A mission to find the picture

My assignment this week was to take pictures that would give the reader a sense of the weather elements. The most intimidating part of this was that it had to have a person in it and I had to talk to them. This was going to be a challenge for me. I put my camera in the car, because I knew this would be something I  come across while driving.

Tonya Lunners rakes leaves in the front
yard of her Millbury townhouse.

Nothing jumped out at me that really expressed what the weather was. I am realizing that it's harder than it sounds to get the pictures for some of these assignments. Photojournalists often have hours, not days, to shoot, and my deadline was soon to be over. I would've already failed if this wasn't for a class.
On Oct.9th I knew I had to get my picture that morning. I went up and down the streets of Millbury searching for someone in a coat, or on their porch, anyone who was outside. I turned off Main Street and saw a woman by a small tree.  She had a rake in her hands! This was my chance. I pulled over, grabbed my camera and got out of the car. I didn't give myself time for my fears to take root. After introducing myself, she was fine with me taking some pictures of her.

Lunners stops for a break.

The pictures seemed posed, at first with an unspoken tension between us. I realized I could change that mood so I started to joke around with her to help her relax. It only took about 15 minutes and I was done. After I got home with my pictures I realized how I had made the assignment harder by freaking out about talking to and photographing a stranger. It really wasn't so scary after all.