Daytona Beach - Not Everyone is a Tourist
Daytona
Registered Users Posts: 77 Big grins
Daytona
Registered Users Posts: 77 Big grins
Comments
Where the Money Goes
Yes, I noticed the lady and the trash cans with the beach/bridge and person standing at the waters edge. Honestly, it took me a minute to process what I was seeing vs the title. Once I figured it out I thought the colors were nice but the composition didn't do much for me. I suppose I would have tried to move more to the left along the sidewalk and attempt to eliminate the blue railing that really breaks up what I think you are trying to achieve.
Actaully, it's not a bridge, it's a wall to a motel parking lot along the access road to the beach. The blue is the gate they close at night. (We can drive on the beach here.) But it's the wave design in the gate I wanted. I thought it symbolized the wave of despair this young woman was feeling.
Thank you for taking time to check it out and offer your opinion.
Where the Money Goes
It wasn't a bad idea, but the vantage point was not favorable for a couple of reasons. First, the gate is a huge distraction. I understand why the wave pattern of it might have attracted you, but it looks like there were real waves to be seen at the top. Second, between the ground and the yellow wall, about two thirds of the frame is occupied by concrete. So even though we can see some water, the famous beach doesn't really come through very well. Instead what we see is a faceless person near some garbage cans and surrounded by concrete.
I'm not trying to be harsh, just explaining why I think this one missed the mark. I have no idea whether another vantage point would have worked better, maybe not. I think I would have tried stepping to the left a bit and aiming higher to get more water and less ground. Dunno.
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Thank you for your reply, which I don't find harsh at all. Expressing opinions in a positive, intelligent manner is the best way we can exchange ideas.
To change vantage points, I would have had to get more of her back or front, which would have left out other elements of the photo. Her pose is natural, this is the way I found her, sitting on, or by, everything she owns in life. Her head in her hand with back bent seems to be crumbling under the weight of her situation. The wave on the gate seems to be rolling over her as a representation of that despair. It wasn't meant to (in this photo) represent the waves of the Atlantic. There is less concrete than you might think. The wall is concrete, but she's sitting on the sand covered asphalt side of the street. She is faceless because I would never embarrass a person in her situation by posting an identifiable photo of her on the internet.
I guess, because this wasn't meant to be an artistic photo, I chose elements that others would have avoided. This is a photo that would maybe be better suited to complimenting a story, as opposed to standing on it's own, being the story.
Thanks again for your input. I don't mind constructive criticism at all. (As you can see, I'll debate it, but I do appreciate it.)
Where the Money Goes
You are, of course, entitled to you opinion. However, have you ever heard of Dorothea Lange? She was a famous depression-era photographer who took probably thousands of photos of the homeless and downtrodden people of the time. Documenting the human condition, in all its forms has been around since the beginning of time. Now, the difference is, she sold her works, which I find disturbing, but I have no intention of profiting from this young woman's situation.
As far as being a sitting duck, defenseless, and vulnerable, I think in the midst of this crack epidemic, I’m the least of her worries. I look at it this way – If I can see it, I can photograph it. It’s what I do with the photograph that matters. I’m not being so noble as to think my photograph will in any way change her life for the better, but who knows? Someone might see it and make the effort to reach out and help her, or someone like her.
Personally, I have a problem with taking repetitive snapshot quality photos of people, but that’s just me.
Where the Money Goes
^^ That's a fact based on perception which makes me nervous to post my opinion.
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You state your case well, Dan, and you raise good points. There's a difference, of course, between prize-winning photography of the human condition, photography that elevates the dignity of the person and situation, and voyeuristic, drive-by snaps, and it's often a fine line.
www.SaraPiazza.com - Edgartown News - Trad Diary - Facebook
It's obvious the photo doesn't stand on its own, as I stated above. I guess I see it differently, but if I need to explain what I see and why I see it, it's obviously not making its point on it's own. Yes, I will debate, and explain what I saw and what I like about it, but there are no preconcieved ideas about other's opinions. Just because I don't agree with the opinions, doesn't mean I don't appreciate them. I'm just trying to explain what I see in it and I guess my words are failing as much as the photo.
Where the Money Goes
Thank you. No, I'm not a prize-winning photographer, (yet) but the idea was to show her, and the many like her, plight. Sometimes we get the best of life and sometimes life gets the best of us.
Although I didn't pose her, (as Ms. Lange did her subjects) I posed myself. I think that, unlike most photos which have a main subject which is surrounded by whatever happens to be in the shot, I see each little element as part of the subject. Her positional (is that even a word?) relationship to everything around her means something to me - from the trash cans, which we generally find disgusting, to the tourist on the beach, which represents the other end of the socio-economic ladder. It makes me think, "What little, or large, thing in life sends people in the direction they are headed."
Each one of us could be her, or the tourist. Sometimes all it takes is a little bump to make all the difference in the world. The old saying comes to mind - "There but by the Grace of God, go I."
