"The Game Face is Real"
The nature of my work has changed a lot this year, as has many people’s. I miss photographing at weddings where I could get close to people and weave through a crowd unnoticed.
What we do with this time can have a significant impact on our sanity.
That being said - at a time such as this - I have just decided to create my own work. That is photographing on the street.
Almost everyday I go out walking, hoping to see a scene worth photographing.
This one scene in particular caught my eye: two friends in the middle of the road looking at their camera. She wore a beret, plaid dress, long socks and shoes, and he dressed in a casual, well put together outfit. They caught my eye. So I snapped the below photograph.
I didn’t feel satisfied with the photo that I had taken, and hung around as they continued to take pictures of themselves. I was waiting for a scene to possibly unravel.
We eventually made eye contact, and she asked to take my video. She has a Youtube channel called, “The Library of Emotions.”
She asked if I could think of a time when I desired an apology from someone who hurt me, and recorded the expression on my face.
While I was watching her work, all I could see was what was happening in front of me. When she was done recording my expressions I asked if I could photograph her. I suggested that she hold her camera just as she was when taking my video, and her friend Tamo to continue what he was doing.
What I didn’t know was that she was actually taking my video while I photographed them. What resulted was a video of myself composing and shooting a series of photographs.
I only found out that she took my video later that evening. But I am so grateful that she did!
When you see me move into the street and turn my camera vertically; the result was the photo below:
When I come back onto the island and I offer a little direction is when I snap the very last photo of Yuli and Tamo which is the photo you see below.
Someone insightfully noted on my Instagram post,
We see it’s not one magic shot, but you’re working and adjusting to get to your final.
I love that. Sometimes through the process of composing and recomposing is when we realize what our idea is.
My friend also kindly pointed out,
The game face is real.
Hope you enjoyed! :)
More from this series:
