PORTRAITS OF STRANGERS

For the longest time, I had the absolute worst social anxiety. Fortunately, photography is what helped me cope with my fear of interacting with others. Over the years, one of my favorite things to do has been taking portraits of strangers.

I first started doing this when I was 14 years old. Being a beginner in photography at the time, I would often doubt my abilities and found myself extremely shy when it came to social interactions. Additionally, I was in my freshman year of high school (which was virtual due to covid) and I didn’t have much interaction with people outside of my bubble. That needed to change. I wanted to become more sociable, so I utilized my interest photography to bring ease to my social anxiety. I didn’t have the best start when doing this, but my efforts counted for something. I would often find myself stuttering when talking to strangers and getting more anxiety when forcing myself to make interaction. However, with time, these issues began to subside.

Portrait I took of a lady in Forsyth Park - Savannah, Georgia (May 2021)

The more I began to talk to strangers, asking them “may I take a photo of you?” the easier social interactions became. You will find that everyone is unique in such a beautiful way. Our hobbies, the music we listen to, and even the clothes we wear, contribute to our identity. Photography has not only helped me define my identity, but it has allowed me to acquire knowledge of the identities of others. So much can be learned about a person from a simple interaction. In writing this, I can say I am glad that I no longer allow social anxiety to hold me back from learning about the experiences of strangers. One of the most beautiful parts of the human experience is connecting with one another, and embracing each other with kindness and compassion.