Uploads from colinlogan, tagged stranger

Grey beard

nobody@flickr.com (colinlogan) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 05:25:16 -0800

colinlogan posted a photo:

Every week I seem to get restless on Sundays, around evening time. That's traditionally when I find myself catch up on the things I've neglected like paying bills and washing. I feel like my 100 strangers has been neglected a bit lately and so I hit the streets in my neighbourhood looking for a cool character to trap in my picture box.

I live in an area with a pretty large Jewish population and have wanted to get a photo of someone in their garb for a while now. Unfortunately I mostly see them in groups heading out to dinner or taking their kids to the park and so I've let them be. This night I chanced along this guy going for a walk solo. His superb beard and bold patterns left no doubt in my mind that I should approach him.

He seemed reluctant at first but after giving himself a moment to think he agreed. I fired off some shots and did most of the talking. When I was done I thanked him sincerely for participating and he told me "Enjoy. Enjoy."

This is the sixty fifth portrait of my attempt at the 100 strangers project.

Next door

nobody@flickr.com (colinlogan) — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 14:26:01 -0800

colinlogan posted a photo:

I was rushing to meet up with some friends but stopped to take a couple of shots of this lass. I only had space for 4 shots left on my SD card but managed to get what I wanted in 2. She had been very slowly walking down the road I was on and as I crossed to approach her she came to a stop. Turns out she works at the store next to the one seen in the background.

Today I headed to Can I look down?'s work and gave her the address for her photo. She'd given me her email address but when I tried to contact her the email bounced. On the way back from lunch I found myself waiting at a pedestrian crossing with Vogue and pizza. Seeing those two in the same day was pretty cool. I've also spotted Rail rider and Scented sandals around town too.

This is the fifty ninth portrait of my attempt at the 100 strangers project.

Breaking the silence

nobody@flickr.com (colinlogan) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 15:48:28 -0800

colinlogan posted a photo:

Finding and asking strangers has become pretty easy now. I don't get the nerves I used to and I've got a good idea of who'll be up for it. So for my 50th stranger I wanted to do something a bit challenging. I decided to try and get a photo of a stranger without speaking to them. Not a candid shot, I'd still get their consent and have them stand like normal. Just no talking.

I don't normally approach people with headphones in, but they seemed like the perfect candidates. So I hung around my local train station and kept an eye on the steady stream of people that were arriving on the trains. One likely candidate walked passed me and we made eye contact. I pointed at myself, then at my camera and then at her. She seemed to understand and replied with "No thank you". So communicating what I wanted didn't seem to be an issue, which was a relief.

A time passed before another likely stranger came my way. This girl I had to give a bit of a wave to to get her attention. I raised my camera up a bit to get her to notice it, and then pointed at her. She stopped, pulled out her headphones and with a frown said "Excuse me?". I hadn't moved my lips the whole time. A little flustered I blurted out "Would you mind if I took your picture". She replied "I'd rather you didn't" in quite a harsh tone and hurried off. Easily the harshest rejection I've had.

I thought I might have better luck in the city, so I jumped on a train and headed in. On my way up to my usual stranger location, the Bourke St mall, I spotted a foreigner listening to headphones. I gave a wave and made my gestures and was met with a silent head shake and a smile. Better off than my last rejection, but still no photos, so I continued on my way. Not far from there I came across a 4th stranger with headphones:

I repeated my routine.
She pulled out one ear piece and asked "Sorry?".
I repeated the gesture
"What's it for?" she asked.
I made a chopping gesture with my hands. Trying to indicate a series but probably looking more like I was slicing a zucchini.
"OK" she said, appearing to have come to the conclusion that I was unable to speak.
I looked around for light. Took two shots and then said "Thank you".
She looked shocked as she walked away.

This is the fiftieth portrait of my attempt at the 100 strangers project.

Stood up?

nobody@flickr.com (colinlogan) — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 14:40:55 -0800

colinlogan posted a photo:

There's a cool little park on a corner block in Northbridge (Perth's nightlife suburb, over the train tracks from the CBD). They've got a huge screen and some interesting glowing blobs for people to sit on. So before I went out swing dancing I loitered around there a little with my eye to finding some strangers. Initially I asked a small asian girl who was sitting cross legged on a concrete block, thinking that it'd be cool to fit her all in a shot while she was sitting scrunched up. She wasn't into it though, saying "No thank you" like I was offering to sell her something. I've had that response from a few people and it throws me a bit each time.

