Nose

…For lack of a better word.

Another Stranger

Jonathan, a Salt Lake City transient, sits at the City Library and knits self-made plastic thread on a daily basis.

What do you think his story is?

So This Is What I Get Paid For

I’ve officially been at my new job for more than a week now, yet barely anyone knows what my job is.

Well, this post is to inform you.

Remember back in December when I posted Self-Portraiture at the Rio Grande, I mentioned that you should hire me because of my “awesome Photoshop skills”?
Well, apparently someone agreed – and now I’m getting paid to do that and take pictures of merchandise at a well-known sports apparel company…!

Here is an example of what I do on a daily basis:
Original -

Post-processed and web-ready -

It’s not much in the way of “creative” but at least it’s in line with my career!

Photo Elicitation

This post constitutes part two of my previous post/Documentary Photography assignment, “Photographing a Stranger,” which I posted about here on February 4.
A “photo elicitation” is basically an interview that is accompanied by photos to assist the subject in his responses to any questions asked.
For the assignment, we were to first take photos of a stranger and then meet again after a few days to conduct this interview.

The following is my paper, verbatim, with the exception of his real name for the sake of privacy:

“

Questions asked – personal

• Where are you from?
• Have you heard of the “American Dream”?
• Do you enjoy your job?
• How long have you been doing this job?
• Do you have any another jobs?
• Do you like to meet and interact with new people?

Questions asked – regarding photos

• How do you feel about these photos?
• How do you feel about seeing yourself perform this action?
• What detail catches your eye?
• Do you feel that these pictures are a true representation of yourself?
• Would you change anything about these photos?
• Do you have any other comments about seeing yourself in this environment or what you’re doing?
• Which picture is your favorite?

During the shoot, I found out that my subject was not an American-native. Keeping this in mind while preparing for the elicitation, I knew that I wanted to ask questions that gave me a taste of Liberty Guy’s life story; the questions “where are you from?” and “have you heard of the ‘American Dream’?” emerged from this interest in his background.

Regarding the questions about his job and work life: I felt that his answer to these questions would help differentiate between an honest and a dishonest answer. In other words, I wanted to evaluate whether or not he was really “happy” (as he repeatedly claimed throughout the interview) doing this specific action.

The questions I asked regarding the photos were mostly pulled from [Craig Denton's] article “Examining Documentary Photography Using the Creative Method.” I thought they were very basic questions that would certainly yield to highly informative responses – both verbal and emotional.

As a forewarning, I will be using direct quotes from Liberty Guy – his responses consist of simple vocabulary and are not grammatically correct. Interpretations of the things he said may be subjective. The phrasing of some of my questions also became informal because of his inability to comprehend “big words.”

To begin, Liberty Guy is originally from Turkey who first came here as a refugee, but currently holds a Green Card. He speaks three languages, including Turkish, Arabic, and some other language that I could not understand (he pronounced it like “conch.”) When asked about the ‘American Dream,’ he said, “My dream is coming in America and I live in here, I am work in here, because I like it United States of America and I am coming here and helping people and help me and I am finding job, I am finding home – everything. Very happy here.”

I then proceeded to show him his close-up portrait and asked, “So, how do you feel about this picture right here?”

LG: “I am feeling I am happy because I am work; I am not homeless; I am just doing something in this country. They giving to me everything. I want little bit giving this country something. I am working. I am doing happiest people, because it help me and everyone happy.”

I then revealed to him a medium/close-up photo of him waving as a tan car in motion became part of the background.
W: “How do you feel about seeing yourself do this?”

LG: “I am feeling very happy giving to me same as what I’m doing and I am coming doing tax because tax is important in every country.”
W: “How do you feel about, for example, this car driving by?”
LG: “I am feeling he see me, okay, he feeling happy because I am doing my job.”
W: “And what about this picture here?”

LG: “This picture in here is people come in front me or even for me but him see me, him tell me “hi” I am feeling very happy, because I am enjoying with people too much, yes, it very nice people.”
W:“So it’s a true representation of yourself?”
LG: “True to I am doing, it’s job, me doing this job I am happy because with people.”
W: “So you’re a people-person – you like to meet and interact with people?”
LG: “Yeah, yeah.” [Followed by chuckling]

I then asked him about his job. Even though it was literally freezing outside at the time, he claimed that he enjoyed this part-time job and that the most important thing was that he was giving back to this country by working. He also enjoys the job because it is closer to home.
LG: “I am working new in this job, but before I am working in production but it very far to me in my home because I am apply to job very close to my home.”
W: “So you live around here [400 S. 500 E.]?”
LG: “Yeah, yeah.”
W: “So you can walk?”
LG: “Yeah because I no have car and I want save little bit money I am buy car.”
W: “Do you have any other job than this?”
LG: “No, I no have but I am looking another job, yeah. I know…I like it I am working. Yeah, because money but because if you have time you use it for something is good.”

To end this short interview, I at last asked him what he liked about all four photos.
LG: “This picture because every corner you can see.

