Key Notes

When I do these blogs….many times I do these for ‘myself’ as opposed for others. I use these blogs as one approach to note taking. What am I doing right or wrong or why isn’t something working etc.

For instance….I was working on a recent book/zone project where I was going thru some of my past images and attempting to make a narrative from them…a visual form of an essay. But it wasn’t working. I was telling Deb just this morning that ‘it isn’t working’….and then I proceeded to create a list of 5-6 things as to why it wasn’t working. Then I mulled around with it once more thinking I could make the project work and no, it didn’t. Then I mulled a bit more and finally it occurred to me why it wasn’t working. And yes, it goes back to the way I shoot, the look I want…what and how I shot yesterday compared to today etc….

This is what I came up with. In order for my images to work and my overall workflow to be successful I need to make sure I hit upon ‘my basics’…or the thing that motivates me. Not what I hear from You Tube or know from other great photographer, but from me. What do I require.

First….when I go out shooting….I go out with a purpose now. No longer just shooting but a purpose in mind. So that really curtails the number of shots I take (film usually but digital is okay). I have a purpose and I seek to find that within my images. That is essential as I enjoy putting together zines and books that represent the central theme.

Second….I want the following in my images. I want movement. But, what is movement? I had to define that. Movement to me can be actual movement as in someone walking or running. But movement can also be action within what that person is seen as doing or represented as doing. So…take a look at these two images below.

Is this movement in the traditional sense? No…but what action is being presented here is movement. It shows this lady who is reflecting upon an image and caught within two separate images, not quite mirror of each other since I stepped back and shot in a refocus. But, the movement or action here is represented in her ‘reflecting’ and wondering to herself about this painting. Movement. Now take a look at the second image below.

This one is shot from behind the person as they walk down a narrow alley. Traditionally this might be thought of as movement but not in my eyes. The act of moving is caught by having his head turn back to me and look at me. That is movement. He is responding…acting….reflecting on ‘what I am doing’ as I take a shot of his movement. That is movement

In goes on and on….as to what qualifies but it has to have my definition of movement. A question that comes up after the fact about the image just taken.

Third…I want visual impact. If I take a nano-second to look at an image…does it create an impact within the viewer that stirs them? Does it make them go Wow?…If not….I don’t have a good picture. This impact can be done in several ways but many times, if not all it is accomplished by the shadows, light….and most of all geometry of the two as they play against each other. Okay, take a look below. What do you see initially? Do you like it?

Look at this one time and do so quickly. Like it or not? I think you will. Then look at it more thoroughly. Look at the shadows below…the harsh light above as it masks whatever he is pointing to (movement) on the table as the other guy looks on wondering (movement). Look at the angle of the table….the pole above the shoulders of the waiter etc… All off center. Angles….angles…. together with shadows and light. A great visual image from the start.

So….that is what I finally came down to today. What works…what doesn’t and why and why isn’t my current project not working? Because it lacks all three components to a degree. Theme, movement and impact.

What is Street Photography

It is here that I question what I see the masses doing. I don’t understand them as I see what is classified as street photography. It is more akin to just ‘passing people’ who are photographed on the sly by some digital tool ….snap, snap, snap and more snaps…How many snaps?

I am not stupid enough to think that there is only one definition (mine) for what street photography is….no, it goes way beyond that. It is the manner in which many photos are taken and what they represent, or better yet…what is not represented. The subject matter, the person, the action…etc…is all immaterial. With the advent of digital photography comes the ability to go beyond a 36 frame roll. It is all about pretending to take photo’s , although they are actually taken. It is all about finding the chance to walk across a crosswalk and snap away. Or, to snap someone from behind…..or to snap, snap, snap, snap…knowing that ‘one’ photo will come out looking good amongst the hundreds taken that day.