So this lad was sitting a couple of metres behind her and I noticed him while she was rejecting me. But I didn't go straight over, rather I walked past and down the street a little to see if there was anyone there. I spotted a group of youths harassing an old aboriginal guy. The old guy and the kids each threw up their hands a few times, ready to start some fisticuffs. I took a few photos from across the street, but nothing came of the confrontation. So I headed back to the park hoping this guy was still there.

He was up for the photo straight away. We chatted a little while I took the shots but I paid close attention to his speech and tried not to capture derp faces mid-word. He told me that he was waiting for his girlfriend. They'd been introduced to each other about a month before at a party. He also told me that he'd 'gotten successful' about two weeks ago. I'm quite sure I don't know what he meant.

After a few shots I headed off to find my friends who were down the street grabbing some dinner. On my way back through, about 15 minutes later, I spotted him still sitting there. I do hope he wasn't stood up.

This is the forty ninth portrait of my attempt at the 100 strangers project.

The pinkest hair

nobody@flickr.com (colinlogan) — Sun, 16 Jan 2011 14:40:50 -0800

colinlogan posted a photo:

I interrupted this stranger as she was doing some pre-work shopping. No prizes for guessing what drew my attention to her.

This is the forty eigth portrait of my attempt at the 100 strangers project.

London court

nobody@flickr.com (colinlogan) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 20:32:55 -0800

colinlogan posted a photo:

London court is probably the place in Perth most like the lane-ways of Melbourne. They're both full of cafes, luxury clothing stores and beautiful soft light. I was glad when I found a stranger to complement the surrounds.

When I found out this lass was 17 years old I was a bit shocked and asked "Shouldn't you be doing homework?"
"No!" she replied. "I graduated."

She went on to tell me that she's now studying Communications at Notre Dame, a Catholic university in Fremantle. She's always in the city meeting up with friends for coffee and a chat.

This is the forty sixth portrait of my attempt at the 100 strangers project.

Stuck in the park

nobody@flickr.com (colinlogan) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 19:06:10 -0800

colinlogan posted a photo:

Walking along with her friend this stranger suddenly lurched forward. She'd caught her heel in one of the drainage gratings in Central Park. I knew straight away that I had to ask her, but it was difficult to deliver my request without laughing. With a little peer pressure I got her and her friend to agree.

She says she was in the city because her friend was bored. They weren't up to anything in particular, just hanging out. Apparently they'd been friends since going to school together in Winthrop. This photo continues on from her friend who I shot first. To get the whole story check her out too.

This is the forty fifth portrait of my attempt at the 100 strangers project.

Walk in the park

nobody@flickr.com (colinlogan) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 19:06:01 -0800

colinlogan posted a photo:

Central park is one of the hang outs in the center of the city frequented by a contrasting mix of gothic-raver-street-kids and clean-cut-business-people on most days. I figured I'd have no trouble finding some cool people and some great backgrounds in there and I was not disappointed. I spotted this stranger walking with a friend through the park and initially I didn't want to disturb them but her friend did something that caught my attention. I don't elaborate on it right now because it's more part of her friend's story and she's coming up tomorrow.

I gave my usual spiel and this girl seemed confused. She asked if I just wanted to shoot her friend who was dressed less casually. I clarified that I'd like to get both of them if I could. She seemed surprised and let me know "People normally ask her because she's beautiful".

At first they stood together but I asked if I could get them separately first. This stranger went and sat to the side, like she was waiting her turn, while her friend fixed her hair. As she stepped to the side I looked past her and noticed that she'd positioned herself with a great background that had quite even light. I let her know as much and moved around in front of her. She seemed surprised again and exclaimed "ooh me?!". I laughed a little and dropped down to a crouching position to get my shots.

This is the forty fourth portrait of my attempt at the 100 strangers project.

Language barrier

nobody@flickr.com (colinlogan) — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 02:46:17 -0800

colinlogan posted a photo:

This old lady spoke no english at all. I spotted her sitting on the steps outside Melbourne's GPO. When I approached her and asked she initially declined. I couldn't understand her reason at first and asked her to repeat it: "No english". So I motioned to my camera at my side and held it forward a little, then pointed at her. She got the idea now and made a gesture that I took to mean "Ooh all right then".

I fired off a shot and between me checking it turned out ok and going up for the next shot she pointed at herself and said "Nepal". I stared saying that I'd heard nepal was a wonderfully beautiful country but stopped, realising there was no point. I took my final shot and we parted ways smiling and nodding.

