Category Archives: Philosophy of Street

Philosophy of Street, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

November 12, 2016 … Un-Mastering Your Mind … a Path to Satisfaction

November 12, 2016 streetshooter 3 Comments

For decades, I would read books by other shooters and try to find the key to unlocking my creative self. Many times I would get inspired by something I read and then feel like I was close to the Magic I sought. After a time, I would feel something off or missing. It was like a loneliness taking over. This went on for years. I collected and read more books then I care to mention. Of course I discovered many thoughts to inspire me. But yet unsatisfied.

I remember walking with Winogrand and he was fascinated by my being a combat vet. We talked and walked and made photos. One day I asked him what I thought to be a profound question.

“Garry, what do you feel is the key to life?” Garry stopped, turned to me and said …”Breathing, as long as your doing that, there is a chance for everything.”

So I decided to meet artist, shooters and people and continue my quest for the magic. I went to lectures that were free cause I couldn’t afford it otherwise. After more time doing this, I felt empty again. So I started compiling info from all these people and try to figure what is missing for me. It took a few decades but I eventually found what I sought.

Many will state that they are never satisfied by their work and always strive to improve. Ok, ok… I’m trying to get this but for the life of me, well it ain’t working. My thoughts on this and then back at ya.

I live by the simple concept that I want to experience love from my work while I am doing it. I work hard and I want some satisfaction from it. Not every photo but the ones I love, I want to be satisfied. This sets up standards to work with but the satisfaction must be present.

If you live by what many say, never satisfied and always strive to do better, well why the hell are you doing something that Doesn’t Satisfy you? We are not kids. So forget that shit about Steve to be better. We all do that by natural instinct anyway. No one need wait to be told to strive to be better, you will anyway.

That is not the issue is it? The issue is being satisfied enough to want to continue the journey of your work. Not to create blockades in the mind to stumble upon. You must be able to look at your work and see the love you have for it and the love your work gives back to you.

I hope this makes sense. It maybe goes against what many masters and others say and teach. I tell you this my friends, your life will be more fulfilling in a satisfaction that will keep you going. You will live the reason to strive to do better because your work loves you like you love it. If you think about mot being satisfied and striving to do better, what are you striving to…. more un-satisfying work. It’s time to cut it loose. Get off the bandwagon set before you and take control of the ride. We all strive to do better but it’s more important in there here and now to love what your doing and love whet it’s doing for you.

Like Garry said “Breathing….as long as your doing that, there is a chance for everything.”

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

November 7th, 2016 … Choosing a Camera Amid the Confusion

November 7, 2016 streetshooter 12 Comments

Let me start off by stating that Septa, the local Transportation Authority has been on strike for a week …. and then of course it’s election time here and that all kinda settles out tomorrow. Don’t forget Halloween and hiding some candy from Tanya to enjoy later but she knows all the hiding places I use and she took all the M&M’s and put a piece of garlic there and then I knew I was caught and well… more fodder for the non productive fishes.

So, anything to blame a period of non productivity on except maybe the real truth, and even that is subject to change.

To the point. Well, ever since I was a fetus in mom, I used a Leica M4 with a 35mm Cron. Wasn’t much subject matter in there so i mostly wrote on my Mac. One day, mom decided it was time to empty the fetus apartment and I came out to a world that wasn’t digital. Imagine that. I was breast fed and of course had my trusty M4 that only I had cause it wasn’t invented yet.

That part may be hard to believe but it’s truth as far as I remember. Of course, I don’t remember shit anymore but I remember this part even if I forgot it.

Well, I have always migrated to a M4 and 35mm either a Cron or a Lux. I felt the FOV was the most natural for me. I had many Leica lenses for my cameras and always struggled to bond to any other then my 35’s. It wasn’t the lenses that I had an issue with, it was the FOV.

Natural Field of View

Natural Field of View is when you spot a scene, frame it in your mind and then raise the camera to make the photo and the FOV of the lens on the camera sees the frame closest to what you envisioned. This is absolutely crucial to the failure or success of the “Decisive Moment”. For me it’s always been natural with a 35mm FOV. Then enter the acquired FOV. Acquired FOV happens when you use a lens that changes the FOV and you need to adjust for what it sees.

