While watching Manchester United crush Arsenal in todays big game at Old Trafford I also spent some time digging my street photography archives.
I came across two interesting shots, kind of the same situation, still so different. The similarity is obvious, people in need, begging for your help by donating money to them. I often find myself feeling bad about not contributing and helping more when I come across situations like this, however the approach of the needing is what really struck me as a huge difference among these two unfortunate as well.
One of the images shows a man, half sitting / half lying on the streets of Prague, Czech Republic. I was sitting, waiting around for a fellow photographer when I first got aware of him. I heard strange words in a “not to welcoming tonal range” being throwed around at the people passing him. I have no idea what he actually said, however my intepretation told me it was not the kindest words and a clear projection of his feelings about the people passing and not willing to share. On the other hand, this is just my intepretation…but it made me alert and I would not feel comfortable approaching him to offer anything.
The other image shows an old man captured in a town called Óia on Santorini, Greece. Me, clearly being biased by documentary images seen earlier by smiling, welcoming and sincere looking greek people, felt like I was in the middle of one of those shots/situations. He was sitting in an old staircase on the way to a tourist lookout terrace where people come to watch the magnificent sunsets of Óia. His face was sincere, he seemed to be a good man and his smile made feel welcome, even though I´m proplably the 50 zilliointh tourist invading his home town. I approached him, gesturing I wanted to take his picture, he reached out his hand and opened his palm to say that I he wanted money for it. I was more than happy to reach into my pocket and hand him whatever I found. Even though I only had a few coins he was cool with it and let me take his photo, he even put on a smile for me. When I walked away from him it was pretty clear to me that this was his game. I think he knew exactly what impression he made on the typical tourist and where he was sitting, in the middle of the path where the lots were passing by, probably provided him the income he needed every day.
So, two different situations with two different perceptions and outcomes…
I feel bad that my perceptions and feelings prohibits me from sharing when I can. I was clearly in another mood being in Óia, off to capture what´s said to be one of the greatest sunsets around the world than when I was waiting around in the streets of Prague. An angry man (my intepretation once again) and one smiling old fellow made a huge difference to me.
My question to you is this; why do we let our fears, feelings, biased impressions and pre-assumptions get in the way of helping people that clearly needs a helping hand. Most of us are in a position where we could share more than we do, still many of us have a bad conscience for not sharing as often as we could…
