January 3, 2010

not necessarily anywhere particular...

I'm guilty
of watching people
and
I do it all the time
everywhere I go
and
always walk away
having learned something
about
who I am
::
this year I'm making a promise to myself
to try to photograph
these people I watch
even more
than I did this past year
::
a project of sorts
I guess
even though I don't have a name for it yet
or
a vision for exactly how I want to do it
or
what I want to do with it
::
but
strangers intrigue me
and
make me smile
and
for some reason they seem to be completely at ease with me
when I start a conversation with them
and
almost always say
"of course"
when I ask them if I can take their picture
::
so
with my camera in my hand
and
patience riding along with my curious
~stranger loving~
heart
I hope to fill a number of my posts this year
with
the faces
and
hopefully some amazing stories
of those I meet
in the middle of
nowhere in particular
~
the little boy playing in the sand at sunset
was who I was photographing
and
whose father I had already talked to about pictures
but
when the other little boy ran into the photo
wide eyed
with a look of
"that's what I want to do when I'm grow up"
well
I couldn't resist
~


28 comments:

  1. beth....your posts truly inspire me!

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  2. I suspect you may be one of those people that "have never met a stranger." Look forward to meeting them through your eyes of friendship extended.

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  3. beautiful silhouette

    I always get nervous about taking shots of strangers

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  4. Beautiful photo!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  5. Great shot as always. And I like your love of people. You've given me a new perspective.

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  6. I love this picture. The light, the child, everything. I hope you do take even more pictures as long as you keep sharing them with us.

    Happy New Year!

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  7. I love to watch people, too. It's a wonderful part of life.

    I'm looking forward to this project and to seeing the people you capture! You are off to a beautiful start!

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  8. This is a great photo. Your new year plan sounds awesome and I look forward to seeing all the faces and expressions you capture. I'm always a bit shy it seems when it comes to strangers but I'm working on immproving that part of myself. Maybe I'll gain courage from reading your posts.

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  9. I love catching people doing what people do! These children are so typical of what children do in the sand. Fabulous silhouettes against the late light of the day...and, we do learn a lot from observing, don't we!

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  10. I CAN NOT WAIT to see what you come up with, with your new stranger project.

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  11. The photo is pure you Beth, perfect! It is beautiful! Looking forward to see what slices of magic you capture in 2010!

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  12. Me too Beth, that is what it is, magic...excited for your project.

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  13. Ohhh yes, I want to know more and see the project too! I would also be somewhat shy to photograph strangers... its part of the beauty of you!

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  14. What a wonderful shot! I love taking photos of strangers and I do it all too much!

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  15. This is a beautiful shot, Beth. I tried it once, in England. There was this cute little old man sitting on a bench feeding pigeons in a beautiful park. The pigeons were clamoring for attention (and food). It would have made a lovely shot, but he said no. He must have been in the witness protection program or something like that.

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  16. oh wonderful, that is something I am getting more comfortable with, but still find hard to do. I will look forward to seeing new faces and reading of your adventures in meeting them.

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  17. beautiful, stylish...

    Happy New Year!

    Because you take photographs I recommend that you visit my main blog and see how my photo was stolen and misused. And that was just an ordinary snapshot!

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  18. Oh , I love love this picture Beth. How do you keep doing it?
    And I will sit on the sidelines while you journey on this path . I 'd like to try. It's hard enough for me just taking out my camera when people are watching, and that's just to take pics of plants and stuff.

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  19. I will look forward to your stories and pictures. What a fun project. You are very brave. I love watching people too, but don't usually have the nerve to ask if I can take your picture.

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  20. This would be something I would like to see unfold...even though you are strangers with these people (you will photograph) and we ( you and I ) are complete strangers...I just feel like you would create such an intimate feel to it...

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  21. i can never muster up the courage to go ask strangers if they would mind being photgraphed. the other day i walked past this really sweet old woman dressed in the traditional attire in these islands (which is very rare to see these days) but i just couldnt make myself go and ask. maybe i need to *believe* in myself more, eh? (one of my words for the year).

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  22. Beth:
    Happy New Year, my talented Friend. I always leave here with two emotions,one is envy for I wish I had your talent and could make others feel all that I feel when I visit with you.

    The other emotion is gratitude that I have met you, (again,) and have the opportunity to be inspired by you and made happy by you.

    Thank you for all that you do on this blog of yours. You are wonderful.

    Love,
    Holly

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  23. I love that you connect so openly with strangers. what an incredible quality to have. You are a ray of sunshine.

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  24. I don't think I will ever be comfortable taking pictures of strangers...and I admire those who can:)

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  25. Heartwarming! The photo of the little boy watching his dad...the two different shovels.....the end of the day......PERFECT!

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  26. This sounds like an amazing project! Looking forward to seeing what you see. Happy New Year!

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  27. People feel comfortable being photographed by you because you love people so much! You are open and warm and full of love for your passion and for the connection between strangers...it's no wonder everyone says *of course*!
    I wonder what you will capture this year with this open heart of yours?

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  28. Can't wait to see what projects unfold from this, Beth, and to "see" them through your eyes and hear their stories!

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**I love reading the comments you leave, as they make me feel like we're sitting in my kitchen, having a cup of tea, discussing life and wondering where all the time has gone ...beth