I was driving home down Ninth street as usual, when I spotted a man pushing an ice cream cart across the street. I stopped and ran out to get his picture. By this time he was in front of a taco truck. I asked him if he would go back into the light so I could get his picture he raised his finger at me and said "No picture"
How does a photographer determine when to take and when not to take a picture? My journalism background usually has me taking pictures regardless of what a person thinks, after all an editor doesn't give a rats ass what a person wants. An editor wants the picture and as a photojournalist it's your job to get it. But I don't work for a newspaper anymore and for the most part I do respect people and don't take their pictures.
But I had a feeling about this guy. He was a pretty nice fellow. We joked for a while as I hung around still looking for a better shot. I don't feel I got that better shot as I like this one best. When I left I told him thanks for the picture, he said " you're welcome Meha."
As a project to thank the people of Nevis for their hospitality, especially that of their bus drivers we decided to do a calendar with different pictures of all the different buses and their drivers. It took us a few days at different time of the day to get the pictures done. When we finally had enough my friend made the calendar and sent it to the island so they could reproduce it for their profit if they wanted. Anyway, long story short, a lot of the drivers would let us photograph their vans, but they wouldn't let us take a picture of them. The superstitions on the island are still pretty strong, and they worry that the camera will steal their souls. Here's a link for an example, Shortie let us take his picture unlike many of the other drivers. His van is one of the nicer ones, but it still gives a little taste of the island: http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll94/Nevis08/Amy/IMG_5834.jpg
ReplyDeleteI love seeing pictures of places I've never been and will probably never get to go to, that other people have taken. You get a real view of what the place is like. The travel pictures as breathtakingly beautiful they are, don't give me a clue what the place is about. I love it when you can see the oil stained, cracked street and the dirty posts with the local people in the picture. I bet they were happy to receive their calendar.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how many people believe the camera will steal part of their soul. I like to believe it preserves a part of us for posterity.