day 29 10-01-09

I had ample time this morning to go out and get my shot o' the day but instead I stayed home and had a nice long hot shower. So naturally I lingered and wasted time till I was late for work. No time for photos now, right...wrong! It's all about being at the right place at the right time with your camera in hand. I drove by this guy and saw photo op written all over him. I wanted to stop but fear and shyness had me keep on driving. Fear of looking silly, fear of people getting annoyed by paparazzi snapping photos of them, fear of ______ (insert irrational fear here). A block away I was kicking myself for letting opportunity pass me by. Two blocks later I pulled a u-turn and went back to find my bus stop man. I stopped across the street, which was a better vantage point than when I drove by him the first time. I probably should have rolled down my window, but c'mon I didn't really want to draw that much attention. I took aim and with one shot, I had what I wanted. If it had been a flower or a cow I would have taken 30 just to make sure I got one I liked, but that was it, just one and I drove away. And you know what? I was thrilled, not because I'd shot my best photo ever, but because I'd shot it at all. I really enjoy a photojournalistic style of photography. In particular I love street photography, as I've always been a people watcher, but until recently I would never dare. It's silly really, because if I was working as a photographer for a newspaper or a magazine I would think nothing of snapping photos of this guy in the rain, in fact I'd look at it as a challenge, because it's my job. It is now... because what I want for my images is storytelling and emotion. While it's lovely to capture a stunning image of a beautiful thing, and I will continue that endeavor, I have a new goal...