Engaging the subject

Ted Szukalski · August 3, 2006

Trying yet another technique today. This series of photographs tries to engage the subject of the photograph and at the same time preserve the street capture element.

Click on the links or the thumbnails to see full photographs.
Camera Crew

Cigarette Break odd one out this is about being the invisible photographer

Stop AIDS Now

Turning Heads

devbobo · August 3, 2006

Hi Ted,

A great series of street shots. Are you in Melbourne at the moment ?

Cheers,

David

Ted Szukalski · August 3, 2006

I work in Sydney, but live a bit north of it.

devbobo wrote:

Hi Ted,

A great series of street shots. Are you in Melbourne at the moment ?

Cheers,

David

devbobo · August 3, 2006

Ted Szukalski wrote:

I work in Sydney, but live a bit north of it.

Yeah I realise you live in Sydney, a couple of the shots kinda looked like Melbourne and the Myer signs made me think that.

Seefutlung · August 3, 2006

Hey Ted-

Interesting photos. The last is my fav. It seems (probably my monitor) that the skin tones are a bit muddy (gray needing a bit more contrast).

Your photos reminded me of similar (engaging the subjects) snaps I took during the 70s.

http://www.garyayala.smugmug.com/gallery/665480

Gary

PS- Really enjoying your work ... the blur of the leg with the sharp girl is classic.
G

Ted Szukalski · August 3, 2006

Thanks Gary. It was a very dark photo - I'm still yet to get an external flash and you cannot use the internal one with a lens like 12-24. (results in a round shadow on every photo)

Seefutlung wrote:

Hey Ted-

Interesting photos. The last is my fav. It seems (probably my monitor) that the skin tones are a bit muddy (gray needing a bit more contrast).

Your photos reminded me of similar (engaging the subjects) snaps I took during the 70s.

http://www.garyayala.smugmug.com/gallery/665480

Gary

PS- Really enjoying your work ... the blur of the leg with the sharp girl is classic.
G

wxwax · August 3, 2006

The fourth one works really well. The blur, the guy looking at her, her expression, all very nice.

The second one's close, I really like the compo.

The first feels like a snapshot. And in the third, the gawker and the head popping out of his shoulder ruin it for me.

Ted Szukalski · August 3, 2006

2 & 4 are my favourite too. I was very lucky timing wise with that 4th shot.

1st shot was hard to take because of the very busy walkway. The guys were doing pretty much the same things as I was - engaging the public. This however, was not a set up shot - they simply acknowledged me photographing them.

The charity worker was about something else. Have you walked through a mall and came across these people? They are strategically position so it is hard to pass them by without being engaged by them. His position and cut off legs are all purposeful to give this impression - "I will talk to you, you have to pass by me". In situations like that it is difficult to do an "arranged" shot and not get the gawkers as you call them.

wxwax wrote:

The fourth one works really well. The blur, the guy looking at her, her expression, all very nice.

The second one's close, I really like the compo.

The first feels like a snapshot. And in the third, the gawker and the head popping out of his shoulder ruin it for me.

photofreak · August 6, 2006

I wanted to comment on this one. This speaks to me. In the US, there are more and more places where smoking is prohibited. I, myself am not a smoker, my husband is. The smoker has almost become the outcast...who am I kidding, the smoker is the outcast, anymore. I think this image says it all. The guy in the corner, by himself, smoking while others are at a great distance.
Just an observation...
Mandi
BTW...I like all the shots.

System · August 7, 2006

photofreak wrote:

I wanted to comment on this one. This speaks to me. In the US, there are more and more places where smoking is prohibited. I, myself am not a smoker, my husband is. The smoker has almost become the outcast...who am I kidding, the smoker is the outcast, anymore. I think this image says it all. The guy in the corner, by himself, smoking while others are at a great distance.
Just an observation...
Mandi
BTW...I like all the shots.

What's even more amazing to me is that smokers and smoking were so easily woven into the fabric of the culture as acceptable. Brilliant marketing 101.

Andyman · August 7, 2006

The last one is great because of the guy behind her's backwards glance.

Ted Szukalski · August 7, 2006

Thanks Andy, I didn't even have the time to thank the man for making it special ;-)

Andyman wrote:

The last one is great because of the guy behind her's backwards glance.

Ted Szukalski · August 7, 2006

Truth and Photogreek,
I do not smoke but have a reason to hate the habbit: I've lost my grandfather to it and now my father is dying curtesy of the "smoke". Yet, as you can see in quite a few of my photos many people still smoke, especially young girls.

truth wrote:

What's even more amazing to me is that smokers and smoking were so easily woven into the fabric of the culture as acceptable. Brilliant marketing 101.

Engaging the subject

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