Shooting Strangers
I often find myself wondering why I shoot a lot of photos of strangers rather than family and friends. While most people will buy a camera and take hundreds of thousands of pictures of their relatives and friends, I tend to keep mine in the bag whenever there are gatherings. Considering that I also bought my camera to take family photos, I only have a few to show at the end of the day, or sometimes even none at all. I suppose one of the reasons for this is because I become an observer once I start shooting and I become non-participative. Another reason is that I rarely am successful at getting my subjects to pose in front of the camera, especially my kids.
I’ve been taking a lot of close-ups of people I don’t know, and I can safely say that I have fairly portrayed them in their environment as I see it. I would love to be able to do this for people I know – people who mean something to me rather than just taking a shot of a random stranger whom I might not meet again. This is probably another project I will take up sometime in the near future, hoping that relatives and friends won’t mind me being around and being absent at the same time. It will take a lot of convincing, but it can be done. I just pray that I will be given their trust and confidence to portray them at their best.
A walk with my camera 
Dear Mana Leila,
Thank you for the compliment. It is indeed very humbling for me to have my work appreciated, and this gives me encouragement to continue what I have been doing. I certainly do hope to meet you, and would be honored to tell your life story through pictures. I will contact you through your email.
Thank you once again.
Sincerely yours,
Orlando
Dear Mr. Uy,
I love all your pictures so far. Thank you for including me in your list.You have such a great talent. Your subjects are all natural. I am a big fan of great pictures. I hope one day to meet you and allow you to take pictures of me that shows my life story embedded on my face and hands.I am 64 years old and proud of it.My sincerest regards and continue the good work.
Mana Leila
Very good observation. With family you are a participant, not merely an observer.
I guess I will have to use a point and shoot for family affairs as it’s a lot less intrusive. Maybe I still have use for my old cameras.