Tilt

So, I was about to leave work for the evening and saw the light shining in from the west here. I continued on towards the elevators, then thought I should go back and grab a shot. Took the shot, and as I was taking a second, a co-worker magically appeared (below). With the body in there, it showed the importance of having a focal point in a photograph.

But, then when I started to edit the shot, I mistakenly twisted it a bit too much, adding a tilt to the picture. It kind of intrigued me, and I think the result made it a bit unique and added a little spice.

Fans of Red

Caught these two street personalities at different times. Both seem to enjoy wearing red clothing. Red clothing from head to toe. And, I can't be totally sure, but I think both have red hair (the older woman is a little hard to read). They are fans of red for sure.

Empty Restaurants

There is something about empty restaurants that appeal to me. There's a certain symmetry to the chairs, place settings, and glasses when they are perfectly arranged. They also present subjects that don't move, which is a nice break from capturing active street scenes. There is time to compose.

Here is a selection of street dining establishments that are have no people:

I'm Engaged!

There is a photographic concept called the "Decisive Moment" that originated with the photography of Henri-Cartier Bresson. It implies you have taken the shot at the exact right instance. Sometimes decisive moment shots are due to careful planning and a lot of waiting for that moment to come along. Sometimes, they are just dumb luck and the coincidence of good timing or being at the right place at the right time.

The shot below could be classified as a decisive moment shot from the right place, right time category. You do, however, need to be prepared with the camera ready for that coincidentally time when it does occur (which is not a minor thing).

The woman on the right, was showing off a good sized diamond ring to some friends on the street. Presumably this is an engagement ring and she's getting married. I'm sure the excitement of showing the ring, and this period in her life, will be one she always remembers. You can see the happiness on her face.

I was pre-armed with my camera as the scene unfolded with that perfect timing. I took about five pictures. I thought the guy in the rear was noticing that I was taking the shots, but looking at others in the series, he seemed to actually be watching the ring presentation also.

It does seem to be a ring worth showing off, this is as close as I could get to it from blowing up the scene.
By the way, this picture was taken on Maiden Lane. I thought that was a rather interesting coincidence. I just looked up the dictionary definition of maiden, and it says, " an unmarried girl or woman" (or also "virgin"). I would add that as back story element to the decisive moment.

Creating Art

Interpreting and appreciating art is a personal experience. What one person may love, another may dislike, or "not get". When I post my pictures on the flickr website, I get immediate feedback and it allows me to ponder what others might see in the pictures. While I only post pictures that I think have some merit, sometimes the reaction is out of synch with my own opinion of the shot.

Here's what I'm reacting to... last week in a poring rain storm I parked myself underneath a building portico and took a lot of pictures of wet people. Since it was dark, I used a high ISO, this meant that the pictures would be brighter but also grainier. Here is the picture that I started working with. Not a great picture, but with some post-processing, it looked to have some potential.

The main appeal to me in the composition was the positioning of the cab turning onto Park Row. So, I cropped it and straightened it. It was OK, but nothing special to me. So, I started playing around with some of the values in Lightroom, a tool I use to manage my photo library. I finally settled on posting this version of the picture.

I thought it was good, and fairly interesting, but those on flickr responded in a way that was out of synch with how I saw the picture. They made it by marking it with the most "favorites" of any picture I have ever put up there, and in the shortest amount of time. As a matter of fact, when I saw it online, I wasn't completely happy with it. I was going to replace it with a version that I had worked with before posting it, which was this one.

I do think this one is the best, but I won't replace it since people liked the other one so much. In any case, it is ultimately a creation of art, using only the building blocks of what was there. And, I'm quite happy with that result.

In the end though, while I think it's a very good picture, I do not think it is great. (There are others I've taken that I think are great which have barely gotten a reaction). But that's just what I think, and what do I know, I'm only one person.

Composition

I was heading to the steps of Federal Hall overlooking the Stock Exchange building to sit outside and have the lunch I purchased from a street vendor. This is a great place to be outside and people watch the stock brokers, tourists, fashionistos, etc. below on Wall Street.

