“Being Kind”

“Be kind to all creatures; this is the true religion.”
(Siddhārtha Gautama, known as the Buddha – c. 563 BCE/480 BCE – c. 483 BCE/400 BCE)

This is a close-up of one of the statues of the Buddha inside the Tibetan temple in Sarnath which is located at 13 km away from Varanasi (Benaras).

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An Evening Star

“May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
May it be when darkness falls
Your heart will be true…”
(From “May It Be” by Ryan & Rachel O’Donnell)

Nicaise is wrapped in a woolen scarf with a red Aari embroidery.
(Scarf style “Jaisalmer” – Col. Chocolate/Crimson – 200×70 – 100% Wool – Collection RED HALO)

The iconic French actress and model Nicaise Jean-Louis has kindly accepted to pose for Red Halo in order to support our social work.
During the 70’s Nicaise became one of the first top models with dark skin complexion to work for High Fashion companies, ever since she never stopped working for the most prestigious fashion names, she also performed on stage and played is several iconic movies such as “Moonraker” (a Bond girl) or the well known French movie “Le gendarme et les gendarmettes” (Yo Macumba).
For the anecdote Nicaise was born in the French Caribbean island Guadeloupe and she has Indian ancestors as her grandmother was from Pondicherry.
You may join Nicaise’s page at www.facebook.com/nicaise.lemoine

RED HALO is a collection of household linen based in Benaras (Varanasi – India) providing work to people living with difficulties and education to children.
“Like” the RED HALO page on Facebook and join this amazing human adventure in Varanasi,www.facebook.com/redhalo.in

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The Iconic Nicaise

“First there was the dream, now there is reality.
Here, in the untainted cradle of the heavens, will be created a new super race, a race of perfect physical specimens.
You have been selected as its progenitors; like Gods, your offspring will return to Earth and shape it in their image.
You have all served in public capacities in my terrestrial empire.
Your seed, like yourselves, will pay deference to the ultimate dynasty which I alone have created.
From their first day on Earth they will be able to look up and know that there is law and order in the heavens.”
(Hugo Drax / Michael Lonsdale in Moonraker ,1979)

This is a portrait of my friend Nicaise.
Nicaise Jean-Louis is a French actress and model, known for being a Bond girl in the movie “Moonraker” and for being Yo Macumba in the iconic French movie “Le gendarme et les gendarmettes”.
During the 70’s she became one of the first top models with dark skin complexion to work for High Fashion companies.
It was after Madame Carven met her in Guadeloupe, the French Caribbean island, and gave her a chance to come to Paris.
Since that time Nicaise never stopped working for the most prestigious fashion companies, she also played is several iconic movies and performed on stage.
Nicaise was the first model I worked with, it was at Carven during the 80’s, I was a young designer and beginner then.
Ever since I asked her to model for all collections I did in each companies I was, I even made her strut down the catwalk with her daughter for Burberry’s…
For the anecdote my Indian friends will be happy to know that Nicaise has Indian ancestors as her grandmother was from Pondicherry.

Last week-end the industry celebrated the 35th anniversary of “Moonraker” and Nicaise is going on a long world tour to meet her fans.
It was an opportunity to make this portrait and to ask her to pose for Red Halo.

You may join Nicaise’s page at www.facebook.com/nicaise.lemoine

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Claustrophobic: The Fear of Santa Claus

“HO HO HO…There is no reason to be claustrophobic…Don’t be afraid of Santa Claus…HO HO HO” 

I saw Santa as he crossed the window of Fortnum & Mason in London and I had the time to click this picture…

Merry Christmas, शुभ क्रिसमस (śubh krisamas), Joyeux Noël, Buon Natale, Feliz Navidad, Krismas Mubarak,…To everyone…!!!

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Sacred Moments

“A ritual becomes the match that lights the kindred celebration candle of sacred moments long ago… tantalizing these entombed spirits to surface again.”
(Wes Adamson)

This was shot from a boat on the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras) during the celebrations of Dev Diwali on the occasion of Kartik Poornima.
The festival of Lights is a mark of welcome to the Gods as it is believed that they descend on earth on that special day.
In the evening under the full moon reflecting in the holy waters each ghat is performing Ganga Aarti with vedic hymns chanted by priests in order to please and welcome the Gods.

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A Second’s Encounter With Eternity

“Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself.
And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.”
(From “Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho)

This was shot from a boat on the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras) during the celebrations of Dev Diwali on the occasion of Kartik Poornima.
The festival of Lights is a mark of welcome to the Gods as it is believed that they descend on earth on that special day.
In the evening under the full moon reflecting in the holy waters each ghat is performing Ganga Aarti with vedic hymns chanted by priests in order to please and welcome the Gods.

