Street/PG/Documentary? Or doesn't it matter?

bdcolen

I've just put up a new small gallery in my Personal Work section. It's called Abortion.

Here are two images...




Here are the rest...


Have at it.:rofl

There are also a couple of additional images in the Somalia gallery... (And I have to stress that the color shots are scanned from machine prints, and the black and white are scanned from contact sheets.)

rutt

BD and I have been to the same place. BD's are really good. The difference between real PJ experience and me is that I got scared away because everyone was totally suspicious of me: the demonstrators, the Planned Parenthood guard, and the police. The police actually wrote up an incident report about me: sketchy looking guy with a big camera. I had right to be there and to take pictures, but it's easy to understand why nobody wanted me to. The demonstrators are distrustful of anyone who isn't expressing strong agreement. The Planned Parenthood guard doesn't want anyone taking pictures of patients (I wasn't, but the demonstrators do and post online.) The police just don't want trouble. *Whew*







See my shots from 4 visits this fall here.

rwells

BD,

I've stated before that I don't get nor particularly enjoy street/PJ photography. But, in the years I've spent on this earth, I've learned that sometimes I don't like/appreciate some things because I don't understand them. When I learn more about it, sometimes I develop an appreciation for it.

Given that, let me ask a question or two:

I've read your comments on others street images, generally stating that the image should speak on it's own, without having to rely on a written description to tell its story.

These images that you posted, with the exceptions of the ones where there is a sign in the photo referencing abortion, and that you included in the gallery title the word abortion, don't give me any clue at all about abortion.

I see a woman next to another with photos and a cross in her arms. Is she a street vendor trying to sell these items? Without the written description/clues, how would I know?

The next image, I see a sidewalk with some shadows. How am I supposed to get "abortion" from this?


I would appreciate some insight here, a little edification.

bdcolen

rwells wrote:

BD,

I've stated before that I don't get nor particularly enjoy street/PJ photography. But, in the years I've spent on this earth, I've learned that sometimes I don't like/appreciate some things because I don't understand them. When I learn more about it, sometimes I develop an appreciation for it.

Given that, let me ask a question or two:

I've read your comments on others street images, generally stating that the image should speak on it's own, without having to rely on a written description to tell its story.

These images that you posted, with the exceptions of the ones where there is a sign in the photo referencing abortion, and that you included in the gallery title the word abortion, don't give me any clue at all about abortion.

I see a woman next to another with photos and a cross in her arms. Is she a street vendor trying to sell these items? Without the written description/clues, how would I know?

The next image, I see a sidewalk with some shadows. How am I supposed to get "abortion" from this?


I would appreciate some insight here, a little edification.

First off, you don't have to get "abortion" from these photos - you just have to get something from them other than 'a portrait of a woman,' a 'picture of a man.'

I posted two images - the first you referred to, of the woman, I think is pretty obvious - baby on a cross, barricade in the background, lots of people at the barricade. But, again, as individual images it doesn't matter whether or not you see it as being linked to abortion - I'm going to guess that you are too smart not to look at the image of that woman, and not be able to come up with a story. And 'that's all she wrote.' Same with the other; kneeling people, shadow of a cross, barricade or fence. Do with it what you will.

Also, note that I named the thread "Street/PJ/Documentary? Or doesn't it matter?" Also, note that I said these were two images from a series.

bdcolen

rutt wrote:

BD and I have been to the same place. BD's are really good. The difference between real PJ experience and me is that I got scared away because everyone was totally suspicious of me: the demonstrators, the Planned Parenthood guard, and the police. The police actually wrote up an incident report about me: sketchy looking guy with a big camera. I had right to be there and to take pictures, but it's easy to understand why nobody wanted me to. The demonstrators are distrustful of anyone who isn't expressing strong agreement. The Planned Parenthood guard doesn't want anyone taking pictures of patients (I wasn't, but the demonstrators do and post online.) The police just don't want trouble. *Whew*

Whether or not you - or I - stuck with it, you got some excellent images. (Ironically, the cop is one of the strongest, just as a photo.) You got harassed by the cops; I got harassed by the wannabe cop -


It's just a question of how far you want to push your own envelope.