Camera in hand, I took to the streets of Savannah yesterday morning with one goal- Street photography. A friend of mine loaned me her old nikon 50-200 mm lens that she doesn't use. With that and some inspiration stemming from an engagement photo shoot with my brother in law and his fiancé last weekend, my mind was firmly planted in photography.
Out of shyness, I started my adventure with the sniper method of street photography. A 200mm lens allowed for nice, sharp pictures from a distance, but made me feel like a bit of a creeper in the process. That said, I did get some good pictures that way.
But by the end of my day I had become more comfortable and was interacting with the people in my pictures. I met a band who plays the streets at night (and had the cutest puppy) along with many other interesting people. But out of all of them, there was one interaction that especially struck me.
I met Earl as I was taking pictures of the fountain in Forsyth Park. He saw me snapping shot after shot and asked if I'd like him to take one with me in the picture. I thanked him, told him that no I was working on a Street Photography project, and asked if I could take his picture instead. He was happy to oblige, as long as I let him pose with his book. When I asked him how to get in touch so that I could send him his picture, he told me that he is homeless. He asked me, very nicely, if I could spare a couple dollars, but I didn't have any cash on me. I did want to do something though, and so I offered to send him a print of the picture, since I wouldn't be able to email it. He gave me his address at the homeless shelter and, first thing monday, I plan to get a print made and send it to him.
It may not be much, and it may not have monetary value, but I feel that by giving him his portrait I can give this man a very meaningful gift. It is a slice of his life, a moment that he will always remember. It may not technically be the best picture I've ever taken, but it has meaning for me now and I hope that Earl will feel the same way when he receives that package in the mail.
For anyone who is interested, you can see the rest of this set at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shulearue/sets/72157634989391640/
Also, I started a Facebook page for my photography in hopes of getting more into the business of things. You can find it at
https://www.facebook.com/mikaelajoyphotos
