Tag Archives: Street

Unheard Voices … Pt 4

May 10, 2016 streetshooter 10 Comments

….I gotta tellya’s….I thought I was the only one messed up and as it turns out, there could be maybe are others.I know it’s hard to believe and I don’t believe it myself but the writing is on the wall…..

Apparently there exist no real solution to this issue. Maybe we don’t need one anyway. What I propose is a work a round that is not to difficult to live with. I believe that being aware of a problem is more important than solving the problem. Just think, if you aren’t aware of a problem, than you can’t fix what you don’t know. If you are aware of a problem and even aware of problems that may arise in the future, you at least have the vision to tackle them.

So, we know we have all this baggage and stuff with us when we are working. We have to hold ourselves accountable and find a way to get the baggage away from the front of the lens.

I remember sitting with Minor White and talking. He said that the hardest thing to do is to see something for the first time. I really didn’t understand fully but I wanted to. This was maybe 1972. What he meant was that all that you are up to this point is in front of the lens at the precise moment that you make the photo. I started to think about that and ya know, 44 years later, I’m still thinking about this.

My answer is not the same as Minor’s. If you want his answer, read his photos and all will be illuminated. I see it this way.

1 Maybe we should see things as if seeing them for the first time.

2 Maybe we should see things as if we are seeing them for the last time.

3 I believe that neither is the proper stance. I feel that we should strive to be in the here and now. I talk about this a lot and this entire essay is about the here and now and how to recognize it and how to recognize when you have an intrusion or just fall out of it.

It all comes down to “The Stance”…..

c’mon, wait till tomorrow ok……….

Inspired Eye, Street Photography

Unheard Voices … Pt 3

May 9, 2016 streetshooter 16 Comments

So, to make things clear, there are voices of another kind that want to or do go out with us. Not all voices are perceived so easily. Some and maybe most have the possibility of influencing our vision or maybe thoughts, feelings etc. The camera could be seen as the number one culprit.

I know many say that it’s the shooter not the camera. The camera is a tool. The shooter is everything. To me that’s a very lazy way to address the issue.

See, if all those shooters are correct, I’m in for the biggest letdown of my life. Well, not my life but maybe a 15 min part of it.

Fact… doing underwater photography with a DSLR without a case is not a good idea…

Fact…doing sports with a 21mm on a Leica is not a great idea…

Fact… Doing street with an 8×10 Deardorff without a tripod is not a great idea.

Fact… you get the idea. So if the camera doesn’t matter and it’s only the shooter that matters, do one of the above practices and I can send you more if you need to torture yourself more.

I see this exercise as an awakening and a promise to try to dilute the garbage others have put into me. The camera absolutely matters. I name my cameras because I see and treat them as my friends. Each camera will introduce limitations or effect how you work.

So, many have stated that the Ricoh GRII has too many things like bugs going on. I love that camera. I named it Mom cause I wanted to have my mothers spirit in the camera. Does it work that way? Nah, not at all but it’s still a good name and I adore the camera. If I listened to the scuttlebutt from others, I wouldn’t experience the freedom that the camera affords me.

So, there are many obstacles to overcome and no one will stop poisoning your mind either. I hope I’m not doing that cause I would rather set it afire and provide inspiration. Oh and let’s not forget that you can’t be a shooter of any worth if you don’t use Light Room. If your not using those masterpiece pre-sets, well, your wasting your time.

This isn’t really a rant. I think we all suffer from over intoxication for info that is good but worthless. There is no washing machine for the mind. Well, the CIA maybe but not for our kind of shooters.

The idea of categorizing and cataloging information that is in our brain is not an easy idea to tackle but it’s one that must be attempted.

Tomorrow, we start the cleaning and organizing the brain and getting the mind to be a separate entity.

shooter out…………………………………………………..

Dreamcatcher, Street Photography

Looking Back

April 23, 2016 streetshooter 7 Comments

I often wonder about what people are seeing when they look at me. I mean, photographers go around looking and seeing photos that they want to make. We ain’t go no damn photo takers around here. We are all photo makers, right? So I wonder about what others see that aren’t photographers. We ain’t the only ones with eyes. I bet there’s many out there with eyes and many that see too.

