While there is perhaps a province in which the photograph can tell us nothing more than what we see with our own eyes, there is another in which it proves to us how little our eyes permit us to see.
— Dorothea Lange
I am currently looking through my archives to find images I’ve shot throughout the years of Homeless People. There is a discussion that just popped up on how any and all images of the Homeless are both abuse and exploitation. I can see those who shoot with a Cell Phone Camera who do terrible things without any respect for anything. Yeah, I can see that. But to say a flat out for everyone is downright disgusting. I’ve given money to some who’ve I photographed. Showing the blight of those in terrible situations deserves to be shown. If the images disturb someone then the photographer did the job. If you can’t see and understand what caused them to be on the street in the first place. Means you need to be reminded. Homeless People are all over the world. The Governments job is to protect and help those that are helpless or in situations that cause them despair. I will try to share those in next weeks installment as well as to give my experience and thoughts on this topic.
While looking through my archives I found 2 images that I’ve never worked on before from back in 2010 when my wife and I were on an Adventure in Great Britain.
I had spotted an Old Fashioned Phone Booth that reminded me of the Tardis from the Dr Who franchise. That was shot in Edinburgh, Scotland. The second image was taken outside the Edradour Distillery in Perthshire, Scotland
Street Photography Edinburgh, Scotland
Outside the Edradour Distillery Perthshire, Scotland
[1899 – 1968] (real name: Arthur H. Fellig) American independent photographer
I’m no part time dilettante photographer, unlike the bartenders, shoe salesmen, floorwalkers plumbers, barbers, grocery clerks and chiropractors whose great hobby is their camera. All their friends rave about what wonderful pictures they take. If they’re so good, why don’t they take pictures full—time, for a living, and make floor walking, chiropractics, etc., their hobby? But everyone wants to play it safe. They’re afraid to give up their pay checks and their security they might miss a meal. – Weegee
The hard drive on my laptop has been making noises for the past few weeks. I’verecently been gettingmessages to backup the drive. Looks to me like imminentfailure.
My pictures are all safe on external drives. My car is in the shop for the first time in a long while. There was severalthings that I was putting off. So in no uncertain terms money, for a New Laptop is out of the question. It lasted longer than Icould have imagined. I actuallypurchased this a minimum of ten years ago as a temporaryputer after my old desktop crashed. Since it was pretty fast and did what I needed to. I had forgottenaboutgettinganything else.
Onlydrawback is my old version of Photoshop and my Nik Collection are both outdated now and I seriously doubt I will be able to install them on anothermachine when the time comes. Also I won’t have access to my images. They may be Safe but are untouchable for me in the near future… Everything from this point or almost from this point will be done on my IPad. At least my P&S has access to this and I can play with the images a little bit.
That’s one thing that is pretty cool. My P&S is WiFicompatible and can communicate with this IPad. Oh I just thought of it. So can my printer so I’m not completely in the dark… But now my Nikon? I won’t be able to access any images from it if I shoot using it.
This is somethingI had shot a while back using this IPad. I guess this will change things for theforeseeablefuture.
Have a Great Fathers Day Everyone!
Mark
Thats pretty weird… I just cranked up my laptop and I see large type within small type in the same paragraph. I didn’t write it that way. That is how it came out with using my IPad and WordPress… Curious..
I just picked up my car. I must say this is the worst I would call it full depression without having my own car for about two days.. Funny how we get soo attached to objects!
Adventure is not only measured in kilometers. Strong emotions are not only found in front of the Parthenon. Emotion, if you are worthy of it, will be felt before the smile of a child returning home with his school books, a tulip in a vase touched by a ray of sunlight, or the face of a beloved woman.
— Willie Ronis
We were speaking to a young lady earlier this afternoon who had traveled to South East Asia on a multi Country excursion. Not once did she mention any ancient historical places. Didn’t even mention shooting any pictures of any of the many places she had visited. The experience sounded wonderful. Wonderful enough for me to think of traveling to these exotic places to visit.
I know this family well enough to know that it would have been a waste of time to question if she had taken any images. Wasn’t worth starting a line of questioning that would have probably gone into a debate of some kind. Yeah!! OK I’m being nice… LOL
I understand not everybody is willing to learn photography enough to try their hand at it. There are some that would at least use a camera on “Fully Automatic” and be happy with those. Like the old Kodak Instamatic Cameras. No Adjustments of any kind. Just Point and Click!! It’s been a while since I mentioned it but there was a conversation a few years back I had with someone asking me for a recommendation for a Better Camera Purchase. They had mentioned that they had liked my images and wanted a camera that can take pictures as good as mine! That is very flattering considering I’ve known this person almost all my life. I of course had mentioned that even the most expensive Camera wont capture images like I do till you learn how to use it properly. I was then informed that this person had no interest in learning anything more that just pointing a camera and clicking it. They couldn’t be bothered!! Seems somewhere they had heard about the Leica. If they get themselves a Leica would that camera take better pictures than the one they are using now?? My answer maybe just a little. But you will be extremely disappointed that a camera for that price wont feed you and wipe your mouth for you after you take the picture. See the thought process was comparing a Camera to a purchasing a more expensive Car. Once you know how to drive you can drive any kind of a car. I “Tried” to explain it’s like someone who doesn’t drive thinking that they can just jump in a Race Car and Win! It doesn’t work that way. Man!! They were disappointed to say the least. I recommended a different camera. But explaining unless you learn at least a little bit about what makes a picture look better. The Camera itself is Not going to make you a “Better Photographer”!
Shot from the Eiffel Tower Paris, France
As funny as the above conversation is to those that actually understand the Basic Principles of Photography and are also trying to learn how to shoot better. The above question was asked by a person who was walking besides me in a Foreign Country and was getting annoyed that I was putting my camera to face as we were walking and talking. They had asked me how can you have a good time with the camera to your face if you can’t actually see around you? Seriously? This is what he said to me. I then proceeded to explain I see more and feel more than he ever could. I then excused myself and ran ahead because I had seen something to shoot. Came back to join up with the rest and explained that my Adrenaline is pumping. My Excitement is off the board and I am noticing everything around me. Placing the camera to my face takes only a split second. I’m looking at expressions! At Faces! At Light and Shadows! I’m looking at Architecture and People. At Street Signs and Outdoor Cafés!
View from over the Seine from one of the many Bridges. Paris, France
St Marks Square at Sunrise Venice, Italy
Composition! Proper Exposure! Understanding Light and Shadows! Understanding Depth of Field!
If you Do Not Want to Learn then how do you think your Images are going to Improve? It’s Not the Equipment! If you don’t know how to change your exposure shooting information to be able to capture a better picture. Why should a better Camera take better pictures? Do You Know why the pictures look that way? Do you know how to shoot in Manual? Do you understand that shooting a Higher ISO Number will do certain things and what will they change?.
A better camera may have more features. Better capabilities in shooting in low light. But if you don’t understand how to shoot in low light then you can’t ask the camera to do something you don’t know how to do…
The Toy Store Paris, France
I was asked once why would you take a picture of someone you don’t know?
Not4wood's Photography Blog 