India is a land of great extremes, in a multiplicity of ways. The extreme polarity of beauty and ugliness, rich and poor, are constantly reoccurring themes. The Taj Mahal vs. the slums of Calcutta. The stunning silk brocades of Varanasi vs. the rags worn by those who weave them. You get the picture.

And so it’s quite interesting to consider how a photographer like David Lazar, best known for his fine art approach to travel photography, will reveal India through his lens. The highly regarded Nat Geo contributor from Brisbane, Australia is fascinated by India. But his fascination, at least in terms of his photography, is focused almost exclusively in its more beautiful expressions. It’s not that he never photographs the grittier side of life, it’s just that his fine art vision doesn’t as easily accommodate it.

The majority of the following 16 images were taken in April, 2017 while researching for a 2018 photo tour workshop. So this is more of a sneak preview of coming attractions than the results of a long term project. As good as these images are, David is just beginning to scratch the surface of this truly incredible photographic destination, and looks forward to sharing them with the readers of Photography Life in the future.