So I think a camera doesn’t make us special. It makes us photographers but we have to share the gift of light. We have to give respect to those that look at us. Then we need to really give respect to those that look at us while we make photo with them in it.

I think this isn’t any kind of magic remedy for making photos on the street of strangers.

The issue as I see it is….many teach that you need to be assertive or confident on the street to make photos of people. I guess if you see people as objects or subject matter, that may hold true. I mean, damn, it’s just a guy there like the wall or anything else there. Ya know, I guess I’m a shitty teacher. I never want people i work with to see people as subject matter or objects to take pictures of.

For me, working the streets,hey…hey, I don’t work the streets like that, not that there’s anything wrong with that. It’s more a a meditative state that I get into. See, I realize that anything I use to make photos is a part of life in one way or another and maybe even my life. I see photography as a collaboration. It is in many ways. I collaborate with my camera, of course there is a name, then the light, the reality that attracts me and that I desire to do magic with to make a 2 dimensional reality called a photograph.

Everything in life is a collaboration of some sort or another. Breathing is with the air, the lungs, heart unless your a politician, then the heart does not exist. Everything in life and especially photography for those of us that are blessed with sight and the will and drive and talent to pursue the art of seeing and capturing what we see.

The real beauty for photographers is that hopefully, we are aware of the gift and the gift of collaboration and we get to appreciate it all.

I often wonder about what people are seeing when they look at me.

Dreamcatcher, Philosophy of Street, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

Streets Of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 66 … Reflecting Reflections … Fuji X100T

April 9, 2016 streetshooter 10 Comments

It was friggin cold again. I know I’m old and cold inside but I’m talking about the weather, COLD! Andre’ was cold too and he’s no help keeping my hand warm. There be a cold metal feeling to him and it’s not pleasant all the time. Ya know… maybe it’s the cold metal of Andre’ the Fuji X100T that awakens something in me. Maybe it’s the cold feeling and the craving for warmth or even emotional warmth that I search for. I mean, Andre’ the Fuji X100T is a great friend but he don’t talk much……well, he does but not out loud. I mean him and I talk all the time. The photos we make together transcend spoken language and work in a visual way to get our point across.

We are a reflection of each other. We don’t work well without each other. It’s a synergism that I find I must have to survive. I think he feels the same but never tells me so.

To clarify, Andre’ is the name of my Fuji X100T. I name all my cameras and here’s why. I like to keep my experiences with photography as free from the world’s shit as possible. I don’t mean subject matter, I mean an adjustment on the psychology of working. I want there to be a difference between being a carpenter and a photographer. A carpenter works with his/her tools to get the job done properly and efficiently.

As a photographer I practice and it is my life’s work. I always knew it was and hope to continue on the journey. Doesn’t that mean more to me than being a carpenter? I use carpenter as an analogy for anything I would or have done in the past but not only the past but maybe the present and the future.

For me, thinking and feeling that my life has been about my photography and photography has been my life, it seems fitting to name things so that I may attach more closely to it. My oldest daughter is named, Bethany Ansel. My Son’s name is Paul Weston. I didn’t call them child # 1 and child #2. I kinda love them and they were given names that were born out of love.

So, I could be like many shooters and just go thru life making photos and not really connecting but thinking I am. Instead, I’m the guy many think is nutz and crazy cause I name my cameras, because the camera is a metaphor for my entire photographic process. I stand guilty as charged.

So Andre’ and I were on a walkabout and we were at the Historic Park. This is where the Liberty Bell loves. It wasn’t always here but some smart ass politician decided years ago that more people could see it if it had it’s own house with easier access. Anyway, I am a fool and I believe in History and i believe that it means something. I also believe that feelings come to us from the past and if we are open for them, we get messages that may or may not have importance but we get them anyway.

So, I been reflecting on the reflections of the thoughts of my life. Maybe youse didn’t get it and that’s a shame cause I do and did and hopefully will again.