I might note that I went out today hoping to get a few males to balance out my set of strangers, clearly this was a good start. I'm also back to my Sigma 50mm f/1.4. I think it's a better portrait lens than my Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L. Though I'd like to go out some time with my Canon 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM, perhaps at night where I can make best use of the IS.

This is the twenty sixth portrait of my attempt at the 100 strangers project.

Flaming idiot

nobody@flickr.com (colinlogan) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 05:27:40 -0800

colinlogan posted a photo:

Just outside my train station where 3 dudes painting the walls of a seemingly abandoned storefront. A lady sat opposite providing moral support. I loitered nearby watching them work, having never seen street art in action. After a little while, once I thought they where comfortable with me being there, I started getting my camera ready.

This guy seemed to be finished painting so I approached him first. He had some trouble understanding my request, thinking at first that I was asking for permission to photograph his work. Then when he squatted down near his shot I decided it was good enough and started shooting. Unfortunately this was as wide as I could take my photos, I was standing on the opposite side of the laneway and only had my 50mm with me. After I'd popped off a few shots we chatted for a while. He told me that he was from Japan. I replied that I'd been there not long ago, visiting Tokyo, Osaka and Okinawa. He said he was from just south of Osaka. We communicated as much with hand gestures as with words.

He'd been painting since about 2pm he told me, I'd arrived at about 6pm. Back in Japan was where he started the painting and he said they've got a great scene over there. You might've noticed his canon strap, he was taking shots of his own work with a Canon Rebel XTi, the Japanese version of the 400D.

This is the sixty second portrait of my attempt at the 100 strangers project.

And interesting

nobody@flickr.com (colinlogan) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 13:56:15 -0800

colinlogan posted a photo:

Just around the corner from Windswept was this smartly dressed chap. He told me he was heading out to dinner with some friends.

This is the sixty first portrait of my attempt at the 100 strangers project.

Fifty two

nobody@flickr.com (colinlogan) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:11:31 -0800

colinlogan posted a photo:

The idea of 100 strangers in 100 days is what sold this stranger. She told me that she doesn't like her picture taken. I was out in the busy Chapel St, which I work around the corner from but have never shot strangers in. I spotted this girl across the street and had to weave through traffic to get to her.

Once she'd agreed to the photo she made a point of putting down her shopping (which I hadn't noticed) and leant on a nearby tree. Given how well it turned out I wonder if she's had experience modelling. She told me she was Chinese which might explain why a few of my questions she ignored or misunderstood. She's been in Australia for 2 years and was originally from New Shanghai.

She was curious about the project and when I told her she would be number 52 she seemed quite pleased. I asked her if it was a significant number and she said that it was but wouldn't elaborate. When I said I'd give her the url she could check for her photo she instead said "I can write it" and took my notepad and pen off me to write down her email.

This is the fifty second portrait of my attempt at the 100 strangers project. You can view the photoshop file for this stranger and all my other strangers to see what I do in post.

Friends holding hands

nobody@flickr.com (colinlogan) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 22:56:34 -0800

colinlogan posted a photo:

This cute couple is not a couple at all. I'd been looking out for couples or groups of people through the city who I could shoot together to keep my 100 strangers in 100 days deadline. I was so pleased when I asked them if they were dating and they said they were just friends. I love that idea that friends can show affection this way without feeling awkward and to have captured it means everything turned out better than I imagined.

I had a few more shots of them but unfortunately they where all under exposed and out of focus. I'm really not sure what went wrong. This was another example of me starting the conversation before I had my shot. I'm really not sure how to put people at ease while avoiding shooting them mid speech.

This are the forty second and forty third portraits of my attempt at the 100 strangers project.

South korean resident

nobody@flickr.com (colinlogan) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 23:34:29 -0800

colinlogan posted a photo:

This stranger spoke no english. She's the friend of stranger #34, both who I met at the Melbourne Royal Botanic gardens. When shooting her I ignored that she spoke no english, figuring that even if she didn't understand me just talking would keep her engaged. Helpfully though her friend translated as I spoke. She told me that she was enjoying her time in Melbourne and her highlight had been the shopping.

Once I was done they asked me if the photos where to be shown at an exhibition. I was pretty amused by the idea but explained that they'd be up online at flickr. They were keen to get the address so they could see how they turn out. So ladies, if you're reading this, thanks letting me take your pictures. I hope you like them.

This is the thirty fifth portrait of my attempt at the 100 strangers project.