Prague.
My “intention” during these twelve days was to capture photos that told stories, specifically images that told stories of Czech people. I wanted to capture native Czech people’s personality and character through the lens of my camera. In order to accomplish this pursuit, I walked through the streets of Prague as well as the streets of the small village in South Bohemia, Zdíkov, and I asked people who intrigued me, “Muzu Vam za fotografovat?” I was either completely rejected in which case I would just walk away, or I was welcomed with a smile and disbelief by the subject, who was shocked and flattered that I wanted to take their photo. In contrast, when I tried to take someone’s photo without asking, the person would either immediately turn away at the sight of my camera, back out of the frame as if I didn’t want them in the image, or simply strike a pose and smile, without realizing that all I wanted was a candid, environmental portrait of them. I am really happy with the intention that I chose to follow because I was able to learn how to take interesting photos of people as I simultaneously, in a broader sense, learned about the identity of Czech people. Although I mainly focused on shooting portraits, I also took landscape shots and photographed moments as I witnessed them happening. Through my time in Prague, I learned how to use my camera, how to approach people in the street, and how to bring a city to life in my photos.
Flattered by my request to take his photo, this proud and talkative man reminisced about Prague during the years of communism as he showed off his bike which was once his grandmother's .
Two siblings admire the scenery on the Vlatva River.
A well-dressed man plays the piano in a restaurant. He played the song "Happy Birthday" as our table sang for my birthday.
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Two women smile at the sight of their dog, Ostie, listening to their command and sitting for the photo. They laughed as I knelt down in front of them trying to capture their dog's attention.
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On a beautiful afternoon by a man-made lake in the small town of Český Krumlov, a mother and her son happily gaze at one another.
Working on the Charles Bridge facing the river, a man looks up from his craft and pauses drawing the caricature.
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A woman stands at the counter where she works in a small shop in Český Krumlov. She spoke of her son who traveled to New York for the NHL and missed his flight to come home.
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A patriotic man protests in the same place as he has every day for the past 10 years.
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A woman mans the register in a shop and strikes a natural pose for the photo.
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