Stumbling upon the best street portraits is a matter of luck and attention to the environment to get that fleeting moment.
The subject of my interest will trigger my fantasy, and I will shoot with that in mind, waiting patiently for the best moves, if any, facial expressions, and wrinkles, yes, I find them beautiful on people’s faces.
This woman sat a few meters away from me, where my husband and I wanted to have lunch. The waiters seemed to ignore our several attempts to grab their attention. While my husband persisted, I looked around until I found the best subject for a photo, instead.
She was having lunch and an animated conversation with two younger women, perhaps her relatives, maybe granddaughters. Her colourful dress, jewellery, makeup and perfectly styled hair took my fantasy to different heights, imagining that this elegant woman had been a famous superstar now enjoying retirement.
She seemed self-assured, determined and yet peaceful, and affectionate. She never turned to my direction, and unfortunately, I couldn’t capture her beautiful eyes.
I am also sharing her photo in colour so you can decide for yourself what does that make you feel about her.
Do you feel the same when taking candid shots?
I don’t know if she is famous, but isn’t she awesome?
Sights & Insights 
She is awesome! I think I like the color photo best as it shows her personality…
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Thanks for commenting Victo. It is a pleasure to have you visiting the house. 😉
Indeed the color photo reveals much more about her.
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I like the color one, also. She looks like a tiny woman, and so very young at heart. Oh, to have sat and chatted with her would have been wonderful, I think.
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She was tiny, Lois, and exuded youth. If she had been alone, I would have tried to talk to her but she was very busy and focused while talking non-stop with those at her table.
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Some may like this picture in color for their own good reasons, I like black and white for mine; simplicity, directness, and no distractions from the subject. At times, some busy pictures are excellent if the different elements work together.
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I am partial to B&W for the reason you mentioned. A few but strong details is what I search while shooting portraits.
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Although the facial expressions are identical in B&W and in color, I thought she looked sadder in the B&W. Silly, I know, but just that little jolt of color and the more obvious play of the sun seemed to brighten her up, at least for me as the viewer.
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I cannot disagree with your perceptions. She is livelier in color and this version does more justice to her personality.
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I love this! With so much cosmetic surgery around us, it’s beautiful to celebrate wrinkles in a sexy pink tee shirt dress.
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LOL. Love your comment. So true. Thank you!
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I agree: colour shows her personality, she seems sadder in the B&W. She-
er, she has the look of a woman used to being looked at- which goes with your fantasy of her being a star. I love her thick hair. The pink, the makeup and bracelet are bolsters to the personality, part of the mask or armour; the face without that shows emotion with less distraction.
Do people ever object to being photographed?
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To answer your question, to a great extent depending on one’s culture, yes.
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Clare, it seems to be an unanimous perception that her personality shines in color. And I concur to that.
Your observations are spot on.
Yes, not often, but sometimes people object to it. I will only ask after having had a chat of some sorts with them.
Sometimes I shoot from distance and don’t ask. My photos are only used here though, as I am an amateur who doesn’t sell photos.
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I have to say I like the color better for this one, but if I hadn’t seen it, the B&W would have been wonderful on its own. I’m so happy to know I can be awesome even thought I’m not famous. That’s great start to my Saturday, Lucile. 🙂
janet
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Of course you’re awesome, Janet! You should keep that in mind.
Have a wonderful weekend with your daughter.
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I hope I’m that awesome when I reach her age. I love both shots but I do love seeing them both as well. What a glorious colour!
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You can only become even more awesome, as you’re already.
This lady looks good in all colors of the rainbow. 😀
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I think I like the B&W best…or it is because of the cropping? Her eyes shine and she is a very beautiful woman – comfortable in herself.
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The cropping brings more details of her face to our attention although she being so beautiful, looks good either way.
Thanks for commenting, Leya.
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😊
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Yes, she is awesome: clearly, she has put much time into preparing her look—makeup, clothes, accessories. Perhaps knowing that she looks good makes her confident? Rarely do I take the time to prepare myself to this degree before I leave the house. Who has the time? Yet it works for this lady. (I like the color. It lets me appreciate more details.)
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To do that daily is a lot of work and one needs to love it. I’m not in that league either and my mother always regretted that because she’d have liked me to care more about that. I will care for lipstick and mascara but the rest only if I have a special event to go to.
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Same here, Lucile!
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Sisters! 😉
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I agree, average people are often the best photographic subjects. This is a BIG jump, but the next step for you might have been to go up to her afterwards and ask if you could take her photo? Maybe say something about how lovely you thought she looked?
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I often talk to those I shoot spontaneously either before or after but this one was very focused talking with the people she was with, so it didn’t feel right to disturb them.
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A lady, definitely (chance-wise, thanks to the inattentive waiters 🙂 )
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Thanks for reading and commenting.
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Lovely photos and writing, and the woman is indeed very beautiful in a delicate and soft way. As for me, I could never take a stranger’s photo without asking them, it would seem like an invasion. And maybe it is a cultural thing, we Finns are known for being quite shy! 😉 But I do like viewing other people’s street photography 🙂 Looking at photos like this is like going out for a walk without leaving my home, or traveling to another city to do some sightseeing. Lovely ❤
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Thank you so much for the lovely comment and insights!
It may be a cultural thing but in general, everyone became more concerned with privacy, because of the internet.
In the past, nobody questioned street photography, and icons like Cartier Bresson and many others, were not worried about photographing people without permission.
I think that photography is an art and as long as one is not selling it, then it’s more acceptable.
Anyways, I respect all different points of view. Thanks.
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This was a fun read.. sad that the service wasn’t proper. But I am glad you were able to find something interesting!!😀😀
Keep it up!
I am new here and have written a few poems. Please do give them a read and share your valued feedback. I hope you will like them.
https://theunspokeninus.wordpress.com/2017/12/01/your-eyes/
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Hi Lucile,
I though about you today my friend, so I though will “visit” you until we dont meet for a coffee! What a beautiful shoot – and this lady looks pretty familiar to me, but I am not sure if is her 🙂
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Hi Dani, now that I’m back, you can visit me for real. This is a lady I photographed in Spain.
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