Tag Archives: Nikon Coolpix A

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

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 5 … Dreamcatcher

June 18, 2015 streetshooter 12 Comments

There are reasons for each of us to make photos. Now I now that there are more then one reason and when we work we may have a few in our mind. This is normal behaviour and I am proud to say I suffer this photographic discovery illness. I learned along time ago that if you wear your heart on your sleeve, you have to be able to live with the bumps and bruises that will happen to it. For certain shooters, the heart on the sleeve is the only place to have it so that one stays in touch with your inner self and be conscious of how life is effecting you in the here and now.

Maybe I sound like some kind of metaphysical spiritual Zen practicing fool. Yeah, probably am but life has showed me that it will outlive me and I will not survive my death. So I choose to search for the reason to live and a reason to die. For me, besides loved ones, it’s making photos. The difficult thing is to accept your place in the universe. I had a friend Bill back in 1971. He was a photographer and he said to me one day, “Don, I don’t know anyone that takes photography as serious as you.” I thought that was such a nice thing to say because it meant that he saw me and my heart and my love of what I was doing was obvious. I was proud to be considered a serious shooter. We would go to NYC for the day or Philly Center City and Bill would call me, “Your the Man on the Street Donald Springer.”

I was only home from Nam for like 6 months and I was a bundle of C4 waiting to explode. Bill mentored me in many aspects of photography that I wasn’t aware of. He introduced me to Krause, Winogrand, Ding McNulty and many more people that I didn’t know I loved and respected. He took me to Minor White and all these experiences made me feel like I wanted to not only diffuse the C4 but unload it from the baggage I would carry for my life. We were friends for like 18 or so months and then one day Bill told me that he was moving to California with his sister Terry. I was completely heart broken. I didn’t know how my photography would survive. I was really depressed. One day I got a card in the mail with a picture of the rear of a Volkswagen Beetle going over a hill and the sunrise in front of it. That was the last time I heard from Bill.

I realized some time later that what I feared losing was inside me and I must be strong to make my photos and get them out there and never let anything take away the value the image has for me. I also learned that we as humans let alone shooters share an experience of photography and part of the responsibility is to support others regardless of whether we like or dislike their work.

So, I am in a kinda dead/alive period. I don’t mean depressed cause I ain’t and I know the difference cause my Dr at the VA is a good shrink and I feel comfy with him. But photographically, I am looking for a connection to something I can’t reach. I hope youse like music, I do.

I feel like Native American Flute or Gregorian Chant. Thats what my feelings sound like. So now I have to find those sounds in my photos. Sometimes I do and sometimes I might get close but no cigar. Fine, I stopped smoking 3 years ago so I doin need any cigar anyways.

I think photos make a reality that I would prefer to live in. I mean it’s just satisfying to me because my photos bring me pleasure that’s hard to get any other way. I see things that maybe exist or not or even on different planes.

The minister above with his Holly Family book in a spirit way, well kinda freaked me out but I made it anyways because I’m a shooter and a shooter with a camera in hand, on the street, ain’t noting better in life.

So I guess right before I die, I’ll make sure I have many photos of me that will live on and my ancestors will know that looking at them, they are my preferred way of life, in more than one way.

Bear with me as I weed thru these emotions and thoughts. It’s hard for me to take life light and even harder for me to not LOVE and LIVE photography with all that I am or ever will be.

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

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street

Street … More Thoughts … More Findings

May 25, 2015 streetshooter 8 Comments

It was hot as hell. I don’t really know that it’s hot as hell cause I hear tell it’s really hot there and I have no desire to find out anyway. So let’s just agree that it’s bloody hot. I’m walking my bloody hot zombie walk and I can’t be satisfied cause I don’t drink beer anymore. The problem is that I drink a lot of water. Yup, that H2O wet stuff. When I’m working the streets, I have a mental map of where restrooms are so I can take a leak. See, water goes thru me quickly. So I try to just drink enough to stay alive and refresh when I get home.

I was getting tired and decided that I had enough for the day. I think I did like 27 frames in a 3 hour period.

