2.5. People at Work

For many people, more than half their waking hours are spent working Much of the most exciting and visually interesting things we do occur while we are at work For every boring desk job, there is someone professionally blowing glass, fixing cars, or climbing trees—doing something dirty and possibly dangerous that can be photographed.

These jobs may be boring and repetitive to the people doing them, but for us as photographers they represent several opportunities Someone at work gives a photographer thechance of using the occupation to show something about a portrait subject The job itself may present great narrative possibilities—even if it is boring, the repetitive routine will hopefully be leavened with bits of humor.

Finally, work is the greatest distraction Even if you are not particularly interested in the visuals of the job, your subjects will probably be paying at least some attention to what they are doing.

It makes sense to keep your eyes open for opportunities that involve people at work But why not make your own opportunities? Go out and research an active, physical profession Then call ahead to get permission to photograph in the workplace.

Don't neglect details related to the paraphernalia and apparatus of a profession These small things can be very telling The tools someone uses on a job can narrate a great deal about a person, even if you never see the person themselves—and can help to paint a portrait in someone's mind just based on a few objects.

If you photograph for fun, this may not look like work. But standing around in sub-freezing weather waiting for perfect lighting becomes work if you are a professional photographer—or if you take your hobby seriously.

I shot these photographers at Tunnel View in Yosemite Valley, California watching the light on a vista made famous by Ansel Adams. These photographers remind me of "Paparazzi"—with the ideal light of a natural scenic view as the target, rather than a celebrity.

18mm, 1/200 of a second at f/7.1 and ISO 100, hand held

There are no human subjects in this set of three photos. But the paraphernalia shown even without anybody present amounts to a partial portrait of the work-life of a fire fighter.

A surprisingly decorative bird holds a fireman's badge on top of this fire helmet.

105mm macro, 1/50 of a second at f/3.5 and ISO 640, hand held

Top: This photo shows the relationship of the badge to the decorative bird (the beak is shown at the top of the photo).

105mm macro, 1/60 of a second at f/4 and ISO 640, hand held

Bottom: Firefighter's helmet and oxygen mask.

56mm, 1/80 of a second at f/4.8 and ISO 640, hand held

While wandering the back streets of Trinidad, Cuba, I came upon these two men working on this antique car. I thought their relation to the car, and to each other, told an interesting story about concentration, endurance, and the struggle for perfection—note the good shape the car is in—so I snapped the photo.

35mm, 1/100 of a second at f/5 and ISO 100, hand held

This detail shot of a Cuban cowboy at work tells a story: the rope is in everyday use and highly functional, and the rubber boots show that the work is practical—not stylized in the way that the gear belonging to a rodeo cowboy might be.

112mm, 1/250 of a second at f/8 and ISO 100, hand held