On The Path To Moksha

 

“The longing for Paradise is man’s longing not to be man.”
(From “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” by Milan Kundera)

This picture was shot at Manikarnika Ghat along the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras) where Hindus are cremated hoping to receive moksha, freedom from samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth.
Moksha allows one to see the truth and reality behind the fog of ignorance and reach a state of knowledge, peace and bliss…

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LAURENT GOLDSTEIN Photography

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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.

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From The Soul

“When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.”
(Jalal ud-Din Rumi known as Rumi – Persian poet and theologian, 1207-1273)

Early in the morning, I met these two young men who were washing their garments in the holy waters of the Ganges at Lal ghat in Varanasi.

Join the photographer at 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.

Style Is Eternal

“Fashions fade, style is eternal.”
(Yves Saint Laurent, French fashion designer, 1936-2008)

The iconic Nicaise is wrapped in a woolen scarf with an Aari embroidery.
(Scarf style “Jaisalmer” – Col. Black/Scarlet – 200×70 – 100% Wool – Collection RED HALO)

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 well known movies such as “Moonraker” (a Bond girl) or the 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 atwww.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

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.

Wearing A Throw

“Wearing A Throw”

“It wasn’t easy looking dignified wearing a bed sheet and a purple cape.”
(From “The Son of Neptune” by Rick Riordan)

Anand is wrapped in a throw made of pure linen with a aari embroidery.
(style “Akbar” – 150×200 – 100% linen – Col. Grey – Collection RED HALO))

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

Join the photographer at
https://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 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

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 Desilusions Of Childhood

“Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home!”
(From “The Pickwick Papers” by Charles Dickens)

The windows of Fortnum & Mason in London were celebrating Christmas…
Once upon a time I used to stay at the corner of Duke Street and while going to work I missed the bus several times because of these windows… 

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© 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.

Behind The Visible Image

“You’ve got to struggle against the pollution of intelligence in order to become an animal with very sharp instincts – a sort of intuitive medium – so that to photograph becomes a magical act, and slowly other more suggestive images begin to appear behind the visible image, for which the photographer cannot be held responsible.”
(Robert Doisneau – French photographer, 1912-1994)

This picture was shot recently in Chandni Chowk, one of the oldest and busiest markets in Old Delhi.
Nothing has changed much since a few centuries in the narrow lanes going from Jama Masjid to Chawri Bazar.
This is the heart of the City of Djinns…

Join the photographer athttps://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 Unexpected

“I’m looking for the unexpected.
I’m looking for things I’ve never seen before.”
(Robert Mapplethorpe – American photographer, 1946–1989)

Jonathan is a French wannabe actor who wants to perform on theatre stage on the footsteps of his family.
He has Caribbean roots with a West Indian background from Guadeloupe and Indian ancestors from Pondicherry.
This picture was shot during his first modeling photo session as we were building up his portfolio and it was a promising beginning…

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.

Introducing Jonathan

“We are often taught to look for the beauty in all things, so in finding it, the layman asks the philosopher while the philosopher asks the photographer.”
(Criss Jami – lead singer of the rock band Venus in Arms, poet, essayist, and existentialist philosopher, b.1987)

Jonathan is a French wannabe actor who wants to perform on theatre stage on the footsteps of his family.
He has Caribbean roots with a West Indian background from Guadeloupe and Indian ancestors from Pondicherry.
This picture was shot during his first modeling photo session as we were building up his portfolio and it was a promising beginning…

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.

What Comes Out

“One thing that struck me very early is that you don’t put into a photograph what’s going to come out.
Or, vice versa, what comes out is not what you put in.”
(Diane Arbus – American photographer and writer, 1923–1971)

Jonathan is a French wannabe actor who wants to perform on theatre stage on the footsteps of his family.
He has Caribbean roots with a West Indian background from Guadeloupe and Indian ancestors from Pondicherry.
This picture was shot during his first modeling photo session as we were building up his portfolio and it was a promising beginning…

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.