Tiia Reflecting Hakaniemi - a photo on Flickriver

This picture is #54 in my 100 strangers assignment. You can check out my other strangers from my 100 strangers set and strangers other people have captured from the 100 strangers website.

After shooting the Observer I wasn't too pleased with the result. I wanted a better shot of a person standing behind a reflection. I found the perfect spot from a subway entrance and started to look for a subject.

Tiia was standing in front of the next subway entrance. She seemed to be waiting for somebody to arrive in just about now, but I though it would not harm to ask her. After explaining her my project she happily accepted to be my model for the shot.

Because there was a thick glass between us I had to first tell her how I would like to have her posing and then direct her by mimicking with my hands. And, in the middle of the session, there was a major disturbance: a bum came to ask for a light. I thought it would be the fastest thing to do to light his cigarette, trying to signal "just one second" to Tiia. For a second she seemed confused, but we caught up with the session in no time.

I gave her my card and told to come to look for the picture from the website in a couple of days. The chat was cheerful. I was very happy with the shot and told her so. I thanked her. "Thank you for letting me participate", she said and shoock my hand. I realized nobody had done that - it was the first time somebody actually thanked me for choosing him/her and took even slightest physical contact.

Now THIS is the reason to be shooting the project: marvelous, spontaneus social situations and great photos. Maybe it can get better, but I do not know how.

Tip #4 for shooting 100 strangers assignment: Print yourself a set of cards with at least your name, email and the address to your photos on the net. They come handy when explaining your project to your subjects and when telling them where they can see the photo. They make you look more professional as well and help you promote your project to friends and family. (I printed my cards after getting fed up in using pen and paper for a dozen of times.) Use your full name and a credible email address (firstname.lastname@somecompany.com is certainly more plausible in a card than iamateenagermutant@hotmail.com) to gain trust and credibility from your subjects.

Check out Moo cards: they are cool, reasonably priced for the treat and you can print your best photos on the back of your cards for a reference of your skills.

Taken in: Suomi / Etelä-Suomen lääni / Helsinki / Taka-Töölö (show map)

Taken on: August 6, 2007

Tags:

Girl

reflections

Hakaniemi

Sigma 10-20mm F4-5.6 EX DC

100 strangers

Helsinki

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Sets appears in: • 100 strangers • Your favorites

Groups appears in: • Helsinki • Artistic Photography more » • Portraits That Tell a Story (READ RULES BEFORE POSTING!) • 100 Strangers « less

Camera: f/7.1, 1/125 sec, 16mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Aperture:	f/7.1
Exposure Time:	0.008 sec (1/125)
Focal Length:	16mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Manual
Exposure Mode:	Manual
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	Uncalibrated
Software:	Adobe Photoshop CS2 Macintosh
Show full info

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