Stranger #3

Strobist: 1xSB800 on 8ft stand camera right @ 1/2. 1xSB600 on floor camera left @ 1/4.

 

I headed in to Edinburgh for the first day of the Fringe Festival hoping to find some interesting strangers to photograph knowing that everyone would be a little more open and accepting of strange photographers in the party atmosphere. It was my first outing actually approaching complete strangers and asking them if I could photograph them but the festival atmosphere rubbed off on me too and I just jumped straight in.

 

I decided to save time by setting up my strobe lights then waiting for someone interesting to pass by, rather than hunt someone down and then make them hang around while I set everything up.

 

I found a place not too far from the box office in Bristo Square where everyone was milling around and soon had plenty of really great looking subjects everywhere. I approached maybe thirty people and only got turned down by two of them so came away from my first proper day photographing strangers for the project with 28 really great strangers photographed.

 

Unfortunately in all the hussle and excitement I completely failed at getting everyones details and stories though, I found myself trying to take their portraits as quickly as possible so I could let them get away again without holding them up any longer.

I must of only spent around thirty seconds to a minute with each stranger, which would of been fine if I'd actually got around to at least asking their names and where they're from.

 

Definitely a lesson learned for next time, not to feel so guilty about taking up one or two minutes of someones time when they've agreed to be photographed, and to spend a little more time chatting to my strangers.

 

 

Done