Street portraits of complete strangers.
(Zero AI – 100% human created content).
When I started my photography journey, portraits were not my favorite genre, furthermore – people never were in front of my camera. Everything that’s not breathing and hardly moves and not people. But water flows away, time is running out and almost everything is changing. So I did – I put Portrait photography in one of the higher-priority studies. At the same time when I learned to take portraits of my family members, I was interested in taking portraits of absolutely strange people, in most cases on streets. It was a real challenge. Every time from the first moment when I asked some interesting person for the portrait, until the last minute of our sometimes long conversations about a stranger’s life.
Finally, people love attention and feel that they are special to you, a complete stranger to them. It’s working like a date.
My technique of approaching people for taking such unconstrained portraits of the strange me people was very simple – I told them that i need a help in my portrait photography studies. It was the crystal truth and people were glad to assist me in my studies. And for me, it was not only photography studies, but also THE psychological meditation. As far back as I could remember myself, I always have been extremely hesitant in communicating with strangers.
Enjoy the eye contact and the feeling of familiarity.
Great work Victor!! I love them all. 🙂 (Sally A. from Toronto)
Thank you for taking a look ! welcome to visit again !
WoWWWWW… And that’s photographing people as they are!!!
Thank you . I have to return back to this project 😉
This inspires me to take more portraits & bring my camera everyday … 🙂
Which camera and lense did you used for this awesome work?
Hi Brian ! thank you very much !
for my portrait works i used and planning to continue to use by Canon 5dmkii with 50mm attached.
you can find much more in “strangers” albums in my Googleplus albums :
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/101035196437264488455/albums/5628902997799887233
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/101035196437264488455/albums/5753110057278534657
Inspires me a lot! Fantastic portraits.
Thank you very much Antony !
was nice to talk with you ! be in touch !
beautiful page and photography!
thank you Anisa !
These are all excellent!! I so often wish I was brave enough to ask strangers ….
just try to ask !!
good luck Aino !
Ah! por fin te encuentro. hace un tiempo me topé en la web con una de tus fotos y me encantaron,te seguí por google. te perdí..y de nuevo te vi en fb. Gracias por compartir tu trabajo, es excelente! es de gran inspiración para mi,suelo ir a la calle y pedir a la gente por un retrato,algunas veces lo consigo!Tu eres mejor! 😉
Abrazo para ti.
thank you very much for so kind words !!
Absolutely love it! You’ve inspired me a lot in my work, I’d love to show you some of my photography work if you’re interested?
Hi Molly ! thank you for taking a look !
post the link toy your works please !
http://molly-woollett-photography.tumblr.com/
Great Work Victor!! You have a very NICE collection of portraits. I’m still learning to how to be a brave as you with meeting people on the street. Each one of your portraits drip with emotion 🙂 (The second to the last photo is one of my favorites)
Hi Alvin ! thank you very much for taking a look and very nice words !
Why do you say to not look at this album ? This album is a true compliment to your work and your personality . It takes so much courage to ask to take a picture. The guy with the tattoos , for instance, he does not look like one for me to ask!!! But you have most of your subjects to SMILE!!! Victor, I am a writer . Writers often see details other cannot and remember them over and over. I see people in my dreams as people I dream a life story for. For a long time I have wanted to take photos. I am a poor graduate student and about to start my PHD in English. How could I best start to learn to take good pictures? Someone suggested to just start with my iPhone 5. What would you say? I have been following your work on G+ for years. I have watched you evolve somewhat, but you have always been good. If you get this note and have time to answer, I would really appreciate your expert opinion. Sincerely, Dawn
Hi Dawn !
thank you for your words
i really miss this lack of ability to say or to write, but i learn and trying to express myself in English and my blog is the best place for me for this.
how to take good pictures – same story like with the language – try this chinese (really ??) principle – “if you would like to know to swim – you should swim more”. iPhone5 or any other smartphone is not good device to learn photography, but one component you can learn – i talk about composition.
Give me know if you need some help !
have a great day
Victor
Such GORGEOUS work. I recently shot some strangers at a couple of markets and it was such an awesome experience. Don’t worry about not being able to explain yourself as well as you wish to. Sometimes words are never needed……that’s what photos are there for. Well done 🙂
thank you for taking a look and very kind words !
your photographs are amazing
Thank you !
Thanks for sharing amazing pictures
I went to my uncle Paul’s 90th birthday party yesterday. So many old and young family members around. It is strange you posted portraits. I kept thinking it would be so nice to take portraits of the family . Catch some off guard and some together or alone. Then this old post mentioned composition. In composition, do you not refer to the picture as a total. The lighting, contrast to feature the details best, a prop or scene that is a natural environment and not planned, or am I thinking all the wrong way? Your portraits are so wonderful and catch the spirit of each person through your positive eye. I want to bring that out when the timing is right. Am I thinking right language or wrong? By the way Happy Fathers Day!!!
The black+White ones do it for me…
Beautiful work Victor but I’m missing women’s portraits. Are you shy 😉
Hi Vili ! you’re so right !
may be the reason is – almost all my stranger’s portrait are mens cos more problematic to get “yes” from woman at streets !
i’ll work on this !
Awesome set of street portraits. I love doing street portraits, though I have found it easier to approach women than men!
Again great set they are very inspiring.
thank you Mark for the kind words. you can see by the amount of men portraits here that for me women is the more issue to start to talk about portrait
Wonderful and full of character!
Your photos inspire me, thank you for sharing!
Thank you !!
These are awesome, Victor! Is there anything you can’t capture in a great, unique way? I think not. Your work is really inspiring and a big joy to look at! Keep it up 🙂
Huge thank you for the kind words !! When i find something that I’m not good in – I’m digg like crazy so may be the result of the difficult and dedicated work is different. I mean that everyone can find his unique way after some heavy digging; -))
. . ★ . . :: Halò Vic . love your beautiful work :: . . ★ . . ☆ ✿ ☆ ✿ . . ★ . . ✤ •*`*•.¸¸.•*`*•.¸¸✽ ❥
Portraits are among my favorite photographic things, a superb set!
This is just small part of what i have ! I have to work and to renew this place !!! Thank you Sam !!
Lovely work, Victor!
Thank you very much David !
I really like your portraits—they’re amazing!
Thank you very much! !
Amazing work, truly amazing
thank you very much for taking a look and very kind words !
I wish i will get there someday …..
haha ! exactly like my dream to visit your country ;-)))
All the countries are within the reach these days Victor. Do let me know if you are planning to visit North East Regions of Our Country…
youre right – everything about the time right now. I just have no possibility for a few weeks trip becaise of my work. and to go just for a few days is kind of time wasting ! right now in my plans Mumbai maybe next year 😉
ну вот, а где тут плюсики ставить не нашёл((( увы)))
хорошая работа!
спасибо ! есть Like для тех кто пользуется WordPress. есть подписка и можно послать на Facebook Twitter ili Googleplus ;-))
These are so lovely to look at and study. One day I would like to be brave enough to ask strangers for a picture, these inspire me!
This “project” was very important for me not only to take immediate portraits with an attitude but also because of the connection with strangers and starting conversations. Right now im doing this project on film The current medium format roll is dedicated to the strangers portraits and im already in the middle of this roll containing 16 6×4.5 images. Just one click for each person. Good luck to you to start talking with strangers and talking their portraits
Thanks!