Talk to strangers about photography

Photography talk needs someone who cares about the decisions behind a frame, not just the result. A stranger who shoots will ask what you were thinking rather than politely saying "nice photo" — and they are pointing a lens at a completely different part of the world.

• Phone or camera, and whether it still matters
• The shot you are genuinely proud of
• The moment you missed and still think about
• Film against digital, and why film came back
• Editing, and how much is too much

• “Phone or camera — what do you shoot on?”Use this
• “A photo you are genuinely proud of?”Use this
• “What do you love pointing a lens at?”Use this
• “The shot that got away?”Use this
• “Film or digital, and why?”Use this
• “How much editing is too much?”Use this

• Ask about a photo they are proud of and have them describe it in words. Describing an image is surprisingly engaging, and it keeps things anonymous.
• Ask what they shoot on. A phone, film, a mirrorless camera or an old hand-me-down each come with a different approach and plenty of opinions.
• Ask what makes them stop and take a photo. The answer, whether light, faces or strange signs, tells you how they see the world.

StrangerChat does not support sharing photos, so do not ask for pictures or send gallery links that reveal who or where you are. Gear snobbery makes beginners feel small. And think twice before saying exactly where a photo was taken if it is near your home.