4. Am See

I've been thinking about the term "subject". From my point of view of a native swiss-german speaker, it doesn't properly describe the relation in which I aim to stand to the person portrayed. This train of thought started during my conversation with today's portrayee, when she asked how I decide whom to approach - and used the word: "not-victim" which, had she not said it in a joking tone of voice, would have sounded just as uncomfortable in swiss-german as it reads in english. Funnily enough I have no trouble finding the right word in german: today, Am See was my "Gegenüber", the person opposite me, my vis-à-vis.

I approached Am See, who was sitting on a park bench by the lakeside, towards the end of my lunch break. What struck me as remarkable and encouraging, was that it wasn't being approached by a bearded stranger, not the thought of letting me take her picture, but the idea of her portrait being published on the internet that seemed to give her pause. Fortunately I managed to reassure her, and once she had decided to give me half an hour of her time, we had a highly engaging and enjoyable chat. I took 33 photographs, in the course of which she displayed a beautiful depth and richness of emotions. Many of these show facets of her personality - thoughtfulness, fire, and humor - and best portray her when seen together. I've selected the one that can stand by itself most easily.

What went well today:
How I approached Am See today was good: I had the right kind of body language, the right tone of voice (polite but not apologetic), and finding a level eye contact helped a lot, I think.

Things I need to learn:
Don't cut off part of people's heads - it's just not polite.

Am See: thank you very much for your open-mindedness, your time, and for the story about the three old ladies - what a wonderful image!