You tell me...

D'Buggs

I've got strong, emotional ties to this picture and want some outside opinions on it....... PLEASE take a peek and leave me some feedback. Be it one or two words (positive or negative), or an entire scripture - Thanks!

I've titled it; Takin' Care of Business. In hindsight, 'Responsible' would've be fitting too, as the image celebrates both titles equally, depicting something that formerly was,,, Mission Impossible!

Until recently, that is. :thumb


The picture is a TRUE celebration of achievement and I understand that most here won't understand that, or see what the achievement actually is.... Just get a "mind-bend" that something very special is happening here - anyone that would be remotely *close* to this person would immediately "get it".

Noteworthy;

- Nifty-Fifty, set to f2.8 @ 1/15th sec's. ISO 640.
- Pic was anticipated but not posed in any way.
- I cropped some from the left (~18-20%) and a little from the top (maintaining aspect ratio).
- RAW conversion, some HC sharpening, a bit of burning.... Nothin' super big.


My goal here was to come up with an image that depicted the character of the subject whilst carrying out his obligations. The individuals personality (my summation's) would be both, crass and charming, with a ton of impulsiveness tossed into the mix (very BIG and dynamic). The contrasty B&W coupled with the slow shutter speed and big apeture, helps convey this IMO.... I'm trying to see the world through his eyes. Can you???

Remember?
I told ya I had strong ties to this photo. :rofl







Thanks for looking!
Now care to share.....

D'Buggs

Thread doesn't do it justice. It BEGS to be blown.

At 12x18, the pic draws you in. As you get nearer, the fuzziness gets clearer and clearer. Then just when you expect to see 'crisp' (~ 12 or 14 inches away), it starts falling apart again. Kinda like a "GOTCHYA".... Which, again, is this guy.


Pretty cool, but I guess you'll hafta come over for a viewing.

Mav

D'Buggs wrote:

Thread doesn't do it justice. It BEGS to be blown.

At 12x18, the pic draws you in. As you get nearer, the fuzziness gets clearer and clearer. Then just when you expect to see 'crisp' (~ 12 or 14 inches away), it starts falling apart again. Kinda like a "GOTCHYA".... Which, again, is this guy.


Pretty cool, but I guess you'll hafta come over for a viewing.

I kinda see what you're saying here - at first, I was not enjoying the blurriness... and now I can't decide if I can get past and like it... or if it's still too damn fuzzy! So in the sense that it makes me keep looking, it must be an interesting pic

Swartzy

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The shot from a photographic standpoint is what it is....now that's not to say anything positive or negative about the "value" of the shot...that is a completely different matter. There are typically stories behind the scenes of a captured moment in time....one can only assume this is one of them. Why this is so special to you and others close to you is your insight. Why is this special to those out of the loop?...and one can only assume that your reason for posting it here is to receive photographic feedback.

As a photo, it's a toss. For all the other reasons, it will never be.

Gringriff

Obviously I am not an expert in this area so please don't get offended I just want to add my own subjective observations.

This is hard for me. I see so much street photography that has motion blur and/or camera shake and I am just not sure why that is so appealing.

In this case I really think there may be a story that is so much bigger, more fascinating, and more heart warming than just this photo. Not knowing the man, his circumstances or the town this just does not do a whole lot for me.

I assume you could have raised the ISO, increased the AV, and got a faster shutter speed but perhaps your intent here was not to get a crisp shot.

I do have old blurry, faded, not the best photos of uncles, aunts, and grandparents that I cherish but would never call great photos. So that is why it is hard to critic something like this.

Either way thanks for posting - this gave me reason to stop and think and remember this morning.

Andy

D'Buggs

Swartzy wrote:

Beauty

As a photo, it's a toss. For all the other reasons, it will never be.

EggZactly!!!

But as the saying goes; One mans garbage is another mans gold.


This isn't a piece that one would expect strangers to like/accept, or to display on their own wall. And in no means am I saying that everyone here needs too. In respect to posting it here, it's done so with keeping in mind that all things beautiful, don't need to be beautiful things and that beauty is more than skin deep.