In here [photo with the pedestrian passing by] I am see myself true myself and with people.

In here [close-up portrait], I am looking to you I am feeling I am happy you take my picture.

In here [medium/close-up photo of him waving with a tan car in background], I am good for me because I am doing my job.”

The overall experience of completing this assignment opened my eyes to a dimension that I had never considered; the life of someone you may never know. As I review the photos of Liberty Guy, I simultaneously think about the things he said during the interview, of which was the complete opposite of what I had expected. It’s amazing how the lives and attitudes of those people on the street can differ so much from my own.

I have concluded that completing this two-part assignment was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. I am just as fascinated by my bravery, as I was fascinated when Liberty Guy said such things. I think this bravery will definitely help excel my interests (and perhaps career) in photography. The downside to it, however, is that I now have to stop myself from approaching almost every stranger and asking, “So, what’s your story?”

“

On another note, I think it’s just amazing how Liberty Guy can represent the millions of immigrants that currently reside in the United States.
They came here looking for the American Dream, and while most are still looking, Liberty Guy seems to be living it.

Lastly, I just have to mention (and I know I keep saying this like it’s a joke): as I listened back to the recording of the interview, I couldn’t help but wonder (in all seriousness) if he thought Chloe and I were undercover Government officials trying to boot him back to his country – he sure did emphasize how “happy” he was to live and work here

*****************************************

How do you feel about Liberty Guy’s responses?
What other questions should have been asked?
Comments encouraged!

Chloe and Kevin are Getting Married! (Teaser!)

It has been a while since I’ve done anything creative with photography…(well, anything creative at all), but yesterday was the day.
A while back, Chloe asked if I would take her and fiance Kevin’s engagement photos…how could I turn down such a request from one of my best friends?!

John let us borrow his studio again (thanks again, John!), and I wondered how it would turn out because I’ve never seen engagement photos done in-studio.
And even though it was my first time working with more than one subject (and doing an engagement session, nonetheless), it seemed easier to direct them – probably because I knew Chloe from before and also because she has the mind of a photographer.

Chloe and Kevin were such a cute couple – they had fun, weren’t shy about it, were great listeners, and had plenty of great ideas.
Their love for each other definitely showed and left me “awww”-ing all night

Well, since it’s Valentine’s, I’ve decided to post a cute photo of them as my teaser (which also, unfortunately, is my favorite photo from the shoot…I say ‘unfortunately’ because I usually like to wait to post my favorites until the big post).
Sorry my single friends, this photo is dedicated to all the lovers of the world.

A little smoochy-smoochy censored by a fiery-red heart: ooh la la!

Full post coming soon…
Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone!

Photographing a Stranger

My third assignment for Documentary Photography was “Photographing a Stranger.”
When it became known on the first day of school that we would have to do this, I had a minor freak-out; I am like 0% used to or even fond of approaching people I don’t know.
I put it off for as long as I could, but soon enough…it was the day before the assignment was due, and I still hadn’t done it.

Fortunately, Chloe and I accompanied each other to make this experience less scary for the both of us.
We decided on finding someone Downtown, because it’s a location that people are guaranteed to be around.
As we drove down 400 S., we discussed everything from where exactly we should go to how difficult this was going to be for us…until! I spotted the infamous Liberty Tax guy standing on his usual street corner, holding his sign and waving at passersby.
All of our plans dissipated into nothing as we spontaneously headed back to (hopefully) photograph him.

I recall the experience of physically approaching him as being one of the most anxious, yet exciting, feelings I’ve ever felt.
As I wrote in my reflection, “I think that it’s human nature to be afraid of rejection, and I was certainly afraid of being snubbed or rudely rejected. I was uncertain and afraid of what my subject’s reaction might be to my request, even though he was a complete stranger.”
Soon, it was time to face him and my fears. We kindly explained to him who we were, what we were doing, and why we were doing it – and his response was as relieving as a dud bomb.
In fact, he was surprisingly quite fond of the idea.
In a temporary state of daze, I began to shoot…without necessarily paying attention to how I was supposed to be shooting (which I discovered after I got home and looked at the photos).

We only took about ten minutes shooting Liberty Guy, and the encounter consisted of minimal conversation.
It really was about 80% easier than I thought it would be.
Lastly, we exchanged contact information and informed him that we would be coming back to interview him with the photos…

[Come two days later, we were back for part two - Photo Elicitation (interviewing with photos) - which I will make as my next post in a few days ]

After our meeting had concluded, I walked away proud.
I was able to force myself to step outside of my comfort zone: to approach, introduce myself, and possibly engage in a conversation with a complete stranger.
I felt as though I was taking a progressive step into the art of photography, which only happens on occasion.

For this post, I’m only going to post one photo of Liberty Guy.
The rest will be posted with my next post, along with our interview and interpretations.

Liberty Guy waving from his mark on a street corner to passersby on a busy street in Downtown, Salt Lake City.