Monsoon and Teatime, Ooty

Most photographers in India before Singh’s time worked in black and white, often coloring their images by hand. As early as 1965, Singh brought color directly into his pictures to show a land rich in optimism and possessed of a vibrant everyday life. For many years the best-known Indian photographer internationally, Singh had a long career in which he tried to “catch life in the act of living,” as his mentor, the renowned photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, said. This photograph was taken during the summer monsoon season in Southern India, a region that receives some of the heaviest rains—which in this case did not stand in the way of a contemplative cup of tea.