I recently spent some time with a friend at a well-attended event. There were lots of interactive options we could delve into so I asked, “What should we do?” Her answer: “Let’s sit near this fire pit and people watch.”

That’s a fantastic idea.

So we did and had the most wonderful time dissecting, contemplating and flat out guessing what was going on with the gathering people (as they did back, I would assume).

Anyone who has been to an airport has done this. Just the sheer volume of people alone from other places makes this activity ultra-common. Except everyone is rushing, they are are either (obviously) coming or going and in a blink they’re gone. “I never really had a chance to know you or at least make up a fictionalized version of who you are!” I want to scream. But that would bring over the TSA, and air travel is so hard as it is.

Anyway.

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A youngster passes by the Lynchian work of an unknown artist during Morrison’s Paint the Town event Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. (Alex T. Paschal)

I am lucky enough to make a career out of people watching. People giving presentations or playing volleyball, people watching other people, people fishing or shopping or eating fire or marching through parades, playing games, hiking, riding, driving. The list is endless. The difference between amateur and professional people watching is professionally I’m not allowed to “make up” the tales of those I observe, so that cloak of unknowing is somewhat dipped.

While going through my archive from the last month or so a few different techniques came to light in how I watch people. One is, not to get weird, kind of voyeuristic. I prefer to try and be as inconspicuous as possible while I make my photograph. I really want the person to be unaware so as not to “play” to the camera, I want them to be real and candid. I will then approach them and explain my weirdness and ask for a name and a few details.

Then there’s the simple documenting the event/game/cause, pretty straight forward. Sometimes when there’s a particularly interesting group of people I might pull individuals aside for a more formal portrait. I like doing this when I think the person has a lot of character and is “out of the norm.”

The gallery I put together shows examples of these techniques. I hope you enjoy them and thanks for reading.

• Alex T. Paschal is a photojournalist with Sauk Valley Media.