A few days ago I started writing about light. I have a lot of things to tell you about light, especially because I’ve been doing some tests and experiments and I want to share with you some pretty neat stuff. Buuut… because I’m such an amazing writer… I had the “blank page syndrome” and the single word I still have on that subject is: “The...”.
Now! I heard that on the 21st was suppose to be “The Rupture”, “The Judgement Day”, “The Apocalypse” or something similar to that. I completely forgot about it! And being unaware of the colossal… “thing” I was missing, I just hit the streets in search for the perfect subject. One of my personal projects, at the moment, is a street photography documentary about the life in Cyprus. Now: I double dare you to search on Google something related to Cyprus! The “relevant” information doesn’t do justice to this beautiful island. So I said to myself I should do this! Good, but it’s easier said then done!
The simple thought that I could shoot a person… while he or she is doing something… I’ll be next to him/her pointing a 24mm lense in his/hers direction and watch every single movement, to catch an interesting shot… paralyses me. The thought that I must tell them that they shouldn’t mind me… Oh Lord give me strength and make me patient!...
In the past two or three years, I think, I’ve been reading almost anything that was related to street photography. I memorized every single aspect of a situation in which I might end up. I even know what I have to do or say if somebody comes to me and asks me to delete my photos because he/she doesn’t want to be photographed… And yet, with very small exceptions, I never took pictures of people on the street. And when I did, it happened in two very specific situations: 1. if that person didn't noticed me or 2. if that person asked me to take his/her picture.
So what is the reason for my fears? Why don't I have the courage to lift my camera to my eye and just take the picture, even if that person is aware of my presence? I was thinking that maybe I’m scared of the rejection… But that’s not it! I’ve been rejected by people in the past and I don’t really care about rejection.
It's not the fact that people, when they are aware of the camera, go crazy, making faces and "victory" signs. Actually, when they do this it's quite fun and, for me, it's encouraging. Unfortunately whenever this happens I get in the "OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! what-do-I-have-to-do" mode and if I don't forget about the exposure, I forget about the shutter speed; and if I don't forget about these two, I forget about the frame, the composition... anyway it must be something that I forget about, and the photo sucks biiiiiig time.
I suppose the scariest thing in all this is the pure interaction with people. I can very easily start a conversation out of nothing, but I'm scared to ask people to do stuff for me... like letting me take photos of them. I am more ashamed to get closer to somebody and intervene in the personal life (or private space), then people are of my camera. I’m very conscious of myself and of what I’m doing. I'm afraid that I might disturb or offend people. And I suppose that is a good thing in a way, because this is my notion of respect.
But after I made that promise that I'll keep true to myself and I'll start doing what I love, I faced the fact that I don't have not even one single photo for my project. And so, in the day of the rupture, I started to search the streets for my photo. Excellent timing :). And what a luck... I live near the sea, as in 500m to the beach... And what do you know?! Right on the beach, right in front of me there were these three guys, two of them playing backgammon and the third looking at them and making some comments. My first instinct was to "steal" a frame or two. And my technique is soooo smooth!... you have no idea! I pretend taking photos of an object that just happens to be near the person I want to photograph. I wait 'till I think the person doesn't look at me, and then I shoot. I'm sooo lame! In my defence I have to say I never published photos of people that were unaware they were photographed, and I always considered these photos a kind of exercise for my street photography “skills”.
But let’s go back to the story. All of a sudden I just let my camera down and I went, with all the confidence I had, to the third guy (the one that was watching the game), I smiled and I said wile shaking hands with him: "Hi, my name is Ana, and I'm a photographer. I have a project called 'Life in Cyprus'. I was wondering if I can take a few pictures of you guys..." The answer was: "Hey, nice to meet you! Sure you can".... Aaaaa, ya! It was that easy! 
Next I started to chat with the guy asking him about himself, his job, his views about Cyprus and a bunch of other questions related to my project. I felt very confident, and serious about my project… very professional. And I was! I could concentrate on what I have to do, I didn’t loose my calm, I controlled the camera, I composed the frame, I saw it in my mind. And the things this guy was telling me helped a lot! Well what do you know! And one more important thing: I didn’t rush to point my camera at him or his friends. I spent some time chatting. I think this is important because (and I don’t know if this happens to you too guys, but it happens to me a lot) taking my time made me relax. I got into the “this is a job I have to do” state of mind. So when I finally lift the camera I was all focused on the picture.
You might say “Yes, but this is not street photography, this is more like a photographic documentary”. This is true. It’s not necessarily street photography, but it’s a start. And I am not sure right now whether is ok or not to take pictures of people without their consent. Some say that as long as you don’t sell the pictures, or as long as the face is not distinguishable, it’s ok. I don’t know if it’s that simple. I am an alien for their environment and I stick a lens in their life… Anyway, at the moment I feel ok talking with them first and take the pictures after.
In the end I am proud to report that I had a full day and I think it must’ve been the end of the world ‘cause I made the “rupture” and I photographed: three guys that were into water sports business (the backgammon guys), one street merchant (who was selling ice cream) and two lifeguards. I met them right one after the other, I talked and photographed them one after the other and non of them said no… and all in the same day! The only guy who didn’t want to be in the picture was one of the backgammon players. I didn’t took his picture and that was that. So I guess the most valuable lesson I learned is that I have to make the best of the chances I have, and not to think that I’m taking a chance every time I look through the view finder.
Thank you for reading this :)
Actually it can be street. Street always talks about candid images of people in public environment. As a image has both subject and context, even if your subject was aware that you are photographing him (and that makes the image less street), you have the context that is candid (street) and it is straight photography (which is the basis of street). Andy Grundberg had a good article on street (in this sense) and about constructed reality vs straight photography you will find some good articles in the focal encyclopedia (where one ends and another one starts).
ReplyDeleteSorry: you have the context that is candid (so this makes it street)
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