So I started to walk to the Elevated entrance at 11th street. As I get close to the stairway, there’s a young woman looking at me like she’s seeing Death. I looked back at her and I felt the same vibe as she did. Now I don’t really know what she was feeling but I felt it anyways. She never took her eyes off me, not for a second. I wasn’t like a sexual feeling, I know that all to well. It was more a lonely feeling and for a brief moment we shared that loneliness together. I made the turn to go down the steps and readied Walker the Nikon Coolpix A and as I started down the steps, I froze and looked her right in the face. Our eyes met as if we knew we would never see each other again and that made us both sad. I raised the camera and as our eyes locked, Walker mad the photo.

I started to descend down the stairs and still her eyes locked upon me. I looked at her and as I was now going out of sight, I saw her bend over and continue to look at me till we both disappeared in the darkness of Humanity. I got on the train and sat back in a seat with a young black girl next to me doing magic on an Android. It amazes me that these things can even happen on a phone. She looked at me and smiled. I started to check out the photos from the walk and as I did, I notice the girl stopped playing Android and started to look at the screen on my camera. When I got to the last frame, the one above the girl said to me, that’s awesome mister.

seeya tomorrow…………………………………………be safe out there but shit, be yourself……………………………….

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

Street … The Inverse Square Law

May 20, 2015 streetshooter 10 Comments

I been out there and shooting a lot of photos, well a lot for me at any rate. I think if I make 25 frames on a walk-a-bout, that’s a lot. I hear tell from others that 25 is a smoke break. To each his/her own, right. The thing for me is to really be aware or to be in the here and now and aware of being there. Armed with the tools of the trade, Eye, Heart and Mind and the Intent might get realized.

Well, I been in and out of City Hall making photos for over 45 years. I used to go on top of Uncle Willie’s hat but that was a long time ago. More recently I got first hand tours of closed off offices from Edmund Bacon. He loved City Hall and instilled that love into me. In fact he planted the ideas and concepts of Architecture and City Planning in me as we walked on our tours of the city in search of photos I could make that reflected his thoughts for our unpublished book.

I had Walker the Nikon Coolpix A with me and we were snapping photos as we found them and then we decided to walk thru the passageway under neath the building. Now I walked thru here more times then I can remember and I’m not counting. The light under here has captured scores of shooters and many photos have been made here.

George Krause, Ray Metzker and many others have made photos that I have been captivated by. Any way,I have decided to apply the inverse square law and live by it again. That means shooting less and getting more satisfaction from the work. It’s not that I shoot alot, I mean almost everyday but not alot of frames. I’m looking for that one shot that turns me on.

The one above in one of thos photos.

seeya tomorrow……………………………………………………..shooter out…………………………………………………..

Color, Philosophy of Street, Street, Streetshooter

Nikon Coolpix A … The Streets of Philly

May 19, 2015 streetshooter 8 Comments

There comes a time for me when I need freedom. It’s not the camera that gives me the need for freedom, it’s the freedom to be able to change to a different camera. I’m working with the Oly Pen EP-5 and the Fuji X100s. So it was a day to take out Walker the Nikon Coolpix A.

So beings a screen camera Walker lends himself to working the streets really fine. I don’t feel different aesthetically or emotionally with the Coolpix but yet I know there’s something going on whenever I change cameras. I don’t now what it it is but it’s something I tell ya.

I can’t write because it’s election day and there’s not one politician in office or that wants to be that will address the POW/MIA issue and fuck if I’ll vote for anyone that doesn’t support the issue.

seeya’s later………..

Black & White, Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Streetshooter

Nikon Coolpix A … Meets The Dreamcatcher

March 19, 2015 streetshooter 9 Comments

Walker the Nikon Coolpix A is getting inspired and is starting to find his way around the block. Listen, I know I sound nutty but truth is, I let my cameras think they are the source of inspiration for our photos. Well, in a way they are but then again so am I. I’m not about to have my cameras thinking they can do this without me. By the same token, I don’t say that I can do this without them. Like Billy Jean said, “Fair is Fair”.

