Gina M. Intro

Hello, I'm Gina Maskell and I was also in London last year (with Sheila and Tanya).

I follow the Humans of New York blog religiously because there is something endearing about connecting with total strangers.  It was mostly for entertainment, like a more interesting New York City newspaper. So I bought the HONY book and I went to Barnes & Nobles for the book signing with the photographer. As I was looking and reading through the book  in the never-ending line wrapping up four floors, there was one caption that really got to me. The photo was a man draped in brown cloth with a prickly pine needle beard and branches poking out as arms and hair-- a tree man. The caption is "Some days I worry that I won't find anyone to photograph. The I turn the corner and see a giant tree man." I was mad at this guy, the guy that I was standing in line to meet. How could he not find anyone to photograph?! There are 8 million people in New York City. And I was frustrated because he didn't realize why his photos are so successful: they tell stories. Each person he photographs has something to say; each person is a human, with their own experience, with a sense of morality, with a personality (if we are talking the Universal Human Right's definition of a human). His caption made light of each person in NYC, like each persons story wasn't worthy of his attention. While I was standing in line mildly fuming, I realized that everyone has a "story" and everyone has lived there own life no matter how young or old. Everyone has learned something in their life worth sharing.