Street Carlsberg....

I like it very much Pnina....a straight and direct approach...on the one hand I see the connection and it's close enough so we can really see the attitude and expression...on the other side we also feel the distance...he is in his thoughts (whatever it might really be)...and this is this close while distant duality that I find particularly interesting here...this image records the expression (without being intrusive) while leaving room for privacy and respect... also showing the distance that will always exist between people...

Okay, to lighten up, and excuse my poor Hebrew, but "oye ve, will she ever finish shopping?" I don't see sadness, I see someone just there, waiting. At his age, at my age, we do a lot of that, you know. By the way, I do love it.

Ahmet and Alberto, thanks both of you, I appreciate your constant support!.

 

Bulent, I don't mind sharing it with you...;-)) we are all human being, trying to share our experiences.Thanks for your nice evaluation

 

Laurent, as usual you have so nicely interpreted this human situation, "Close and distant duality" is a very good definition that Fred has reffered to it as well.

This man, in this noisy surrounding really touched me, and generating a real interest in me.Thanks for a very nice wording of your impressions, Laurent

 

 

 

Margaret, we wrote to each other simultaneously...... Did you mean me ( oye vey....)?lol. You are right I'm "shopping" with my camera all the time.....

It seems that we experience photos( or situations) differently, working in the past with old people( in the hospital),generated in me supper sensitiveness to them , as I have felt toward this old man that I have followed for some time.

 

Thanks Margaret!

A realistic street scene that touches on the harsh side of human world. A good documentary work.

with an almost pictorial composition of intense mood. Very good post processing for this b/w. Thank you, Giuseppe

Don't know how to say what's already been said. It is a great greyscale conversion and I like the angle you chose - just as if I were standing there looking at him. I also like the sharp focus on his shoes and pants with the softer focus on his face, it helps convey the feeling of calm desolation or meditation very well.

 

Kirk

This is the very 'moving' photo that creates a lot of emotion attached to it. It "speaks-to-me" as a portrayal of an old man unmindful of his surroundings an attitude practically all old individuals have when they reach that age. Detached, unresponsiveness, inactivity, lethargy - all these speak of an old man that you have captured and documented here. This is what I think makes the photo, of course, aside from the fact that this is a well composed image nicely exhibited in black and white.

Congratulations!

 

Lester

Excellent capture Pnina!...He is porbably a philosopher!...or... God..

I don't read sorrow or joy into it. I just think it is a wonderful street scene of an old gentleman getting what enjoyment he can from a good cup of coffee and maybe a bit of fresh air. Great tones and contrast.

A very good street shot, Pnina. I think Fred made a very interesting comment in so far as different interpretations seem possible here, and I read all the comments with interest too. An intriguing image that makes us wonder about the character.

Fred, you remarked upon my use of the word "delightful" in my comment of this photograph. I see the hamsa (that hand amulet, which some Sephardic--many Moroccan-- superstitious Jews believe wards off evil) on the upper right corner, the piles of kippot (yarmulkas) for sale, and the tallit katan. These ritual materials and amulet make me tense, as they remind me of rigidity, a bit of misogynistic pervasive world view that some Jewish religious males hold, and, in addition to this, I'm very familiar with this type of neighborhood in Israel--the slightly dilapidated, messy, not-really beautiful open markets that sell these types of poorly-made, often over-priced wares.

 

However, this man wears his tallit katan comfortably; it drapes down his body with no giant show of "Look how long my tzizis are" or "Look at my giant kippah" (in fact the kippah must be under his hat), and instead of sticking his nose in a musty, yellowing book with an approach that prevents one from being able to breathe fresh air, he's seated in a relaxed position in a public place, presumably enjoying coffee. So he's not fitting any particular black and white stereotype. In this photograph, there's no over-determination that typifies him as this or that.

 

He reminds me, because of the religious garb and the many different types of things to sell -- the dolls, the amulet, the kippot, etc. -- ,of the persona Mendele Mocher Sforim, a character and often a narrator and protagonist in some of S.Y. Abramovitsh's writings, which is that of an observant (both meanings of the word), wandering salesman, out of the study house, who markets different facets of Jewish life, dealing and trading in wares with customers--with both the wares and the customers representing values (whether upheld or discarded) and practices in "modern" Jewish society. Abramovitsh's books are mixtures of pithy satire, social commentary and societal documentary often narrated by the main character, a cloaked, opinionated, complicated naive/seasoned "landsmann and stranger" who functions as a lens through which the reader observes "types" of Jews in the "market," buying and selling items, ideas, rituals, stories, grandmother tales, slippery deals...whatever-- For me, the association lies in how he is clothed, what surrounds him, and where he sits.

