The First Photography.ca 100 Strangers Project

[Iguanasan]

Being relatively new I'm not sure if you've seen this very helpful instructional video before. Check out the others on the site as well.

Latest Flick - Shooting Strangers

Yeah, kinda cool. Thanks for sharing.

[asnow]

I was on a urban photography workshop. One assignment was to go out and overcome the fear of asking strangers to photography them. After the first three were rejections it became much easier. Here are the four I managed to convince.

[Matt K.]

gotta love am all ... very nice.

[Bambi]

I love them all. Well done!! you really captured their personality too.

[Iguanasan]

Awesome. That's the way this project is supposed to work. Wish I had to guts to do it right.

[Yisehaq]

After the first three were rejections it became much easier. Here are the four I managed to convince.

Did you develop any trick of convincing? They are all nice asnow

[Barefoot]

[asnow]

Its actually not as bad as you think.
1. Smile
2. Pick on something about the person that they are wearing or is striking and complement them about it.
For example the first man with the leather hat. I saw this hat on the other side of the wall. Stepped on a bench and saw the man and said to him that I loved his hat.
3. Stike up a conversation so you have the person engaged first. For example I found out that this man was visiting from Kenya.
4. After a bit of a conversation I mentioned that I was on photography workshop and if it was ok if I took a picture of him. Don't just ask for a picture but give a reason. You can always say that you on on a photo assignment. (Thats not necessarily lying, we are always on some personal photo assignment). The man said ok and went through the building and came out to the sidewalk I got a few pictures.
5 Offer to show them the picture on the camera screen.

This general technique worked for me in the four people I got pictures of.

A few other things to keep in mind.
1. Have the camera setup and ready before you approach the person. You will lose the person real fast if you are struggling to adjust the camera.
2. You have more time than you think. I tended to rush, but the photographer teaching the workshop said that generally you have that person for 3-4 minutes. So take advantage and get lots of pictures.
3. Don't be afraid to ask the person to move to a spot nearby explaining that the background, lighting will be better.
4. The concensus from workshop group is that people that wear clothes, hair, etc that really stand out are more likely to say yes. They want to be noticed and are thrilled that you want to take their picture. Example in my pictures, the transvestite with the sunglasses and short gray hair.

Finally. You need a bit of a thick skin. Don't take it badly if you get rejected. There will be others that will agree. Depending on where you are, in general more people will say yes than no.

Hope this helps.

[JAS_Photo]

Great shots, asnow and what a wonderful character that lady is, Barefoot!

[Matt K.]

# 60 - The Zombie Bride

Calgary sported a Zombie Walk today (Oct 2, 2010). Here is the Zombie Bride.