If I’d tried to arrange him, he’d have refused to allow me to take his portrait. He was already skittish. If I’d pressed him, he’d have bolted.
Yet, I love this shot. Or more to the point, I love this young man. Look at his sweet face. It’s enough to make his mother weep with joy.