There are other factors involved such as. Let’s say the my Fuji X100T is my natural FOV because it sees 35mm, and it is. Then I decide sometimes against my will to take out my Ricoh GRII. Dang it, that camera sees 28mm FOV. Hmmmm, maybe I want to take out my Pen F and that camera really shakes things up. I have a variety of lenses for Serendipity.

When I’m ready to go out to work, I have to decide which camera to take. I don’t like the decision making procedure. I really love my cameras to the point that I name them. Yo’, my shrink thinks it’s ok to do this. It establishes a connection. CONNECTION! Perhaps a connection is what is needed for all shooters in the way of camera, mind, heart and subject matter.

I don’t know for sure but here in Northeast Philly, it’s thought to be true. There are truths and lies to the universe and then there is the undiscovered. The truth is that we are all in love with photography. The lies is that we don’t need more gear to mess things up.

The undiscovered is out there and waiting for you and your camera to make a photo. Go on, get out there and find it….that’s what I’m gonna do.

Philosophy of Street, Street, Streetshooter

October 18th, 2016 … The Case For Auto ISO … Part 1

October 18, 2016 streetshooter 10 Comments

Ramblings are not always bad or good, I suppose. Look at Clinton and Trump. They are both rambling, spreading bullshit and not getting anything done. Maybe the plan is to divert the citizens from finding out there is no plan and that way nothing gets done so the citizens can’t complain. Ya don’t think this is true. Look at President Obama, perfect example. Well, that’s my political views all tied up.

So, the streets are filled with many different energies. I posted last about change and it’s true. The political scene has brought out the best, well…the worst of people. This effects me as well because the energy out there is not pure. I mean it’s always filtered but now it’s polluted.

I was at the National Historic Park and as always looking for juxtapositions that I relate to. This guy is watching me like a hawk. He’s looking at Serendipity with that look of building lust. I hold her tight but loose enough to do her job. He’s still following me and then I turn and there, there in front of me is the guy follower and the ….CLICK!

To the point. It is a disbelief to assume that manual mode is not manual mode using Auto ISO. I’m going to explain. There are those amongst us that feel the ISO should be fixed in M Mode. I beg to differ. What happens is if you use a fixed ISO, all 3 points of exposure are locked. if you read the scene and you see that you are 1 1/2 stop off, then you have to make a decision to sacrifice the exposure equivalent. I am not putting the Exp Comp in the equation. I never use it, don’t believe in it and think it doesn’t exist.

The thing is this. When I am shooting out there and I believe at least a few agree with this….I want to work without restriction from the camera. If I was using the 3 points of exposure, I would constantly be checking the meter etc to male sure I wan’t under or over. Back in the days of film cameras, you set the ISO and then adjusted the aperture and/or shutter speed to get proper exposure. This system is what many call manual exposure. All 3 points are locked.

Well, I’m not about to be locked into anything except my cell when I act up and that’s rare. The idea with a camera is to make adjustments to secure the image. What happens if your out shooting at 1/500 F8 ISO 400? well, nice exposure and then you turn to the bldg and this amazing scene is there and you simply must make the photo. Well, ok so what? The issue is that the light is 3 stops less because f the dark doorway and shadows. Now, you can’t get the shot. Because you listened to the guys and gals that told you M Mode is all 3 points locked. Sure you can move the aperture and loose DOF or even change the shutter speed and run the risk of movement from the subject or worse, you and the camera. The Horror! Isn’t the point of any camera to make the mechanical aspect of photography easier so that you can concentrate on the aesthetics? Well?

I will continue this discussion in the next day or two. I know many M Mode shooters will not like this but that’s to damn bad. Even the Mighty M is digital now.

