I’ve finally kicked off my “100 Strangers” project, and am rushing to catch up with my fellow photogs in this venture.
The idea behind the project is to explain what you’re doing, get to know your subject, and work with them to get their best pose. On this, my first stranger (and on the next two), I admit I cheated a bit. We didn’t really spend much time talking, and I started with a child, which is less threatening. But then again, none of my first three subjects spoke much more than a word or two of English!
I met Ashok when I stopped by a local grill to drop off a printed photo I had taken a few weeks ago. When Ashok saw this, he actually insisted in talking to me – and I seized the opportunity to start my project. His father, or simply an elder male, was on his back to get him to pitch in to help set up shop for the day, but he gave me a few minutes of his time to get some portraits. He insisted on the expression you see in the photo, although he was all smiles when the camera was not pointed his direction.
