Fotos

This scene is set at Bamian City, home of the famous Buddhas in Afghanistan.

I took the shot in 2002, not so long after the Taliban destroyed the Buddha statues. This woman and her family, ethnic Hazaras, had taken refuge in the hundreds of caves which dot the mountains. They were, and are, incredibly poor.

These caves were once used by buddist monks for scholary and spiritual pursuits. It's a disturbing thought that hundreds of years laters, following generations have used it as a life and death shelter from the cold.

Now, the Hazaras have been moved out of the caves to better protect the historic site. It's possible their lot in life may have improved, but maybe not.

Besides the story, I like this shot because of the contrasts in colour.