Ken Hermann, a Danish photographer, recently released this visually stunning series of photos which he shot in Kolkata last summer.
Hermann's project, titled "The Flower Men of India," features flower sellers of Kolkata on the banks of the Hooghly River.
Instead of going down the beaten path and shooting the memorable sights of the city, Hermann decided to concentrate on some people nobody thinks twice about.
And instead of taking advantage of the scenic Kolkata sunset, the photos were shot at noon, with the harsh sun beating down on them.
Ken told BuzzFeed India that he first visited Kolkata three years ago, and he held on to the idea of returning to take portraits of the flower sellers.
"Just convincing them to go near the river to get their portrait done and spend maybe 15 minutes of their time was a challenge," he said.
Hermann said that this photo of Shankar Shah, who sells roses at Mallick Ghat, is one of his favourites.
Ken also said the heat was tough to deal with, as "all the pictures were shot at mid day to get the right light and it was unbelievably warm in Kolkata at the time."
Hermann added that "the female flower sellers were reluctant to have their picture taken, so I decided to make the project a male preserve."
Ken Hermann's series is a breath of fresh air, as many photographers tend to concentrate either on India's ancient grandeur or its grave poverty.
And at the same time, it provides us with a unique glimpse of the beautiful city of Kolkata.