Black & White, Philosophy of Street, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

October 12th, 2016 … The Energy of Seeing … vs … The Seeing of Energy

October 12, 2016 streetshooter 4 Comments

I’m wearing a jacket, at last, jacket weather. See, jackets are wearable camera bags without straps and my new trusty POW/MIA black hat. I love this time of the year, very special for me and I get in a frame of mind that interest me and directs me to a new shape of my photos. I guess I’m lucky to live in a place that has the change of seasons. Well, the point of the story is, energy changes also with the seasonal change. Maybe it’s the change of energy that is so appealing. Then again, we are programmed to fear change. Anyway. I get in front of the US Court House and I see the light dancing on the bldg and the people there. So, I decide to make a photo and …CLICK! Suddenly there is a woman looking at me like she isn’t happy at all. I smile and then see her arm and decide to get the hell out of there quickly. I know a few of the guards there and they were keeping distance from her also.

So maybe change makes us slow down or break the preconceived ideas we have and try to redo the thought process. Maybe it also tampers with the expectations. I mean if we can jar the thinking out of complacency or the comfort zone, it seems reasonable to assume that the gathered expectations will change also.

I remember talking with Winogrand as we walked around Times Square. He told me that he liked the idea of getting a groove going and working it without seeing what was on the film. I gathered from him that, the idea of seeing your results all the time will and does alter the groove you set out to do. If you don’t see the work, then not much gets in the way of the groove. I suppose we all have our madness and the way we think about the same things, changes from shooter to shooter.

Well, change is in order here in Philadelphia, because they give us a change of seasons 4 times a year. I hear other places get the similar season changes but I ain’t seen it and I don’t believe it either. Well, I tried this change thing idea with Tanya about cameras. I mean, maybe changing cameras and lenses is good for the art and for the heart and mind. So I said, Tanya, maybe I should get the Fuji XP-2 for a change of whatever. She changed from not caring what the heck I do and having zero knowledge about cameras to:

What lens you gonna get with the XP-2? Well, I want a 35mm FOV….and what sensor is in the XP-2? Well, it’s got an ASP-C sensor. She said so it’s essentially a bigger clunky X100T, right?

So I changed my diet to try to keep her and my Doc’s at the VA off my ass. Well, I am not getting the Fuji XP-2 but I am finding that the weather is changing and so is my approach to my life’s work. It’s been a few weeks since I did the blog and I didn’t like that change. I will get back on some kind of schedule and get the blog out more often.

To all those that sent messages about missing me, well, I’m back and it’s gonna be a pretty site out there on the streets.

shooter out……………………………………………………………………………..

Dreamcatcher, Philosophy of Street, Street

September 23rd 2016 .. Happy Birthday John Coltrane

September 23, 2016 streetshooter 6 Comments

John Coltrane September 23rd, 1926 – July 17th, 1967 (90)

When I was young, I was into music that was outside the perimeter of my family. I loved jazz and bluez, especially. I would be playing records in my room and listening to Trane and Pharaoh Sanders etc. My brother was an amazing drummer and he listened to similar music and could play it but in the bands, mostly Rock.

For me, light and shadow and space and the absence of space is like music. The framing of the scene is like a piece of music. If you don’t believe this, it’s fine, turn your ears on and listen to Trane. If you do believe this but don’t practice it, go find another blog cause you don’t belong here. No, stay here and open your heart and mind and then close your eyes, turn on Trane and let him turn you on. When you finally open your eyes, go make photos and maybe you will hear them as well as see them. If you don’t see or feel changes, listen to more music then go out again.

Now I’m not only diggin’ Jazz, I really love some Classical. Ottorino Respighi and his Pines of Rome, will put me down in a heartbeat. Obviously I like the darker side of the arts. Hmmmm, maybe that’s where my feelings for light/shadow comes from or is inspired from. The point is that we can’t control the stimuli that comes from the streets or any outside source. So, by pre-programming our selves we can get a frame of heart and mind started. We don’t live in a vacuum but maybe we can plant some seeds that will nurture what we do while working.

When I’m working, with my camera…see, I’m always working even sleeping. Well, I see thoughts in my head. Not always images but sometimes, thoughts that dance in my mind. My shrink tells me that it’s probably not normal but maybe for me so he lets me out and doesn’t keep me inside. So the way I see it, well sometimes the way I see it but not always the way I see it I’m on the street and kinda walking thru a song.

