They Walk Among Us

Being, by my own admission, a "spirited amateur" rather than an actual photographer, I tend to shy away from striking up conversation with camera-toting strangers for fear of finding myself out of my depth. I've never had this problem with fellow writers or musicians - I can talk about poetry, prose, songs, and the relative merits of narrative styles and string gauges till the cattle return to their domicile - but around photographers, my nerves jangle. I fear the barrage of technical questions about equipment and gadgets that will mean nothing to me; I have, in the past, encountered photography enthusiasts who seemed to spend more time talking about lenses, flashes, filters and tripods than actually going out and taking photographs.

And yet, it seems like there are more and more of us spirited amateurs out there every day, with photography democratised by digital technology and encouraged by sites like Blip. Maybe the day will come when I feel a bit more confident chatting to randomers about all things photographic. But for now, I'll leave this snap-happy fella in peace.