Anyway, there are those amongst us and un-amongst us that think a camera is a tool. Well, to each his/her own even if they are wrong. So, shooter, why you name your camera, it’s a tool? True enough. I’ll bet there isn’t one single person in the world that doesn’t name his hammer. I’l talking Union Carpenters, the backbone of this great nation. Ya think I’m wrong.. read on.

This is for you, yeah you, with the smirk on your face. So we take our un-named hammer and we bang some nails in. Alls well with out tool right. Then you set the nail and get ready to swing and all the sudden, the dog bites your butt. TOO LATE TO STOP HAMMER SWINGING PROCEDURES! Oh yeah, sure as there’s another camera your looking at… BANG. Now look. This part is not funny. See, when a 16oz or 20oz hammer bangs right on your thumb, well this is Hammer Naming Time. Let’s see, hmmm what is a good name for a hammer that is not my friend and is just a tool that smashed my thumb. Well, it doesn’t take this long to find the name….

It’s something like this. I speak from experience. Swing, dog bites ass, total distraction of the un-named hammer that just smashed the thumb…. “Damn you, you M…er F…er! Now these two words, (blocked out for Judy and all my female friends)….are universal. I mean regardless what language you speak, when the hammer smashes your thumb.. these 2 words are the only two in existence that describe the name of your Hammer.

So, I suggest that you name your hammer and make it your friend. Then when you smash your thumb, you know it was a shared experience between friends.

The Dreamcatcher

This series goes back a long time. When I start to see these photos pop up I get very excited. For me it means that I am as open as I can be at the moment. This series keeps me awake but in a different way. I mean, normally I just make photos and do my thing. When these start popping up, I start to think and see images in my head. Not at the moment of exposure, I get that too but like in my dreams. I see some images and then when I’m out there and I’m really out there but I know it so it’s ok according to my Doc, I see the basic substance of the image in my mind. Then I kinda wake up to a new level and it’s like Photo DejaVu. It’s very exciting and stimulating. I mean it’s like self actualization.

My friend Walkser the Nikon Coolpix a made both these photos. That’s cool for me because usually, Penelope the Ricoh GRD4 makes these and stimulates me to doing so. So now that Walker is doing it, I’m very happy my friend is willing to help me find these images. Andre’ the Fuji X100s isn’t really into the Dreamcatcher and I don’t force the issue. We should never force friends to do anything, it should happen naturally.

Anyway, I’m tired again and have todomeds. I’ll be back hopefully tomorrow.

You’ll have a blessed evening, morning or afternoon depending where you are in the world.

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

Walker the Nikon Coolpix A … ain’t LoSt on the StReEt

March 16, 2015 streetshooter 4 Comments

As I get myself geared up for the season, I seem to be thinking the same way I always have. Imagine that. I have a thing for fixed focal length cameras. Andre’ the Fuji X100s sees 35mm and Walker the Nikon Coolpix A sees 28mm. These 2 focal lengths will do almost all my work for ever. As youse know, I picked up the Canon EOS M2 and lenses etc for it. It’s a nice camera and good quality but, it’s not my cup of tea. I knew that when I got it but wanted to see if this year would be different from last year, nope. I don’t like zoomie lenses and I can’t bond to that camera cause Walker and Andre’ do what I need. So I don’t need it and it’s being sold by tomorrow on the bay.

Funny thing. I’ve had every variation of the 28mm Elmarit for my M cameras. I got a pair of M6’s because I would use the 35mm lens and the 28mm on the second body. Nope, years of struggling and I never adapted to 28mm. I always used 35mm. So now digitally, I find the 28mm getting used a lot like the last 10 years maybe. I still love the 35mm FOV but no longer have issues with the 28mm. Now I need them both, the horror. Of course Penelope the Ricoh GRD4 does 28mm very well, in fact better than any camera ever released…but…I really like APS-C sensor. There’s just something about it that floats my boat. So I find myself with the Fuji X100s and Nikon Coolpix A and feel very well covered. That means anything else I have, hmmmm won’t get much use.

