In 2008, I quit my corporate job, sold off everything I owned and moved overseas with my husband Drew. Since then we've traveled around the world, started our careers over as creative types and nurtured our love of sleeping in late. Oh and we had a baby. Cole, our almost 2 year old has been traveling since he was four months old and probably knows more Thai than me (not that he brags).
Oh the People You’ll Meet: Bogotá
It occurred to me that when we travel, we learn more about a place from the people we see than the attractions we visit, yet we focus on taking pictures of the places. I wanted to address this disconnect, so I decided to create a photo essay based completely on the inhabitants of a particular city. These pictures were taken in Bogotá, Colombia, South America.
I love the last one…looks like a caricature! How do you manage taking photos of people? On the sly? Do you ask? Take wider angle shots and crop?
Gillian-
Only one photo on here was cropped– the old woman, because I wanted to show the amazing lines on her face.
The key is to take about 200 photos to get 10 good ones.
About half the people I asked and the other half was on the fly. Sometimes a chest level shot as they walked by, other times I walk right up and take their pic (like the guy with the puppy).
I really love these photos. And I love your premise as well.
Couldn’t agree more – it’s all about the people, culture, and the history – not the places.
Nice photos. Would be interested in seeing some of the gamines. It’s quite a metropolitan, varied city.
Awesome pics!!!
You are so right, my favourite pictures of all of my thousands and thousands of travel pictures are two from Italy, one is an elderly couple and the other is a young couple.
These pictures are inspiring, and you are so right about how the people we meet, make our travels unforgettable. I don’t remember where, but I read a piece by an author who said continuous travel without people would just be a slide show of different landscapes. It’s the people we meet during our travels that truly make the experience. That’s why I vow to meet people wherever I go…and it’s always surprising how they can make a trip even better! Great post as always!
Christine! – I was so glad to get this in my In Box tonight! What fantastic portraits! Why aren’t you entering some into our August Grantourismo competition? You should be! First prize is £500 towards a HomeAway Holiday-Rentals stay anywhere in the world – in some countries that can get you 10 nights free accom! Deadline is this weekend. Hope you enter. Even if you don’t, thoroughly enjoyed these pics! best, Lara
I love the pictures. I would like to take more pictures of people in my travels, but I always feel self-conscious about it.
I’m uncomfortable asking, so I try and take them slyly, but they don’t always turn out as well. I guess I should just start asking- what do I have to lose?
Thanks!
Excellent collection!
Great photos! I love the first one about the old lady.
Rachel-
I’m the same way. I’m always a little nervous about it, but at worse, if you ask, someone will just wave you off. Maybe at some point you don’t feel self-conscious anymore, but I haven’t hit that point yet!
Great portraits! I always get nervous about taking photos of people I don’t know. I think a better telephoto lens would help!
Great Photos! Love the pictures you have of the children.
I definitely prefer looking at photos of people rather than of buildings or well-known sights. There is such a story in every face above, a story that we’ll never know but which we now have a desire to try and learn about…
Fantastic picture quality. All the pictures are great, but i love the pic in which a old man might be shouting over you.
Thanks Earl! I think our impression of a place is also greatly influenced by the people too. I might take some photos of a plaza of Bogota but it’s not going to express what I experienced as much as showing the people up close.
Christine,
These pictures are amazing. Its true (and more interesting) to capture a place through its people rather than its attractions.
Like others, I’ve been really shy about taking pictures of people. I’m also a bit afraid of posting them online. One day I saw some little kids sliding down the side of the steps of city hall in Burlington, and it was really cute and I thought it would make a great picture…but I was afraid the parents would be upset with a stranger taking pictures of their kids, especially if they knew I wanted to post them online. What do you do about that?
Gray-
I think no parent wants their children exploited, but a picture showing their kids having fun, looking cute isn’t likely to upset them. If you’re selling the pic, you’ll want to ask for a model release but for just your website, I think you’ll be fine. It should be enough to make eye contact with the parents, tilt your head, shake your camera at them and smile. If they seem okay, then it’s okay. Legally, you can take pics of anyone outside without permission and use it as you’d like. I think a nonverbal “okay” is enough for ethical reasons.
Love these. I’ve traveled extensively and it’s always the people that leave an impression, never the places. I’m inspired by your boldness to just walk up and snap photos of people. Any experiences with folks who didn’t appreciate that approach? Would appreciate the insight.
Really interesting pictures. I like the way you photographed a variety of people. I haven’t been to Bogota yet, but these pictures really seem to capture what the city is about. The woman in the second picture almost looks like someone you might come across in Southeast Asia!
wow. these are fabulous. thank you. As a fellow traveler I appreciate the challenge of capturing the faces of a place. Good work.
Susan at DesignDestinations.
Cristina, hope you don’t mind me leaving the link, but Gillian, Rachel & Melissa you may find this post on taking portraits by my husband, a pro-photographer, helpful: http://grantourismotravels.com/2010/08/25/taking-portraits-tips-for-travellers/
Alexandria, couldn’t agree more, please do read this post: http://grantourismotravels.com/2010/08/24/what-we-love-most-about-local-travel-meeting-locals/
And Cristina, as I said above, totally agree with everyone! Great portraits! Why aren’t you entering our contest???? Deadline is about to close! xx http://grantourismotravels.com/2010/08/08/grantourismo-travel-blogging-competition-august/
Brilliant shots. So sad I didn’t get there when we were in Central America but I guess it will be there next time:)
My fave is the man in the peaked cap with his mouth open. Brilliant energy.
Disfrute y buen viaje de su amiga en Australia:)
So amazing to see how so many people from one country could have similarities and differences at the same time. Im looking forward to heading to colombia some time next year loves the post!
I like how intent both children are.
Amazing pictures