Burmese migrant worker and a Thai vendor selling limes and lime juice concentrate at their stall in Klong Toey Market, Bangkok Thailand.

There are two ways you can go about taking a photograph like this. One is to be candid which is not always practical and I also do not feel good about it, so I don’t practice this method. The other is what can be called becoming invisible but not in the literal sense. In today’s world, we tend to live an invisible life without even being aware of it. The type of photography that I do, requires a particular social behaviour. We have to make contact first before transitioning back into invisibility.

Starting a conversation 

In this scene, I initially took a few pictures when I arrived but those photographs are usually not the best as subjects are very conscious of someone suddenly appearing with a camera and will not behave in their usual manner. As this was a scene that I was very interested in taking I needed to spend some time there to capture what I initially saw. With a bit of patience and some luck, that moment in most cases will repeat itself.  Now it would be rude and distracting to stand there for a lengthy period snapping away on my camera and it will only be counterproductive from what I am trying to accomplish.  What I  needed to do next was to help them feel at ease by trying to make conversation with what little Thai I knew.  I also offered a Fuji Instax photo to each of them which is my way of saying thanks in advance for tolerating me and it is also nice when they can get something out of it. Happy to receive the instant photos they invited me to sit and eat some food that they had and so I did.

Removing Barriers

We talked a bit and learned more about each other eliminating any suspicion or doubt that they might have had about me.  I resumed taking photos of them and sometimes I just held the camera as if I were taking pictures but was not. The intention was for them to become used to me being there with the camera and eventually go about their business ignoring my presence as if I were not there hence becoming invisible. It is pretty much the same when exposed to a continuous smell or sound which is not threatening and your brain eventually ignores it blanking it out from your sight or mind forgetting that it was even there. It took about ten minutes, but I eventually got this one posted here.

Start saying hello

While trying to be invisible serves its purpose for taking candid like photographs some of us live an invisible life or others are made invisible by us. We spend our time being cautious with strangers often forgetting that we are also strangers to others. Saying hello or good day disrupts this invisibility. A stranger acknowledges your existence by returning a smile or a nod. A bit of magic happens that changes the course of your day and theirs. This experience creates a positive view of the world and leaves you feeling more fulfilled. Not every stranger has the best intentions but most do, so be nice say hello and experience something beautiful today.