FullBleed

Smoke Break - Featured in the 2009 DCist Exposed Photography Show

From where does your inspiration originate? Familiar places or new, untapped areas? And where do we find the strength or courage to channel it when times are tough? Or when plans go awry?

I think we find that inspiration comes from within ourselves and, sometimes, from the help of others — even if we weren’t looking for it at the time.

When I was laid off from my job of four years in March of 2008, I had very little idea what my next move would be professionally and/or creatively. I knew that I had a lot of support from family and friends, plus a large network of fellow creatives from the DC design community. I heard the all-too-familiar cliche that this sudden change would most likely lead to bigger and better things for me, and that I should focus on the positive aspects of my freedom.

And I believed it. I really did. I just had no idea from where these new opportunities would come.

At the time, I wouldn’t have guessed it would be from photography, but I’ve been wrong before. You see, I was a graphic designer. It said so on my resume. So, naturally I’d expected to continue that trajectory, finding creative inspiration in a new job with new skills. And, hey, maybe I’d even learn web design. (All in good time.)

But in the 18 months since my layoff, I have tapped into a creative outlet I felt was long since gone. And I can point to my membership and participation on Flickr.com as the source of that rebirth. My account on Flickr.com upon my layoff was less than a year old, and I was armed only with a digital point-and-shoot Canon Powershot A95. But all that was about to change. In May of 2008, I joined two groups (or pools as they’re sometimes called) that would end up having the most profound effect on me creatively. They are The 100 Strangers Group and DC Social.

100 Strangers Project

#44, Zhang. At Tryst, Washington DC

I came across this group by accident one day when looking around the photostream of one of my contacts. A young woman who calls herself “Wan-der-lust” had recently moved from DC to Colorado and had been documenting (via photos) her trip. It was here that I came across a picture of a man in a red pick-up. And beneath it, in her description, I read “This is photo #5 of 100 in my 100 Strangers Project.” I immediately thought, “I want to do this project too!”

The rules were simple: Take 100 photographs of a 100 different people or a group of people you’ve never met. Get to know a little about them and post their pictures and stories to the group. This was exactly what I was looking for: a reason to take pictures again. A long-term project that involved portraiture and getting to know new people was something I could seriously get into. So I did.

I started in New Paltz, NY — my old college town — where I thought the people would be responsive to a stranger with a camera soliciting their portrait. Without a fancy camera of my own, I rented a Canon EOS Rebel XTi, feeling that an SLR would appear a bit more serious and professional. And, once I worked through the initial nerves and got the first couple shots, I knew I was going to enjoy it. I returned home with five portraits under my belt and a XTi of my own on order. I was on my way.

Sixteen months later, I’ve captured 84 strangers. Along the way, only 11 people turned down my request, but I tried to never let it discourage me. I knew there would always be another stranger in another town on another day. And, in most cases, the encounters lasted no longer than 10 minutes.

This project has most definitely pushed me beyond comfort zone in a positive way. I continue to enjoy the challenge of capturing the essence of a stranger through each portrait.

DCSocial

Flickr'd!

Flickr is most often described as a photo sharing site, which is accurate. But call it a social networking site and I’m guessing that most people would disagree with you. Well, those people probably aren’t members of DC Social, which comprises local lawyers, lobbyists, designers, writers, a few more lawyers, an IT specialist, a cartographer, and even a few REAL photographers. We come from different backgrounds professionally and culturally, but we are bound by a common love of photography (and the occasional happy hour), and it shows in the way we inspire each other. Through monthly meet-ups and photowalks, and the encouraging — and usually entertaining — comments we leave on each others’ photos, the group continues to influence its members creatively on a daily basis. The talent within is immeasurable, and the personalities are enlightening. I’m proud to call many of these former strangers my friends.

While writing this piece, I couldn’t help but think back to when I first joined Flickr, and how I kept putting it off for months, often feeling intimidated by what others were posting or frustrated that I didn’t understand it. (Not to the mention the daunting task of uploading my ever-growing backlog of photos.) But it was just something I had to do — and I certainly love it now.

I can honestly say it’s changed my life. And not in the way I thought seeing The Cure in 1986 changed my life. This time I really mean it.