People and Relations

Like we have covered in other modules, the still picture is the perfect memory of an event in time. You can capture the past to preserve future memories and remind family, friends, and others of who you were, what you did, and who you did it with. A real photographer can make quality photos out of anything, including the daily grind.

Snap photos of coworkers in action, work parties, family reunions, anything. Mundane seeming street photography thrives on this documentation of ordinary average life. We can bring culture to life, remember different eras of cityscape in the future, or see how people enjoyed themselves in the past. But remember you are the interloper.

I took a course once from a fellow named Joel Sartore called Fundamentals of Photography through the library in Winnipeg. He claimed that the best thing you can do is put your subjects to rest and play fly on the wall, or even back off and “Pet the Whale”. This means to dampen the growing hostilit y to your intrusion by backing off and putting the camera down to enjoy partaking in the festivities.

There is also concern about the nature of people around cameras. When people see cameras come out, they may not act natural. Some may act up, others may strike a pose, but the goal of photography is to document the unsuspecting nature of people. The true nature of people is what makes your photos shine.