woman in park

Jennifer Bishop “Woman in Park” 8/28/2018

Walking in a park in Baltimore City on a hot day, I came across this woman in Muslim dress. I was struck by the dramatic silhouette her dress made in this landscape of sculptural trees, plus the added contrast of the mundane porta potties, the combination suddenly transforming the park into an exotic, mysterious landscape. I shot only two frames before I saw that her reaction to my camera was one of fear. Quickly I put down my camera and explained to her that I meant no harm and that I had simply found her interesting. As I turned to leave, a passing stranger paused to berate me angrily. Clearly he saw me as a threat to the woman. In that moment, I felt misunderstood, and yet ashamed. I see my photos as a celebration of what is, but the act of taking a photo can be seen as an invasion of privacy, a stealing of the soul.