This project was very open-ended. It took me a very long time to figure out what to photograph. I started out taking pictures of things that struck fear in me (directly or indirectly), then ended with taking pictures of strangers to get over my fear of photographing strangers. It was an interesting experience, as I was surprised to how friendly and open people were about getting their pictures taken by a stranger (me). They all agreed I could share these pictures with people, as long as I didn't photoshop them to make fun of them. With no knowledge of negative scans at the time, I assured them that I wouldn't edit these on the computer. I am including the contact sheets for this one to prove that I actually did take more pictures of strangers than the ones I printed. I would like to continue the Strangers series some time, with many more shots than these.
The last picture is a guy I met at Henry Law Park in Dover. His name is John, and he can't remember his age, but "probably 52 or something". When I was walking through the park, I noticed him sitting there at the picnic table talking to who I thought was himself, which he later corrected me and said he was talking to God. It took a lot of convincing myself to go up to a stranger who had a crazed look in his face and talking to himself. But I did it. I shook his hand and introduced myself by my first name only, and he had this surprised and timid look on his face that revealed his lack of interaction with humans. I asked him about his life, and he told me people don't really come up and bother him there. I apologized and offered to leave him alone, but he said it was okay, so I continued trying to make conversation with him. He told me he didn't have a place to live, so that bench is where he would go to talk to God when he was lonely. He was convinced that was the only place he could go to talk to God. It was heartbreaking, actually. Sometimes John's friend would let him sleep over on Rutland St., so instinctively, I invited him to church. He hasn't shown up. After a good ten-minute-or-so conversation with him, I decided to tell him about the project I was working on. He agreed to get his picture taken, so here is John in his environment. I thought it was important to get on the same level as him (figuratively and literally) instead of looking down on him; It seemed like too many people had been doing that. I haven't seen John since this encounter.
Fall '12
Intro Darkoom
Canon EOS Rebel G SLR
35mm 400TX B/W film
