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I stand on a bench in the central
market of the little town of Ganges on the island of Saltspring on
the west coast of Canada. It is a Thanksgiving weekend and the market
vendors are little islands in a swirl of late season tourists and
locals. I am demonstrating a style of photography I have called
'freestyling' to a group of visiting photographers from Duncan on
Vancouver Island. Many of them are loaded down with long lens` and
camera bags which does not bode well for much success in converting
many of them to a way of photography that benefits from a wide angle
lens and a light camera. I explain, I demonstrate and then release
them do what they will do.
While I wait for any late arrivals a
young woman walks down the boardwalk. Wow! I think she has done a
fantastic job of bodypainting her legs and approach her to beg to
take a photograph. No, she says this is a piece of tight fitting
clothing and now indeed I see the occasional wrinkle around her knees. But yes I can take a picture and I will use the technique I
have just finished teaching. I set my kit lens to its widest angle,
give myself a good depth of field, and instead of peering through the
viewfinder I reach down and place the side of the camera on the
boardwalk. I tilt it upward towards my close subject, press the
shutter release halfway so it focus automatically, smile up to my
subject and take the photograph. So simple, so relaxed so non
intrusive.
Later I stroll around among my fellow
islanders to catch the flavour of a market I so seldom attend
myself.“I am taking your photo,” I smile and make a connection
with many Saltspringers in that hour, it is the unexpected bonus of
'freestyling' my photographs today.
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