There’s just the one color assignment, which is slightly reductively) to calm your mind, notice color, engage with it for a bit, fill your viewfinder with it, and take the picture. The colors shouldn’t black, white, biege, etc., and they recommend starting away from nature, which is harder to see simply as color.

The first couple of times I did this, the colors were mostly primary or high contrast. As I’ve done the assignment more times, I’ve found subtler colors or colors in subtler places. I think after I’ve done this assignment a couple more times, I’ll move on to the next one.

BOOOO!

xoxox

Mom

And no, the subjects aren’t necessarily willing, but nor are they unwilling. They’re unconsulted, which is something I feel more than a little ambivalent about. I take pictures surreptitiously not to invade people’s privacy or embarrass them, but to catch them in their unrehearsed glory, which turns out to be remarkably easy. It’s a very helpful practice for me to seek and find something fascinating in every passing moment and stranger, but I wouldn’t want the value of that practice to me to come at the cost of anyone’s discomfort.

Funnily enough, aside from a couple of dogs barking at me (they’re generally much more perceptive than people), the only two people to ever complain about having me take their picture jumped into pictures that weren’t of them to tell me not to take their pictures.

Very nice job on these, makes me want to visit NYC (for the first time!)