A Big Step Forwards

Sorry this one is a bit late. I've been suffering with the 'flu so photos are getting a little delayed. This one isn't my best, but it's one of the most significant I've ever taken. I've been interested for some time in street photography - it fits in nicely with my interest in protest photography, but what's been so often missing for me has been the courage needed to get the really good shots. I went out one night a few years ago with my photographer friend Jules, and he taught me everything I needed to do, but I really wasn't in the right place to be assertive enough to embrace it. This shot was the first instance where I saw what I wanted (who could miss that hat?), told both guys I really wanted to take their picture and immediately took it. I only realised a few minutes later what I'd done and chuckled to myself - it took me nearly 4 years to be in the right place to start pushing ahead with this particular skill, and I didn't find it difficult at all. 

This moment was really interesting because throughout the day I'd been dealing with low mood and low interest in work, but recently I've also been mindful of some lessons I've been picking up from the Raptitude blog. Both in work and out on the day I was mindful of just how much freedom I had: to do the work anyway, and to get the shots I wanted to - all that could hold me up in either case was 'bad faith'. This year has been all about giving up 'bad faith' and acknowledging and embracing instead the freedom I have.