The Proposition.

"You had better be here when I come back". I don't want you to go

anywhere. Just be here when I come back", my younger brother Leo

intoned as he looked at my canon camera I fondled in my hands. He

imparted those words to me with the mien of a man telling his 2 year old

not to jump off that high chair. With those words, Leo left to go into the

market, in his words, "to collect some money from people who owe me."

Even though he was gone 6 long hours, he fully expected me to sit in the

sweltering heat of the warehouse, where hard faced, desperate

merchants ambled in to appraise the huge bales of used clothing that

was piled sky high on the walls of the windowless, joyless edifice. Any

thoughts I might have had of following my brother's directives--if it ever

existed--quickly dissipated like the conscience of a Republican once the

smell of cash hits the air. In less than an hour, I informed one of the

store hands that I wanted to walk over to the market myself to buy some

snack, and gently rebuffed him when he both offered to buy it for me or

accompany me. So, I was off, making sure I observed the landmarks in

the area, for it would be highly embarrassing to get lost. I walked four

blocks from the store when I happened upon this scene of a man

chatting with a woman. Standing no more than 50 yards from them, I

took a few pictures and was walking away when the young man

aggressively accosted me and demanded I compensate him for taking

his picture. It wasn't that it would have caused me much hardship to give

him a few thousand Togolese cifas--a pittance--but I had made it a

principle to never compensate anybody for street photograph, save a

homeless man I once photographed in Portland, Oregon in 2007. I think

it rather ruins the idea of street photography and it tranforms it into

something else when you have models pretending to be "found" on the

street, like the famous Robert Doisneau picture of the two "lovers"

kissing in Paris, that was later proved to be paid actors, through a

lawsuit brought by an impostor who claimed to have been the subject of

the photograph. So, I stood my ground and bore this man's threats and

curses, which cascaded down on me like tiny little Lilliputian arrows. I

also realized I couldn't speak the language and didn't hear what he was

saying, but this did not ease the sting. The young lady followed me for a

while, demanding an explanation, and I, in my halting French, tried the

best I could to explain to her who I was and why I was doing this strange

deed of photographing people I didn't know. I offered to, and she agreed,

for me to take a few shots of her, and she demanded my phone number

and promised to call me. She was a saleswoman, she said, of some

motivational seminars, and she invited me to an event later on that day.

Out of politeness, I both gave her my number and took hers, knowing the

chances of my ever meeting her again were, shall we say, negligible.

Then, I returned to the relative safety of my brother's warehouse, none

the worse for wear.

Excellent colours, composure and balance, well captured.

That is one thing we do not see on this site, a narrative, I like the story behind the shot.

Well done package 

Street photography is my passion, and I know things can happen. Take good care my friend.

Quite a picture and accompanying story, Emmanuel. As a street photographer myself, I've been caught in the same situation a couple of times though no one has demanded money for their "modeling services". Still, it's sometimes a risky business especially when you're taking pictures on the train or bus where there's no ready escape route. Still, I can't resist. Just yesterday I was surreptitiously taking pictures on the train. I've become quite adept at sizing up the situation and secretly snapping a shot while appearing completely disinterested in my surroundings. Street photography in Africa seems much more of a challenge than taking snaps in Japan. Probably America lies somewhere in between.

It's an interesting photograph full of body language and open to interpretation, the interaction between the couple is very apparent.

The accompanying story behind the photograph is equally interesting and gives a detailed narrative of the adventure that the act of picking up a camera and taking some photo's can generate.

Whether street photography, landscape photography or even studio photography, I find there is nearly always a story attached to the image.

Very well done!

 

Alf

Every element of this picture is perfect, starting with color, climate, relationships

man woman and ending of the feet. This picture says more than many books.

Regards,  Jacek.

work, full of life and colors. As far as the story behind the shot, sometimes I have faced the same situation of yours. This is the street, and - in some places and circumstances - people asking for money because of their "modelling" is part of the game. Same happens here in Italy with street sellers or beggars, and this is one of the reasons why I have almost stopped taking their pictures. Anyway, good work here, thanks for sharing, G.

Excellent composure and colourful scene.