~I/eye like the street atmosphere here, would have liked the subject to have been facing the lens though, there is a "story" here, the lack of a profile or expression, IMHO, hurts the frame; did you "spy" this shot or did you speak w/ the gentleman and get "the story"?~
~alright, I stand corrected from my previous comment...now after a second/thrid look I see what you were after, I completely missed it the first time around. Although, and I will always be completely honest in any comment/critique, I have reservations about "spy shots" of homeless people, maybe it's the soft spot I have for those on the street and wanting to protect them from being exploited, especially with the camera. In every shot I take of a street person I attempt to meet, speak with and understand who they are and why they are in the position they are. I attempt to portray them with dignity and compassion, just as if I would like to be portrayed in a photograph. It's not that I take exception to this shot, but the juxtiposition of the subject and the alcohol behind him, and the implications within...I hope you do not take offense to my comments, I truly don't intend my words to be harsh, just letting you know how I reacted to your shot...ok?~
btezra, no offence taken. Thanks for your comments and please keep on making them - I am interested in different approaches.
As you predicted this is a spy shot, which I apparently have fewer reservations about taking. Not that I do it often. In this picture, all I noticed how the man was apparently checking out the bottles of expensive booze behind him while having his own emptied supply of very cheap bottles lying around on the sidewalk. That contrast caught my attention and the rest is photoblog history. :)
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~I/eye like the street atmosphere here, would have liked the subject to have been facing the lens though, there is a "story" here, the lack of a profile or expression, IMHO, hurts the frame; did you "spy" this shot or did you speak w/ the gentleman and get "the story"?~
btezra on July 14, 2004
~alright, I stand corrected from my previous comment...now after a second/thrid look I see what you were after, I completely missed it the first time around. Although, and I will always be completely honest in any comment/critique, I have reservations about "spy shots" of homeless people, maybe it's the soft spot I have for those on the street and wanting to protect them from being exploited, especially with the camera. In every shot I take of a street person I attempt to meet, speak with and understand who they are and why they are in the position they are. I attempt to portray them with dignity and compassion, just as if I would like to be portrayed in a photograph. It's not that I take exception to this shot, but the juxtiposition of the subject and the alcohol behind him, and the implications within...I hope you do not take offense to my comments, I truly don't intend my words to be harsh, just letting you know how I reacted to your shot...ok?~
btezra on July 14, 2004
btezra, no offence taken. Thanks for your comments and please keep on making them - I am interested in different approaches.
As you predicted this is a spy shot, which I apparently have fewer reservations about taking. Not that I do it often. In this picture, all I noticed how the man was apparently checking out the bottles of expensive booze behind him while having his own emptied supply of very cheap bottles lying around on the sidewalk. That contrast caught my attention and the rest is photoblog history. :)
ervin on July 14, 2004