There’s a mystery inside the mind. I guess most seek the mystery of life outside of themselves. I kinda learned that I like to find the mystery inside me outside of me. The difference is in the approach and the stance you take.

Not every photo we make is exciting but you made it for a reason. It is it’s own reality and we need to examine each one and find the secrets locked inside of it.

I’m tired and my meds are kicking in. I’ll post this and do another over the weekend.

…………………………………………………………………end transmission…………………………………………………….

Black & White, Dreamcatcher, Philosophy of Street, Street, Street Photography

September 22, 2016 … The Things in Me Head, I find on the Street … Ricoh GRII

September 22, 2016 streetshooter Leave a comment

….it’s true, it’s true I tellya. I have all these’s thoughts and feelin’s in me head and then I go out with my camera and the start to manifest out there on dem streets. That’s what I’m doing ya know, out there trying to find what’s locked up inside and find it outside. That’s my story and I’m sticking wit it, what’s yer excuse? See, it ain’t so crazy, this photo hunting process. I mean if your the kinda person that thinks, or maybe feels things, well maybe it’s a good thing to be a photographer. Ya don’t want to keep all that stuff inside ya and not share it right?

Here in Philly today, they made it the first day of fall. I much prefer to call it Autumn. The light just comes in at an angle that excites me. Of course that means the shadows do the same thing but opposite. I start to see all these things in the light and in the shadow and it’s not easy for me to just walk on by. I am compelled to find a photo. Well, maybe more then that, I am compelled to find my photo. I mean I need to be amazed or surprised by the new reality. The shot above does that for me. It shows me something different from the reality that gave it birth. Now it’s true that this happens with every single photo that was ever born once we realize the complexity of the very existence of photos. That in itself doesn’t bother me at all as I understand things photographically.

What gets me is that I see or feel these things in reality before I make the photo. So, what is going on out there, no, what is going on in me, no, what is going on in me that makes a photo from out there, that becomes the reality of what I felt or saw? I was walking on Market going East and as I approached the Marriott, I was just passing Star-bucks, well, I see this woman holding a coffe and I turn into the alcove to see what’t there. As I approach her, she doesn’t even look at me. First thought is, I’m nothing in all existence for her. Eh, dunno and don’t care. I see the light from the street and it has that over exposed glow I crave, Then she moves to the exact spot and …. CLICK!

There’s something about Public Transportation that I absolutely love. All forms and all places. People react in many different ways as they travel form point to point. I, as a shooter like to tune into these reactions and make and record my own. Usually we are in a confined space and that in itself sets up some conditions that effect everyone and me as the shooter. It’s like I’m at a stage show and all the people are actors doing their role in the play. There’s really no need for a director but as the cameraman, I get to choose lens and camera and how to work it all with the lighting. That guy a few years ago named Shakespeare, he invented the world as a stage and we are merely players. He kinda set the scene for all of us to see the world that way.

So I was looking out my window and my camera was in it’s belt case. It was Mom the Ricoh GRII. I saw a train approaching on the other track and had feeling tho bring her our to do her thing. Now, my train is stopped and the other is actually going backwards of mine. I know, I know, I don’t get it either. So, I hold Mom and all the sudden, I see this woman and the light……CLICK!

The same thing happened here, same act, different player…….

Be blessed all… seey’s soon

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street, Street Photography

September 20th, 2016 … Of Signals

September 20, 2016 streetshooter Leave a comment

I’m in town with Serendipity the Olympus Pen F and her 25mm lens that thinks it’s a 50mm. Anyway the light is bright and contrast is too. I walk on Market St and all the sudden, this woman get’s right in front of me with an umbrella. No rain, ain’t gonna rain and if and when it does, this corner won’t have rain anyway. No., it’s true I tellya it’s a dry corner…. oh hold on…yeah… really….oh my, silly me. Well, I stand corrected. It’s a dry corner cause there’s no alcohol permitted not because of rain, imagine that.

I raise the camera quickly and see some things that are cool….CLICK.

Ok, it’s obvious that the frame has a strength and energy that forces eye travel. What are signals? What are irritants? Show us in this image.

