Capturing Precious Moments

The people I enjoy photographing the most are people I know and love. But for as long as I've been interested in photography, I've enjoyed meeting and photographing people, just for fun. I started this practice when I was a college student. At first, I would approach strangers who I found interesting and ask if I could photograph them. But when they agree to let me shoot a portrait, strangers often display an affected smile, because we seldom have time to establish a connection.

Because I cherish authenticity and candor, I later went through a phase where I practiced candid street photography, where you shoot photos of people without their knowledge. I figured I could capture more natural-looking images with this approach. I shot a lot of photos of people on the street, just going about their business. It was exciting and scary. I got some wonderful candid shots, but I was missing human interaction, and I felt uncomfortable invading people's privacy.

Eventually, I returned to the first approach, where I introduce myself to people I find interesting and ask for permission. This is the best way for me to photograph strangers, because it forces me to connect with people and establish a rapport. And I've met some interesting people who I never would have met if I hadn't approached them to capture a photo.

So what makes a person interesting enough to photograph just for fun? For me there are several qualities, any one of which would might lead me to approach them. Or it could be a combination. Sometimes it's just the way someone looks, the way they carry themselves, how they dress. Maybe there's something unique or special about their appearance or their situation or their energy. It could be that they represent a special circumstance or event that I want to document. Because for me, photography is, above all, creating a visual recording of significant life moments, in an artful, thoughtful way.