Journalism of Courage
With the recent rise in air pollution after Delhi got under the blanket of heavy smog, the city has been compared to a 'gas chamber.' So what happens to Delhi's picturesque locations that serve as a prop, canvas, and theme for couple photoshoots? Well, with the love for Delhi's vivid iconography that has given many couples their dream shots, one photographer tried to capture the horror of the changing scenarios, but with a twist! In these pictures, a couple celebrates love with masks. (Source: Ashish Pareek)
Delhi-based photographer, Ashish Pareek, woke up to murky skies and was perturbed. When a client wanted to capture some shots in the city, he was worried about the haze and of course the potential hazards. But, here's how he turned it to his advantage. (Source: Ashish Pareek)
Jokingly, he and his wife thought a photoshoot in this condition was big no-no without a mask! Hence, he took up that crazy idea and turned it into something poignant, drawing the attention of many viewers online. (Source: Ashish Pareek)
With the help of a couple and their friends, they went to Delhi's famous and iconic India Gate to capture what "love in the time of smog" would look like. (Source: Ashish Pareek)
Shooting in that condition in the early morning was difficult and both, the couple and the photographer, were quite on the receiving end. (Source: Ashish Pareek)
"Over the years, Delhi - the paradise of amazingly perfect locations - had turned into a dark gas chamber with grey all over. Most wonderful mornings became the most dangerous ones where a simple morning walk has become impossible, moreover, it forced the photographers and clients to venture to new nearby locations," Pareek wrote in his blog. (Source: Ashish Pareek)
"I hope not to see a couple wearing a mask and posing in front of Delhi smog. However, it’s high time now to think and decide that 'are we ready to lose our identities and to settle for a colourful mask?'" he asks. (Source: Ashish Pareek)
"We have already pushed nature's limit to an extent where masks have started covering faces and if conditions prevailed with the same pace, very soon masks will become new identities," he added. (Source: Ashish Pareek)
People on social media took notice of his take on the present climatic condition and were deeply moved. (Source: Ashish Pareek)
While many lauded him for his concept, others dreaded that it might soon become a horrific reality. (Source: Ashish Pareek)
