Hollywood ~ Blvd of Broken Dreams by Lee Mclaughlin

This is shot from the hip while wandering along Hollywood Blvd. for eTrips.com Travel.

You created a great American photo, Lee. Nice work!!!

This is tremendous, all the more because of the casual capture style.

I suppose Hollywood is seen as part of the pinnacle of the "Dream" and Romero was of course a celebrity who made it in dreamtime. The man in your frame seems to have misgivings, providing a contrast in perceived fortunes.

I had an idea to strengthen the comp through cropping closer to the dejected man and, on the other side, the parking meter. However, that would mean losing the 1 hour parking sign which balances the upper portion of the frame for me. Perhaps best left as is, though this would also look good in mono with an upwards adjustment in contrast.

Well seen.

Classic photo. Not only as a typical juxtaposition frequently used in street photography, but also as some symbol of another classic symbol (Hollywood). Lee, you took it several month ago. But how old this poster is, if the man on it is Cesar Romero? 50 years ? Or they used a 50 years old image of him ? I'm missing something here. It's the same man, isn't it? Regards. Blago

Great shot! I might crop out the right.

nice hip shot - i suspect the ad is purely iconic and has not been there for any length of time - surpring it has not been defaced at all so far

 

there are so many of these shots of single homeless dudes next to capitalist trappings that one needs a bit more to stand out ... the b/w of the ad (unreality) vs the hair colour and sign (reality) and the "watcher and watched" positioning of the subjects make this one for me.

Great capture in contrasts. It helps that the painted subject almost seems to be looking in the direction of the character at right.

 

The contrast of potential disillusioned hope seems to be portrayed here.

 

I originally thought the "1 hour parking" sign might be distracting, as well as the parking meter, yet it seems to show how fleeting that location really is, and how fleeting the hopes of Hollywood are to attain.

Your street photos have such compassion. You are quite adept at capturing depth and meaning in everyday scenes. Great work!

You certainly make your point! And very well. I see a great connection with your subjects. You are a remarkable photographer. Show us more!

Bravo, bravo, bravo!

 

(No one really has commented that if you connect the three 'subjects' of this photograph, you get a triangle -- from the upper left of the star-aura'ed Cesar Romero, to the street deject, to the sign, top right. Absolutely you must keep the sign in, if only for artistic 'design' reasons.)

 

I read in B & W Magazine this month a photographer who laments that when Beaumont Newhall was researching photography for the first time as 'art', he found great composition and 'design' in many of the best of the photographs produced in the preceding most of a century since the camera's invention to the time of his work.

 

That photographer in B&W Magazine said that then so many good photographers were trained in classical art in which good 'design' was highly valued.

 

He said many photographers today completely lack the element of 'design' in their photographs, and it shows.

 

Design can be an important element in 'street photography', very difficult to achieve, and that is an often overlooked point by photographers who often think taking a photo of a down-and-outer on a bench, curb or park lawn with somebody more well-to-do walking past is a 'street photograph', and worth chronicalling.

 

But the true artists among 'street photographers' also are able to incorporate 'design' elements within their photographs, which elevate their works (such as yours) to an entirely higher plane. (H C-B with his art school training and his instantaneous, razor-sharp mind was able to visualize design elements 'on the run' (a la sauvette?) in his photography, which is something that sets his work apart.

 

This photograph, as well as others, shows that a good 'street' capture that also incorporates 'design elements' can create an absolutely inspired photo; 'good design' can cause the pedestrian (pun intended) to ascend.

 

Keep up the good work.

 

I'll be back many times.

 

John (Crosley)

I am so pleased by your comments. I am certainly delighted that someone noticed any of these details in my work. I never thought about these, but rather 'felt' something strontg. Seeing the clarity of your analisis does not change this. So, for my heart, it is a good image that was compelling then and continues to 'hit' my heart.

The sign issue is simple for me. I felt then that the sign was a 'push' on this soul. Everything is temporary for us, and this 'move-along' official declaration is just another sting from a nest of life's pesky 'reality wasps'. So I , too like the sign there for this reason.

Again, thank you.

humbly,

Lee