I will say this, if you name your camera then you get me. If you don’t but want to means you may get me. If you don’t give a shit about a name for your camera and process that you love and cherish cause it gives you reason to continue…well, your a politician anyway.

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

Streets Of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 65 … Fuji X100T … Explaining Making A Photo

April 7, 2016 streetshooter 5 Comments

………. well, I don’t think that’s the case all the time. I mean….ohhh, scuse me, folks didn’t realize you were here, hang on a min plz….. Doc, I gotta go, my friends are here and I have to pay attention to them.

Sorry all youse fine people, I was chatting with my Doc about my trigger mechanisms. Yeah, you know, those things inside you that are activated by the things out there when youin’s are making photos. Well, Doc wanted me to explore these trigger mechanisms and show him visual examples of what they are.

I mean, look at the photo above. I kinda think that it’s related to Depression. It’s true, it’s true but that’s not the trigger, that’s the subject. See, I saw this guy at the terminal and didn’t want to bother him by asking to make a photo of him cause I rarely ever did that and still rarely don’t do that. For me, it’s about elements and the way they fall together either in Harmony or Disharmony. Sometimes it can be both together. No set rules in Shooter world except seeing and feeling and responding.

Anyway, I looked at this guy and I was on my way to see my Shrink at the VA Hospital. It was the start of an interesting image and I guess maybe many would click on sight but I kinda wanted something more. So, I made a call to my mind and asked it what it thought about this. Well, there was a meeting between the eye, heart and mind about said subject matter and then called me and said….”wait for the juxtaposition”. Big friggin help guys, WTF does that mean.

“wait for the juxtaposition shooter, see the light”. Big friggin help guys, WTF does that mean.

Big friggin help guys, WTF does that mean.

Turns out, Central CommandCenter, commonly known as Shooters essence and brain decided to bypass ME and send the message to Andre’ the Fuji X100T. So, I’m in the middle of all this shit going on….the meeting between, eye, heart and mind, the camera, known as, Andre’ the Fuji X100T and the subject and waiting for WHAT? WTF am I waiting for…. 47 million shooters would have made the photo already,….WTF am I waiting for…..

……….then, very softly in me poor brain…a few words……. wait for the trigger mechanism……

well, all this above happened in about….. 1/1000 of a sec. then, then with theGrace of Mother Light, then when all was just about in place, then I saw and felt the darkness get darker and the depression grow for my guy in the photo and for me and all the sudden,

the most magnificent thing in all the world, MOTHERLIGHT shined her beacon of brightness and hope and made the separation between hope and despair and her light, with royalty and love and compassion shined so bright and showed me the way to the photo finish.

I got a kick in the brain as the eye, heart and mind said MAKE THE FRIGGIN PHOTO STUPID………CLICK!

Now that was an exercise….

I walked a little while downtown and saw this and Click!

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

Streets Of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 64 … In Search Of…..?

April 6, 2016 streetshooter 6 Comments

Word on the street is, that I ain’t the only one in search of….something. Oh yeah, youse don’t get off that easy. I hear tell that each and every one of youse is searching for….something. Now this might just be a Philly phenomenon but I don’t think so and I don’t believe it no matter what anyone says or doesn’t say or implies or not. It’s human nature to be searching for something and we all as humans do that.

This does not apply to politicians as they lost the humanness when the were elected to office and forgot about being a compassionate human and just became a money hungry greedy piece of shit that robs from all Americans and doesn’t do anything but rob more and more. Enuff of politics. So the political types are searching for money and power but they don’t know that the DEVIL is searching for them to…well, it ain’t gonna be a pretty picture.

So, back to the brighter side of depression that we all have and don’t need to search for……. The point is, that all this stuff inside you gets activated when you work and make photos. No matter how good your Mind’s filing system is, it can’t help but let out some shit it has stored when you work. So, this stuff will and can influence what you see and do out there. It’s the basis of the struggle of ART. Yes, photography is an art form just like painting or anything else.

