Daniel Delgado, 22
Chicago, IL
How long will you typically wait to get the perfect candid shot?
It varies. Most of the time when I go venture out to shoot, I get lucky with the moment I capture. The only times I will wait will be once I see the perfect environment. But I’m against time, light constantly moves so, I don’t wait too long.
What was your favorite captured moment from the week?
The collage of graffiti that’s along the walls of the roof tops in Chinatown with the recognizable World Trade Center One in the right corner of the background. When I was walking along with my friend, I said to him how much it looked like a movie set. It created a sense of bigness to myself, if that makes any sense. Kinda made me think how can my mark stand out from the rest.
Do you believe that photographers are better with people in them?
My favorite photo of my NYC trip didn’t have people in it, but it does have the mark that someone was there. For my personal work, I love to shoot people – it creates a direct conversation. I can say that without these people in my work, the photo wouldn’t hold its ground. It’s all about the conversation that is trying to be made. It’s not for me to decide if a photo would be better with a person or not, so long as its purpose is clear enough to guide the conversation where the photographer wants it to end. If he/she doesn’t do that properly, then that’s when a change in subject needs to happen.
Who are your favorite subjects to shoot?
For the most part, I love shooting strangers. It’s capturing the unexpected, especially with the series I’ve been shooting for the past 2 years now. Not knowing who I will be photographing is what makes it exciting. It keeps me on my toes, and when I do find a moment, it almost seemed like it was planned.
