Reaction Paper-Nadia Sablin

When Nadia Sablin came into my class to explain her work to me and my classmates, I wasn't really looking forward to hearing someone talk about their experience in photography and how they shoot their photographs. Everyone has their own style of photography and I didn't think her style would interest me. Right in the beginning, as Nadia started talked talking she caught my interest and I was completely wrong about her. The way she talked about how her style of photography and venturing out into Russia and certain places where she couldn't be allowed to photograph really got me thinking. Im adopted and I always wondered what my life could have been like and how much different life could be. As she was talking, I was thinking that I could possibly go to the country I was born in and take photographs of how people live. Everyone knows that poverty exists but not to the extent. I would want to go out and venture off into towns that not everyone sees. The towns that are dangerous and show the real concept of poverty. As Nadia was talking and explaining how she was born in Russia and then moved and took pictures on her journey was very interesting. It was also intriguing that she made connections with people she photographed and saw little kids that were 5 years old, that are now 12 years old and following them as they grow up. I think thats really cool, that she was able to overcome the idea of approaching people and asking to take their photo because thats something I'm afraid of doing. Im scared of the idea that someone is going to say no and give me a hard time but thats the only thing they can do. The only thing a person could say is "oh no, I'm sorry i don't want my picture taken". It doesn't seem scary but theres a wall thats blocking me that I need to overcome and I understood where Nadia was coming from when she was talking about that. She was explaining this when she lived in Arizona and wanted to take peoples photograph. The worst a person could say is no and then all you gotta do is move on. Just because one person said no, doesn't mean that everyone is like that. If you keep trying and asking people, eventually someone is going to be happy you asked and doesn't want you to stop taking picture of them. So many people are different with their picture being taken that you just have to be polite and sweet. Of course, you don't want to go up to a person and ask them rudely to take their picture. Go up with a smile and possibly make a joke, make them laugh and then see if you could take a picture of them. Nadia seems like a very sweet person and someone I would love to travel with and just explore parts of the world that no one sees just like when she could have had the opportunity to photograph an aurora. That would have been an awesome picture to show but I know down the road, she will have the chance to see that capture a photograph. I do wish the best of luck to her and I'm happy that I got the chance to meet her and see the type of photography she has.