 

Marketplaces, benches, outdoor cafes are great places to observe. And Pnina, catches this all--with the metallic figures, the painted on person, the Hasidic boy dolls, and our main subject. Pnina presents her societal observation, squarely placing attention on another possible observer, sitting in the middle of it all by the Hebrew letters "Pey-Hey," meaning "Here" or "Look Here" also the end of the word "Yafeh"-- as in "This is the good life"-- in one shot. And this, I find delightful.

Not much left to say. Your wonderful eye produced a wonderful capture. Amitai

A portrait of some of us seen in the future. It said in here,that someday when you / I will

be old and gray ( which I am now ) LIVE TO THE FULLEST while you can

while there is still time to enjoy and be productive.

 

Thanks for sharing Pnina and for your explosive composition.

 

Cheers !

 

Sally

Cherlyn,, yes this is the other side of childhood, sometime we say here that old age is a second childhood ...;-))

 

Giuseppe, thanks as well

 

Kirk, I was standing near him for a long time, as you feel, you could stand near him, he was totally detached ( sleeping)

 

Lester, Thanks for your visit and wonderful evaluation,I peeped in your bio ( will visit your work soon) and saw that you are a physician, coming as well from the medical profession ,in my past, I think we speak a common language, of knowing what old age symptoms are. You have well defined it in general, but lethargy is very compatible, I appreciate your kind and knowledgeable comment.

 

Ektor, always glad to see and read you here.

 

David, it was a hot day, even though overcast, I hope he enjoyed his morning, he was sleeping for a long time.....

 

Laurent, I wanted to talk to him, as I wrote to Fred, but I was in this square quite a long time, could not disturb him.

 

Donna, thanks for your wide explanation and associations about your feeling ,and knowledge !, there is truth in your feelings about the very religious man behavior, as well as the market surrounding,that sell all this chip" shmonces"(chip imitation of art, religious hats and amulets), that I think can be found in markets all over the world, ( typically to the culture and country). For me it was also the irony of the BG, as the square is quite big with many chairs and benches with old people coming to enjoy this animated place ,but he was sleeping exactly with this backdrop....( with his small prayer shawl ...) the only side of the square with these religious amulets....

I did not think of him as a protagonist in the stories of Mendele Mocher Sforim type,( I'm not familiar with Abramovitsh) but I think you have hit the nail here....thanks for reminding it to me, great analogy and association.I'm thankful for your observation! , I hope Fred will read it too.

 

Amitai, Thanks for your visit and kind words

 

Sally, you are right and yes, we should well use our time as long as we can,...

 

Thanks again all of you, very rewarding evaluations.

I can't comment on any of the symbolic elements of the photo like Donna, but I am struck with how peaceful a scene this is. I don't respond to it as being delightful or sad or of the more extreme emotions that others have experienced. Instead, I see this as a man at home and comfortable in his surroundings, sinking into a peaceful cat nap. There are few places and moments in which someone might feel comfortable getting some shut-eye in public. In fact, this picture makes me happily drowsy, and I think I'll trot off to bed.

Donna, has a wide knowledge in Judaism and its literature, as well as familiar with these places in Israel and their symbols. so her evaluation will be different because of that....

You have your own,but for me being there it looks different ( as well) than just a man feeling well in this surrounding, more lethargic and detouched.

I am inclined to appreciate Jeff's simple comment here and I'm not sure that my feelings are very different.

 

I talked about Sontag and the notion of disengagement and, to further that thought, I did so because I think this has many elements of a more documentary photo. It is not conveying, to me, anything in particular in terms of emotion but it is capturing what Pnina found to be an interesting scene on an interesting street with many interesting elements. There is a story. The post processing, while a technically distinct rendering of black and white, does not try to add any point or point of view or emotion to the photo. I am not really conscious of the moment captured. It feels like he's been sitting just this way for at least a little while.

