In this current climate where people are addicted to social media, how they look and portray their lives to others from a visual perspective through a filter. People judge you immediately on what they see without taking the time to get to know you or understand the past experiences that brought you to this point in life. Whether it is how you look, how you dress, how you cut your hair or how you come across to people online, when at work or in certain environments. We all judge people quickly based on what you can see, as well as from your personal viewpoint and bias of a persons attitude, job, age, sex, race, religion, any thing similar or different to yourself. People are quick to make any excuse to label you. Sometimes people do dress to express their passions if they are lucky enough to have a career in what they find most interesting but more often than that people would rather be in a different environment. That person in the suit working 9-5 would rather be a professional musician or artist and that quiet, shy person who is seemingly introvert is really screaming to be heard and is interested in things you wouldn't expect. This is the same as the extrovert who in your friendship group is the fun, crazy, unpredictable one, they could have personal problems, depression or have interests that most would find dull or sensible, contrary to their exterior personality as not everyone is comfortable being their true self even in front of friends for fear of being judged or disliked.

    When I am photographing for any purpose I am always interested in meeting new people and I have learned to gravitate towards the more unusual characters when possible, whether they are the people that most would normally avoid because of their outlandish looks or the person who is a little socially awkward. I like to think the best of everyone and trust that their exterior expression of themselves is not always the whole package. I constantly have to make people feel comfortable in front of the lens and have to get to know them so they are relaxed enough to be natural or perform depending on the purpose of the photo shoot. After just a short warm conversation you can find out so much about that individual that might surprise most people if they had given them a chance to open up. This is because most people tend to be very open and honest when you are talking to a stranger who offers a safe environment and a openly non-judgemental ear to listen to what ever they want to divulge, especially as they will feel safe as you are usually not within their friendship group.

    I feel people should be more open to giving people a chance and getting to know a person before they are prejudice, mock or dismiss people purely on what the see in front of them or know about their job, their status, their history or any other factor of their lives and personality. 

    I have a varied group of friends in my life and what I love is that they are all individually brilliant, lovely and interesting in their own way. Though if you put them all in a room together it would confuse an onlooker that I would be friends with everyone in this varied group let alone know them or could have met them in the first place. This is the beauty of being open to people as it can make your life richer and more fulfilling. You automatically become more tolerant of extreme variation and appreciative of others and within reason respect their views on life, religion, and politics even if you disagree with their beliefs.

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    Opening up to others and letting them do the same is a great feeling for both parties and the kindness and honesty spreads from you to them, and from them to others. Doing this gives everyone a voice to express their passions, day to day struggles, vent their frustrations or enjoy a laugh and tell anecdotes making everyone more comfortable in their own skin and give you the opportunity to have more people to share your varied interests and dreams with, expanding your friendship group and bring a more positive lifestyle to you and to others.

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    Not judging people and giving everyone an opportunity to express themselves will make the world a better place for everyone.