On the surface, it's as nik would say; Crap Sandwich. But to those that are "in the loop", it's a highly desired image. At the end of the day, to me,,, that's what matters - You don't need to conform to "rules". You don't need big breasted, smoother skinned red heads, blonde's, brunettes.... Whatchya need is heart and desire.

The shot was extremely planned out (the lead up time was nearly unthinkable) with a desire of capturing the persons essence and achievements - Something that is far, far from being a fashion piece but none-the-less, still a piece of art.... A piece of art that likely won't allow me to retire tomorrow, but one that is still priceless.

I challenge photogs to get out there and seriously work with people that have mental handicaps - If you do, be prepared to be humbled, be prepared to be challenged, and be prepared to grow..... It's literally a mind-bending experience!

D'Buggs

Gringriff wrote:

Obviously I am not an expert in this area so please don't get offended I just want to add my own subjective observations.

This is hard for me. I see so much street photography that has motion blur and/or camera shake and I am just not sure why that is so appealing.

In this case I really think there may be a story that is so much bigger, more fascinating, and more heart warming than just this photo. Not knowing the man, his circumstances or the town this just does not do a whole lot for me.

I assume you could have raised the ISO, increased the AV, and got a faster shutter speed but perhaps your intent here was not to get a crisp shot.

I do have old blurry, faded, not the best photos of uncles, aunts, and grandparents that I cherish but would never call great photos. So that is why it is hard to critic something like this.

Either way thanks for posting - this gave me reason to stop and think and remember this morning.

Andy

Re; Fuzzy.

Think (clinical) A.D.D and think (again, clinical) O.C.D. Then think what the 2 added together equal...... Then take that result and toss in some problem solving. What does that now equal?

I tried and keep getting "fuzzy" as the answer.


Also, this really isn't a "Street" scene. IMO those are more candid, whereas this is definately not.

thoth

D'Buggs wrote:

I've got strong, emotional ties to this picture and want some outside opinions on it....... PLEASE take a peek and leave me some feedback. Be it one or two words (positive or negative), or an entire scripture - Thanks!

I've titled it; Takin' Care of Business. In hindsight, 'Responsible' would've be fitting too, as the image celebrates both titles equally, depicting something that formerly was,,, Mission Impossible!

Until recently, that is.


The picture is a TRUE celebration of achievement and I understand that most here won't understand that, or see what the achievement actually is.... Just get a "mind-bend" that something very special is happening here - anyone that would be remotely *close* to this person would immediately "get it".

Noteworthy;

- Nifty-Fifty, set to f2.8 @ 1/15th sec's. ISO 640.
- Pic was anticipated but not posed in any way.
- I cropped some from the left (~18-20%) and a little from the top (maintaining aspect ratio).
- RAW conversion, some HC sharpening, a bit of burning.... Nothin' super big.


My goal here was to come up with an image that depicted the character of the subject whilst carrying out his obligations. The individuals personality (my summation's) would be both, crass and charming, with a ton of impulsiveness tossed into the mix (very BIG and dynamic). The contrasty B&W coupled with the slow shutter speed and big apeture, helps convey this IMO.... I'm trying to see the world through his eyes. Can you???

Remember?
I told ya I had strong ties to this photo.







Thanks for looking!
Now care to share.....

I would recommend two things.

First, consider requesting the movement of this photo to the street forum as they are your target audience with a shot like this. Everyone feels strongly about particular types of photography and this type of work is a hard sale in the People forum.

Second, do not explain the shot away. Ambiguity is the key to successful street photography and a detailed explanation of your equipment, motives and subjects are rarely of any benefit to the final product. Street photography is very subjective and, even within the genre, you will find many who like and many who do not. One very common agreement, however, is that the photo should speak for itself. If it doesn't, it likely doesn't work (excluding, of course, documentary and PJ work).

That said, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the amount of blur in this photo. After reading your explanation (which I wouldn't have done had I known there was a 'street' photo coming) I am at a loss in providing an unbiased critique. Put it in front of those street forum folks and you'll get all you can handle, though.

thoth

D'Buggs wrote:

Also, this really isn't a "Street" scene. IMO those are more candid, whereas this is definately not.

