Sometimes I feel like a hawk out there and I just move thru life and capture the fleeting moment. Then there are the moments when all grace and poise just falls to the toilet. The photo above is one of those times. I was walking up 11th Street as I have done many more times than I can remember. I love the windows and doors on this side of the street. As I approached, not planning on a photo, this man moves to the closest point of the window and is gazing all around. I have Andre’ the Fuji X100T and he’s always ready to work. Andre’ and I are at the ready and I’ see the guy looking at the young girl’s legs just ahead of me. Then I am ready and he looks dead at me…CLICK!
No, hell no, we ain’t over this yet. He comes out the the foyer and approaches me, says….”Man, WTF you taking a picture of?” I said, Dude, I’m working for your wife and I made a photo of you looking at that young girl’s legs. Well, he starts laff’n beyond his capacity to breathe. He said, “Man, if da bitch divorce me, I’ll buy you a new car”. Ya know, in a way, i understood him, not that there’s anything wrong with that. So after we did the Philly hug, I continued on my way and her went back in the foyer to look at pretty girls.
So this a prime Philly style example of being seen and making a photo. There is another Philly style of making a photo and that’s just down below… see it…yup, that’s it….
This is the Unseen Philly style of making a photo. Well, perhaps it’s an seen, unseen photo. I have to write this because a number of people have been wanting my views about different types of shooting. I promised I would start to address this and here we have the start. First off is INTENT. I can’t stress enough how important this is.
Anyway, there seems to be a time and space when I’m out that something clicks and I know to make a photo. All these things go floating thru me and it’s an energy feeling that charges my instinct and vision. At this precise moment, I want to be as clean as possible. I want to be the virgin shooter. He, we all have our wants right. Anyway, recognizing my photos is important to me. I’m not making these for anyone or any recognition. I’m making these as my last will and testament. The residue of my life and what I held to with love, trust and accountability. There is no standard that has to be met, no goal that has to be achieved, nothing but to be answered to by myself and for myself.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not an island or egomaniac. I am just placing the importance where I feel it needs to be and allow it to expand and regenerate if it has the will by me or others.
I gotta tellya….I been doing photography since I was 13 and I’m 67 and there’s never been 1 moment of regret being a shooter. I know and know of many shooters that make photos but I don’t feel the passion from them. The work might be great but the person is kinda professional if you get that. Shooting for a purpose they feel is more important then photography or themselves for that matter. That’s fine for them but not me. I have a quest or lust or passion that will not extinguish no matter what happens. The spark reignites and I am all over it again.
When Olivier and I met, I wanted to instill this passion into him and our project. I think we have managed to keep the love and energy in what we produce. This also is important to me.
Anyway, I’m rambling again and need to regroup and will continue on Monday.
Have a blessed journey my friends and remember, where your going maybe beautiful but where you are now….. see it as all the beauty there is because that’s all there is….
“where your going may be beautiful but where you are now….. see it as all the beauty there is because it’s all there is….”
True enough, Shooter!
Thank you for those words
Frank, glad you get something from my words but I get from yours also.
Thanks…ps…we still have not been able to put the calender/bulletin board in place.
No problem, Don, take your Time!
Frank, I think time is taking me Bro’.
…run faster !
My wife tells me the same thing…….
Love the post and the shots Don. Quick thinking when that dude approached you. You really disarmed him with that response. I’ll have to remember that one if I get into a similar situation. And the girl in the window – perfect dreamy shot. Take care and have a great weekend.
Thanks Dave, as always much appreciated.
”Man, WTF you taking a picture of?”. Heard this many times.
I usually say…just a hobby..and I look like a dork…but once a Polish seller of things really wanted a full answer…he insisted…I told him I am making photos of people…than he started smiling…with relief…he thought I was coping his business strategy…we said good bye as friends after this…
“Shooting for a purpose they feel is more important then photography or themselves for that matter. That’s fine for them but not me. I have a quest or lust or passion that will not extinguish no matter what happens.”
Hm, I am thinking on this while shooting. And I am making photos More and more. Perhaps too many. And I am not sure which one are important as they are so many.
Pavel,
The reason for me writing this is to make it known that INTENT is the crucial element. With an acceptable knowledge of your INTENT, it becomes clear which photos meet that or not.
Than I make too many photos, because I love them and they look good in my eyes, but what I was trying to say is…there are too many to show all of them on the internet…. and since i like most of them, than I have problem to select ones to show…
but i was up to idea to make themes or series such as… “wedding”, “airplane models exhibition”, “report from mining museum”…. they are groups of photos I want to show as little series, little document…. which makes sense….
but I also have many “free style” photos (taken here and there) with only intent to capture a moment of time, a document…and there are too many of them. most of them. this is what i have been doing so far. i can call them street photos, thought I don’t like calling this “street”… I look at them and they look good, but…does it make sense? should I just stop it all and shoot just my family? it would be useful, but it would not be fun. it would make sense, but i would loose motivation.
Pavel,
Many decades ago, My friend Paul told me to stop putting my photos in categories and just work. Years later I found mysel in a situation of having a very major exhibition. I was to share the gallery with another photographer. We were to have 50 framed prints each in the show. 3 days before hanging, I got a call the other shooter had a stroke and I was told to either cancel the show or improvise. So, I talked with my wife and friend at the timeand we decided to do the entire show. It worked so well and was a great presentation. The other shooter passed away the day after the opening and I dedicated the exhibition to him.
What I am pointing to is…..
it’s easy to edit and cut work. It’s easy to work and then have a portion of the photos that you like together. It’s easy to have masses of work of all sorts of things.
The hard part is to gather a volume of photos and commit to the vision they present.
So, what you are doing is right. Cull down every so often and continue to work. I would get too interested in cataloging into series or bodies of work at this point. Someday, a curator will do that for you and someday, people will stand in line and pay to see your work.
Forget that shit dude, I get in for free….sheeeesh
As a woman, who walks around with a camera and shoots what she sees as interesting I fear for a similar confrontation. I am trying to overcome this fear. But it is difficult because these days people fly off the handle quite easily. Therefore, I usually stick to “unseen” shot. Or I quickly shoot and move one which this often results in a bad photo. Of course I am more relaxed in a touristy area after all I am just a tourist taking photos of a place I have never been. I seem to be able to blend in more. Peace Out!!
Stance Sharon! It’s about stance and making vs taking. It’s in these post and read it, and then we discuss again.
Great post Don thanks for sharing. Your response to the WTF guy was perfect and sounds like something I would have said myself. I’ve been shooting on the streets since the 80s I can attest to similar situations at times but if what i see makes me “feel” I have to make a photograph I do it regardless. I shoot for myself. I have found that I am much more picky about when I press the shutter release the older I get now, but if that “feeling” hits me then I fire away.
Rich thanks. Nice response and because it is to well expressed, I may like to use your head when my brain goes on vacation…. next to yours would be a good spot.
Be blessed…..