Don't talk to Strangers was a song made popular by Rick Springfield in the 80's..ahhh the good old days.... but his words aren't valid when, like me, you undertake a photographic project where you are tasked with taking a portrait of a stranger. Well actually taking portraits of 100 strangers!
I lucked across a book by Melbourne man Neil Winch titled "100 Strangers". The book was portraits of 100 strangers and within those pages was a link to a flickr group. Neil's images were compelling and being a bit of a flickrite I followed the link and found myself on slapbang in the middle of a group of nutbags who thought it was great fun to take portraits of complete strangers. I immediately joined, but took up a spectator role (errr .... read lurker). How do you start something like this? On what day do you suddenly decide to walk up to a complete stranger and ask them for a photo?
For me to opportunity arose on 13 August 2011 when I found myself at the Cessnock Regional Art Gallery. It was opening night for an exhibition when I realised I was standing very near one of the artists. Now or never came into my mind and I took the NOW option. I walked up to the artist and introduced myself and asked if I could take his portrait. He agreed. HOW EASY WAS THAT!!! 1 down, 99 to go!!! Flushed with success of stranger Number 1 it was a mere two days before strangers 2 and 3 were recorded on my sensor.
So fast forward to March 2012 and I now have 43 strangers completed.....and what a mix they are!
I still have the nervous nellies before I approach someone, I still worry that I have missed focus on a single shot and I still stumble over my words. I have a couple of self imposed rules. No cropping and try to get it in a single shot. On the whole I think I am on track. What I find now is that I spend a lot more time chatting to the subject that I do pressing the shutter button! And what amazing stories are coming my way. I have always had a passion for Maritime History and William Bligh is a hero so how astounded was I when Stranger 9 confessed she is a 9th generation descendant of Fletcher Christian!!! Stranger 42 and I have a mutual friend and Strangers number 10, 14 and 21 all know each other!
So what will happen when I reach number 100??? Well I have bought 100 matching frames so I hope to find a wall big enough to exhibit them on.
I still bottle it somedays. I see someone I'd LOVE to photograph, but for a myriad of reasons don't. For those days I have another series. Portraits of friends called "Strange, NOT Strangers" I'll tell you all about them another time. So..........who wants to be my next stranger?
#1 Steven
#27 Jessie
#35 Ange
#38 Chris
#41 Lee
#43 Warwick
If you like what you see the whole 43 are visible at http://www.flickr.com/photos/nammo/sets/72157627426152748/ and, even more amazingly, I have since met and been on a shoot with Neil Winch. I blamed him for this obsession!
good to see!! i still have trouble asking peeps!
ReplyDelete"found myself on slapbang in the middle of a group of nutbags who thought it was great fun to take portraits of complete strangers. I immediately joined," Love it! Mot that they all arn't lovly but #27 is by far my favorite. Enjoy watching your progression thew your 100, I've just started min...looking for #3!
ReplyDeleteFound your blog via 100Strangers discussion. You do great work behind the lens. I'm on stranger #30. How fun to frame them all.
ReplyDeleteCurrently sitting at 50 Strangers but having a little break for the moment. I will resume again shortly. I thought strangers would be confronting, challenging and anything but enjoyable, but it is actually very enjoyable. There is a real sense of achievement when you get one and come away with a reasonable shot. I do find I am talking to them longer now than in the beginning. I send each a copy of their image and love it when they reply!
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