We celebrate the second major Christian holiday with the first of three random street portraits. Michael Tapp captured the photo for the 100 Strangers Flickr Group, which ethos states: “Take at least 100 photographs of 100 people you don’t know. Approach anyone or a group of people, ask for permission to both take a photo of them and to post it to this group. Get to know your stranger/s. Who are they? What is their life like?”
The 100 Strangers project challenges a photographer to “step out of your comfort zone and into a new level of portrait photography”. As I write, there are 10,500 group members. From my experience as a working journalist, approaching random people for comment, photo, or video is a learning process that’s difficulty increases as you age. Youth and appearance are assets that can put anyone at ease.
Michael shot self-titled “Stranger 51/100 | Easter Parade in New York” on March 31, 2013. “The city shuts down part of 5th avenue” for the event, and “people just strut down 5th Avenue in their Sunday best”, he explains. “I spotted this man from a distance, and I knew he would be a great subject. He knew exactly what to do, and I didn’t have to direct him at all. I wanted to find out more about him but he went off to start posing for shots with children and other people”.
Today’s selection is irresistible for its superb composition, particularly the red suit in the foreground set against the beautifully blurred three red, white and, blue flags behind but to the left in the frame. This is the second time I considered one of Michael’s photos for this series, and I dismissed the first for the reason this one almost didn’t make the Day: There is no camera information in the metadata. However, he does provide vitals: f/3.5, ISO 320, 1/125 sec, 63mm.
Michael joined Flickr in February 2011 but also posts on social media. His two websites are better: New York Headshot Photographer and michaeltapp.com.
Photo Credit: Michael Tapp