I love what Brandon Stanton has done! I can't imagine anything more fascinating than wandering around the world, meeting people, listening to their stories and taking pictures--then making a book out of it.
It's an infinitely copy-able idea, at least in theory. You can also read this stories on his blog, on Facebook, and on the HONY app.
After reading his book, I feel more attuned to every stranger on the street, looking into each person's eyes as if I'm looking at a work of art. His book does that, just like going to an art museum makes me look at ordinary things differently afterwards.
So in Charleston, I thought I'd just do the same thing: I'd take pictures, interview people, and find a story to go with each one.
My assistant, the extrovert Mike, started up conversations with such colorful characters on the streets of Charleston, and I snapped pictures. To "Can I take your picture?" everybody said, "Yes, sure!"
So on the last day, Mike, driving, saw these two men painting a canon. He thought that surely had a story I'd want to capture, so he pulled over and said, "Get them."
I took one picture from a distance, then hopped back in the car. "Why don't you go talk to them?" he suggested. "That's gotta be a great story! Two men painting a canon--it could be two hundred years ago."
These two men were happy to have their picture taken. Sarge is the one with the cigarette, a retired Marine. Barnie is the one who asked me if I'd like to go out to dinner with him--and gave me his phone number.
I hopped back in the car again. "That guy was flirting with me," I told Mike, my ego feathers fluffed up from the surprise turn in the interview.
Mike was disappointed. "That's not a story for a book!" he said. "Who would want to read about that?"
"Here's the deal, Michael," I said. "At my age, that's a really good story!"
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