Member’s Gallery (In-Person): Journey to the Subcontinent of India with John Olsen

In 2024, I traveled to India for the first time, to celebrate my daughter and son-in-law’s wedding. My member’s gallery is a visual narrative of my journey to modern India, one of the most diverse countries in the world, reflected in its religions, ethnicities, and customs across a population of 1.4 billion people. My prints tell the story of the people I met, the places I visited, and the emotions that I experienced during my journey to the Subcontinent of India.

“Life is a journey, not a destination.” My photographic journey began almost 50 years ago. After meeting new friends, who were photo enthusiasts, including past NVPS President Fred Siskind, and seeing an exhibit of Ansel Adams photographs, I was hooked on photography. My first camera was an Olympus SLR. I shot 35mm b&w film and color slides, and had my own darkroom. I have enjoyed all genres of photography including nature, birds, landscapes, sports, events, travel, and family portraits. 

As my family grew, time available to persue photography became limited. After retiring from the federal Government in 2015, I resumed my interest by joining the NVPS and the OLLI Photo Club (OPC). Along with fellow NVPS member, Ed Marion, I am a co-coordinator of the OPC which is a part of the Osher Life Long Learning Institute (OLLI) at George Mason University. Much thanks to all of the NVPS members who have been guest speakers at our OPC monthly meetings and partnered with the OPC to photograph the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics in 2023 and 2024.