The other day I posted a list of my photographic goals for the year. I was quite motivated and I feel I gave myself some solid challenges for the year. Interestingly, I forgot to include one goal/project that I had just re-started: my 100 Strangers Project.
I began this project years ago when I first read about the challenge online. The object of this project is to approach, obtain permission to photograph, photograph, and discover something interesting about 100 strangers. Its aim is to help photographers overcome a fear of approaching others with the intent of photographing them as well as increase our sense of community. I thought it might be interesting to try but I failed to carry it very far. I think I managed about 11 strangers before letting it slip. You can view my initial effort on my Flickr.com page here.
Now that I have been photographing for a few years I realize that this project could help me with one of my photographic stumbling blocks: approaching people to ask if I could photograph them. So I thought I might give it another go and I made a point of doing so while in Mexico. Below is my first effort. His name is Hernan Santiago and he is an Argentinian photographer based in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. I came across his stand during an arts festival on the pedestrian avenue of Playa, Quinta Avenida (5th Avenue) and I was drawn to the images of Cuba he had on display. What I just loved about his work is that while he photographed some of the classic cars so lovingly maintained on that island nation, he also photographed some fascinating and wonderfully photogenic people there. Wonderful stuff!! He approached me after I had hung around his setup for a bit and we had a nice conversation in both Spanish and English, each making do with what we could in either language. We exchanged business cards and promises to check out each others websites. A lovely encounter with a like-minded person in a foreign land. I just love how photography can bring people together!
So meet Hernan Santiago (my 12th of 100 strangers) and some of his work: his website is www.byhernansantiago.com and it contains a mix of street photography, model shoots, weddings, and portraits. I especially like his street and portrait work.
