blevine@thestamfordtimes.com

STAMFORD —For most, the daily routines and tasks we perform are usually taken for granted.

We tend not to notice the almost clockwork precision in which we wake, get breakfast, grab a coffee, shop for groceries or go for a jog. But, it is in these harmonious moments, when people act out of instinct, that photographer Vincent Rodriguez found beauty and intrigue.

For Rodriguez, a computer support technician for a downtown investment firm, his foray into photography didn't start until 1998. He bought a digital camera and starting snapping pictures of his oldest son.

"Up until then, I didn't really have an interest in photography," he said. "I didn't have any real influences. I just started doing what I do on my own."

His son was a reluctant subject. He would run and hide from the camera, Rodriguez said, so he soon turned his lens to strangers. He found that taking pictures of people in their natural environment, doing their daily tasks, crystallized that real moment photographers strive for. After he got more and more into his craft, he found other people who do the same type of photography he does. He said he enjoys the works of Diane Arbus and Arthur Fellig (also known as Weegee).

Rodriguez considers himself a street photographer. He takes his camera with him wherever he goes. The pictures he takes are not planned, nor are they staged.

To achieve his art, Rodriguez takes life as it comes, and when he spots something of interest, he stops and shoots.

"I try to make those moments interesting by capturing something special that many people overlook," Rodriguez said. "There is humor and irony everywhere, and I appreciate that people overcome the obstacles life throws their way."

Most of the time, Rodriguez's subjects don't notice him. He does his best to blend in, but when they do, they'll smile and then pose, which is just the opposite of what Rodriguez is trying to present with his work.

Even though Rodriguez doesn't usually speak with the people he photographs, he said he feels a special bond with them nonetheless.

"They caught my attention enough to the point that their image is forever on digital film," he said. " I realize they exist and are worth viewing and appreciating."

Rodriguez released his new book, "Stamford Pictures of Life," because he wanted to share this feeling with others. The photos are a collection of 30 pictures he's taken in Stamford from 2003 to 2007. He said it was difficult to choose such a small number from the more than 1,000 he snapped during that time.

Rodriguez says he finds just as much amusement in naming each photo as taking them. His new book includes photos like "Bad Day," where a dog is sitting in a parked car that has been issued a parking ticket; "Close Call," in which two you women are inches apart while both blissfully talking on their cell phones; and "Dozers," a shot of two people sleeping on park benches with a bulldozer sitting idly in the background.

"There are people doing the same thing every day, including myself," he said. "It's almost like a ritual, and yes it's repetitive, but there are also a lot of interesting things taking place."

Rodriguez graduated from Manhattan College in 1984, where he majored in computer information systems and minored in marketing. He has been married to his wife, Mary, for 15 years.

In 2002, he was accepted as an associate member of the Mamaroneck Artists Guild, being recognized for his work in photography. He has been an active member since.

And while he isn't ready to quit his day job just yet, he would love to be able make his passion a full-time gig.

"I was recently asked to photograph a bris which was a great and interesting thing to be a part of," he said. "(My client) was interested in candid shots, not the traditional "wedding" photographer deal."

Rodriguez has put together a second photo book, which is called "Through The Eyes of Vincent Rodriguez." Both books are available for sale at www.blurb.com/user/store/vrod62. To purchase the books, the Blurb site requires people to create a user name; however, there is no obligation to purchase books for sale. Blurb is a site that allows photographers to self publish.

For a preview of Rodriguez's work visit http://community.webshots.com/user/vrod62.