So, it works kinda like this. We have input and out put. The mind sorts thru the stuff it has filied and is adding to the junk bin and sends signals down to the heart and eye. The eye and heart try to decipher all the crap that the mind is sending and also, all thestuff that is being brought to the mix from what they see outside the mind. I call it “Instant Recognition” See, we get stuff in that interest us and we need to process the stuff in our mind and find a middle ground so that we are free to make photos.

The point is that we are saturated with input so then how to get clean output? That is a problem huh? Don’t look to me for the answers cause I’m as lost as you are. I know this, I work and make photos without too many preconceptions getting in the way. (or so I think)

The thing for me is to recognize trigger mechanisms. The things that make us see and shoot. Missing these and your out there in never never land and you might as well be a politician. Why, because without trigger mechanisms and the recognition of them FOR YOU, means you ain’t connected to your self. If that’s the case, decide if your a Democrat or Republician and want to be in office, cause you lost your humanity anywy.

Trigger mechanisme are the fruit of being on the street. Of course that means all of photography, not just street. I think it’s a beautiful thing to be out in LIFE and make photos. I love feeling awake and aware and when I release the camera, I feel connected to my work. It’s why I name my cameras. Today Andre’ the Fuji X100T and I will go out and see what we can find…..we will search together…….

What are youse searching for…..?

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, One Shot, Philosophy of Street

Streets of Atlantic City … A Visual Diary … Page 62 … The Difficulty of a Single Shot

April 3, 2016 streetshooter Leave a comment

All along I have been going out like I was fishing. I mean every fisher person wants that big ass LUNKER. So they fish and fish and hope for the BIG ASS LUNKER SON OF A BITCH FISH THAT WEIGHS 700LBS AND IS 45′ LONG. What a tale to be told. Well, photography is very similar if you think about it…. and even if you don’t think about it.

See, we have cameras that shoot 2000 FPS and get each exposure perfect and I mean damn perfect! But maybe I’m going off on one of my Streetshooter needs some candy modes or tangents. Well, here it is, nice and neat and compact with all the frills taken out and left stripped bare ass naked and just the facts counselor, just the facts.

What it comes down to is this. It’s really about the Inverse Square Law again and me thinks we ain’t gotz no choice but to abide by dat dere law. It says kinda simply stated that less is more and more is less.

So to apply that to our work is difficult. I mean it’s easy to go out and think about getting some photos that you like but damn….it’s a Mother Fugger, (no cursing here) to just go out and search for just 1 photo. Sure, maybe you shoot 25,789 frames per hour but you just need that one BIG ASS LUNKER of a PHOTO. to make the day. This, my friends, is not an easy task.

I have been doing this for a long time and I fall prey to my have fun with my cameras and don’t worry about making a good photo cause tomorrow is another day anyway. Well, is it really. I mean who’s got the inside info on when we exit the stage?

I’m not saying that every photo should be worth dying fir, don’t get it wrong.

I am saying that every photo you feel connected to is worth living for.

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

Dreamcatcher, Philosophy of Street, Street, Streetshooter

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 61 … Observations of Lost Innocence

March 31, 2016 streetshooter 8 Comments

Tacony Flea Market, Phila. 2005

We are a product of our environment and our work is a product of us. Now that may seem like a generalization and maybe it is but it’s true nonetheless. I was looking at Amira Issmail’s work again and I thought how innocent she is and her work. Now obviously, she’s an adult and a beautiful lady but she presents her work in a way that is pure joy.

What I mean is, Amira has a way of working that is void of attitude and jaded from the environment of the human condition. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5iotgw9USPLu5gKfxrw82A I find it interesting in this day and age that someone could be almost clean of attitude and their presence in their work. You can see her work on the Inspired Eye FB page and others places. Just look and see what I’m talking about.

So I was wondering when and where I lost my photographic innocence and I realized, I can’t lose what I never had. Muddy said that and he’s right. I’m kinda envious becaue everything I do is , I guess jaded for lack of a better word and this effects what and how and why I do it.

I never got to see the world with starry eyes and glitter all arround. I’m not saying Amira does either. What I’m saying is, Amira and I’m sure many others have the ability to work in any environment and see the joy of living. The simple but delicious things around and that others don’t even think or feel or even care about. This is a very precise meaning for making images.

