Fishing for walleye in the Maumee River

The fisherman goes out into the Maumee River to find a stop to start fishing during the walleye run. (PHO 245/ Christian Howell)

  Feature photography is the documentation of life around you, which sounds like it would be easy. But when you’re not comfortable approaching people to take their picture, it becomes difficult.
   I recently went to the Maumee River to shoot the fishermen who were catching walleye. There were a few people in the river that afternoon and I was able to get a couple of good scenery shots out of my trip. But I needed that one, good personal shot with one of the fishermen with a fish. I felt that would be my winning shot for this assignment.
   My only problem was that I couldn’t find the courage to ask a stranger if I could take their photo. The strange part about  my fear of approaching these people is that my other job requires me to talk with strangers. I bartend on the weekends. I don’t have a problem approaching my customers or even asking someone how they are doing.
   I found approaching people for this assignment challenging. Life doesn’t stop and there is always something to shoot. I’m still working on people photography because I feel it’s a lot more personal when you are right there in front of your subject with a camera documenting something that is we as photographers make a part of history. I know with time I will soon overcome this fear and will be more at ease when it comes to people photography and interviewing them.
   Lucky, the two fishermen who I talked to were very nice, which put me at ease when I was talking with them.

The fisherman cast out his line in the Maumee River for a relaxing day of fishing for walleye fish. (PHO 245/Christian Howell)