Where the Money Goes
I appreciate all of your thinking, here, Dan, and understand what you were trying to do. But sometimes our thoughts and our photos don't exactly merge the way we intend for them to do. Happens to me often. Less often than it used to, though. It has been constant work getting my photographs up to speed with my intentions, and practice, and feedback. How to compose, waiting for the right light (light that moves what would be only an ordinary snapshot into the realm of a great photo), daring to get close. And yes, the more you have to use words to explain a picture, sorry - the worse it is. This doesn't mean that all of what it means to you is worthless - hold on to that - it just means that as a photo, it lacks that special something that makes it great.
www.SaraPiazza.com - Edgartown News - Trad Diary - Facebook
Hey welcome to the club of good intentions not meeting end expectations. Not too long ago I posted an image that was taken nearly 5 years ago that I felt was really good of a homeless guy pulling two grocery carts that was taken from behind protecting his dignity. Richard was kind enough to comment that it basically didn't make the cut to which I remarked "this is why I don't normally do much in the way of shooting people". I normally do better shooting more fire related material.
I do see what you where driving at when you shot this however what struck me was the railing being more of the focus. Sometimes it's an issue of trying to get in a better position to get that image and there are other times it's not going to happen. Take heart this is a learning experience every time you power up the camera and having an open mind of trying different things will take you far.
What I'm trying to leave here is when you post an image here your putting work out here there's always an opportunity of learning something new in the way of getting the picture that popped into your mind for everyone else to see. I'm secure enough in what I do not to let the lack of a comment hurt my feelings that it doesn't bother me one way or the other. We go to places & situations everyone else runs from and that's where all the fun is for me. Come to think of it anyone can comment on anything I've posted online and if you believe it's of value to post here let me know.
Well, first, welcome. Second, there are times you can grow old waiting for comment here - and other times you will be knocked down by the rush to comment. Don't sweat it.
As to the image:
In my classes I have a "no bums rule" - no photos of homeless people unless the photo tells us something we may not know, or normally think about. In other words, we all know there are homeless people all around us, so just taking a photo of another sad, drunk, or sober, person leaning up against a wall, or sleeping on the sidewalk, is really just taking a cheap shot. That said, this is a photo of a homeless person that tells us something we may not normally think about - that there are homeless people in 'paradise' as well as in gritty urban areas; that one person's vacation destination may be another person's end of the road. So good catch.
However - as to the image itself...The railing, though it gives us waves, color, etc., is distracting and gets in the way. Your best bet in shooting this would probably have been to swing around to the left, behind the subject, crouching or kneeling down, shooting from as close as you could get to his level, so that the wall would have been the left side of your frame, getting you beach, ocean, and maybe sidewalk.
"He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan
"The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed
Great understanding is broad and unhurried, Little understanding is cramped and busy" ..... Chuang Tsu
Dan, I can dig your work. I see what you are trying to show to us. However, to be candid with you, the way your vision was presented was not that strong. The way I see it, the other members' comments have some merits to it. They are not trying to demean your work or you as a person. They are probably just trying to react based on what they saw on your submitted work. Take it with a grain of salt. We all want to learn here. If you will accept the comments with an open mind there would be lots of opportunities for growth.
I, for one saw the conflicts on some of the elements on your image. However, it did not prevent me from seeing what you are trying to show. The trash bins and the woman who seemed to be in the verge of total despair was there for a reason. Now, for the metal gate, I believe it was more of a distraction than a leading element to the scene.
I played with your image and converted it to b&w. if this is my image, this is how I would probably show it to the public to express my vision.
I hope I did not offend you for editing your work and showing it here. I am just trying to share a point of view. Thank you.
http://imagesbyjirobau.blogspot.com/
Thank you for the welcome, and thank you for the understanding of what I was trying to convey here. Due to the juxtaposition of elements in the photo, moving to the left was not an option without getting more of the trashcans, and the gate would still be visible.
As I was walking over to the beach, (I manage a small motel about 100 yards from this scene) I saw this picture. Actually, it was the wave design in the gate that made me stop and shoot it. I see I'm alone here in my thinking, but to me it represents the "wave of despair" rolling over this woman. It may be bright blue to us, (We like bright colors here in Daytona.) but to her it is black. She is drowning . . . right here in paradise.
I'm not trying to be arguementative. I'm just expressing my view - an exchange of ideas. I don't expect everyone to agree with me, and I'm not trying to change any minds. I'm just saying how I see it.
Thanks again for the input.
Where the Money Goes
Thank you, and no, I'm not offended by your edit. However, from this perspective, she could be in any city, town, or village, that has concrete and trashcans. To me it's just another shot of a homeless person. With the cropping and cloning, it's like one my shots of a full moon - without a forground, we have no idea of where on earth we are seeing it.
Here's my premise: Daytona Beach is the vacation destination of millions of tourists. They come here to play, buy souvenirs, relax, and enjoy life. (That's why I left the pasty white guy on the beach in the photo. lol) She is here to survive - to not freeze at night while sleeping outside.
Please re-edit my photo and tell us more about this woman other than the fact she is alone.
Where the Money Goes
Dan, I might not probably be able to do another edit on this one. There's not much to work around to compose a stronger image. As to your premise, it doesn't speak much to me that it was actually in the famous Daytona beach at all. It's more like a generic location with a beach on the background. Thanks for the invite, though.
http://imagesbyjirobau.blogspot.com/