Have you ever tried it – shooting complete strangers? For many it seems daunting and the risk of an unpleasant encounter is always there, though I’ve not had one myself, there was a misunderstanding once, which I won’t go into here. Or just a simple rejection and then you don’t feel like trying again. It can be off-putting to say the least.
I’m not going to try and convince you that’s it’s something you should do, or even consider, that’s something you need to think about and try it for yourself, should you feel so inclined. No, this is going to be about my encounters with people – strangers and things that happen as a result of those encounters.
There’s nothing special for me to tell you, I have no magic formula, nor a set of instructions for you to follow, certainly – there’s no science to it, you merely ask if you can take their portrait. See – no magic dust (or sauce).
I’ve always been interested in shooting images of people, but asking strangers if I could photograph them, wasn’t something I started off with – that came with time, and a little confidence. Walking around the streets of London, I was more of an urban photographer, if people were in my images, it was usually by chance and not because I planned it. I did make a couple of trips to North America, when I was young and there were people in my images. Travelling around the UK was the same, I wasn’t really shooting people and certainly not stopping and asking strangers if I could shoot their portraits. Although I do recall a couple of instances.
The break for me came in 1993, yes, I do remember when it happened – and only because thinking about writing this post gave me cause to reflect upon it. It was a trip to India. I do believe this was the first time I consciously approached strangers and asked them if I could shoot them.
In truth, I probably didn’t give it much thought, I do remember feeling a bit apprehensive and after I got back to London after my trip, I don’t think I shot too many strangers. I feel that I went back to shooting urban scenes and over the next few years I didn’t shoot so much. There wasn’t much creativity going on in my mind it was a few lean years, as far as photography went for me. There were changes in my life – I met my wife and we started a family, there was a change in direction too career wise, both of which almost brought my photography to a halt. I did still have a camera and I took many, many photos of my family and holidays we took – photography was certainly not forgotten, but for a good few years’ it really did take a back seat.
Fast forward about 16 years, I had new gear and I was shooting again, we had also moved to Canada some years past, it was a whole different world for me. Around this time, I was shooting mostly street photography, usually going out on my own. I’m not really sure when the transition happened, but there was a realization at some point that street photography wasn’t “cutting” it for me in the same way it did before. I wasn’t getting the same satisfaction that I used to enjoy, sure I did enjoy it, but now I needed something more. That something was people.
On my outings I had been veering towards stopping strangers, more and more, talking to them and asking them to pose for me. Some of the conversations were short, some were longer, all were enjoyable and the whole experience became more fulfilling and worthwhile. My style of photography was taking a new turn, it was maturing and developing, I was thinking more, reflecting and I had experience on my side. A factor that I feel has helped me greatly, is travelling light, shooting with a small camera and not my big DSLR like Sony, although I have done so. A small camera is a much friendlier proposition to a stranger you wish to shoot. Having said that I have been on the streets shooting strangers with medium format, it was fun and people’s interests were aroused by the gear, shooting with a small camera is what I prefer…and far less exhausting!
It must have been shortly after I was actively stopping strangers that some of my “people” projects began and indeed, “Wood Walkers” came about because of Covid, but that project was primarily composed with shooting strangers. Many of the “Wood Walkers”, are strangers no longer as we often stop to chat and, in a few cases, we often walk and talk together. In a few instances, I am ashamed to say, I forget that I have shot someone, and although I have forgotten them, they remember me and they have to “jog” my memory and the embarrassment passes.
There are people who I have stopped that don’t want their photo taken, and that’s alright, but most of the people I have stopped to ask are happy to pose…and I thank you all. On a few of occasions, I have been stopped by people and asked if I who take their portrait – this has happened probably for or five times, it’s always been a surprise and I have sent images onto to them.
After all this time and so many strangers stopped, I still get a little nervous when I stop someone, and as I said at the beginning of this post, it can be daunting, but if you are willing to give it a go and not put off by a few rejections – it does become easier. The most strangers I have ever shot in a single day, was undoubtably my outing to Port Dover and Friday 13th. That was a good day!
If I told you that just shotting strangers was enough, I wouldn’t be being honest with you. As your photographic journey takes it course, you’ll find that you’ll want more, your vision will change, ideas will come and you will hopefully find projects that define some of the people – strangers you have shot. It has for me, and I do have some ideas, but where it will take me may well be a surprise – I’ll keep an open mind.