P&P: Exercise 5: Eye Contact & Expression

I was on the way to the nearby temple when I passed a man with a beautiful white beard.  I couldn’t stop then, but knew I could likely find him again in the same place days later.  This is a spot where independent truck owners gather to be hired out.  When they don’t have any work, they just sit on the kerb waiting, chatting, smoking, and watching Dubai drive by.


Sure enough, he was there yesterday and after a bit of a chat was given permission to take some photos.  The purpose of this exercise is to investigate and practice with the gaze of the subject – directing into the camera, or somewhere else.

My original idea was to get these Pakistani gentlemen to pose in front of their trucks or a nearby wall, but they were so comfortable I didn't want to put them off the project by asking them to move.  So I shot them where they sat, on asphalt in the shadow of their truck.  Given the high contrast with the mostly white background, I worked with flash and directed the subjects to look at me or their work mates off camera.

Turns out the white beard didn't work out so well on the white garment, and his friend had the more dramatic face.

I promised to deliver printed copies, so should be seeing them again soon.

One of the younger me, tnhe 25 year old Mohammed, insisted I shoot him on my bike.

He also wanted to friend me on FB, but after looking through his page decided it was safer not to.

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