Federal Hall is a quite historic building. George Washington was inaugurated as first president of the US on the balcony of the original version of this building on the same spot. It is now mostly a museum. As I approached, I walked past the back of the building and saw these guys.

My camera was with me, but I had my hands were full. I thought about whether I wanted to go through the effort to drag it out and get the shot. I walked on. Half a block later, I turned back, thinking about how perfectly they were aligned. The columns, the angle of the steps, the way they were sitting were all so nicely arranged.

I put down my lunch in the middle of the road and started shooting. Since the building is a national monument, it is a frequent target of pictures. I had no problem aiming at the top of the building, then dropping, reframing and snapping these guys undetected.

This was the most interesting. A shot I call, "And It's Only Lunch Time". This guy looks like he's had a hard day.

Laughter

Laughing people... it's as if they have been captured by a spirit. They spasm in delight and are great photographic subjects. There's a reason photographers pose people with smiles. They look good. But, if they are laughing, they make YOU feel good. Here are some laughing shots I gathered. This one is called "You're a Riot!"

These two girls were escaping the rain, but were engaged in a "Laughter Dance".

And, this guy is not laughing, but for some reason he was just so damn happy. He is a superhero. He is "Happyman".

Instant Clicks

When I'm out photographing, after preparing the camera to take pictures (pre-setting exposure, focus, etc.), I find I become hyper-aware of what's going on around me. Scanning the activities to see what might be a worthwhile subject.

Rarely, maybe once a month, a glance in a direction will show a perfectly setup scene. Perfectly composed, perfect mood, perfect expression. Since I'm ready, I can grab it in a second.

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to have two of these instant clicks. These are them:

I was across the street and looked over between cars and saw this. Not only was his pose well positioned, but the neon sign is a really nice element above it. A mood comes through that was all put together.

I was passing by an office building and found her standing like this enjoying a smoke. Almost as if she was a model. The diagonal beam is a nice secondary element. I got one shot and that was it.

Text and Ticket

I noticed this guy's relaxed pose as he sat in the back of the beer truck. He was supported by boxes of imported beer... Xingu Black beer from Brazil, Stella Artois from Belgium, Peroni Italian beer. He was most interested in what he was texting, completely absorbed.

I took a couple of shots, and went on my way, looking for other subjects on his side of the street. When I got to the front of the truck, a policeman was just finishing writing a ticket. He then placed it on the windshield of the illegal parked vehicle. The texter never knew what hit him.

I suspect the texter was not really responsible for the legality of the park (he looked too young to drive). He's probably the muscle who moved the beer. Still, I'm sure he will be held responsible. "What the hell were you doing while I was gone?!!!" Uh.... texting .

Posers

There are those who hate to be photographed. But there are also the attention seeking posers, who want nothing more than to have their picture taken. They dress boldly or provocatively, they know how to position themselves for the best picture. Since I focus on candid shots, I do not like to reward this kind of behavior (unless it's at Disney World).

However, standing at the end of Wall Street, this guy knew how to take advantage of the large number of tourists there. I guess he was making some kind of political statement about the bailouts and he was standing in front of a Brinks armored car. I'm not sure really what the point was. Actually I think the point was to get his picture taken, rather than anything else more meaningful.

So, I took a few of him from the side, so he wouldn't pose for me, but in the end I just couldn't resist letting him turn on the whole personality for me (even though I hate myself for it).

No Big Deal

Looking out of the window of a conference room while a meeting took place, the Manhattan Bridge looked like this. I ran for my camera, but didn't have my larger zoom lens with me. So, the close up here is cropped down from my many megapixels.

It looked like a rather major event to those of us in the room. The flames actually got twice as high as shown here. But, seemingly there was not much concern. Fire trucks showed up maybe 30 minutes later. And, then after 45 minutes, I got a text message from the New York City emergency response system that said there was a fire on a tractor trailer on the bridge.

I googled it today and didn't find much news about it. Guess it was no big deal.

