I never thought I would take street photos of random people and actually love it. When I started walking the streets of San Diego, I became addicted to the feeling of capturing new faces and situations. Not only did I see people for who they were, but I saw myself in my subjects. I was capturing my life. There's a certain level of courage that is needed to take photos of random people without offending them. I try my best to create a comfort level between shots and focus on moments, rather than the quality of every image. Sometimes I produce images that sing, and other times I don't. I have learned to love each image regardless of how sharp, focused, or framed my subjects are. Ultimately, the idea of street photography is to evoke feeling between the viewer and the subject displayed. Interpretation plays a big part a well. I'm going to see an image differently from the next person. I might have a biased opinion about some of my subjects. Sometimes my favorite image comes from the experience I obtained while trying to make the photo. I appreciate the sentimental value. In other cases, I can take a photo and not feel anything. I once heard this incredible quote from Street Photographer Joel Meyerowitz that said; "I want to have an experience in the world that is a deepening experience, that makes me feel alive and awake and conscious.”
San Diego, CA 2017
It makes me question, who am I shooting for and why is my story important? It may seem simple to answer, but I've caught myself asking the same question more than once while I'm out photographing the streets. As I reflect, I couldn't imagine myself photographing anything but the streets. These people have a voice and it's my job to document them. It's my job to make those who feel less important, become important. To feel Bigger than life and larger than the image itself. I now feel comfortable with sharing these photos with the world. At first, I felt apprehensive about telling these stories and revealing the disconnect between you and I. It's something I truly understand because at times the way I view people is equivalent to a social worker. I'm digging deep into the root of the issues thats going on within the communities I live in. As I learn and progress, it's important for me to heighten the stories and struggle we carry on our shoulders because the world needs to pay attention. I'm excited for what's next in my adventure, so I decided to create a monthly series called Streetstyle. Originally shot in April 2017, these images serve as the first batch in the series.
I would like to hear your stories. Share your images and drop a comment below.
