Recently, I was lucky enough to take an environmental
portraiture photography class with the very accomplished
photographer Alex Fradkin at the International Center of
Photography. The class was based on the idea of photographing
strangers and using the context of their surroundings to tell a
story. Photographing people? Photographing strangers? For many the
very idea would make them hightail it in reverse. I promise you I
was tempted, but took the challenge and what I found were a number
of life changing experiences and relationships that have not only
made me a better photographer, but have also transformed the way
that I look at the world around me and made clear the importance of
trying new things.
In months of typical hibernation, endless hours were spent
walking around the various neighborhoods of New York City looking
for that perfect stranger and that perfect moment; collaborating
with people I had never met before. Every day we walk past
thousands of strangers without a thought in the world, but if you
take a step back, you’ll appreciate that these are all real people,
with real stories and lives that are each interesting in their own
way.
The camera is a powerful tool that allows you to explore the
unknown, capture moments, share stories, record a little bit of
history, and push boundaries to where one might not have gone
before. When the shutter is released, a person’s existence is
registered in time and place, capturing a moment and an experience.
This series of photos allowed me to capture a glimpse into the
lives of people I never would have met before, make an exchange,
and learn a little bit about who they are while giving a little bit
of myself in return.
With these photographs came experiences that never would have
been expected. I met the actress who plays Hester from the famed
show Sleep No More, made an appearance in a rap video,
spent time with some local independent shop owners, held a complete
conversation in two separate languages with a visiting woman from
Columbia, watched an illustrator from SVA paint the first sight of
spring, learned about the lives of people who live in the
underground subway system, and met a very important eye surgeon who
every day tries to improve the vital sense of sight. When you put
yourself out on a limb, wonderful things happen, things that you
would have missed otherwise.
Do something every day that scares you. Get out of your comfort
zone. Take a class. Try something new. Meet some strangers. The
funny thing is, once you take the picture, you’re technically not
strangers anymore.
You can see the full set of portraits on
my website.
Note: Two of the photos are not actually of a stranger. They
were warm up shots from the beginning before I got fully
comfortable approaching strangers, but they are still
keepers.