Lets start with Triangles. We look at her hand and we see a triangle with the fingers, then we see on her sweater, triangles….moving right along, we see the sigh behind her, triangles…..and then again, we see the 2 against the wall. These are signals that support the photo and also give eye travel a map to travel. We see the shaft of her umbrella and the cane from the man, more signals and more enjoyable eye travel. So, there are interrelationships in photos and maybe you don’t pay much attention to them. Maybe you don’t think they do anything or don’t work but let me tellya something. If you don’t pay attention to the syntax and language of what your doing, your viewers will do likewise. The need the direction to stay in the photo. Signals work mostly subconsciously but not always.

There is something called an irritant. I learned that from Peter Sheidt. It helps draw eye travel and usually is something not very important to the image. It’s like an activator or stimulator. The image does not depend on the irritant but the irritant keeps you in the image and that’s what it is about.

Polly and Susanna asked me to write about this because they feel that it’s good to know info. I suppose I agree but to tell the truth, writing this stuff is a bore for me on the blog. Put a camera in my hand, let me loose on the streets and I’ll write anything you want. I come to life out there and I need that energy to keep things going. People have told me i do a heck of a workshop and i appreciate that but on a stagnant blog, for me, it’s work.

So, in a day or two, I’ll be free to go out and work the streets again. Then I’ll feel like posting on the blog and get it more interesting.

Thanks for bearing with me during this rough time. Seeya’s in a day or two……shooter

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street, Street Photography

September 9th, 2016 … The Zombies Eating My Camera Post …Oly Pen F-12mm

September 9, 2016 streetshooter Leave a comment

….oh yeah, you mean those crazy horror movies with zombies and politicians looking to eat people are all over the place? Yeah sure, I think it’s because of the heat. Early September, 930pm and 92F. That’s seems normal, well for them there horror movies but not here in NE Philly.

Sorry folks, just a conversation I was having with a guy trying to eat my camera. See, it’s that hot here and the Zombies and Zombie wannabe’s are out in force. You may know these Zombies as Junkies, Druggies, Politicians, Lawyers, and all the rest of these creatures…ya get the point. So, Walker the Oly Pen F that used to be Serendipity and I hit the streets. The Fall vibe wants to come in but really, it’s too damn hot. So we walked around and I hadn’t been out with Walker in a while and it was a treat. The 12mm (24mm) on him is a dream to work with.

I be a juxtaposing this and a juxtaposing that and it’s nice to have open space to fill. The thing is for me and maybe cause I’m older but I like stimulation. I mean stimulation vs inspiration. Inspiration pushes the mind and eye and heart to want to work. It’s great but some times, I need stimulation. Stimulation is what wakes you when your walking around and maybe a street zombie. I mean, ya have inspiration to work but for some reason, not doing much. Stimulation gets you awake and allows your inspiration to focus on you and your work.

This shot happened in a matter of seconds. I was inspired because I’m 1/2 of the Inspired Eye but all the sudden, this bus gets in view coming up the street. I looked and saw a car right in front of my view between the bus and me. I quickly moved to the car and it drove away leaving me space to …….CLICK!

So I walked around a little more and stopped at PJ Moriarty’s and sat and had a ice cold beer. I had a real beer, Bud……I haven’t had a beer since I met Bill a few weeks ago. As I left the Pub, the sun was brutal, like 96F and climbing. I have shorts on and a Red Tee Shirt cause it’s Red Shirt Friday to show support for our Troops. I walk across the street and the guy in the BMW missed me and turned and then this man….CLICK! Remember, this is 24mm so you can see how close I was. I am feeling my Fall groove growing even with the heat.

CLICK! …no brainer.

There’s something about man and the man-made environment that really charges me up. I love the way we get lost in what we create. The search for humanity amongst the the future relics is stimulating. Then the way the environment makes us conform to it and relinquish control and we just go along the paths that allow access. Then we get programmed along the way with out walk mans and flashing signs and un-flashing signs. The stench of the underground caused by homeless people because the politicians don’t count homeless cause they don’t vote and don’t have money to get ripped off by the system.

Then, then I walk thru the turnstile and CLICK! Damn, I love the streets and all the shit it provides to inspire and stimulate.

