Nice shots!! You captured a wide range of emotions. The guy with the guitar looks like he's having the time of his life, not a care in the world, love it! Humans, were all the same yet so different all at the same time.
If you don't feel comfortable taking pictures of random people, why don't you approach them talk and make a connection first than ask for permission, learn about their stories or worries? Might be therapeutic for your subjects too. I'm sure Edmonton still has a different environment and is more friendly than New York but you never know the stories or wisdom you might encounter and 2/3rd of the time ppl say yes.
I don't take pictures of it but when I go downtown, a make a point to pay attention to my surroundings and take some time to chat with the homeless, buy them a meal from time to time. Some interesting and some sad stories out there, you could probably get some epic photography and interesting subjects like that.
Thanks that guy that he guitar was such fun to watch a real character
That is great advise for sure, but something I struggle with,I am actually very shy and quiet and not good at approaching people I don’t know and starting a conversation, in a way I am very introverted, but it is something I Gould try to work on as it could make for such. Cool series of shots without a doubt.
Well that could be a productive exercise for you too then!! Keep in mind most of the subjects you are thinking of approaching think they are as socially awkward as you might think you are. Generally a warm smile and something you find intriguing about them is a good ice breaker. I'm the weirdo with no holds bared tho, I ask strange personal questions about why they live in the streets or why they chose too, what they like, dislike about it...many people want to tell their story to anyone that might care because they feel invisible. The homeless is some of the easiest to talk to. I don't know if you smoke or not but offering them a smoke or 2 goes a long way. Sad guy too probably would be an easy one for you.
Here is a social experiment for you and see for yourself. Take a candid picture before you approach someone like you did and then take a moment to hangout with them and then ask to take their picture for a project of yours. See the difference.
I'm naturally an introvert and I like to "people watch" and analyse different things and scenarios but my life circumstances don't really allow me the chance to be shy since my work surroundings are always changing given I repair infrastructure at various oil/ energy facilities etc across the province and originally come from a political family in a small region.
If myWife ever gets healthy and wants to go out on walks I should walk with her with my camera, she is very much a people person and can chat with anyone, pity I never thought of it till now that would have bene the perfect time for me to get candid shots of people and let her do the talking LOL
I cannot promise as I have gone out with the idea you just challenged me with and chickened out before but since i have a shorter lens today if the rain holds off when I got out for lunch I will try and do that :)
I do love watching people and imagining what there up to and where there going etc but talking to the is my challenge LOL
Awwe that would make for such a sweet project with your wife!!! I hope she gets better too, unfortunate that she still isn't feeling well, I hope you can find the cause of her issues and eliminate whatever is bothering her.
I suppose I may be shy but I still have a bold personality that doesn't go un-noticed so it's easy to get strangers to talk to me. I do have my fair share of chicken out moments in other areas of my life that I have gotten over and bit the bullet and succeeded. Fortune favors the bold. Follow your instincts and don't over think it. If you are unnatural, ppl will sense that too and be the same. Each time you chicken out, your practicing to go a step further next time at some point you'll be there as long as you progress everyday...it's like learning how to weld...baby steps.
One thing I can guarantee , sharing small meaningful moments with total strangers regularly is a rewarding experience for both sides and it's easy to connect with strangers when you let the big fancy camera do some of the talking, ppl love to be part of something even if they don't know what it is as long as you find a way to connect with them instantly.
Sadly what she has does in rare cases just go away and I hope and pray for that every day, controlling her diet helps to. Degree but she just doesn’t have th energy to be out and about like she used to, maybe one day she will be lucky and it will move on and she can get back to her old self.
Thanks for the wonderful motivation, I will keep trying to get out of my comfort zone little by little and try some of the small steps you suggest and see how it goes