I want to announce my next workshop “Autumn in France” to be next October 2nd. It will be in Bordeaux, Dordogne, and Toulouse. If you go to the top of my blog and click on the link, you can read the description. Join me for a great visual experience, seeing places that few people won’t ever be able to.
For those new to my blog, I have had a post come out on my blog every five days since 2011. For those of you that may or may not know, I conduct an online class with the BPSOP, and I also conduct my “Stretching Your frame of Mind” workshops around our planet.
I can say to all my fellow photographers that have been lucky enough to travel the four corners of the globe that a camera is a passport to all those wonderful places and experiences.
Photography, more specific the camera, is the silent international language for communicating with others. If you’re the kind of photographer that is comfortable with asking strangers if you can take their picture, here’s some advice.
When approaching someone, be as polite and non-threatening as humanly possible, and whatever you do, don’t have your camera in front of you and aiming it at them…it’s intimidating and will get you a lot more people saying no than yes.
Keep the camera over your shoulder and behind you if possible. If time is not a problem, try initiating a conversation. Make him or her feel like you are interested in what they have to say.
If they’re performing, put some money where it’s obvious they would like it i.e., their guitar case. If they’re selling something buy it, even if you are really not interested in whatever it is. Of course these things are predicated on how important the shot is to you.
As I said, if you’re one of my fellow photographers, and enjoy traveling camera in hand, then you know that it’s these kinds of encounters that make you glad that you fell in love with photography. I know I’ve been very fortunate for the past fifty-three years.
Visit my website at www.joebaraban.com, and follow me on instagram. Look for any upcoming workshops in 2023. Come shoot with me sometime.
JoeB