….no, I’m not done bitchin’ and complaining about things…. ain’t gonna be either…………….

Dreamcatcher, Philosophy of Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

August 29th, 2016 Viet Nam Flashback, 1970 … Fuji X100T

August 29, 2016 streetshooter 29 Comments

I was on the train coming home when we stopped and I had Andre’ the Fuji X100T at the ready. All the sudden, a train going in the opposite direction stopped also. I looked but it’s not like the glass windows are clean, or clear. I saw a young woman sit and then draw back in the chair….CLICK! I myself was in deep thought and well…. I’m getting ahead of myself.

It’s 1970, Chu Lai Viet Nam. I was in country a while at this point. I had been assigned to Chu Lai Defense Command. We were a CAG unit. CAG = Combined Action Group. Navy, Marines, Army and even guys from OZ. Our daily mission was to secure the perimeter of our end of the base. This meant whatever was necessary we were to employ.

The Temp is now like 120F. My sweat is sweating. We got orders to go out around 5 clicks and do recon work but to bring back no prisoners should we find any enemy. We settled in like in a “V” ambush position. I was by the road and hotter the all FUC*** HE**> I was lying and had my M16 ready we all were. Then I was like really over heated and took my hard hat off, not a good idea but I did anyway. Up the road, just about 100M, I saw 2 girls walking towards me and I was nervous but ready. The closer they got, the more I was uptight. Then they got really close and I could see that they were like maybe 17-18 yo. They came closer and I heard the sound of M16s getting cocked. The squad was ready for shit.

The 2 girls stopped and looked at me. They turned to each other and said something I couldn’t understand. One girl smiles with a smile that the sun would be envious of. They both giggled and one came very close to me. I felt that time had stopped and that maybe she killed me and I was dead. I couldn’t move and I couldn’t hear, I just saw her face and that’s all that I lived for up to this moment. She knelled down to me and smiled. I took my finger off the trigger. I felt, if she killed me, it would be a warriors death by a princess and I wanted to be worthy of that death.

No, she didn’t kill me. She took a canteen and gently poured water over my head and rubbed the water on my face. She wet my neck and all the exposed skin area around my shoulders and head.

I was 20 yo and had never seen an angel before let alone be touched by one. Jock, the photographer from OZ came over to me and he talked to the girls. He smiled and they giggled and I just lay there in awe. The girls told him that they lived in the village outside the perimeter of our base. They were sent to another village carrying fish, veggies, and supplies for the people there. The one girl was name Sau, meaning six.

Anyway, Sau told Jock that she liked me because I seemed like a human being. She had a free tag to come and go on the base up until 2200hrs. I smiled at the girls and took her hand in mine and kissed it. She giggled.

A few days went by and I would see Sau and some other girl coming to and from the base. I always smiled at her and she looked at me with a look that a man prays to see before he dies. That smile above all else in the universe is what sets a man’s soul free in the after life. It provides the memory of humanity and more than that, it proves that if you got a smile like that, you are a worthy warrior of life as well as of death.

Months went by and Sau and I did sit sometimes at base and I would give her candy or soda. She liked it and wasn’t allowed to go into the PX = Post Exchange. She never asked me for anything. One sad day, I was on patrol around the North End and we had an alert from the Navy Seals that activity was expected. We called the unit together and started back to the bas to y=take defensive positions. On the way back in, we got incoming, small arms fire. The sound was from the AK47 and a few from the SKS. We got down low ready to unleash all the hell a man will ever confront in 100 lifetimes. I looked up and saw Sau and a few villagers running towards us for safety. I was panicked and held position yelling for Sau to drop but she doesn’t understand English.

We could see the VC getting closer and getting hotter and we unleashed the demon. I could see many VC fall, maybe to take cover, maybe to find a way to the other side. Sau was like 30yds from us and then all the sudden, I saw blood blow out from her chest. She fell and I wanted to low crawl to her but the LT, a Marine told me to stick my dick in the dirt and leave it there.

