Jeff Fielding's Photography blog has moved

After seeking the advice of several friends I have moved my blog to Jeff Fielding Photography on Wordpress.  The new site is in its infancy, many changes will be taking place over the next few days and weeks.  Please change your bookmarks and RSS feeds.

Thank you.

-Jeff

Small Talk.

    While in Kenya, on one of our long drives from Lake Nakuru to Masai Mara, I got into a discussion about small talk with my traveling companions, my wife, Mary, and our friend, Tiffany.  Both of them commented on how I was good at making small talk with people that we met along the way, from our guides and servers to locals at the lodges.
    When I was making small talk I usually asked about families, local customs, living conditions, anything to break a sometimes uncomfortable silence.  While both the girls commented about how much they did not enjoy making small talk, I realized that I particularly enjoyed it as a way to learn more about my surroundings-I also began to realize that small talk was helping me as a photographer.
    While on a workshop in Italy, with Jeffrey Chapman and David duChemin, I finally overcame my fear of approaching people on the street to ask to take their photographs.  In Kenya, while putting my new found skills to work, I often found myself making small talk with my subjects in turn opening them up to my camera all while learning more about them.  Not only did this result in better pictures,-I think, at least-it gave me some context in which to remember my subjects and made taking the photographs a richer, more personal and fulfilling experience.
    I've even found that small talk can be made when you don't even speak the same language as your subject.  Usually a few common words or gestures will do and will change the experience for all involved.  Sometimes it may be meaningless, but in the right context maybe making small talk isn't so meaningless after all.