Overcoming Shyness

I have always felt shy to take photographs in the public. I don't feel comfortable stopping on the way to take a click on something interesting happening around. The photographs that I have taken so far are from places where no one could see me photographing something outside in the public.

For example: This photograph of a woman with the tattooed hands was taken while I was standing in the train. No body could see my tiny Apple Iphone's camera focusing this woman.

 

Here is another one that I dared to take in the public, but no body could see me taking this picture. This one was in the train again.

  

I wrote a blog post two days back with the title The Woman With The Umbrella. And I wished to add a photograph of the Pallavaram Railway Station in the blog post. But I felt very shy to stop on my way to stand some where near the railway station or near the ticket counter or on the over bridge to take a photograph.

I was talking to myself all the way to the station from the subway this morning. I was just saying to myself, "you can do this. All you have to do is to just stop somewhere near the station and take a photograph". 

And I also said,"But people would be staring at me." 

I replied to myself,"It would hardly take a few seconds for you to take it.So give it a try".

I continued,"I feel very shy to do that." 

I said,"Let this be your breaking point. Do it once and you will never miss all the interesting happenings around you that have missed to capture earlier."

I was nearing the over bridge and started to climb. My instinct was pushing me to take the iPhone. It said,"Come on, do it."  I have started trusting my instincts these days. So I took it out of my bag and stopped on the stairs while I was climbing. I could sense the people who was passing by looking at me. I ignored them. I stood in a place from where the platform, the counter and the stairs covered. Captured it and climbed up back. Put my iPhone inside my bag. I felt happy, while I was climbing down the stairs.

I almost passed a middle aged lady struggling to carry a heavy bag up the stairs. I helped her to bring it up the bridge and walked back to the platform. I really really felt good for two reasons.

1. I overcame my shyness. 2. I helped some one today.

How did YOU overcome your shyness?

Luv u all
Uma
Freelancer