It’s been said that a good shooter can get a good shot with any camera. So what? What does that mean. I can get my photos with any camera, but so what, bunk to all that shit. I wanna use my cameras that I want to use. I ain’t using a camera that intrudes on my vision, you’ll know that, damn.

Ya know, we don’t get enough time to live let alone to make photos. We have that responsibility to do both with passion and in the way we choose to do it. That responsibility belongs to us at first and then if you choose, to others. You have to own yourself and do for yourself. If not, others will own you and you end up doing for them and you still get to die alone.When you release that shutter, all that you ever were and are at the moment of exposure is right there with you.

Why would anyone let others influence us to the point that we don’t recognize our selves or our work? It happens mostly out of a lack of confidence and the need for approval. The idea that others like what we do can and will steer us into a direction that may not be our chosen path but the path influenced by others. We are all guilty of this phenomenon in both ways and it’s ok as long as we recognize it as deal with it.

It’s when we refuse to recognize it or just don’t that we have problems. How do I know about this stuff? I’ll tellya. I have a shrink and he recognizes me even when I don’t. Whats your excuse?

Be blessed everyone.

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

The Zone Of Awareness … Continued … But Not Finished

March 12, 2015 streetshooter 8 Comments

So it’s like kinda maybe just happen to be like above everyone else but only visually and connected with your eye, heart and mind. See, shooters are always in the same space and reality as everyone else but for real, they are connected to Mother Light in a way that they wait for her to grace their presence and give them a breath of light to share and experience and make their photos.

I can only explain what happens sometimes when I’m not interfering with the natural order of things. I say the natural order because there is a harmony in making photos. There exist a rhythm and beauty in life that one must try to tune into. Shooters can’t be themselves without dancing to the rhythm of life. This rhythm fills our essence and when the subject matter is present and the rhythm of life is in us and we allow our minds to dance freely then and only then will the shooter make photos that reflect the time of the moment of awareness. At the very time of release. all is accountable and all is suspect. If we dint get the photo as we visualized then something is wrong in our perception of time and space and how and where we fit in.

The value of the photo is what we desire it to be. If if reaches that range of acceptance to us, then the ultimate goal is achieved. Yeah sure, it’s nice to have ppl like our work. It’s sweet to sell the work and get shows and exhibitions. If this is the reason you work and find the value that others place on your work most important, well you are destined to die a very lonely death.

Your photos will not miss you because they are busy entertaining others and not you, the parent.

I was sitting at the desk that Ding had and he pulled some prints out for me to study. We looked Strand and Evans because Ding knew I was most in love with them. Of course Kertesz was in my brain and heart at all times. So Ding put back the Strands and the Evans prints and said, for you Don, we will chat with Andre’. Well it’s 1976 and Kertesz is still alive and I’m thinking that a visit is going to happen. I asked Ding when Andre’ was arriving cause I wanted to have my Leica ready.

He smiled and said, Don, here is Andre’ in total. He opened the box of prints I knew so very well. Ding said, as you go thru life remember this as you ever remember anything. Kertesz is the most important photographer that lived and worked in the moment. He never was outside life. I looked at the photos in a new way. I mean I could feel Andre’ in the work but more than that, I felt him inside me. I mean it’s as if I was aware of him in a way I had never understood before. I had tears in my eyes and Ding smiled. He said, Don I love how you take it all in and absorb life.

So I thought about this experience for decades and in fact, I’m in thought now. See, shooters must work from the heart. You gotta feel what your doing. Don’t give a fuck if anyone responds to your your work. You work for you. Ya know what, you work for me too because shooters make photos for themselves and for other shooters.

The awareness of your life is the presence you make and the photos you make. The camera will either be your tool and master or become your friend. In order for it to be your friend you have to surrender to the controls ppl place upon you. I take Walker the Nikon Coolpix A out and we are friends. We get into the moment to and work together to make photos that I can learn from and relate to. Maybe if things go well, someone else can relate to them also.

I feel that the most important thing to digest is that my photos for me represent the moment of awareness and dammit, I’m friggin’ loving that.

ok, gotta run the ambulance is outside to take me to my VA Doc…….he’s not a photographer byes………………………..

