Posts Tagged ‘creeper’

Creeper Photo: Eye Contact

Monday, November 29th, 2010

Many people when they see my creeper photos either think it is totally strange or very interesting. One of the questions I get most often is what if they see you taking the picture? For most people, I take every possible precaution to make sure they don’t see. If they do see me there is a special tactic I imploy to sooth their suspicion.

  1. If you notice you have been spotted, don’t run away in fear of being called out. Most people will not call you out, so keep it cool and they will just give you a weird look then walk away. People are not very confrontational and if you keep it cool nothing will happen. Most people assume they are being paranoid and don’t do anything about it.
  2. Occassionally though, they will call you out. So if a person seems a little peeved here is my strategy. Still, do not run away. Stay put and then put your camera up again like you are going to take another photo and wait till the are out of the frame and take a new photo. Make a real spectacle of what you are doing and make it as apparent as possible that your intent for that picture was not the person. Once they see you do this, they will not do anything about it because they assume that you were taking a picture of what is behind them and they just happen to be in the shot. They never think they they are the shot.

So, disaster averted and the world does not end. If those don’t work…. then run. However, with children I let them see that I am taking their picture. Like this little girl, children make some of the most amazing eye contact with strangers and in that moment of eye contact is a connection  like you are peering into their life. Their eyes, like this little girls beautiful blue eyes, become a window into who they are. Even though I will never know who these kids become, for just a single moment it feels like I do know.

Kids often seem to enjoy it and smile or just stare. This little girl waved to me and I waved back then just smiled and walked away. Sometimes I fancy what the parents reactions are if later the kid tells them that some stranger took a picture of them. I wonder how this makes parents feel, how vulnerable must they be in that moment. Not knowing me, or knowing my intentions of taking these photos. I just want to give my hearts out to these people that I take pictures of, by letting me have their picture they are helping me better understand humanity one person at a time. My intentions are pure and often I feel people don’t understand that. Yes, this idea may be strange or creepy to people, but to me it is about uncovering mystery from thousands of perspectives. Taking pictures not of the people themselves but the stories that build up that person’s image.

So to all of my creeper photo subjects, thank you.

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Creeper Photo: Dreadlocks

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

I saw you at a Flea Market or Farmers Market in Eugene, Oregon during a big rain storm. I loved your hair, the purple looked great. I wonder what you act like, you look eccentric but when I saw you I felt that you were very level-headed and quiet. Your image conflicted with your true self and I wonder if that is true or maybe just what I thought I saw.

I think you saw me taking the photo but you didn’t say anything, I almost wanted you to say something. You really intrigued me. You were different and made me wonder who you really were. Anyway, I loved your hair and your eyes, enjoy your coffee .

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Creeper Photo: Revenge

Sunday, December 20th, 2009

Alright remember my post, Creeper Photo: I Got Creeped? I must say I was quite sore about having been so scared by the Tiki Guy, so I decided I had to get revenge on him by scaring him back. My plan was to scare him somehow and it worked perfectly.

I snuck up behind him while he was lighting the torches and used my flash on my camera to blind him. He got really scared and surprised. My revenge was complete, except for one little detail:

It wasn’t the same guy

Apparently they switch off people who light the torches. I did not know this, so sorry for flashing you with my camera.

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Creeper Photo: I Got Creeped

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

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So today in Hawaii the tables got turned on me by this guy. I have decided to call him Tiki Guy, wait maybe Conch Guy, anyway the name doesn’t matter because what really matters is him scaring me to death.

I was walking around in the lobby of my hotel trying to get a creeper photo of someone and not paying attention. Then all of a sudden right in front of me is a half-naked man with a flaming torch and a giant conch shell in hand. He blew it right in my face and I screamed because I got so scared.

Yes, I screamed right in the middle of the lobby in front of many people. It was so embarrassing. He just smiled and ran off down the hallway to terrify someone else. This photo is all I could manage as he ran off. It was a strange moment, but it did put things in a bit of perspective. I am always creeping people and today I feel I got creeped because I was so completely unaware of this guy right in front of me.

No this does not mean I am going to stop. That would be no fun. But I am aware that it is very odd and awkward at times when I get caught creeping someone. Thanks Tiki Guy, Conch Guy, whatever for scaring the crap out of me.

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Creeper Photo: They made me do it

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

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My friends wanted me to take this photo outside of the Art Museum in San Jose. So here you go, a picture of a pregnant woman walking to no where.

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Your Chariot Awaits

Wednesday, December 2nd, 2009

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You didn’t seem very happy for this carousel ride, you should be because there are only so many times in your childhood that you get the chance. One day you will grow up and wonder where your chariot has gone, where your carousel ride went off to. Part of me thinks it was a show for your father. Playing the spoiled kid, the one who doesn’t appreciate what you are given. I could see that somewhere inside of you, you did though, you loved it. You cheered up as you went around. Enjoy it princess before your fairy tale is gone.

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Creeper Photo: Walking Mystery

Saturday, November 28th, 2009

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You were walking in the middle of nowhere along the road. You were all alone. What where you doing out there? Did your car break down, I never saw it. Or did you just decide to leave behind society. Maybe we should have stopped to ask if you needed help. You seemed like you knew where you were headed though, you never even looked up as we passed you.

Why were you wearing all those clothes, it was Nevada and very hot out, but you were all bundled up. I didn’t understand you at all.

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Creeper Photo: Tiger

Sunday, November 15th, 2009

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Hello Tiger. I enjoy your tail. And your ears.

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Creeper Photo: A Skeleton’s Death Wish

Saturday, November 14th, 2009

IMG_7900 Oh the irony of a skeleton smoking.

This was in Pikes Place Market in Seattle during Halloween. Surprisingly the costumes where not as outrageous as I thought they would be. I was prepared to see some crazy things but it wasn’t absurd. Actually it was pretty normal.

Well this guy just cracked me up. Standing on a corner smoking in a skeleton outfit. There is just something funny about that.

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Smoker

Monday, November 9th, 2009

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Creeper Photo of the day goes to the Smoker. She was on Pikes Place Market smoking in the street. Her glasses and face caught my attention. I wonder who she is talking to and why it is so important to go sit in the street to talk. She seemed upset, I wonder why.

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