A couple of months ago, I saw some guy with a big SLR along with a big zoom (I only mention it because the size of his camera made what he was doing all the more obvious) standing directly over some poor guy sleeping on a steam vent on a sidewalk. He must have run off a dozen shots (he had time to, anyway), and I wanted to run up to the photographer and yell, "Stop exploiting that man! You're in his bedroom - allow the man a shred of privacy and dignity!" I would have, but I might have woken up the fellow sleeping in the street. That photog really pissed me off.
Now, all of that being said, your shot has context. The plight of these poor souls is something that not everyone is aware of. You've not just shot him, but his circumstances, and in not too intrusive way, either. There's a story here. And, the composition is wonderful, and the exposure really is terrific. Did you have your camera on "auto"? <vbg>
I think that if I have a problem with it, it's that unfortunately, it's not an unusual sight in most North American cities. So, I guess the problem is not with the shot, but with a system that allows tens of thousands of people like him to sleep in the streets of every large city that I know of.
It's thought provoking, that's for sure.
Now, I have to go find the one of the guy with the sign and the cup (not head) - I saw that one last night, but didn't comment. I love that one, but I'll say more when I get there. <vbg>
thanks, 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: PDML <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: PAW: Last one from San Francisco Date: Mon, 08 Mar 2004 20:50:01 -0800
... for a while.
I was reluctant to make this photo, as just clicking away at some guy sitting there in despair is kind of a cheap shot, but I saw a context, making him smaller in the scene, shooting contre jour purtting him in shadow, with all the people walking away from him, and the skinny trees mirroring, to some degree, his posture.
http://home.earthlink.net/~scbelinkoff/images/handh.html
Maybe it works ...
shel
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