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Streetshooter

Ansel Adams and the Zone System … One More Zone

March 11, 2015 streetshooter 12 Comments

Ansel set the stage for how we interpret the tonal range in our photos. The Zone System is the most followed course of work by the most dedicated shooters. It works and works well. I kinda think that there exist 1 more Zone that should be addressed.

The Zone I’m talking about is the Zone of Awareness. I suppose I have written about this many times over and over. I think I enjoy the rediscovery myself. I mean I love learning and relearning what I already know but take for granted because that’s what we do. It’s great to redo your stuff and when no one is looking, check your knowledge banks and recalibrate your way of thinking.

Photographers more than any other people have a tendency to repeat success. We get blinded by the idea that something works so we will do it over and over and even with variation to make a series or body of work, call it what you will.

So what we do is justify the failures we make so easy by using the photo that was a success to start a train of thought or series. Why is all this important? I’ll tell ya how I see it. Photographers really find it very easy to go to auto mode and kinda just drift and maybe make some photos that satisfy you. For most of us that’s enough and we are happy with this scenario. Now hold the F**K on! I am not one of those ppl but I have to write that I am so we are all equal in the shit we call the world.

If your out there and wandering around and shooting aimlessly and think it’s ok. Please move to the next blog. Let’s get something straight right from the get go. We are photographers, granted. We have different ideas, thoughts, working methods, desires cameras etc, etc.

There are a million variables, right. Well, hang it all up to dry. The common denominator is that we are all humans first and foremost. If your making photos of ppl then they are the same as you at the start. So what makes the serious shooter stand apart from the rest of the crowd? Awareness!

Awareness is what separates success from mediocrity. We can accept mediocrity from everyone around us but not from our selves. The Horror! It is an awareness of the self that makes us strive to do better for ourselves. It pushes us to perform better and to make images that work at the lever we want them to work.

So, that means to me that I have a responsibility to share what shit is in my mind with anyone that wants to digest it. I want the shit that’s in your mind so I can digest that. Ya know, here’s something so crazy it just might work. How about as shooters we share our work in different ways so that we all get the ideas of what other shooters think and feel.

Of course this is being done by many and it’s gonna catch on. What does this mean actually? I think it means that I want others to see what I was feeling and seeing and thinking as I’m working. I want other shooters to recognize the Zone that I strive to maintain as I work. I want the awareness of my self to be evident in the photos I make and share. This means that I will not be concerned about a level or success of the photos but only that the Intent shine thru and that the Eye, Heart and Mind cane be understood.

I’m doing more on this probably forever cause photography is my life’s work. Tomorrow more thoughts and photos…………………………………………………shooter out………………………

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street

Walker Evans and Nikon Coolpix A = Happy Tourist

March 11, 2015 streetshooter 18 Comments

Understanding the basic premise of photography is essential to understanding what you are doing as a photographer. That is that we see a three dimensional reality and abstract it to make a new two dimensional reality called the photograph. Now lots happens from point A to point B and that’s where each of us lives and works. That’s where we introduce our own set of variables to achieve the desired result, the photo.

So that should imply the necessity to understand what our variables are and how to play with them. How to seek and find the discovery of the photo and the self. Well, much of this is being in tune with your Eye, Heart and Mind. Together these elements will or will not realize your Intent.

Tourist have a much better awareness of this than die hard shooters. Tourist have a camera that pleases them and many different cameras in the tourist group. But, each has the camera that allows the least amount of intrusion when they make photos. Tourist are the most aware of the Here and Now. They are totally aware that this photo they are going to make is probably the last time they will see the subject in the flesh. They frame carefully trying to be in the Here and Now and make the best long lasting record of the moment of exposure and thus have the contentment that they succeeded in making the photo that lives in the album of their trip.

Ok, give me the shit. Tourist, c’mon shooter, your barking up the wrong tree. Am I?

