#443 Encounters: How to make portraits of strangers

The Photowalk

Today’s show explores captivating encounters and stories that turn fleeting moments into meaningful connections with people through the lens. Four guests who are experts in the field help me on this mission.

Paul Hutson is a writer and photographer who has spent decades recording the stories of everyday people he encounters in pictures and words. Gabrielle Motola discusses the philosophy of asking strangers for a portrait and rejection. Valérie Jardin talks about candid street pictures and how they can often lead to a more formal portrait, and former guest Mr Whisper discusses a project requiring him to change his reportage approach to engage with subjects for a set of commercial pictures.

Also on the topic of photographing strangers, letters from Marilyn Davies who introduces us to a Flickr Group called 100 Strangers, Tony Lorenzo talks of how living with ADHD has been his superpower when it comes to photographing people he doesn’t know and Fred Ash finds there’s really no one way to make a portrait of a stranger.

Links to all guests and features will be on the showpage, my sincere thanks to MPB.com who sponsor this show and the Extra Milers without whom we wouldn't be walking each week.

WHY: A Sketchbook of Life is available here.