Jerry Syder - The Journey

For many years, as far back as I can remember, I was afraid of people. I dreaded talking to complete strangers and I never knew why but I do know it was and is a great fear, to this day. However, people always amazed me; I wondered what their thoughts were and if they were married, someone’s brother or sister, a doctor, lawyer, nurse, barista etc. Then as I grew older I wondered why is it such a threat to talk to people. We were all placed here to share the same earth but we only interact at interviews, when introduced, when asking for directions, when at the store or when at the bank... the list goes on. I had this wonder as long as I had the fear. I guess they go hand in hand. I was always intrigued by what the people I feared do, or who they were. In hindsight, it’s not the people I feared but it’s the idea of walking up to a complete stranger and engaging; a person that I chose to communicate with! Not because I had to ask them the price, or the time, or directions, or work with.

Then I ventured into the world of photography. An art that I fell in love with and apart from doing what makes me tick, I was given the solution to both my fear and wonder. Then it was about 2 years ago when I thought:

“what if I can walk up to people on the street and ask to take their photograph, that’s what photographers do right? Then I will have a justified reason to chat with an interesting person”.

This project came off the back of that. As well, I will be giving those interesting people that I meet, a voice to the world. And with the help of my best friend Tony, whom I really could not have done this without, I kick started this project, which I hope will be ongoing.

These are the Interesting People, with Jerry Syder