Guest Flogger: Preston Merchant

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Every good mutiny needs a photographer or two associated with it. Someone needs to document the “grand struggle,” just as Henri Cartier-Bresson documented some of Gandhi’s. To start off 2007 we have a little treat for you. Preston Merchant, the photographer shooting away at many of our NYC meet-ups, is traveling in Kenya right now and will be training his eye and camera on the Indian diaspora there. Before he proceeds we should clear up a few questions you might have:

Statement: Oh, Merchant! Way to represent the Parsees. Finally, some more diversity on SM.

Response: Nope. Preston is white. He is not Parsi (not that you can’t have a white Parsi).

Statement: Whoa. What’s up with letting a colonialist in the house?

Response: Remember the movie Lagaan? How all the villagers banded together to play cricket and won over the hearts of their colonialist oppressors, and how Amir Khan even won the eye of that one white British lady? It is the same thing. SM is like that cricket team but Preston thankfully doesn’t sing.

Preston isn’t just over there taking pictures for no reason. He is working on a book titled IndiaWorld about the Indian diaspora and has already visited South Africa, Dubai, Trinidad, and Guyana, in addition to his work here in the States. In Kenya he will be focusing especially on the Ismaili Muslim community. I’ll let him explain to us about that though. Get ready for a good flogging.

25 thoughts on “Guest Flogger: Preston Merchant”

  1. So if SM’s the kirkit team (bagsy I’m Kachra)… Does that mean Preston is Elizabeth Russell? Who does he fall in love with? Who’s the person he falls in love with actually in love with? Are white parsis like white chocolates? Not as nice as the brown ones? Is asking a question really a statement?

    Abhi. This metaphor needs some serious explaining.

  2. Abhi. This metaphor needs some serious explaining.

    I didn’t get home until 3a.m. and woke up with sore kidneys. It would be amazing if I made any sense at all.

  3. Woah!

    Preston is in Kenya!

    I hyperventilated at that information. I’m sure he knows about this but the Nairobi Museum has an awesome exhibition on the Asian influence in Kenya.

    Welcome to the Mutiny Preston!! And bottle up some Kenyan air for the likes of me and kenyandesi!

  5. I didn’t get home until 3a.m. and woke up with sore kidneys

    Man I know that feeling. You’re out, you’re having a few drinks with the boys and then BAM you’re in a dumpster with a monkey sandpapering your kidneys. Oh, good times.

  6. Not only is the guy a good photographer, gives out good travel advices too! And knows Indian (or south asian) society/mentality as if he was one.

  7. Great. Now I’m stuck with the image of the image of Preston running around in a fluttery red dress while longingly snapping pictures.

  11. 😀 Preston is totally that one British lady.

    Now I can visit Sepia Mutiny and see his pictures in small, manageable increments. Because going to his website makes me a slave to my OCD. To others who have photo-viewing addictions: be careful when visiting Preston’s website. Too many amazing photos!

  12. what a great resource, on so many levels, and eyeopener this project is. thanks.

  13. Great way to start off the new year!

    Also this:

    Are white parsis like white chocolates? Not as nice as the brown ones?

    is hilarious.

  14. Hey man – i take offense – white chocolates are SOOO much better than the brown ones….especially Lindt (mmmmm) and yes i mean chocolate NOT people 😛

  15. I second Shruti. I get way overstimulated by all of my visiting Prestons work. (Overstimulated like when you go to an art museum, not in the other way ;)This will be a manageable treat. Good idea, whoever thunk it!

  21. Hmm, ismailis in Kenya.. . . now that is a topic on which substantial ink and paper has already been wasted. . . being an ismaili, i knew there was a reason why I am such a big fan of SM.

  25. Preston, welcome to SM. Thank you for bringing some much-needed diversity to the blog (and my thanks to Abhi for the same reason).