Musings of a Lost Paparazza Career

[F, Calla & Luca]

Our monthly assignment is to photograph strangers and I learned a lot in one day. For a long time I've been contemplating my next life stage if I retire completely. I now know that being a paparazza is not the career for me. We had debated in our group discussion if taking pictures of strangers was OK. The consensus was photos are OK in a public place but you can always ask.

http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/august-assignment-portrait...

My outing started off with a bang, literally, as someone ran her car over a curb ripping some things from underneath.

My observations were as follows. If you ask someone if you can take their picture they ask some more questions. I felt obliged to be truthful and the fact that it was for a photography group on a dog site did not allay any fears. Luckily it all stayed friendly, unlike some paparazzi encounters.

So, I tried to be surreptitious and not raise the camera to my eye. This is a sample of what I got. What did I think, the camera needed to be angled at 90 degrees from my cart? Never mind all the out of focus, just plain bad shots I got that actually included people.Some from my car,while stopped at lights, were awful too.

I went to a well known countrywide store since it was where I could see many strangers. I am not mentioning the name, although you can figure that out in a jiffy, so maybe they won't ban me for life.  It also, being just over the border in New York state has a very diverse population. There are many Hasidic Jews who shop here. I find the culture interesting and tried to be respectful. I learned that although they may have good connections with God they spend a great deal of time on their cell phones.Throughout the store I saw Hasidic men, not women,on their cell phones. They often dress their children in the same outfits, perhaps since they tend to have large families it's easier to identify their own family.  I am not using my images here since I don't want them on the front page of DK but these images are already distributed on the web.

And I think that maybe cleaning supplies are the main reason folks go to this store, it is a main reason for me. It seems we are obsessed with cleanliness, which as we have been told is next to godliness. Often think I have bought a lifetime supply of something and yet one day I need to return and buy more of that thing. Good genes I guess.

As part of my mission, I got photographic evidence that Karen is right when she says never buy dog treat from a big box store. Made in China. There were many more. Yet why do I sometimes but food for me in this store : (

And things can get subtle, like this treat manufactured in The USA with globally sourced ingredients

The good news was that since I was preoccupied with taking photos, finding evidence for the food group, thinking about a blog and being stealthy, I bought far less than I usually do. I also learned once again that writing a blog, while trying not to hurt anyone's feelings and yet attempting to be funny is a lot of work. My hat's off to those who do it regularly, you know who you are.

[Janie, Jackson and Jilly]

F, the thought of you in that store with your big camera is just priceless! : )

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I love seeing the different cultures in different areas.  I don't get to see many orthodox religions and their clothing in my area except my Orthodox Priest, and he told me 16 years ago, he had not seen me much  :)

We do see many Amish from time to time in this area where you would not in yours. Thank you for sharing your grocery store. So different than my area 

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

F, Great blog. I have been in Indiana and wanted to save this until I got home. I went to the ballgame when home and I felt creepy trying to take a picture of a stranger. I only got one ball player in center field from quite a distance. Maybe I will just photograph family members who are strange...instead of strangers :) I hope you didn't offend anyone. LOL

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

ROTFL Great blog! I'm wondering how you can go to a big box store, take pictures, and not offend a whole bunch of people ha ha!  But I'm proud of you -- making it out with your camera and self in fine condition!   Very brave. Note to self...when photographing strangers, try the park :)

[Pat and Traveler]

Ha!  Great blog, F!  It takes some boldness to be able to comfortably photograph strangers, so mine usually turn out the way that one of yours did, with half a person, or maybe missing the person entirely.

That's an exciting environment--car wrecks and fist fights! 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Thanks for all he kind comments. Yes, Sandy, my big black camera : )

[Lonnie & Libby Lu]

Watch out for our "F", she know what she is doing with the camera and be careful!  It might be you on the front page of DK!  Love this blog, had me laughing the entire time I was reading it:)

[Carol and Banjo]

Oh F....you made my day....this is hilarious!   I have such a visual of you "sneaking" around trying to be "stealth"....so FUNNY!     Great Blog!   Watch our "You Know Who"!

[F, Calla & Luca]

Your bottom half would never qualify for one thing and the other is I doubt even you would recognize it : )

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

This is too funny .... one of my biggest fears in life is that I'm going to see my bottom half (minus the head) on display in one of those news specials about how FAT America has gotten!