Nuni was in the town

Nuni was in the town. A homeless guy from the central part of Spain, from Ciudad Real. Always on the road. Sleeping anywhere. Eating sometimes.

I invited him for a coffee, bought him some rolling tobacco, we talked about many different things.

I have no idea how old is he. I have no idea where is he sleeping tonight. He told me he usually sleeps in the "cajeros", which is the spanish for "cash machine", but they really refer to that front part of the bank where the cash machine is and which stays open all night. I had my camera with me (as I always do), and bravely I decided to ask him for a permission to take a few photos of him. The photo displayed here was the one of the first attempts: with Nuni in the foreground, and his friend (the street) in the background. 

I have honestly tried to capture the moment, the person, the look. It is never easy to ask for the permission to take a photograph, but the reaction is almost every time very positive. Nuni couldn't care less if I was gonna take one or twenty photos, or if I would upload them onto my website or not. He just hoped I would remember him if I become a famous photographer. I wish my photos could make a change in his life, I wish they were that powerful.

From what I have learned so far:

ALWAYS talk friendly to the people, ALWAYS ask for their permission, ALWAYS continue to be friendly even if you were not allowed take a photo. People are precious. Do it because of the love you have for the people. Not because this photo could win you a big competition, or because this story could sell. It is by discovering the unknown from the others that we get to discover roads we never walked. Do it because you love them and you will discover how they open up themselves to you, and when you ask them to take a photograph, at that moment you won't be disappointed if they say "no", and if they say "yes", by then you will know what aspect you want to capture, what story to tell, and you will see this person as a whole new world. It's just that little small talk that makes all the difference. Be human before you press the shutter. First human, then photographer.

I really hope I will see Nuni again.

Let's talk about photography!

Welcome to my blog! This will be the place where I will give more details about the photos I take, and more insight on how do I achieve certain things in photography and why do I consider them important. But that's just the general idea. In today's world the cameras are becoming a part of our reality, and we are constantly equipped with at least one camera all the time (the one on the mobile phone). We have a constant urge to "have and keep", that is why we capture the reality and save the moment for later and savour it over and over again. It's good that we all have the inclination to express ourselves individually, but it is the way we do it that makes us differ from each other. Sometimes the photographs can say a lot about the person who is behind the camera, the photographer, thus making him visible as well. I hope this blog will help you find more about what happens before you press the shutter, because the photography is born in the eye of the photographer, and the camera is solely our mechanical extension who is prepared to capture what we tell it to capture. And I hope it will help me learn new things from you through your comments and collaboration.