Focusing People Not Objects

Photography and Selective Narratives in Colonial India

Abstract

Photography in the 1860's often reflects the prevailing prejudices of the time. These prejudices are apparent in a series of photos by Samuel Bourne of India. The photos are almost entirely of landscapes and buildings highligting the natural and cultural riches of India while deemphasizing the actual people that live there. The original photo is remixed to emphasize the people captured in the background and place them as the central focus of the photo.