Exotic is a relative term.

July 25, 2011 5:14 AM

Nisha Sondhe, a portait photographer and photojournalist, has been documenting similarieis between New York and Bombay (Mumbai) since 2008: An art director once told me, “I know you can shoot exotic things abroad and make them look beautiful, but can you take pictures of familiar things and make them look beautiful as well.” Which was interesting to me because when I would show work for jobs in India, people would ask me why they needed to see “photos of boring everyday things in India.” New York art directors are just like Bombay art directors. In fact, New Yorkers in general are just like Bombayites and the more I looked around the more I realized that the two cities are exactly the same. (via)
posted by ChuraChura (10 comments total)

I mean, they got the same shit over there that we got here, but it's just...it's just there it's a little different.
posted by hanoixan at 5:32 AM on July 25, 2011

I loved the shot of the fishmongers (fishwives?). Lovely work. Thank you for sharing it!
posted by MonkeyToes at 5:32 AM on July 25, 2011

Agreed. I happen to live in both cities, and I've always called Bombay "the New York City of India".
posted by aletheia at 5:47 AM on July 25, 2011 [1 favorite]

Great! Another place I can strike from my "To Visit" list!
posted by Kirth Gerson at 5:52 AM on July 25, 2011

My favorite is the comparison between the people buying flowers. The expressions on their faces are so similar.

(Also I should not look at that much gulab jamun before breakfast. GULAB. JAMUN. Mmmmmmm . . . Now that's a thing Mumbai does better.)
posted by BlueJae at 5:56 AM on July 25, 2011 [2 favorites]

So that makes New York the Mumbai of the United States?
posted by bwg at 6:10 AM on July 25, 2011 [3 favorites]

Beautiful! My family has done a fair amount of traveling in India, so they will love these. Thank you!
posted by Madamina at 6:53 AM on July 25, 2011

If the two cities were exactly the same, I'd be able to get good Indian food in Brooklyn.
posted by spicynuts at 7:25 AM on July 25, 2011

I have found that most cities with high ethnic diversity also have many similarities. Fresno is a virtual twin of Las Vegas without the Strip.
posted by Ardiril at 8:47 AM on July 25, 2011 [1 favorite]

Would there be other examples of North America / India "twin cities"? Also, does anyone know what camera she is using?
posted by amusem at 7:48 PM on July 25, 2011