 

I think, even though Donna has eloquently described a lot in the photo and made fascinating personal associations with much of it, she has captured something important when she said: "In this photograph, there's no over-determination that typifies him as this or that."

 

I think Pnina has said something very important herself: "I'm shopping with my camera."

 

Though you say you felt touched here and I'm sure you were, I didn't get the sense you were trying to express or convey that. It feels more neutral, no special moment, no particular glance or connection, no directed post-processing to imbue this with a certain feeling. As presented here, this photo is what it is, and that's why I say "documentary." And there's nothing wrong with straight documentary. Personally I do like it when documentarians develop a personal style. To me, it enhances the work and can add to the effect. But many don't. They simply shoot. Both ways are just fine.

Great street capture. Not only the old man, but also the surroundings tell a whole story

A wonderful image! I guess there are no "open container" laws in Israel? Or is that carlsberg coffee? ;-) If I was going to be picky, I'd want a tiny bit more space in the image beneath his foot on the ground. But, really - that's way too picky. I love this shot, and the idea that he's sleeping through it all. Great work, Pnina!

Fred, thanks for your farther expressing your point of view. Part of my answer is in my next upload ;-)) May be my feelings are stronger because of my being there longer and my mental experience accumulation . For me this man and his placement in this surrounding was very touching ( also the word near him which means "here" very symbolic, and Donna has observed it ! I forgot to mention it, Thanks Donna! ),

 

For me it is much more than a documentary scene, much more old human existence, which is not easy, even though it may not seem as emotional to Jeff and yourself. It was to me.

 

I have started a series of this square.So I hope to be able to farther express my feelings and my experience there.

 

 

Jef, I appreciate your comment and your connection to it. Thanks

 

Lou Ann, glad to see you here and thanks for your comment, I don't know , but it was probably coffee and not carlsberg beer, one more element that was so unusual in this scene for me, and therfor the title. Carlsberg is more real cafe amusment and not that crowded noisy place for sleeping....

"For me it is much more than a documentary scene, much more old human existence, which is not easy, even though it may not seem as emotional to Jeff and yourself. It was to me. I have started a series of this square.So I hope to be able to farther express my feelings and my experience there."

 

I'm afraid I didn't express myself well. Sorry. I think documentary has great emotion to it! I didn't mean to suggest that the scene and content itself wouldn't bring up emotion. It does for me. What I wanted to say was that I didn't think you were conveying your own personal feelings about it. I thought you were simply letting the scene speak for itself and the emotions arise in us on our own. Of course, I assume you felt something when seeing this scene. And we all will, even if presented in a neutral and documentary-like fashion. "Old human existence" has long been a great subject for documentary, precisely because it is so important and emotional in itself. I think documentarians often avoid expressing their own feelings in order to remain objective. They try to keep themselves out of it and let the scene and the subject speak. I often find that a compelling kind of photography and appreciate it immensely in many situations.

 

We all feel differently about aging and about the aged and many of us have very strong feelings about it. So when seeing a scene like this many feelings are bound to come up. "Old human existence" is not a feeling. It's a condition, a state. That's a good description of what you have photographed.

Thanks again for clarifying . I would like to say that I'm usually ( also known) very much mentally involved in everything I'm doing( creating, and others).

 

"Old human existence" has long been a great subject for documentary, precisely because it is so important and emotional in itself."

 

"Old human existence" is not a feeling. It's a condition, a state. That's a good description of what you have photographed."

 

"I thought you were simply letting the scene speak for itself and the emotions arise in us on our own. "

 

Fred, it all has logic, but I don't think I can separate my feelings from a scene I photo.

The point/moment of identifying a scene and compose it, it is because it has touched my feelings , my history, my accumulated knowledge of human and humanity, and what I want to express.

 

Great change of points of view, and impressions, thanks a lot Fred.

The four (4) blokes in the back left (BL) seem to have their own thing going - what a lovely accent. The main subject seem to be in a state of neglect - harsh life!!! You have brought his plight to our attention with great realism. Powerful capture!!!

Very well captured. I dont understand enough about the hidden symbolism here, but thanks to the discussion I have learned something ;-)

Pnina, a superb character study. Reminds me a lttle of "The Thinker" in mood, but obviously a very different style. Very effective in b&w and I wonder what the original is like.