How Street Photography teaches me a lot about People

I almost got arrested once...

Hey friends,

Greetings from Ashoka University, Haryana, India!

“Get lost, or I’ll kill you!”

This is one of many slurs I’ve received during my street photography expeditions. Strangers watch me with a deep mistrust in their eyes, insulted that I pointed the camera at them. Over the years, I’ve been threatened with being slapped, beaten up and even arrested.

Yet, it is totally worth it.

You see, street photography is the art of capturing everyday moments in life. Its craft lies in finding beauty in the most mundane experiences and freezing them on camera. During my expeditions, I loaf around a market or public square with my camera in hand, waiting to capture interesting scenes. Sometimes, this involves shooting strangers without asking them.

Now it isn’t illegal to photograph people in a public place. In fact, you do it all the time. Have you ever pulled out your phone to snap a picture of something outside your house? Often, you get strangers in the shot. Same thing.

But for some reason, when you pull out a big camera, people suspect foul play and get defensive. These are incredibly volatile moments where you need to be very careful. You want to get the shot, but you also want to stay safe. And you definitely want to stay CALM.

It has taken many years to come up with a good contingency plan. Now, when I’m faced with a belligerent stranger, I join my hand, give that person the widest smile possible, and quickly make my exit. No photograph is worth putting yourself in harm’s way.

Anything worthwhile in life comes at a price. Mine is having to bear these insults while keeping my cool. By doing this, I’ve been rewarded with some wonderful shots. It is just the name of the game.

(I must mention that not all interactions are so hostile. Some people are quite flattered to have their portrait taken. Sadly, there is no way of telling beforehand. You just have to take your shot and hope that everything turns out alright.

And even if things turn sour, you’ll at least have a cool story to tell!).

Updates

I’ve started work on my calendar for 2023! This year, I decided to go with a storytelling/street photography theme. I’ve attached a preview below!

I am debating whether I should put these up for sale, or just gift them to my friends and family. What do you think. Let me know in the comments!

For the past 5 weeks, I’ve been attending a writing course called Write of Passage. It is a live online experience that teaches you how to write on the internet to build the life you want and attract

Since the course is based out of the US, I’ve been staying up for all odd hours just to attend the sessions. Combined with my college lectures, and I’d get a maximum of 4 hrs of sleep per night. Needless to say, I could feel my body systems crumbling.

I’ve used the past few days to recover and shift back to life in one timezone. Slowly but surely, my vision has cleared and I can get through a day without too many yawns!

I also didn’t write for a couple days, but now I am back at it.

Additionally, I am working on a very exciting project called “Heroes in a 100 Faces”. It is similar to “Humans of New York”, in that I am taking portraits of normal everyday folk, and telling their story.

But more on that in a later issue. Enjoy the links of this week!

This Week’s Links

Camera Confidence: Think about it. Being comfortable on camera can CHANGE YOUR LIFE. (Youtubers make bucket loads of money just by talking to a camera, Zoom meetings go a lot better when you are comfortable on camera, and so on). Learn about it in this video.

Epoxy Wooden Table Build: As a budding woodworker, one of my dreams has been to build an epoxy wooden table. This Youtuber is one of my favourite woodworkers. Check him out!

Ma, why did the humans go extinct?: My friend Karena De Souza writes a newsletter about Climate Change, Writing, and a whole lot more. Whatever your interest, her publication is worth a look. I cannot recommend her work enough (I also get a mention in this issue :D)

Postcard

It is a pity that so many tiny creatures meet their end when trying to cross roads. We must be more cognisant of our surroundings and slow down when passing through wild spaces. You might just save a life or two.

Checkered Keelback roadkill in Hesaraghatta, Bengaluru, India.

Shot this on my phone (not all photography is done with a DSLR! The best camera is the one you have with you in the right moment).

Favourite Quote

I don't know where I am going but I know exactly how to get there. - Boyd Varty

Have a great week!

If you’re new, welcome to The Owlet! My name is Ishan Shanavas, and here I talk about my work, along with curating the most interesting ideas on the internet. I confine them to topics like Nature, Culture, Photography, and Art but often fall prey to other genres.