Predicting the behavior of your subjects is what street shooting is all about. This is no less street, or candid if you prefer, than anything else with that label.

D'Buggs

thoth wrote:

Predicting the behavior of your subjects is what street shooting is all about. This is no less street, or candid if you prefer, than anything else with that label.

Ya know,,,,, I originally made this thread up in the PJ and Street forum pretty much as you stated, then thought against it when it came time to hit the submit button.

I ended up putting it here as a portrait of a person that society, generally and happily passes by because of the difficulties that are associated. Everyone wants (or thinks) they need to capture their subjects in their best light, best dress and so on. IMO it's sometimes more important to go beyond the superficial and think "out of the box". In this particular instance, it was a no-brainer for me.

If I were to put this in PJ/Street, it would be uncropped as there's more elements that would favour that genre. In this edit, I elected to remove them and put more emphasis on the subject, making it more personal for the intended recipients.

WTS. I do see the uncropped version hitting the Street Page sometime,,, maybe, it's hard to tell. Most people associate mental handicaps with disfigurement (why, I haven't a clue, probably press) -Pretty tough to convey that without text, for this particular person - No one 'picks-up' on it until after speaking with him for a spell, ie; Getting to know him.

thoth

D'Buggs wrote:

If I were to put this in PJ/Street, it would be uncropped as there's more elements that would favour that genre. In this edit, I elected to remove them and put more emphasis on the subject, making it more personal for the intended recipients.

WTS. I do see the uncropped version hitting the Street Page sometime,,, maybe, it's hard to tell. Most people associate mental handicaps with disfigurement (why, I haven't a clue, probably press) -Pretty tough to convey that without text, for this particular person - No one 'picks-up' on it until after speaking with him for a spell, ie; Getting to know him.

If anything, I would suggest that a tighter crop would better suit the image than a larger one. Though surroundings are frequently important in street photography, anything goes (except, maybe, heavy processing) when it comes to portraying the subject in the correct light. The blur in this photo is very important to how the viewer interprets the subject. More bushes, or a street sign, is not going to make it or break it. Remember that candid photography is about people. Information in the scene should only be used if it helps tell their story.

Describing a person with a single photo is hard work, and not always possible. Sometimes it's equally satisfying to show the user the person and their world. In that light, this photo works. I don't have to know that he's handicapped in order to understand he's walking his own beat.

D'Buggs

Here's a thought;

We've ALL had clients look a shots from a shoot and emphaticly exclaim that they just 'have' to have "this one".... And we think its C R A P. What I intentionaly done here was to go for the 'crap' that would be apprecited.

Does that make sense???


Like I said; Out of the Box.

thoth

D'Buggs wrote:

Does that make sense???

Exploring our boundaries, and new ways of getting our messages out, always makes sense. It's great that you're creating new opportunities with your work.

RBrogen

I think I get what you were going for (but I may be way off base). The assumption that a situation at the moment the shutter clicks is based on what we perceive as normalcy is misplaced.

My initial thought, having seen your work over a period of time (and before reading in detail your explanation) was that this was an intentional result. After thinking about it, my scenario would be that the person in the shot has overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to be at that place at that moment traveling to a goal. The odds were perhaps a disability of the mind and body which caused the subjects perspective to be difficult to comprehend without some significant thought. Seeing the pack that is strapped over the subjects neck and hanging on his right side makes me think that perhaps it is some type of insulin delivery or other medical device that is allowing the subject to make this highly anticipated journey. Perhaps the documents in the subjects hand are results of a test that have given him a new lease on life.

One can only superimpose their own experiences on an image like this and draw their own conclusions about the story. My story is one of triumph over great odds and a renewed sense of how powerful the human spirit can be.

Thanks for sharing...just my thoughts.

Macushla

Do you have any where his face is clear that you could photo merge? I think maybe if everything around him were blurry and just his face (like his true self) were sharp/present in this accomplishment it might work better for me.

andersmi24

I don't really get the importance of this photo, and if you need all those words to convey its importance, then I don't think it is successful. The blurriness detracts from the end result even if you can explain why it might convey something.

