I thought it would be easy to snap pictures of people and find a nugget of their stories--as HONY (Humans of New York) does. It's not easy. First, you have to have way more advanced skills as a photographer than I have. Then, you have to juggle your notebook and ask questions and listen while you're taking pictures, giving the person time to relax and talk naturally. But trying--just trying--makes me see every person I encounter as the unique human he or she is. Everyone has a story.
We shared wine and cheese with this North Carolina farmer and his wife. I'd love to see what the experts at HONY would do with Billy Joe--what a character!
"How did you meet?" I asked--having only my iPhone to capture a snapshot.
"You want to know the truth? She was bending over the bottom shelf at Wal-Mart and she had on these red pants and I thought WOO-HOO!"
"She hung up on me the first three times I called--which didn't do me any good since I'd just had a divorce and wasn't feeling so confident of myself."
But he prevailed and here they are, married two years. "I give her everything she wants," Billy Joe said. "Like this Christmas. I gave her four chickens and a rooster. Last year I gave her two hogs."
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