Stranger

A much better day today that yesterday. Critique went well (see yesterday's blip). He said I made a real connection to my subjects and called my portraits "honest and real".

This afternoon, we had been given a task that I had been completely dreading. We had to go out into the streets and photograph strangers. Not just snaps of strangers doing their thing, but meet them, talk to them, and get them to let us take an honest-to-god portrait. I have been so nervous about doing this for the last three days. But, once I got started, I found that I 1) really enjoyed it and 2) was pretty darn good at it. I knew that trying to tackle photographing street kids or homeless people was a bit too big of a first step for me. So I went to the University (in the first week of classes) and preyed on asked young women to model for me. They were all very sweet and willing and I found that in about 2 minutes I could make them relax and feel comfortable. I had an amazing afternoon and was on a complete high from it. That is what a great assignment can make happen.