If you read my blogs…you know I am big into the analog feel. I want that feel for ‘me”….. I feel that my gear (Leica M3, Leica M6, Rioch GR111 and Leica X2) best allow me to maintain an analog feel even though some of those are digital. For instance, the Ricoh and X2 are digital, but by the time I take one shot, the subject in front of me has moved on. A single shot….a long lag time between when I take a shot, and when I can take another shot. That forces me to think like ‘film’…like analog. My Ricoh is pretty easy to manipulate since I do much ‘live’…. The X2 forces me to really think about my settings. It isn’t as forgiving as the Ricoh. In fact the X2 is more like the M6. I think about the F-stop, ….exposure, white balance, ISO. I turn the corner and I have to think again about the same, due to shadows or light or other.

I don’t just roam to roam and shoot and shoot. I have forced myself to slow down and take an image ‘one shot at a time’ so I have to wait sometimes to set up my shot. Today, I waited a good 30 minutes in one place as the ‘right’ situation developed. Today over the course of 4 hours, I took 13 difference scene shots. Now, some of those scenes, such as the one I just spoke of,…had more than one shot, while others (7 of the 13) had just one shot. So I end up with 7 scenes where I had the opportunity to have it right the first and last time. That is what I meant but slowing down….waiting for the shots.

But of ‘what shots’…’what scene’…. Well….does your shot have impact? Does it beg the viewer to ask questions? If so….that is solid street photography. It isn’t about shots in numbers, nor is it about getting cystal clear images. It isn’t about just a shot with no story behind it. It isn’t about random shots taken at hip, (to avoid detection) nor is it about having models working for me to pose in a certain way (the opposite of random hip-made shots). It is about finding that story, that ….question, that impact.

Analog vs Digital

Living in Philadelphia gives me ample time to roam around for just a few minutes up to several hours….then return to the condo and do it all again, later on in the day. Since I can do that, I frequently will go out with my Digital GR11 or 111 one time, while the other pick up some film shots with my Leica M6.

I notice a difference in not only enjoyability but also the number and type of shots I take.

Enjoyability….. Clearly ‘film’ wins…..and that is without even seeing any of the images! But film just gives me that ‘ground’…..it is enjoyable. I enjoy loading the film, advancing the film, light exposuring, focusing (although I can do that in digital too)….This is such a personal and intangible aspect of shooting that it is difficult to convey my ‘enjoyability’. Film forces me to slow down. Now I know that is an old cliche that seems applicable to any camera, any time, any situation…..but for some reason it just doesn’t transfer to digital. Film makes me think of shots before I take them, as opposed to just taking them.

Thinking of Shots….. To segue from that past section….. I have a certain style / genre that I prefer and try to look for opportunities with that in mind. Now, this can be done with both film and digital. With film, this style is always in the back of my mind and I might walk a few hours with my style in mind and take perhaps 12-15 photos. When I am shooting digital, for some odd reason my mind wanders. My style gets lost. I find myself taking ‘tourist like street shots’ ….or attempting to snap someone up close, just because. Or I find myself looking outside of my style and just taking shots. Either way, in the same hour or two, I will come home with a hundred shots if not more. To connect to the first thought of ‘enjoyability’….that wandering from my style and shooting just to shoot and coming home with garbage shots etc, pulls away from that enjoyability.

Shooting style/genre…. To segue from the previous section….. my street photography has evolved. I have shifted from tying to capture the nose hairs of individuals and get as close as I can to people….to that of using people as intangibles or subjects that just supplement the entire scene. My shots are of ‘the scene’ and not of the person. That is what I do when shooting film. When shooting digital, well….I might have some of those shots embedded within the memory card, but I also have tons of shots of ‘whatever’….. I want to keep honest to my ‘evolution of a photographer’ and do not like non-impact shots….I do not like tourist shots….I do not like shots that anyone can take as they encounter someone on the street. I want shots that tell a story and make you wonder and forces you to ask questions. I get that all the time with film, and a portion at best, with digital.

Last night as I lay in bed and reminiscing of my day….those things occurred to me. I am going to resolve to take less shots with digital and become more akin to my Leica film. I am going to shoot for my style. I am going to force myself to take a shot and move on, as opposed to sneaking a peak at the shot. I just came back from a jaunt to the local store to pick up a few things. I took one shot with my digital. That is a good start.