Revolving Door

So... I was intrigued by this chrome revolving door. In particular, I thought the painting behind would provide a colorful contrast to the shiny motion of the door. I positioned myself appropriately, preset my camera and waited for people to come through.

I was looking for someone distinctive to exit. At first, there seemed to be mostly nondescript slobby people. Then, a businessman came by after a while.

I practiced as people walked in and out, timing their locations within the doors, and kept waiting and snapping, then caught these women. While I was focused on the front woman, the second woman's abstract look made the picture a bit more interesting. Sometimes, something you don't think about when shooting becomes the key to a photo.

I was fairly satisfied with this but kept waiting for other subjects, when I saw a man in a blue official-looking suit come towards me. I knew what was coming, he was security for the building. I calmly smiled. He told me not to take pictures of the building. Having studied up on my rights, I know I legally am permitted to take pictures of anything that is in visible sight from the street. I explained to him that this was not illegal. He didn't fight me, but he asked me again to "desist". I had already taken about 20 shots or so, and wasn't looking for an argument. I told him I would stop and put my camera down. He didn't leave. I realize he wouldn't leave until I left. So, I left, as my mission was accomplished.

Parking Flag Man

His job is to act such as honey is to bees, serving as a sentry to attract cars to his employer's parking garage. He stands in the street and waves his flag, like a matador. It's a tougher job now, as part of the street is under construction and there is less traffic. But, his flag continues in constant but slow motion, like the minimal wave of a beauty queen paced for endurance.

He braces himself against the construction barrier, and does the best he can to conserve energy for his hours on the street. Generally unseen and faceless, except for his flag.

Barber Synchronicity

I was out for lunch and found myself sitting at a counter against a glass window looking out to the street. Across the narrow street was a jewelry store, a newsstand, and then a barber shop. I had a bird's eye view to people watch and observe the activity in the stores while I ate a burrito.
The barber shop in particular was intriguing. It was up a few steps and I could see directly in and watch the chatty barbers at work. I came to notice that the two barbers worked in a synchronous manner. The two worked from behind simultaneously, worked from the side simultaneously. I'm sure they worked together for years and knew each others patterns and moves.

Here they are working from behind:
Here they are working from the side (both patrons don't really looking like they need much of a haircut).

Untitled

I run a regular pattern of taking photographs (primarily on the streets of Manhattan), editing them, then posting them either in the StreetObservations.com blog or to my Flickr gallery.

Part of the editing process is adding keywords, maybe geotagging them, occasionally a caption (although a blog provides plenty of room as an alternative) and also adding a title. To me, the title is almost as important as the photograph itself.

I took this picture one day overlooking a subway entrance. I noticed these two guys talking expressively.
I really love the elements of the picture. Besides the conversation as the focal point, the speed and activity of the street is lively. The framing is nicely balanced, there is expression, the focus is nice with a short depth of field ("bokeh").

The final element I needed was the title. Something clever... a pun or thought bubble... usually works well. Alliteration or rhymes count. Or just a reference to what is happening. Some photographers don't bother to title their pictures, but I think that is a cop out and is lazy. Unless captioned, you leave the viewer in the dark as to what you saw in the shot.

I drew a blank on a title for this shot... sometimes you can look around the picture for a sign in the background (many times these can be ironic or perfectly caption the scene). In this case, the obvious sign is: "Skoal, only $5". That would be acceptable as a title in a pinch, but it means nothing in relation to the shot. Another idea was "You're Out", which is a reference to the gesture from the guy on the right, like an umpire in baseball. That also doesn't relate though. Others considered were "Quitting Time", "Subway Conversation", "Intense Conversation", "You're Fired". None of them made sense to me. So, I just kept it on my list.

Now, I'd like to get it out there. So, the title I will stick with is "Untitled", since it incorporates my back story.

USA, Page 17

Tourists in NY City. They clog the streets while the regulars need to scurry off to their destinations. But, they are experiencing something new and unique. They are taking part in life.

This picture pretty much sums it all up.

I love her wide-eyed look. She marvels at the big buildings, and the activity. He is in charge of the tour aspects of the trip, which are many and a logistical challenge. He's trying to figure out what is next and where it is.