After things got quiet, around 20 min or so, we very carefully canvased the dead and check for explosives etc. I got to Sau and sure enough she was dead. Jock walked and made photos and looked at me and said, Jingles…. you had here what very few ever do. Don’t let this war destroy you and ruin you future life.

Fuck that Jock! Any way, we got a jeep and took Sau and a few others that died to their village. When I got to her Mother, she cried like the sound of a soul that has no home. Sau’s brother went in a hole and came back and handed me a bunch of paper. I looked at it and there was like 30 portraits of me that Sau made. I did cry, could now but I know when the time comes, She will be waiting for me. If she’s not, I have eternity to find her and I will.

So, Andre’ and I set out to make photos today. As I waited for the bus, a woman walked near me and she had 4 huge bags of cans on her shoulder. She looked at me and smiled. As she walked by me she turned her head and smiled again. I made a photo but don’t remember doing it.

After 46 years, I still smell Sau’s scent, feel her touch, taste the water she poured over me as if to Baptise me to give me life…….

Have a good one my friends….. be blessed

Dreamcatcher, Philosophy of Street, Streetshooter

August 26th, 2016 … Time With Andre’

August 27, 2016 streetshooter 9 Comments

The change of seasons is starting to happen here in NE Philly. I hear tell, it’s like this in many places but I don’t believe it cause I can’t see it. So there are elements to deal with besides the cold air I love. The light will start to be magical in a new way and I love the cold harsh light and the deep shadows and dark tones that Fall & Winter bring. That light I find intoxicating and seek it even in warmer weather.

I was on my way back from the VA, not great results and I can’t walk like I used to, but my eyes are still tuned into what I feel about things. I saw they opened a pathway thru Market East. The light was shining in such a way that I had no choice but to go towards it. It appeared many others felt the same way. As I was walking, I felt there was too much space in the foreground and as I looked thru Andre’ the Fuji X100T, a man passed me on the right…..CLICK! I never get tired of seeing people going to the light.

Maybe I’m an old man or maybe an old man with a kids heart but I love the beauty of seeing light and how I respond to it. That’s what photography is about right? Capturing the beauty of light and life and present the illusion in two dimensions. Well, Andre’ the Fuji X100T is my friend and my Portal to my images.

I noticed decades ago that there were different experiences in seeing and making photos. I’ve tried to explain this many, many times, and yet I fall off the side when I do it for myself. Not always but many. There are times that I want to make a photo for a reason I don’t question and I am aware of being in the here and now. There are other times that I feel the same but there’s a certain presence that is like hanging over me and usually these photos are the ones I cling to most. The thing is, that looking back at my history, it’s a blur and I can’t remember anything. I can feel but not remember. It’s like when you give birth to a photo, you have to set it free and let it stand on it’s own. That doesn’t release you from accountability nor does it let you forget the experience of it.

It’s what we forget in life that catches up and torments us in the future. It’s what we remember in life that adds the flavor and elegance and desire to breathe. Same with photos. The ones that resonate thru the halls of your heart and mind are the ones that create the driving force to continue the quest.

When I was young, we would drive to Atlantic City, NJ to visit my Grand Parents. We took rt 30 East and I would look out the window of the car and I was making photos, but without a camera and not recognizing myself as a photographer. I would see all the passing glimpses of things and I recorded them all in my memory banks. Back then they were reel to reel tape.

The, we would pass the White Horse Farm and I would be jumping inside and never told anyone how excited it made me. Years would pass and turn into decades. On RT 30 East I still see The White Horse Farm. I made many photos of it but this time I felt different. I was with Tanya and as we made the approach to the farm, I started to feel that time was slowing down, maybe almost at a standstill. I can’t explain it but I felt kinda sad because looking at the farm, I could feel the years slip by of my life. I saw the young boy who was making photos without a camera but more than that, I felt a passing breeze of life and it’s history.

The recording of memories and experiences is what makes us photographers. All that history, memories, thoughts and feelings surfaces in the present to guide us gently into the future. Our photos are what makes us and what we make are our photos.

The thing to never ever forget, even tho you do one genre’ or another, nothing will live as long with meaning to others as the photos you make to record your life.

Street Photography Chronicles by Don Springer