Artist at work

TonyCooperTonyCooper Registered Users Posts: 2,276 Major grins
edited January 3, 2013 in Street and Documentary
2012-12-20-15B-XL.jpg
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
http://tonycooper.smugmug.com/

Comments

  • bfjrbfjr Registered Users Posts: 10,980 Major grins
    edited December 21, 2012
    I would of liked to see more of the Artist and less Art.
    I will admit that when I see these I'm always tempted to capture as well.
    Benjamin
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  • TonyCooperTonyCooper Registered Users Posts: 2,276 Major grins
    edited December 21, 2012
    bfjr wrote: »
    I would of liked to see more of the Artist and less Art.
    I will admit that when I see these I'm always tempted to capture as well.

    I agree, but how do you do that?

    If you have the artist face you, he's not painting. I could have asked him to
    turn around, but it didn't seem right to bother him. We did discuss various
    projects, but he kept working as he talked.
    Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
    http://tonycooper.smugmug.com/
  • bfjrbfjr Registered Users Posts: 10,980 Major grins
    edited December 21, 2012
    TonyCooper wrote: »
    IWe did discuss various
    projects, but he kept working as he talked.

    Right then Tony, Right There.
    Benjamin
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  • michswissmichswiss Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 2,235 Major grins
    edited December 23, 2012
    Ben's right. Once you're engaged and he understands you as a photographer, the shots should be happening as you chat. But it needs to be something comfortable for both of you. That's when the good ones come.
  • joshhuntnmjoshhuntnm Registered Users Posts: 1,924 Major grins
    edited December 23, 2012
    bfjr wrote: »
    I would of liked to see more of the Artist and less Art.
    I will admit that when I see these I'm always tempted to capture as well.

    yeah, I'd like to see some experiments with various crops.
    Josh
    Las Cruces Photographer / Las Cruces Wedding Photographer
    Other site
  • TonyCooperTonyCooper Registered Users Posts: 2,276 Major grins
    edited December 23, 2012
    michswiss wrote: »
    Ben's right. Once you're engaged and he understands you as a photographer, the shots should be happening as you chat. But it needs to be something comfortable for both of you. That's when the good ones come.

    I don't think you understood my comment. We chatted, but he never stopped spraying. He never turned to face me. He knew I was photographing because we talked about my photographs of some spray art in Miami he'd done.
    Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
    http://tonycooper.smugmug.com/
  • PhotoDavid78PhotoDavid78 Registered Users Posts: 939 Major grins
    edited December 24, 2012
    Since he is a graffiti artist I think it is perfectly acceptable to show the graffiti
    David Weiss | Canon 5D Mark III | FujiFilm XT-4 | iPhone
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  • jpope42jpope42 Registered Users Posts: 150 Major grins
    edited December 25, 2012
    I agree, and with this guy the fact he didn't turn while you talked is part of the story. Besides, Graffiti Art is my favorite (can you tell?)
    jim pope
    www.borrowedlightphotography.com
  • sweet carolinesweet caroline Registered Users Posts: 1,589 Major grins
    edited January 2, 2013
    You could have still gotten closer and chosen some different angles. I work with kids at school a lot, so I'm familiar with capturing artists at work, math at the board, etc. The shots I usually like the most are nearly profile and show both art and artist. This one is more from the artist's back than from the side. I do like his shadow and think a tighter crop that focuses more on him and his current work would work well.
  • M38A1M38A1 Registered Users Posts: 1,317 Major grins
    edited January 2, 2013
    Did you use a clarify type tool over the top part of the text "wolves kill sheep"? I can't figure out how spray paint can go from wide to narrow.

    I'll have to admit, your shot got me thinking about about an area of town we have where the 'artists' abound. Used to be an old condo project that never got off the ground and the artsy folks have sort of taken it over without city interference. Makes for some fun sets, or now I'll have to try shooting the artists doing their stuff.

    .
  • MolsondogMolsondog Registered Users Posts: 159 Major grins
    edited January 2, 2013
    This situation has a lot of potential. The artist himself has a lot to say - baggy pants, paint on the clothes, etc. The work itself is nice but not spectacular. I agree with the posters who say that it would be more interesting if the artist made eye contact with the camera.

    Perhaps next time, more of the artist and less of the art.

    Also, the centered subject from a distance doesn't work for me.

    If I were you, I would make another visit to the site and engage him or others again. I'd be looking forward to seeing the results.
  • TonyCooperTonyCooper Registered Users Posts: 2,276 Major grins
    edited January 3, 2013
    M38A1 wrote: »
    Did you use a clarify type tool over the top part of the text "wolves kill sheep"? I can't figure out how spray paint can go from wide to narrow.

    I'll have to admit, your shot got me thinking about about an area of town we have where the 'artists' abound. Used to be an old condo project that never got off the ground and the artsy folks have sort of taken it over without city interference. Makes for some fun sets, or now I'll have to try shooting the artists doing their stuff.

    .

    No, I made no adjustments in any way to any part of the image.
    That particular wall is painted over periodically so new artists can
    add new painting. If you look closely at parts of the wall in the
    upper center and upper left you will see old paint showing through
    new paint.

    This area is an on-going project for graffiti artists with the permission
    of the city. The idea is to give graffiti artists a place to do their
    thing without defacing private property. There are several buildings,
    but space eventually runs out so the city paints over the wall so
    new work can be done. It's one of the few places around where a
    guy can spray paint art on a wall in broad daylight with a cop watching
    and not be disturbed.

    As far as the comments about getting the painter's face in the image,
    my intent was to show an artist working, not an artist as a person.
    Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
    http://tonycooper.smugmug.com/
  • TonyCooperTonyCooper Registered Users Posts: 2,276 Major grins
    edited January 3, 2013
    Molsondog wrote: »
    This situation has a lot of potential. The artist himself has a lot to say - baggy pants, paint on the clothes, etc. The work itself is nice but not spectacular. I agree with the posters who say that it would be more interesting if the artist made eye contact with the camera.

    Perhaps next time, more of the artist and less of the art.

    Also, the centered subject from a distance doesn't work for me.

    If I were you, I would make another visit to the site and engage him or others again. I'd be looking forward to seeing the results.

    I've made several visits. Sometimes I photograph the art, and sometimes
    I photograph people with the art as a background. In this one (which was
    taken around the corner of the building), I photographed a photographer
    using the art as a background. I cropped out most of the art here because
    the art was incidental to the subjects.

    2012-08-10-01-XL.jpg
    Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
    http://tonycooper.smugmug.com/
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