Photographer Haydon Perrior’s Favourite Shot

I always come back to this photograph whenever I’m asked about my favourite image. Taken in the summer of 2016, before I truly understood photography, it remains a foundational image in my portfolio nearly a decade later. For me, it captures the essence of my work: moments that are joyful, spontaneous, and authentic.

I have little interest in popular tourist destinations when traveling, so while in Agra, India, during monsoon season, I chose not to join the crowds at the Taj Mahal, photographing scenes already captured by countless others. Instead, I wandered through the flooded backstreets, where, as I turned a corner, I encountered a group of boys splashing through the water. I made my way down that street, through the floodwater, waiting for a moment to unfold—and then it did. The light caught just right through the rain, and this photograph emerged, becoming a defining piece in my visual approach to this day.

Haydon Perrior is a British photographer, based in London but often elsewhere. His work focuses on authentic human experiences around the world for both his commercial and editorial clients, as well as his personal projects.