this is the second of the three young women i met at the japanese garden last month in chicago. despite her makeup she can't be any more than 20. she is beautiful, in a different way than her friend from yesterday's post.
in yesterday's post, we had quite a chat about photographing strangers. in truth, these girls were taking selfies of themselves and i offered to take a photo of the three of them. they thanked me but said no, so it was a bonus for me when i asked if i can take their photos and to my surprised, they readily said yes.
that's where my problem usually begins. i panic and start to shoot, not minding the camera's setting. that's also the time when i could chimp with my shots, meaning look a what i've taken so far. and that's when i would discover that my setting is such that the resulting pic is all washed out. then i fumble and apologize and say i need to do another shot. i hate to inconvenience people and some of them have no patience, especially with a fumbling photographer. so after i've taken the shot, i would give them my email.
then i walk away after thanking them, and i would sit somewhere quiet and try to calm myself. yes, despite what anyone thinks, i am mostly painfully afraid of people and nervous around strangers. i am good at public speaking but that is borne out of necessity and requirement of the jobs i have held from the outset. so, if you see me approaching someone to ask for a picture, know that it takes a lot of courage and convincing myself to do it. it's a good thing, too, that i am able to gauge people but when i am wrong and get rejected, i assure you i pray silently that the ground would swallow me whole and disappear forever.
I could not EVER. ask a stranger to take their pic. I’m much too timid and afraid of rejection or that I’d mess the pic up. And yes I hate and I’m terrible at public speaking. Too much info I know. All to say I admire that you can ask!!
She is beautiful. She really knows how to apply her makeup and how to pose. I’m proud of you for asking these girls, maybe it will get easier as time goes by.
You have described me perfectly vis a vis photographing strangers - minus the giving them my email and often minus actually taking the time to get the better shot — so nervous about inconveniencing the person with my inexpert attempts. You managed a lovely shot of this young woman.
I could not EVER. ask a stranger to take their pic. I’m much too timid and afraid of rejection or that I’d mess the pic up. And yes I hate and I’m terrible at public speaking. Too much info I know. All to say I admire that you can ask!!