Justiceiro

A Photograph is a tool for transmitting information. Whether it is good or bad, successful or unsuccessful, depends entirely on whether it works. And some times it works for some viewers, and not for others. Thus the experience you talked about where your clients pick something you think is crap as the 'hang on the wall' photo. Your criteria are not necessarily the same as theirs.

So I guess you could say that a photo works or doesn't work depending on its audience; that being said, larger aesthetic principles typically inform all audiences' gaze.

So, sorry to let you down, but this photo fails for viewers like me. Or, I would imagine, viewers that don't personally know who this is and what they are doing. A group that includes, probably, just about everybody. Frankly, it took me a while, even with the commentary, to get a rough idea of what is going on. And it is still the roughest of ideas. Nothing in the photo tells a story, without the addition of an independent non-visual narrative. Which is fine, but doesn't rise, in my opinion, to the level of great photography.

On an aesthetic level, the level that might appeal to non-initiates, the photo doesn't do anything for me.

D'Buggs

RBrogen wrote:

I think I get what you were going for (but I may be way off base). The assumption that a situation at the moment the shutter clicks is based on what we perceive as normalcy is misplaced.

My initial thought, having seen your work over a period of time (and before reading in detail your explanation) was that this was an intentional result. After thinking about it, my scenario would be that the person in the shot has overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to be at that place at that moment traveling to a goal. The odds were perhaps a disability of the mind and body which caused the subjects perspective to be difficult to comprehend without some significant thought.

BINGO!

Perhaps I should've re-worded my op, but I NEED to be very cautious of confidentiality issues. But as is, it was fun.


- The value of this photo is intended for a 'select audience' that are, "in the loop" of persons dealing with mental disabilities.
- The theme for the photo is "Achievement" and "Community".
- The photo, if accepted, will be in various news letters and/or displayed at Local Community Events that celebrate this portion of our public, in hopes of better acceptance and integration, or it might hang on an "Inspiration Wall", of sorts (various Public Campaigns).
- And, of course,,,, don't forget the Loved One's.


A *lot* of this type of work depicts *big, happy, bubbly smiles* that are engaged in hangin' out at malls and parks, or doing some type of crafts project together - Predictable, boring and safe IMO (pretty shtick)... I wanted something "deeper", yet still conveyed the theme. I also didn't want the typical 'partay' shot that when viewed, really has no meaning other than the fact,,,, EVERYONE likes to Hang-n-Chill!!! (really, who doesn't?).

My picture captures a person (independently, I add) picking up mail as a favour, for an absent neighbour. Then bringing it home for safe keeping... A task that he's very proud of doing but took tremendous effort in learning and accomplishing it safely (aprox. 2 years time).

People with mental disabilities run a wide and broad gamut; some are generally happy folk that can deal with tasks quite well. Others, not so, and generally get 'gleaned over', because of the difficulties associated in tasking. The task that my subject is performing seems pretty simple; Unless you're able to look DEEP within him, one can't comprehend the devotion and thought that is being required, to; walk down the street, cross the road, collect, and then safely return home.... There's a TON of distractions in the process, not to metion, hazards.

The task HAS to be nearly unthinkable for this person, requiring a tremendous amount of *focus* - Hence my intentions of trying to capture what it would be like, "seeing it" through his eyes.

Now a lot of the details are lost unless viewed larger but in the 12x18, the subject is 'the best' in focus, as is the newspaper he's holding and clearly stands out from his surroundings. I also wanted to convey motion and am very happy with the outcome. IMO the shot 'captures' and 'holds' the viewer but DOES leave him/her wondering "WTF is goin on here?" Much like what runs through the mind of the person in the picture, while trying to accomplish what is seemingly SIMPLE to a lot that would take it for granted.

The photo was a planned outcome that garnered ZERO compliance from the subject.... There would be no direction, no nadda. And I knew goin' in; it wasn't going to be an easy task, either.


In the end, I guess,,,, take the thread and try to look beyond the surface.... Shtick is safe, but sometimes its nice to get out of the box and stretch your legs!. .


And I emphatically thank all of whom chose to participate. It's all appreciated.