I don't disagree with much of what you say.
Except that, looking at the photo, I'm quite satisfied by it. Normally, my approach would have been as you suggested, to have him interact with the camera somewhat, to get down to his level, or at least to have him look up at me whilst taking a photo of the pennies.
But, you know what? After I read your post, I realized that he probably didn't want to look at the camera. Whether he knew he was in the field of view or not, I shot three frames from pretty much the same angle, and the other two, he was looking down at the ground. I was actually talking to him as the camera was up to my eye, as I was shooting. He didn't want to look up to me, and I actually waited for quite a long time for him to look up as far as he did. The shot posted was the last of my three.
I'm loathe to tell my subjects how to react to the camera. It just seemed to me at the time, and I still think now, that he wanted me to shoot the pennies, and not him. My decision not to get down to his level and get a more open shot at his face is one I made at the time, and as I'm pleased with the result, I don't regret it.
It's not intimate, I agree. But, I think that's what he wanted. Even though he was quite talkative, he obviously doesn't want to open up to the world. I see some of that isolation in the shot.
When I got the contacts back, though, I did notice his pile of things to his right, and I did rather wish I'd gotten more of them in the photos. They may have added something.
What I will say is that it would have been better to have walked away with more than just three frames, that I could have explored the situation a bit better, and given myself more options to choose from in terms of what to print up afterwards. Who knows whether I would have chosen that photo or not.
But, I really do appreciate your thoughts, Shel. You always give something to think about.
BTW, my ratings so far on Photo.net are all over the board on this one. I got two folks who gave a 7 (highest ratings) for both aesthetics and originality, and I've never gotten a 7 before, I don't think.
But, I also got a couple of 4's, and for the first time ever, a 3 (lowest rating possible).
Go figure...
thanks again, frank
"The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears it is true." -J. Robert Oppenheimer
From: Shel Belinkoff <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: First LX pix! Date: Fri, 05 Dec 2003 17:43:35 -0800
Hi Frank ...
It doesn't cut it for me. While you may have talked with the fellow a bit, the shot looks like a quick grab shot as you walked past
(and that's what I thought until I read your details). I find no intimacy here. The fellow's face is partially obscured by his cap,
and the angle is distracting. What's going on to his right? It looks like there is another sign there, perhaps some clothes, gloves, a
bottle or two of water, a jacket, or a bag of some sort. Those items create a distraction in the photo, and, more important, appear as
if they could have been part of the story about this fellow. What he carries with him is important ... the items could be quite
telling.
Perhaps had you moved a few steps to your right and shot from a somewhat different perspective (maybe lower ... closer to his level ...
sometimes I sit right down on the sidewalk, in front of or alongside the subjects), the photo would have more impact ...
You said you wanted a shot of his pennies, and that's what he thought you were photographing. Another approach would have been to tell
him that you wanted him in the shot as well ... he was receptive to your being there, and you could have spent a fair amount of time
talking and photographing.
Good try ... keep up your efforts.
Shel
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