'The Bus Stop (II)'

This is three stories converging at a bus stop, with three different

themes; I am interested in your analysis.. Your ratings, critiques, and

observations are invited and most welcome. If you rate harshly,

critically or just wish to make an observation, please submit a helpful

and constructive comment; thank you in advance for sharing your

photographic knowledge. Enjoy! John

Your pictures either take me either into the heart of the maelstrom or keep me far away outside the outer perimeter ;-) This one belongs to the former category ;-):-). 

It is an injustice to say this contains 1,2,3 or countable stories.

I dislike sounding grandiose but this *is* a semiotically rich image!!!

To interest those who would critique, it is necessary to write 'something'.

You are right about the 'semiotically rich' nature of this photo.

When on review, I found it, I said to myself'' how could you never have posted this, it is one of your very best?' fixed its defect with new Photoshop skills, then count it as one of my very best.

I agree with you; I am not in love with every photo I post; but this one I am.

Others, however, have their followers, and there e many tastes on this service.

I find your remark highly flattering, and I agree with it.

john

John (Crosley)

This photo sat languishing in my files for two years until a recent review.

I saw it, found a slight flat that prevented me from Photoshopping it previously, applied new Photoshop knowledge and voilà.

I also have grown in 'what I am able to see' in my images since I took it.

Now I consider it a standout. 

You?

john

John (Crosley)

Of window blinds, the visually challenged...and love is blind. Fantastic.

I would like to quote you, from now on.

That's my high praise for a wonderfully concise and poetic comment.

john

John (Crosley)

<quote> "Of window blinds, the visually challenged...and love is blind. Fantastic."</unquote>

......... and there's a sign that says optical !!!!

Very good street shot ! I like it !

Regards, Mircea

"and there's a sign that says 'optical'"

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I had seen that before posting, but didn't want to be the first to 'spot' that.

And, of course, it's directly above the head of the blind man!

Sometimes shooting 'street' can be so rewarding. (not so often but sometimes, and when it is, it can be very much so).

Thanks for being so observant.

john

John (Crosley)

This is not a hit-you-over-the-head wonderful shot.

It requires some viewing, some thinking and some reflection; it's beguiling to a few in its subtlety, but not everyone will understand or 'get' it.

But it's wonderfully complex, and on several levels.

I won't comment on areas that haven't been commented on; there are more 'levels' to my way of thinking.

john

John (Crosley)

John...

The jewelry & optical store behind them can take care of the couple's jewelry needs when he gets down on one knee and the optical can take care of the visually impaired woman when new glasses are needed. I love how the two services offered could be related to the random people awaiting the bus.

What a terrific "slice of life" image. Life unfolding as it does everyday in their worlds.

Simply a terrific image.

deb

It looks like someone is listening to the conversation, while someone sits in her own world pretending not to hear.  Nice shot.

A commenter above called this image 'semiotically rich'.

This was not a popular or even well known  word when I was getting my degree or even my doctorate in my field of studies, but I understand it is, in the most complex explanation as follows:

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'Semiotics, also called semiotic studies or semiology, is the study of cultural sign processes (semiosis), analogy, metaphor, signification and communication .

A more simple definition is this:  'of or pertaining to sign(s)' and the meaning was not 'signs on walls or windows', but signs of significance within analogy or metaphor, I think.

********

There is great depth in this photo to those who have the patience and the interest to look.  I really had barely remembered it when I reviewed past captures, except just for a very vague recollection, and there was only one capture, taken while stopped for a traffic light, then go go go.

But this is No. 2 of a series, the first with a blind man at bus stop being taken in Paris outside a children's hospital, but in that case the blind man was standing and everyone gave him great berth . . . . . and were similarly casually dressed - especially considering it was Paris, as well as tending to their own business.

I see this photo with the added 'signs and analysis' explained by you, deb, and also see a theme taken from an earlier photo:  'Three States of Awareness'

http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=3061567

In that photo, the man at the elevator is aware of me, the woman seated probably has been aware of me (the kid photographer then) and dismissed me as inconsequential, and the seated man, sleeping soundly, is blissfully unaware of me, the young photographer (who ducked in the door of their SRO -- single room occupancy -- hotel).

The same themes seem to be repeated here, to me at least, with a variation.

The woman, left, sees me, or is looking my direction;

The couple at right is absorbed in their own togetherness.  They probably never saw me.

The blind man is (it's a man, actually, I think), is totally unaware of me, unless he hears the click of my shutter, and by then it's too late.

It's not a perfect analogy, but the process is the same -- three states of awareness, and this time in a different context.

Now, look at the groupings.

How many people are there?

You see four, right?

That's the foreground.

But what about the background behind the 'screen'?

Add the guy at left and the guy at right, and there's six.

I photographed them in the frame to fill out the frame, though in a sense they are 'ghost figures' -- only half present.

So, really it's six figures, but two are ghosts who help fill the frame and provide further transition between the foreground and background.

Now, really all of this occurs in my head instinctively and on impulse from having processed a half million or more photos I've taken recently plus those of my youth and all the photos I've viewed over my lifetime, projected over all the magazines, art exhibits, world famous museums I've strolled through, living for a while with a wife who worked for 'Art in America' (not as a editor, just an office person) and so forth.

It's amazing how it all congeals when I see the potential in a frame and the frame itself is full of potential . . .. so I can actually utilize the whole frame, even though to the casual viewer the result may seem a bit lopsided.

Actually it's very carefully constructed, and in less than a second --  perhaps a half second or less.

The wonder (even to me) of producing this in such short time is having taken a half million or more really not very good photos, even lots of crap,  minus a thousand or two acceptable or even very good photos worth (to my eyes) being seen by others.

This is one I'm proud of, but I don't even expect it to be very popular except with a few discerning eyes.

Yours are those, and that's the reason I take such photos -- to please those like you who can truly 'see'.

You have flattered me with your attention to this minor but very interesting photo.

john

John (Crosley)

I'm a little mystified by the use of two 'someone's' in your observation, and the use of 'she'.  The blind person, so far as I can tell is a man and I'm not sure what person you think is doing what.  (See belt hiked up very high, old man style on blind man!)

Maybe you can explain?

john

John (Crosley)