Ask any photojournalist what he or she values most when covering a story or event, and, most likely, the word you’ll hear in reply will be: “Access.” Being able to simply hang out someplace where people are engaged in something we find interesting and to make unposed and unchoreographed photographs ...well, that is the scenario that allows us to do our best work.
I spent five days last week in Vancouver, BC, photographing a speech and a teaching given by His Holiness, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, and much of the the time I had access. Except for circumstances when I was in very close proximity to the Dalai Lama himself -- where security personnel understandably controlled the situation -- I moved around freely and made images as they presented themselves.
This was the third time I have photographed His Holiness, and it is always amazing to be around him. To me he is a truly spiritual presence.
Nevertheless, I must say that my favorite part of last week was the time I spent hanging out with about 15 Tibetan Buddhist monks as they did behind-the-scenes preparations before the Dalai Lama even arrived in Vancouver. The monks chanted and recited prayers, but they also moved furniture, built a throne for His Holiness, and fashioned traditional, celebratory artwork and decorations.
Today, tomorrow and Wednesday I'll share pictures I shot last week in Vancouver, and what you see today are images of my dear new friends, the monks, going about their work as I went about mine.
