My photography project "A Dozen Roses" was a lot of fun to do, and being able to share that little bit of joy with the children in the photos was worth all the effort, and more.
But now I've got another idea, and I'm going to need 10 people to help me complete it. Let me explain how the idea came to be, and what my goal is in it. It began with the song "Eleanor Rigby" by The Beatles. For years, I misunderstood the line "I look at all the lonely people." as not saying "lonely" but "lovely". Maybe that was a subliminal message McCartney was aiming for: That all the lonely people are actually lovely people. I've always believed that: Everyone feels lonely sometimes, and some more than others, but they are all beautiful.
The next was a part of Sesame Street's clips from back when I was a kid called "People in Your Neighborhood".
So that got me to thinking about all the people I meet from day to day. Maybe just in passing. Not my mailman, or the people I see at church, or my co-workers, or customers, because those are people I have to meet and interact with (Not that that is a bad thing, mind you.) and they also would not be people I just met in passing. The people I'm thinking about are people that walk in and out of my life that I might have had the opportunity to stop and meet, but instead, I just let walk by.
So what my vision for this would be is capturing a photo of 10 people. A single photo of each. People that it would be easy to just let walk by. Or that it would be easy for me to just walk by. Taking that photo, and creating a snapshot of who that person is. Capturing their role in life, and not necessarily in my life, but in theirs. Finding out who they are, what their favorite music is, where they like to go on vacation, and where they are on the walk of life.
To take an interest in them, and let them know that they are important.
When this idea first happened, I had no idea where to begin. Because it's hard doing this sort of thing when you live in Columbus, GA. If I lived in Atlanta, I could walk down Peachtree Street or through Piedmont Park, sit down next to someone, strike up a conversation, tell them about my vision for this, and say "Want to be in a photo?" In a big city like Atlanta, 9 out of 10 people (most likely) would beam and say "Sure!". As an example, the last time I was in Atlanta, I saw a family sitting at dinner outside a hotel, and her kids were wearing "Belle" costumes. I asked the mom if I could go up to the second floor and get a photo of their little family just being "them". Unposed, unscripted. Mom smiled and said "Sure, that's fine. Whatever."
And so it happened:
If I tried this same move in Columbus, it would never work.
And I have tried.
I met a homeless man once out on the river. He and I talked for almost half an hour, and then I asked him if I could do this for him. He got very nervous and said "Oh no. No. The police are always watching me. Always. No. I have to go. I'm sorry."
I saw an elderly woman in the grocery store with her two grandkids pulling her in different directions, and the woman said "Could you help me? I need to reach that cereal up there." I got the box for her, and we talked for a bit. After sharing stories about kids and how long we'd each lived here, I told her about my idea. She nervously began fiddling with items in her purse and said "Um, no. I don't think so. That's an awkward thing to ask me, you know? I need to go. Bye."
I was getting my oil changed one day, and the person doing the actual work on my car was a man with lots of tattoos and scars. We were talking about car stuff and how he got to be a mechanic, and after a few minutes of this, I told him about my idea. He wiped his hands on a towel and said "Nah, I'm not into that. That sounds like an artsy thing. I'm sure you'll find someone. I'm just not comfortable in front of a camera."
I saw a family in the park once. A dad, a mom, and their three kids that were triplets. I talked with dad for a few minutes, and mom was smiling and interacting also. I asked them if they would let me. Mom got this strange look on her face, and dad said "Well, I don't know. We're kind of private." That was the end of that.
So I kept striking out. I finally kind-of gave up on this idea. Then one day at work, a customer came up to me and asked about finding a book. This happens all the time, because it's my job, and I love it. I talked with her for a bit, and I figured "Why not? The worst she can say is no."
She agreed.
Oh my gosh, I could have fallen on my butt!
But I didn't because that would have pretty much ended that opportunity.
So now I have one person, and I need 9 more.
And this is where I need YOUR help. Obviously, people I meet in passing are not going to work for this. But people YOU know would! Even if you know them well, I don't. I need 9 people who are just "regular people". People who might be easy to forget if we didn't take the time to get to know them. I need you to go to those people and ask them if they would be willing to do this.
One photo. Their life captured in one photo.
And all I need to know is if they'd be willing to do it. Share this post with them, and if they are interested, have them message me.
Thanks in advance!
- Daniel
