February 2014 Photo Thread

[FridgeMagnet]

I read somewhere that a photo has good composition if it's a good photo in b&w; ie, it doesn't rely on the shock of color. I agree with that generally, although sometimes, the pleasure of color can make for nice photos, too.

It's one of those perennial issues. I went to a really good exhibition last year on the subject of "can colour help street photography?" - http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/about/press/press-releases/cartier-bresson-a-question-of-colour - and there were a lot of pictures there which just wouldn't have worked without colour, because the big hit of the picture involved colour (not luminance) contrast. There were some amazing pictures by Saul Leiter and Helen Levitt. On the other hand there are loads of pictures around where colour is just distracting.

A lot of it in the early days was technology of course - the only high speed films were B&W, with colour you might be stuck with Kodachrome at ISO 64. Nowadays every camera takes colour pictures at the same speed as B&W and it's purely an artistic decision.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I like to take pictures of people. When you're just walking around, the rules say that you can't really look at them. You'll be accused of staring. But if you take a photo of them, you can look at them. You can see their humanity. And their humanity is beautiful and endlessly fascinating.

 

[Lazy Llama]

Ford contemplates a visitor

 

[cybertect]

Another Sunday night gig at the Brave New World in Surbiton


Bend it like Beckham by cybertect, on Flickr


Tara Lewis by cybertect, on Flickr


Jemima by cybertect, on Flickr


Jemima by cybertect, on Flickr

 

[FridgeMagnet]

 

[Dexter Deadwood]

Ford contemplates a visitor

That is the spitting image of my friends cat.

 

[Tankus]

trains and veins

 

[Sweet FA]

GET OFF THE TRACKS YOU MADMAN!

 

[Tankus]

Level crossing ,...........and the train was leaving .......

 

[cybertect]

Tooley Street by London Bridge by cybertect, on Flickr


Tooley Street by cybertect, on Flickr


London General SOE 10 by cybertect, on Flickr

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Was back down south recently.













T-Max 400, 24mm lens.

Link to the whole set

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

 

[cybertect]

You've got your very own mini Flat Iron Building

 

[Mr.Bishie]

Brighton Tattoo Convention - http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrbishie/sets/72157641016667873/

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

 

[Dexter Deadwood]

I like a lot of your photography it's one of the things that has introduced me to "street photography" but you always seem to focus on the poor, the disabled, the sick, the isolated, those without power or direction. These people in your photographs look like they are moving but they are not going anywhere in life. I'm not judging them for that but are you?

 

[clicker]

I like a lot of your photography it's one of the things that has introduced me to "street photography" but you always seem to focus on the poor, the disabled, the sick, the isolated, those without power or direction. These people in your photographs look like they are moving but they are not going anywhere in life. I'm not judging them for that but are you?

I too am always struck by the subjects in jC's shots - old, lonely and unfortunate. But then i just scrolled back - and there are plenty of young smilers, mothers and kids, joggers, shoppers and happy strolling people - the sadder ones must be the ones that make a bigger impression on me.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

There are two schools of thought concerning making photographs of people who are disadvantaged in some way - there are those who don't agree with doing it; and those who do. There are people who think that there are good and even important reasons for doing so. I come down on the side of those who agree with doing it.

Who is right? I don't know.

So far as judgement goes, to the extent that any judgement can be gleaned from the photos I've made in that genre - the judgement is levelled at society, not at the individuals. Or, to the extent that it is levelled at individuals, it's levelled at the smug, well-fed and self-satisfied crowd amongst which these disadvantaged people walk, for the most part unseen, un-thought of or uncared-about. You know: the people who look happy and smiling, even as they walk past the beggars and the insane.

 

[stowpirate]

On the subject of noses

An old one I revisited taken in the 1970's and tweaked in Avairy

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

 

[RoyReed]

Hopton’s Almshouses dwarfed by the NEO Bankside development.

 

[RoyReed]

Southwark Bridge

 

[Sweet FA]

pony bsns = srs bsns

 

[cybertect]

I've been away to Cornwall for a few days...

 

[stowpirate]

 

[clicker]

^^ love the reflection of the gate in the puddle.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

A couple from Chinese New Year.