Variable #34

It was November when I decided to take my Nikon Fm-2 out. I'd walk to the convenience store in my hometown of Bradford Massachusetts every other day and I would stop anyone who walked passed me. The first day I took my camera out, I was in a spectacular mood. It was exciting for me to be able to take my camera out again after so long a hiatus. It made me want to share the greatness of my mood with my subjects. I'd say, "You have a beautiful face!" right before I'd press the shutter button because, for me, I would feel wonderful if a stranger told me I have a beautiful face! It was my hope for the subject to feel wonderful too. In any case, it allowed me to capture a raw emotion, whether it was wonder, surprise, happiness, or even anger, on their faces in the second that they expressed it. I would continue on my walk until the next passerby came along, leaving the last one with either a bemused smile or a confused expression on their face.

Once I arrived at the convenience store, I dropped of my roll off film with a friend who developed film on the side and purchased a new roll of film for the return journey home. Toward the end of November, I had well over a hundred photographs of strangers with a wide variety of emotions etched on their faces. I decided to choose forty of my favorite ones to show at the gallery because I wanted enough photos to make a point without overdoing the piece or overwhelming the spectator.