Bridge of Shops, Srinagar, Kashmir

Taking up photography in his teens, Samuel Bourne soon achieved recognition for both his superb technical skills and keen aesthetic talents. When he sailed to India in late 1862, he left a banking career to pursue his passion for photography . He hoped to use his camera throughout the country and to write about his experiences for the British Journal of Photography. This charming photograph of a bridge filled with small huts demonstrates his creative ability to organize the random environment. His lively use of light and shade clearly defines the elements of architecture and landscape. The photographer allowed a favorite, early interest in water to dominate this picturesque image of Jaipur, which was founded in 1727 by Maharajah Jai Singh II. By the beginning of the 21st century, this small town had developed into a commercial city with a population of well over two million.