Fish Seller with a Cheroot
The morning markets of Nyaung Shwe, Myanmar are a rich feast for the senses.
Burmese markets are a feast for the senses: the angled light sneaking in through slatted bamboo walls and streaming under tent canopies and corrugated tin roofs; the riotous colours of freshly picked vegetables; the rich smells of packed dirt floors, freshly cut meat, and frying spices. In the stillness of dark corners and oppressive tropical heat, vendors sit on low tables, surrounded by their wares, working and waiting.
It’s the waiting that amazes me: that ability to sit quietly, with no signs of impatience, when nothing is happening. This sense of time stretching endlessly alternates with periods of chaotic business, when jostling customers come in clumps, to pick through the goods and to haggle. Money changes hands, and people laugh and smile and gossip.
One of the (many) things I love about Asian markets is how people take for granted the stranger in their midst. Completely unselfconsciously, they either engage and allow themselves to be photographed, or they go about their business, paying the many interlopers no heed. For I was not alone in the morning market at Nyaung Shwe: somewhere amongst the crowds in the complex were at least nine other photography enthusiasts, photographer Karl Grobl and local guide Mr MM.
I love taking time in markets making portraits of people – and I love how the rich environment helps tell a story about the subjects’ lives.
Boy and his Grandma
Morning markets are full of people willing to be photographed; …
Boy in Thanaka Powder
… the biggest challenge is the light.
Vegetables
The vegetable displays are a feast of colours and textures.
“Fast Food”
Ready-prepared meals are available – rich and spicy, with lots of chilies.
Woman in the Vegetables
Fish Seller with a Cheroot
The fish is freshly caught, and the smiles are free.
Portrait of a Fish Seller
Thanaka powder, made from ground bark, is meant to highlight beauty and prevent sunburn, as well as to help cure acne and keep skin smooth.
Young Boy in Thanaka
Children are especially pleased to smile for the stranger.
Hilltribe Woman
The morning light pours between the buildings in the market complex …
Hilltribe Woman and Child
… as a grower bundles her onions …
Boy in a Cap
… and her handsome son watches quietly.
Woman with a Flower
Exit Doorway
Walking out of the dim market buildings takes one “into the light”.
Young Man at the Coffee Shop
Just across from the market buildings is a well-placed coffee shop.
Burmese “Barista”
Man with Coffee
The coffee itself is rich with flavour, and the customers are full of character.
Two Men and their Coffee
Most of the tables in the shop are occupied: breakfast is a serious business.
Two Men
Against the bright light of the outside world, friends meet.
Man with Coffee
Sharing a Laugh
Two Women
In the darker corners, there are stories to be told.
Morning Coffee
I thoroughly enjoyed my coffee break before moving on to the rest of my day.
Coffee. And open faces.
Is there anything better?
Keep smiling!
Pictures: 23September2012
Ursula,
These are beautiful. You are correct, the lighting is wonderful. These images bring back sights and “smellls” of my experience with the same duo of Karl and MM. You captured the market scene so well.
Ruti