I posted this image a few days ago on Flickr and a few forums I visit. No one could figure out what the woman was doing. Some thought she was on a cell phone. Some thought she was doing something with makeup or the like.
Actually, her name is Diane. She is a photographer. She came to me for guidance on street work. She was changing the lens on her M8.2. She was worried about dust from the concourse getting on the sensor so I told her to get close to the wooden wall. I made the photo with every intention of it being ambiguous.
Subway Concourse, Phila. Pa
I planned on documenting the occupation on Dilworth Plaza whenever I could get there. I would go and take my GXR and move in and out of the scene and capture the overall feeling of the group. I work almost invisible and try to only observe and record. I really try to do the documentary thing but sometimes, like always…. I see an image that is a part of everything and yet it is just there by itself. It is just breathing by itself. The energy starts to overcome me and I go into my usual semi-trance mode. I hear nothing, see nothing, smell nothing unless it is related to the new image waiting to be born.
And then when all is right, the finger gets to do it’s magic….Snap!
Occupy Philly
looks like you started a hell of a chat about the GRD IV…! if youve read my blog, youll know ive been a user..unfortunately, i am not yet comfortable with digicams, not yet anyways…so i sold it off some time ago…what a mistake that was! never mind…no use getting attached to cameras…its very easy to go buy one again quite easily. as someone here has commented, ive also been with the roch GR series for some time…but mainly the film versions.
i still have the first version of the GRD tho….and for the time being, thats serving me fine….
from your blog i get the feeling that you take budding novices on photo shoots? well….a real funny thing happened to me some months ago when i took a group of 8 people out on the streets…..when they saw what camera i had, one of them gave me a weird smile and said he didnt want to come on the tour….then a few mins later…another guy also walked away!
what camera was i carrying? my ricoh GRD of course!
it seems everyone these days is consumed by the prestige of carrying massive DSLRs…if you dont have one of those, youre a joker, not a photographer…!
Thanks for the post. Yes, I do workshops but for all levels of shooters. Most of the people coming to me usually have Leica’s or GRD’s or good compacts. The DSLR’s are really great cameras and I’ve had a few but I never bonded with the finder. This goes way back to the Nikon F. I much preferred the M.
I guess for all intents and purposes I’m like you…a joker not a serious photographer.
Don
hehe! no, youre absolutely right…im just a joker…not a serious photographer! but then hey…who wants to be serious? id much rather be a joker and enjoy myself in life, rather than being a serious fuddy-duddy! and i like to bring that kind of feeling when i take out groups on shoots, too. ive got nothing at all against any camera really, whether its film or digital, but im dead against just buying the latest dslr just because it looks good in the street and has 10,0001 widgets on it…just my tuppence ha’penny’s worth!
that is absolutely the best attitude on life. I never ever take my self to serious. If that inner smile ever stops the glow, hang it up and go into politics.
Sorry! i d’ont speak english!
Snap to 1.50m for f:4 is the best, because hyperfocale!
Net 0.75m to infini!
Sincery
Letofeur (french snapshooter to GRD III)
Exactly….I usually like 4 or 5.6.
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