Thanks for submitting your assignment!
Steve McCurry is indeed a great photographer. His candid portraits are positively stunning!
I’m fascinated by your comparison of Steve McCurry and the Sartorialist. I had never thought of that but it’s true, the Sartorialist is like a fashionista version of Steve McCurry. Although Steve’s images are far superior from a photography standpoint, they both manage to capture those tiny little moments in time. In fact this is something I’ve been trying to do myself. Taking a tiny slice to time and showcasing the people in that moment:
http://duncan.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/People/G0000uox1_LFYHYI/I0000fbQS3.QkdLI
http://duncan.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/People/G0000uox1_LFYHYI/I0000On1_VC6jPCE
http://duncan.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/People/G0000uox1_LFYHYI/I0000WH67ZUwcsT4
http://duncan.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/People/G0000uox1_LFYHYI/I0000iDE8xauRYOo
The hard part is being setup and present enough to not only see those moments occurring but having the ability to make the tools (your camera and its settings) go away… You need to get comfortable enough with your gear that it’s not even a factor in your mind.
You have to be entirely present. This is quite difficult when you’re surrounded by chaos.
You also make a very interesting point about shooting in bad conditions. I’ve noticed that the best time to shoot is when you feel like you shouldn’t! For instance there is a giant storm approaching and you feel like you need to retreat. That’s when you take a moment and shoot. Or if you’re freezing cold and the sun is setting that’s when you shoot a little more…
Make bad weather your best friend.
Just being out there is half the battle sometimes.
Nice work here. I enjoyed your piece and I hope it refined how you think about your photography.