Robert Dodge was one of the Momenta photography team I wrote about a few weeks ago. His was a quiet, blend-into-the-wallpaper kind of a presence – just perfect for the EIC where children are easily distracted and overwhelmed. I was struck by the depth of his images and wondered if he  had a background in special needs – he seemed to be so tuned in to what we were doing and how . . . he kept catching just the right moments.

This one is one of his favorites and I have to say it’s one of mine as well. That’s Mayank at the gate, greeting a little boy just starting out on the journey. Mayank also has special needs, and was enrolled in Karuna Vihar many years ago. Now he has a responsible job as the gatekeeper at the EIC. It’s up to him to make sure that the children who attend the program here are safe and happy and secure.

I was amazed when Robert told me this was his first real experience with kids like ours. I shouldn’t have been. Because a good professional photographer can capture things even without a background in the field. Wherever they go, whatever the subject – that’s what they are trained to do.

But when I read his blog today, I think my amazement was justified. Because it’s one thing to photograph. It’s quite another to articulate what you’ve seen.

So often, people have come to write about our work and have totally missed the point. They focus on the tragedy and miss the joy. Or they see only the fun and miss the hard work. It’s a tricky balance and we’ve kind of given up on most people getting it.

Robert did. Check out his blog. It’s a good introduction to what we do. It’s strong evidence of how skilled our staff are at explaining their work. And it’s a perfect introduction to a wonderful human being.