I think not. We are all tourist thru life. No none gets a permanent Visa. You bet your butt your a tourist and ya better start thinking that way cause tourist are the most noble shooters out there. They don’t need to study the mechanics of photography, They just have to locate their subject matter, frame and make the photo. Catalog the photos into some kind of grouping and then decide where they want to travel to and make more photos.

Sound familiar? See, you are a tourist. Told ya. I love being a tourist especially in my home town. It allows me to feel free and open with the environment and ppls. This is not an illusion but facts and a way to work.

I’m at Love Park watching the tourist watch me and I feel happy. Being around tourist gets me to think and feel as they do. That’s a wonderful gift and I cherish it completely. I look to the fountain and I see this guy walking and screaming profanities that I never heard before. As I watched him I started to feel like I was seeing Moses and the lost Tribe. Something like that. He’s looking right at me and I raise Walker the Nikon Coolpix A and he lowers his head in a very humble position. CLICK!

I became anxious to see this photo when I get home.

Photos are not only a reflection of ourselves, they may also reflect others and in many ways. This is an anti-tourist photo. I guess that’s not entirely true cause if in fact I am a tourist, then this is a tourist photo. See what can happen if we dissect the natural process of what we are doing? Well, we must do that to understand what and why we are doing it and also to get a pathway to subject matter that we should be on.

I’m heading out to work and seeing where I can find some photos. I’ll be back later and write more. Post your thoughts plz as I need to know if this is interesting to you as it is for me.

………………………………………………………………….. To Be Continued………………………………………………………………

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

A Chat With Andre’ the Fuji X100s

March 9, 2015 streetshooter 5 Comments

Shooter, c’mere for a min. Well, I recognize that voice anywhere anytime. I also know Andre’ the Fuji X100s is gonna have his say on something but I don’t know what yet. Listen Shooter, the boys and girl on the shelves are a bit upset by some of your actions. Ya got the Canon EOS M2 on the shelf with flash, lenses. I gotta tellya Shooter, we are all upset by your latest acquisition. Even Penelope the White Ricoh GRD4 is like beside herself. She’s real cute by the way but I can’t calm her down anymore. Sexi little lens cap…mmmmmm.

Now, it’s been decided that The Nikon Coolpix A is now named Walker. This is not a request, we have decided that and end of story. So when you and I go out and it damn sure better be a lot, we are taking Walker the Nikon Coolpix A with us. Once again, this is not a request.

Now tell everybody about today and we will discuss the EOS M2 situation over a glass of Spatlese. later.

Finally a temperature that will allow snow to melt. So I take Andre’ and Walker and load them in the Cosyspeed. Wait for the bus and I feel it getting warmer every minute. Awesome. I can feel my hands and me fingers.

My ears aren’t numb as well as lower extremities and stuff.I set the clocks on the cameras cause Andre told me cause he knew I’d forget. I got my POW/MIA hat on so when I’m talking to Andre’ no one pays me any mind. I get to Market East and as I’m walking thru, I see a guy sitting by himself. I move past him and Andre’ says, you need to work, make this shot work. So I walk back, get Andre’ at the eye, slowly frame, and I mean I’m not hurrying at all. Then I release the shutter. The guy turns to me and laffs. He say’s it’s fuggin’ hot out. I say, well, you dressed for the cold bro’. He laffs and says you crazy mudder fugger. I smile cause he’s right.

I say, what makes me crazy? He says, how old you is? 65. You pay a mortgage? yup. You pay lectric and stuff? yup. He says, I told ya you waz fuggin crazy.

I’m in therapy for years and this guy gets me zero’d in, in a few minutes and tells me I’m crazy and now I believe him.

I wonder if he has office hours. Sometimes I feel disconnected and it’s an awkward feeling until I see what I’m feeling all over the place. People lost in the environment, lost humanity, just a sense of not being in the moment. Well, I don’t suffer from these things cause I’m always aware of the moment whether I am in it or not. Even if not, I’m usually aware that I’m not.

………but, maybe I need to get out again tomorrow with my dear friends, Andre’ the Fuji X100s and Walker the Nikon Coolpix A. Yes, good idea and I’ll continue the conversation with Andre………

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

Street Photography Chronicles by Don Springer