Why do I want to share the photos? Why do I take them in the first place? I'm pathological only in my introversion. It is difficult for me to engage with strangers conversationally. I used to be a hermit. I used to be afraid of people; I didn't want to connect. I've worked hard to come out of myself, to engage the world of humans, to be connected. I love people now, I love to be one, I love to know them and share their world. But I still can't engage conversationally with strangers. That part of my brain just doesn't exist, I think. Or it's so stunted it may never function right. So how can I share my love of being human? Photography gives me a way. That's why I take candid photos of strangers. It's my way of conversing. "You are beautiful. You are funny. You are so totally human. We are one." My intention is not to exploit. It is to celebrate. Is that possible in today's world of easy access to predators?
I need to know. Tell me.
2 comments:
I studiously avoid posting photos of recognizable strangers (or friends, even, sans permission) online. It is too easily absurd by other people to be worth the risk.
That said, I recognize the artistic and humanistic compulsion, and suggest that you consider a closed blog, visible only to those whom you trust, as I have done with two of my blogs. Then, you have a compromise. Allowing your xpession while reasonably protecting th rights of your subjects.
Hope this helps.
Pictures of people young middle aged and old are wonderful and should be shared. Pictures are a visual story of what lye's in our hearts and souls. If we continue to put up walls of fear between God's people we meet and see we will grow farther and farther apart until there is no friendship, no joy, no love left in this World. We were given the gift of sight for a reason. President Obama recently said to the young of South Africa, "we must not live in fear, we must live in hope". We must protect our children and teach them how to protect themselves from evils in this world and we must let our children know they are loved and have a place to go and someone to talk to when they feel afraid or confronted by evil. We must not teach our children to live in fear but to live in hope.
I'm a fellow member of the pathological introvert club. I to have struggled every day of my life and will struggle every day of my remaining days with off the cuff conversation with anyone other than my wife. There is a known safety and deep love there. I do ok if I can prepare for a conversation but I must force myself otherwise. In a group of people, just give me a corner to sit in and listen to conversation and I am at peace. I've made great headway in the past year and a half and that is due to a wonderful group of loving people that truly care.
Continue sharing your love of being human with pictures. It's a gift. It's a path not only to the hearts and souls of the subject but it's a path for people to see what lye's in your heart and soul without the need for conversation.
Live in hope!
God bless.
John
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