411/500 - Savannah (Explore)
A crowded subway car wouldn't seem the ideal location to make the "stranger connection" - especially with the hectic bustle and the wall of privacy we build around ourselves when in such close quarters. The subway has, however, proven to be the starting point of several of my 100 Strangers encounters, as was the case today.
She and I got on at the same station downtown and of course her great appearance caught my eye instantly. As in the past, I was a bit nervous about approaching her lest it look like I was stalking, but finally I thought she would be too good a subject to not at least invite to the project. I told myself that if she got off at my stop, I would definitely ask her. Finally, I decided to be brave and ask without waiting. I leaned over to get her attention and she took out her iPod earbud. “Are you by any chance getting off at the Broadview Station?” I asked. “Yes, actually. Why?” I told her that was my stop and I’m doing an amateur Flickr project photographing strangers and I thought she’d be a great person to photograph. She said “Ok. I don’t mind.” I checked how old she was and she said 16. Whew, just under the wire for our project. Meet Savannah.
Just then we arrived and I said we would need the natural light upstairs. It turned out she was transferring to a streetcar to go to her high school so our options were limited. It would have to be in the station (not too promising) or outside on the streetcar platform. We quickly looked around the platform and Savannah assumed I needed bright light so I explained I needed light but not bright. I took a couple of photos with her trendy sunglasses on and she was very cooperative in facing the way I asked her to. The background was very bright and I really wanted to make the most of this excellent subject so we moved to the other side of the platform where a row of payphones formed the background. I asked her to take off her glasses and Wow! What remarkable sparkling eyes!
Just then a classmate of hers arrived and greeted her and said their streetcar was about to leave. There was no time to get her email even though I’d promised her a copy of her photo. I just manage to hand her my contact card so I hope she emails me. I accompanied her to the streetcar and asked “How would you describe yourself to someone who didn’t know you?” Without missing a beat she turned her head back as she climbed onto the streetcar and said with a giggle “Empathic and rambunctious!”
Thank you Annie for participating in 100 Strangers. You are now Stranger #411 in Round 5 of my project.
Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
To browse Round 1 of my 100 Strangers project click here: www.flickr.com/photos/jeffcbowen/sets/72157633145986224/
To browse Round 2 of my 100 Strangers project click here:
www.flickr.com/photos/jeffcbowen/sets/72157634422850489/
To browse Round 3 of my 100 Strangers project click here: www.flickr.com/photos/jeffcbowen/sets/72157635541434065/
To browse Round 4 of my 100 Strangers project click here:
411/500 - Savannah (Explore)
A crowded subway car wouldn't seem the ideal location to make the "stranger connection" - especially with the hectic bustle and the wall of privacy we build around ourselves when in such close quarters. The subway has, however, proven to be the starting point of several of my 100 Strangers encounters, as was the case today.
She and I got on at the same station downtown and of course her great appearance caught my eye instantly. As in the past, I was a bit nervous about approaching her lest it look like I was stalking, but finally I thought she would be too good a subject to not at least invite to the project. I told myself that if she got off at my stop, I would definitely ask her. Finally, I decided to be brave and ask without waiting. I leaned over to get her attention and she took out her iPod earbud. “Are you by any chance getting off at the Broadview Station?” I asked. “Yes, actually. Why?” I told her that was my stop and I’m doing an amateur Flickr project photographing strangers and I thought she’d be a great person to photograph. She said “Ok. I don’t mind.” I checked how old she was and she said 16. Whew, just under the wire for our project. Meet Savannah.
Just then we arrived and I said we would need the natural light upstairs. It turned out she was transferring to a streetcar to go to her high school so our options were limited. It would have to be in the station (not too promising) or outside on the streetcar platform. We quickly looked around the platform and Savannah assumed I needed bright light so I explained I needed light but not bright. I took a couple of photos with her trendy sunglasses on and she was very cooperative in facing the way I asked her to. The background was very bright and I really wanted to make the most of this excellent subject so we moved to the other side of the platform where a row of payphones formed the background. I asked her to take off her glasses and Wow! What remarkable sparkling eyes!
Just then a classmate of hers arrived and greeted her and said their streetcar was about to leave. There was no time to get her email even though I’d promised her a copy of her photo. I just manage to hand her my contact card so I hope she emails me. I accompanied her to the streetcar and asked “How would you describe yourself to someone who didn’t know you?” Without missing a beat she turned her head back as she climbed onto the streetcar and said with a giggle “Empathic and rambunctious!”
Thank you Annie for participating in 100 Strangers. You are now Stranger #411 in Round 5 of my project.
Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page
To browse Round 1 of my 100 Strangers project click here: www.flickr.com/photos/jeffcbowen/sets/72157633145986224/
To browse Round 2 of my 100 Strangers project click here:
www.flickr.com/photos/jeffcbowen/sets/72157634422850489/
To browse Round 3 of my 100 Strangers project click here: www.flickr.com/photos/jeffcbowen/sets/72157635541434065/
To browse Round 4 of my 100 Strangers project click here: