retratos :: strangers portraits

once a while ago, i wrote about how difficult it is to take photos to strangers and how much courage it takes to be able to do that. well, one thing is when you are at a wedding and people recognize you as the photographer, so they expect that you take photos of them! another thing entirely different is approaching someone to take their picture and that my friends is what i wished i had the nerves to do!

first there’s something absolutely magical in taking a picture with the one looking at us straight in the eye and just as annie leibovitz once said:

“life is definitely bigger than just this one moment when you take a picture. you don’t capture somebody in a portrait, but you tell a part of its story”

and this is definitely something i want to improve. not quite sure when, but i will one day approach someone on a street and ask for their portrait, just because i find it interesting and full of character. i want to look into strangers’ eyes and take their picture, tell a bit of their story. once at a wedding, while waiting for the wedding to start i snapped these! and i can only tell you that it was addictive. people looking at me and smiling or just looking, acknowledging my presence, camera and gesture. it was magical. i was feeling so powerful and alive inside, like i could go on and on and on that day. just for the sake of that feeling again!

what do you think? would you allow someone approach you asking to take your picture, just by explaining that your face is quite interesting and giving your a business card? or would feel afraid of something or weird?