They've got one book that will cover everything they need to know about the entire USA. So, I would guess they are visiting several cities/places otherwise they would get a book just on New York City. From where they were found, their next stop is either Wall Street or more likely the World Trade Center site.

Public Enemies

Public Enemies
Originally uploaded by John Fraissinet

I was target shooting at this poster, trying to time it so someone passing by would have their head underneath the poster's hat. So, the hat would look like it was on the person's head. I came close several times, but this guy coming by with his own hat was better.

Traffic Cops in Transition

Out in the middle of the energy of New York City traffic, standing by their lonesome are the traffic cops. They are brightly attired and are an island in a sea of buses, taxis and limos (as well as people). Most of these characters, I have noticed, tend to be a calming influence to those around. Many of them stand coolly with style and composure. They are in control and provide direction. Although, others do seem to let the job get to them and you can see a tense expression as they do their job.

The three pictures below show a transition of three cops, starting with a 1) relaxed casual cop, 2) a zoned out cop, and 3) a stressed cop. All dealing with the difficulties of the job in different ways.

1) The Casual Traffic Cop - I spotted this guy with his hands in his pockets, a rare break for someone whose hands are his business. Looks like he might have caught me shooting him (this being my second shot), although maybe not since I shot from the hip on this one. It is one of my favorite "portraits", although I almost never take pictures which are not candid (and this was candid). He owns this job.

2) The Nonchalant Traffic Cop - The work can also perhaps allow some time for thought. This guy stood nonchalantly at the large intersection where Broadway meets Park Row, directing traffic towards the Brooklyn Bridge. His mind is elsewhere and that works for him.

3) The Stressed Traffic Cop - This guy hates his job and hasn't figured out a way to deal with it. He will not likely make it long term doing this work.

Street Photography Cropping

Pretty much all of my pictures are cropped in some way. Sometimes I pull out a little detail from a large picture. Sometimes I balance the composition. Sometimes I'm emphasizing something in particular.

One of the street photographers I follow on Flickr is highly popular. He has won awards and he has many people who comment on his pictures. He is generous in the way he interacts with other photographers. He is complimentary and insightful, which I think is part of his appeal.

When I look at his pictures though, sometimes I don't see anything special. Yet there are glowing responses from his admirers. He has become a superstar of street photography, to the point where I'm not sure his photos are being looked at objectively. He does however capture a reality and the grittiness of the street but not really that much of the art.

I've been trying in some ways to emulate his work, not because I think his pictures are that good, but due to the response he gets. There was a recent discussion about one of his photos, where it was suggested that he crop a picture that I did think was good, fantastic in fact. It was a bit more stylistic than his usual shots. He responded that he rarely crops his pictures because that distorts the reality of the situation, and life is not perfect.

This pointed out to me that his approach was in recording the scene, almost like a journalist, not making aesthetically pleasing photos, although that might occasionally be a byproduct.

A recent picture I took made me think of the two styles. Both versions I present here are of the same subject: an Indian family who were sharing a moment with their eyes. My ultimate version (above) cropped down to the core subjects, although reluctantly I needed to cut out a man who was watching from the far right. I would have included him if he was closer to the family, but aesthetically he was too removed and would have removed the focus from the family and made it harder to appreciate their eyes. Also, I thought there was a nicer balance in the cropped version with the boy becoming much more prominent.

I went back and reviewed this shot again and then looked at the uncropped version (below) with the man in it. I like this version also, and realized the star street photographer would have gone with that version. It captures the moment on the street, but I'm not sure that the story is as strong and the composition and focal points are different.

In the end, I come to realize that my style is different and while both approaches are valid, and he is obviously extremely successful by measure of the attention he gets, I will not try to emulate him anymore and will be true to what seems right to me.

Chain Bikers

Just noticed a kind of dual fashion/functionality statement by bicycle delivery guys. They are announcing that, "I look cool when I drape a very heavy, thick, bicycle chain and lock over my shoulder."