Join the photographer at www.facebook.com/laurent.goldstein.photography

© All photographs are copyrighted and all rights reserved.
Please do not use any photographs without permission (even for private use).
The use of any work without consent of the artist is PROHIBITED and will lead automatically to consequences.

The Humanity Of The Moment

“Black and white are the colors of photography.
To me they symbolize the alternatives of hope and despair to which mankind is forever subjected.
Most of my photographs are of people; they are seen simply, as through the eyes of the man in the street.
There is one thing the photograph must contain, the humanity of the moment.
This kind of photography is realism.
But realism is not enough–there has to be vision, and the two together can make a good photograph.
It is difficult to describe this thin line where matter ends and mind begins.
(Robert Frank – American photographer and filmaker, b.1924)

This sadhu was walking at Scindia ghat along the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras), it was after sunrise and he was holding a traditional tiffin-box containing a meal prepared by some generous soul…

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From Boredom To Fascination

“The Chinese have a theory that you pass through boredom into fascination and I think it’s true.
I would never choose a subject for what it means to me or what I think about it.
You’ve just got to choose a subject – and what you feel about it, what it means, begins to unfold if you just plain choose a subject and do it enough.”
(Diane Arbus – American photographer and writer, 1923–1971)

This picture was shot at Assi ghat along the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras).
It was during the morning when things were quiet in a state of sluggishness.
I was straining the lense for the faintest stir when thinking in black and white allowed to pass through boredom into fascination…

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Eid Mubarak

“ Abraham said:
“I will go to my Lord! He will surely guide me “O my Lord! Grant me a righteous son!” So We gave him the good news of a forbearing son. Then, when the son reached the age of serious work with him, Abraham said: “O my son! I have seen in a vision that I offer you in sacrifice: now see what your view is?” The son said: “O my father! Do as you are commanded: you will find me, if Allah so wills, one of the steadfast!”
So when they had both submitted Allah and Abraham had laid his son prostrate on his forehead for sacrifice, We called out to him “O Abraham! You have already fulfilled the dream!” – you are indeed Do We reward those who do right.”
(Qur’ân – verse 37:99 to verse 37:109)

Islam focuses on Abraham more than either Judaism or Christianity, but with an important difference: where Judaism holds that one becomes a descendant of Abraham through birth, and Christianity that one becomes a descendant through faith, Islam holds that descent is unimportant – Abraham, in other words, is not the father of the believing community, but a link in the chain of prophets that begins with Adam and culminates in Mohammad.
Islamic traditions consider Abraham the first Pioneer of Islam (which is also called millat Ibrahim, the “religion of Abraham”), and that his purpose and mission throughout his life was to proclaim the Oneness of God.
When Abraham was asked for sacrifice, he took Ishmael to sacrifice. When he was about to use the knife, God placed a sheep under his hand.
Abraham had shown that his love for Allah superseded all others: that he would lay down his own life or the lives of those dearest to him in submission to Allah’s command.
As a reward for this sacrifice, God then granted Abraham the good news of the birth of his second son, Is-haaq (Isaac).
Muslims around the world commemorate this ultimate act of sacrifice every year during Eid al-Adha, to follow the path of Abraham that is called Qurbani (sacrifice).

During this festival in Varanasi (Benaras), it is common for Muslims and non-Muslims to visit their Muslim friends and neighbours on Eid to convey their good wishes and share a meal or sweets.
This is a view shot from the upper terrace of the Bara Imambara in Lucknow built by Asaf-ud-Daula, the Nawab of the city, in 1784.
The two minars on the left belong to the Asfi Mosque and on the right stands the Rumi Darwaza known as the Turkish Gate.
This picture of the City of Nawabs, the capital of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, allows me to wish everyone a happy and peaceful Eid Mubarak.
“May Allah ease the suffering of all people around the world…”

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A Shaft of Light

“Wake! For the Sun, who scatter’d into flight
The Stars before him from the Field of Night,
Drives Night along with them from Heav’n,
and strikes
The Sultan’s Turret with a Shaft of Light”
(Omar Khayyám – Persian polymath, philosopher, mathematician, astronomer and poet, 1048-1131)

Varanasi taught me to wake up early in order to enjoy the sunrise on the Ganges.
These promises at dawn are an absolute treat for the senses and the Heaven’s connection…

This is a picture of the bank of the Ganges facing Varanasi (Benaras) at dawn.

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