Photobombing Ujjain
A Visual Offering in Rural India

Ujjain, one of India’s most ancient cities, sits along the Kshipra River in Madhya Pradesh. Steeped in religious tradition and shaped by rural poverty, it was both overwhelming and compelling. I spent months working at a newly founded university, living between the town of Ujjain and the nearby rural villages of Lekoda.

As an outsider, I was deeply aware of the ethical complexities of documenting people’s lives. I questioned what it meant to witness without imposing, and how to offer something meaningful without the baggage of colonialist or imperialist narratives. I sought a way to create a simple, human connection—something immediate, portable, and tangible.

I began walking, running, and biking daily through streets and villages, taking hundreds of photographs over six months. Each person I photographed received a printed copy. If I couldn’t find them again, I left their image posted near where it was taken, hoping it would find its way home.

The response was unexpectedly moving. Some people brought their families to bus stops to be photographed. Others introduced me to friends and relatives. For many, it was the first time they had received a family portrait.

This act of “photobombing”—not in the humorous sense, but as a literal and intentional offering—became a project grounded in reciprocity, modesty, and the hope for mutual recognition.

As philosopher Hans Jonas wrote, “Act so the effects of your actions are compatible with the permanence of human life.” This work, at its core, was about presence, dignity, and the quiet potential of shared images.