To share with others how and why you see what you see.

Anyway, Serendipity comes home tomorrow and the guys on the camera shelf are excited and so am I.

Have a blessed weekend……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Dreamcatcher, Philosophy of Street, Street, Streetshooter

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 60 … Observations with the Fuji X100T

March 30, 2016 streetshooter 4 Comments

Ok, ok….maybe I’m sentimental and maybe I just know a good thing when I have it but know it even more, when I don’t have it. I know youse remember that Olivier grabbed my Andre’ the Fuji X100s. To be honest, I was sick taking him to the airport and watching him make photos with it. So, I used my photo mojo and extracted Andre’s soul out of the camera and then Olivier has an X100s that is just that. . Andre’s soul was safe and sound in my Ricoh GRII and just waiting. To make a long story short and not as interesting, I picked up a Fuji X100T and transported Andre’s soul into the updated version.

I will explain something right now and clearly as I can. Life is about living. Living is where you have choices. I see it this way. I could go to a camera store and buy a camera and take it out and make photos. I could look for places that interest me and decide when and where to work and go home and watch CNN and sip tea and pay the electric bill.

For me, I choose to believe in magic. The magic of photography is born from the magic of love….for me. I see the light and the anti-light. People walking thru time as if they were liquid. I see the world vibrating from 3 dimensions to 2 dimensions. I see things in Color and flash, in Black & White.

I see things right up close and then something far away.

I walk around with my friend in my hand and I feel my heart beating against the skin of the camera. Sometimes my friend hangs around my neck and we both feel my heart beat with excitement because we are bonded and enjoying our time. I feel like I’m in another world and seeing talking Windmills and I know my friend will record the vision for me.

Some may say I’m nuts. some might say that being like this is out of the ordinary. Ya know, maybe I am crazy but I say this. Photography is my life’s work. I’d rather be thought of as crazy and prove it every time I call to Andre’ of Walker etc. I can’t fathom the idea of having a camera with no use but to make photos. I can’t imagine living a life so boring without the magic of LOVE.

Pick up your camera. When no one is around, kiss it and smile. You’re not kissing a camera friends, you’re kissing the magic of love and the reason to live. It’s your process of photography.

Anything short of that….”THE HORROR'”.

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

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 59 … Olympus TG-4 … The Bars That Bind

March 28, 2016 streetshooter 14 Comments

To start, I have not been able to shake the sick feeling inside me of not Having Andre’ the Fuji X100s in my life. Olivier fell in love with him when he was here a few weeks ago and I didn’t pay attention cause I had Serendipity the Olympus Pen F.

It’s about your Natural Field of View, well, mine in this case but you get the idear. My NFoV is 35mm. Of course I can see any FOV but whenI’m on a walk-a-bout and see something that interest my eye, heart and mind, I am seeing the frame in my mind as 35mm. This has been happening since way back in the last century.

So, I got the Fuji X100 then the X100s and now, well, Serendipity and all her lenses are sold off. I don’t miss her. I bought a new Silver Fuji X100T and will name it Andre’.

I love the Olympus Pen F and it’s an amazing camera but for me, too many options. Those options are of course the lenses or FOV. I don’t want that option, never did. I have my stance in the world. I’m content with that stance. The Oly and lenses are not politically correct for me. Now with the Fuji X100T and the Ricoh GR II, I’m all good to go.

Sometimes in life, we need constraints and have them impose themselves on us even if we are unaware that we have or need them. I need them. My vision and thoughts run rampid and go all over the place because I have to decide what lens I want t use.

So, It’s a done deal and by tomorrow at 10:00am, all the lenses will be sold off. I will continue my journey and love my vision again because I’m not clouded any more. The photo above kinda tells the story in my mond. I mean it’s a photo but I made it from the thoughts and feeligs inside me.

Tomorrow, Andre’ and I start our life together, again. I’m excited and he’s on the shelf flirting with Penelope the GRD4.

Seeya all tomowwor and till then, be blessed on your journey.

………. shooter out ……….

Street Photography Chronicles by Don Springer