Typology - Stalker Pictures

I kinda admire stalkers. Well, it's not so much that I admire what they do (you know...terrify women), but I admire stalkers' determination. Just imagine what they could accomplish if they channelled their extreme determination into a good cause...

Instead of being a menace, they could, for example:

-help everyone who lives on their street

-remove the rough edges from their character

-learn a language, express themselves in song or, even better, take photos. With that in mind, what kind of photos would a stalker take? I decided to find out. 

I called my typology assignment "Fearless and Focused: The Determination Project."

It was based in part on the inspiration I felt when I learned about Sophie Calle's work. That being said, I already knew before learning about her that I was going to undertake The Determination Project. In fact, I had already purchased a few rolls of Ilford's Delta 3200 specifically for taking pictures indoors with a zoom lens, which would be necessary for what I had in mind. However, being introduced to Sophie Calle's work strengthened my resolve because it was like she was giving me permission to undertake a project similar to hers. 

My plan was simple. I wanted to hunt for photos of people in much the same way a stalker would pursue his prey. I thought this would be an appropirate way to play with my dark side. This is a reaction to the overly safe environment found in any modern university. I wanted to inject some risk and adventure into my campus experience. 

I imagined the typology of stalker photos. They would typically be taken from a distance. The female subject would be unaware. If ever there was eye contact between the stalker and the prey, the resulting photo would likely show fear in her eyes. 

I "stalked" the campus in order to find people who looked very determined. I was curious to know what people were focusing on. Was it productive or was it nefarious like a stalker? My intention was to photograph people, oftely secretly, and then engage them in conversation to learn what had so thoroughly captured their attention. Engaging with my subjects would erode my stalker-like behaviour. Instead, I established a connection with them and then I subverted the typology of stalker photos when I captured candid portraits of the people I met. They told me their story, we often laughed and then I took their photograph. 

This woman looked so focused. I knew I had to get her picture and then find out why she looked so determined. 

Shay-lynn has been working on her degree for five years and she wants to finish this semester no matter what. That's why she was so focused. She overcame many significant obstacles to get to where she is. 

This girl was studying in the lounge on the third floor of Turcotte Hall. She was all alone. 

It turns out Carmen is very easy to talk to. We had a nice visit. She was studying for her political science class. Carmen is determined to switch her major from education to social work. 

This man had two computers and a tablet in front of him. You can tell he takes studying seriously. I didn't know it at the time, but my camera stopped advancing film properly, but this made for a happy accident. Here, we see one photo that's on top of the other, but I like the effect because this photograph has a cubist feel to it.  

Kevin used his determination to study for a quiz on Blackfoot words. In the days before the quiz, Kevin needed to have a front tooth removed. It changed the sound of his voice enough that his phone didn't understand his commands. However, the dental work didn't impact his mind. Kevin placed first in the quiz and his prize was a book in Blackfoot about a little boy who gets his first tooth brush! What a coincidence. 

This young woman was studying by herself in the library. 

I asked her why she looked so focused and she said it was because she was writing an essay about bio-medical ethics. Elise and I talked about her career prospects and about informed consent. She's quite intelligent. And she likes Starbucks. 

This is a photo of a traffic mirror. In Japan, the roads are very narrow so there are mirrors at intersections so drivers can see if any vehicles are coming. There's a display of mirror pictures in the library, which I stopped to look at while I was hunting for people who looked determined. Since mirrors could be used to spy on people, the stalker in me felt I should take a picture. 

The Determination Project was a good experience. Everyone was receptive and it was interesting to look for focused people. If you slow down and pay attention, it's possible to see the determination on their face. Most of the people I met were "stalking" academic success and using their determination to get ahead in life. That's a noble aim.