make a stranger SMILE

How to make a stranger SMILE

To make a stranger smile is a joyful, life-affirming moment, and it’s a skill we’ve been trying to acquire since we started cruising.

The sailing bit of cruising can be exhilarating, but absorbing new cultures and different perceptions of the world through the people we encounter is the real adventure. Making complete strangers smile, when you don’t speak the language and know nothing about them, is the icing on the cake.

The adventure might start in a busy port, a tourist beach, a desert island or, as in this case, a fishing village…

make a stranger SMILE
the warmest of welcomes

make a stranger SMILE

The great thing about photography is that it’s an excuse to go walking and get in among the locals. Our visit to the village of Benteng on the tiny island of Tanah Jampea was the perfect opportunity to do some street photography.

make a stranger SMILE

Whether we’re taking photos or not, when we venture into a new location we tend to follow our noses. It must have been a Sunday, because there were children playing everywhere, and they became a theme for our photo walk.

make a stranger SMILE

True street photography is about being invisible in order to catch those unposed, decisive moments, but as hulking, sweaty white tourists we become the centre of attention.

Instead we concentrated on getting some sweet street portraits.

make a stranger SMILE

make a stranger SMILE

make a stranger SMILE

Invariably we attract attention and when children are involved, all rules of street photography go out the window. If you don’t take control of them, they’ll run amok, so it was time for some direction.

make a stranger SMILE
Posing in front of a local stilted house

make a stranger SMILE

make a stranger SMILE

For the full episode click episode 336 on our sailing channel.

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