Stranger 01/100
Meet Carl, I met him while waiting for technical difficulties to be resolved at a building inspection my company was to perform in Hoboken, NJ. I was there to take photos of the team dropping down a 28 story building in a window washers scaffold system.
While waiting for those problems to be sorted out I was just looking around and took a few shots of the NYC skyline from the waterfront park in front of the building we were to inspect. While sitting there I noticed Carl. He was just sitting watching people go by and was also watching me with my camera gear. I had seen this 100 Strangers group before and thought it would be good for me to get involved with to improve my portrait skills. I figured, why not start now? So I got up off the bench and approached this stranger. I introduced myself and told him of the project, I then asked if he would consider allowing me to photograph him for this group project and he agreed.
We mostly discussed his life and background, I pretty much just asked questions like an interview and he told me about himself. Carl is 63 years old, was born in Bremmerhaven, Germany. I told him of my early years as an Army brat and how when I was 12 half my life was spent in Germany as well. At which point he told me his father had been in the U.S. Army as well and had met his mother while stationed in Germany. Nature took it's course and he and his brother were the result. Unfortunately, Carl is currently unemployed and homeless and has lost touch with his brother and family over the years. He did get around a lot in his earlier years and had lived in Maine and Washington state and had many different jobs over the years. He said he drove trucks for years and had also been a scuba instructor for 15 years. It had been a passion of his and told me that I should try it. I said my photography was expensive enough as I have several friends who also scuba and know it is quite expensive as well. Carl also told me he was interested in photography years ago and was admiring my gear, he guessed pretty close to what mine cost which kind of surprised me. He then gave me some tips on the location we were at. He said in the early morning just as the sun rises the buildings of lower Manhattan light up with the sunrise. I knew this already as I have seen it when I commute into the city in the morning. (look like lower Manhattan is on fire when you time it just right) He also suggested the other side of the train station for the sunsets, which I will have to try as well. As I was wrapping up my shoot with him I decided to help him out a little, I reached for my wallet and he said, "You don't have to do that." I said sure I do, you gave me some valuable information for future photo shoots. I gave him some money and thanked him, he was thankful for my modest contribution and we parted ways. He left shortly afterwards, I hope he got something to eat with what I gave him but only he knows. Thank you Carl, and good luck!
This picture is #01 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
Stranger 01/100
Meet Carl, I met him while waiting for technical difficulties to be resolved at a building inspection my company was to perform in Hoboken, NJ. I was there to take photos of the team dropping down a 28 story building in a window washers scaffold system.
While waiting for those problems to be sorted out I was just looking around and took a few shots of the NYC skyline from the waterfront park in front of the building we were to inspect. While sitting there I noticed Carl. He was just sitting watching people go by and was also watching me with my camera gear. I had seen this 100 Strangers group before and thought it would be good for me to get involved with to improve my portrait skills. I figured, why not start now? So I got up off the bench and approached this stranger. I introduced myself and told him of the project, I then asked if he would consider allowing me to photograph him for this group project and he agreed.
We mostly discussed his life and background, I pretty much just asked questions like an interview and he told me about himself. Carl is 63 years old, was born in Bremmerhaven, Germany. I told him of my early years as an Army brat and how when I was 12 half my life was spent in Germany as well. At which point he told me his father had been in the U.S. Army as well and had met his mother while stationed in Germany. Nature took it's course and he and his brother were the result. Unfortunately, Carl is currently unemployed and homeless and has lost touch with his brother and family over the years. He did get around a lot in his earlier years and had lived in Maine and Washington state and had many different jobs over the years. He said he drove trucks for years and had also been a scuba instructor for 15 years. It had been a passion of his and told me that I should try it. I said my photography was expensive enough as I have several friends who also scuba and know it is quite expensive as well. Carl also told me he was interested in photography years ago and was admiring my gear, he guessed pretty close to what mine cost which kind of surprised me. He then gave me some tips on the location we were at. He said in the early morning just as the sun rises the buildings of lower Manhattan light up with the sunrise. I knew this already as I have seen it when I commute into the city in the morning. (look like lower Manhattan is on fire when you time it just right) He also suggested the other side of the train station for the sunsets, which I will have to try as well. As I was wrapping up my shoot with him I decided to help him out a little, I reached for my wallet and he said, "You don't have to do that." I said sure I do, you gave me some valuable information for future photo shoots. I gave him some money and thanked him, he was thankful for my modest contribution and we parted ways. He left shortly afterwards, I hope he got something to eat with what I gave him but only he knows. Thank you Carl, and good luck!
This picture is #01 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page