Why Is News Always Bad?

'Why is News Always So Bad' is just one moment in a two-hour journey

through San Francisco, trying to capture its 'essence' quickly during

a drive-by. Your honest rating and critiques are invited and most

welcome. (If you rate harshly or very negatively, please submit a

helpful and constructive comment/Please share your superior knowledge

to help improve my photography) Thanks! Enjoy! John

Strong document, a sign of the times. Commercial selling of news leads to only bad news as attractive element.

If you can believe it, for the photos in this folder, I just got in my car and drove through San Francisco, using primarily one of three telephoto lenses, and when I used up my CF cards early, switched to aged film, exposed to heat and radiation, and just continued on using my F5 and another camera or two primarily shooting from traffic through my open car window, and only once really stopped to get out of my car. I did often park or stop in traffic (double park) to get my photo, but caused very little disruption in doing so, as S.F. has mainly one-way streets and traffic flowed around my auto.

 

This folder really could be entitled 'what you can shoot while totally incapacitated while driving' through a major city.

 

I didn't 'stake out' this guy, but depended on quick reflexes, which I seem to have, and there were cars piling up behind me for a little bit, just a few seconds, as I saw this, framed it and with my superquick F-5, autofocused and fired (3 or 4 times) then on down the street to the next 'photo opportunity'.

 

It has the look as though I'd staked it out, doesn't it, instead of just 'driving by'?

 

I'm working on recognizing, framing and capturing quickly, as the photos in this folder are emphasizing.

 

Thanks for the remark, in these days of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and political leaders from the Republican party imploding and self-destructing.

 

(And maybe he was just having a sugar rush from that treat he is carrying in his right hand by his glasses -- who knows?)

 

John

He's unwilling or unable to part with 25 or 50 cents to pay for the Chronicle, perhaps because he's paying over $3.00 a gallon for his gasoline, and he's figured out which is expendable.

On reflection, this photo is not merely emblematic of a drive through San Francisco, seeking to capture and distill through photography its various 'essences', but this photo has a more timeless or universal quality.

 

What person who has read a newspaper doesn't identify with a newspaper reader who has his head in his hands when he reads that day's accounts of the previous 24 hours' grim reapings?

 

I have finally discovered what my 'style' consists of, for those who are interested: It consists of cramming as much as possible of interesting stuff into my viewfinder, and using lenses, apertures, shutter speeds, film qualities, etc., to display that in an interesting manner, then pressing the shutter release to freeze it for all time.

 

In doing so, I move through what others call various 'styles', though here, it is 'street photography' my true and first interest. But what photographer of record ever was known to use a telephoto from his car window to capture 'street' photographs, as I have in this folder or in others in which I have use the same technique. [see Wheelchair Dreams and others, Single Photo Folder (Primarily Color).]

 

John

Regarding the $3 gas comment, If this guy was transported to the UK, he probably would have been in a straightjacket, we pay $2 per liter! Roughly $8 per gallon.

 

Anyhow, I digress, you've done some more great work here John, I've also taken to 'cruising' but have yet to catch anything as good.

The great thing about this shot (for me) is that you can read your own story into it. We can't see his actual expression, so we can put into the photo our own emotions. Maybe sorrow, maybe fear, maybe even hope. Anyway, love the colors. The yellow was a great happenstance. I'm not talented enough to drive and use a camera at the same time, but these are great. Cheers.

Barry, that's an extremely nice comment. I just made a major drive and went through another of America's great (huge) cities and took a couple of wonderful photographs -- which I will upload after a while, maybe make a separate folder.

 

One thing you must know is that I STOP before I take these photographs, and I always look in my rear view mirror and side mirrors before doing so, making certain that I won't cause any foulup in traffic. I am never a hazard, and simply will park across a street, or in a parking space, bus stop, drop-off zone, handicap space (I have a sticker), etc., quickly zoom and frame my shot, then move on, maybe just a quarter block or a few feet, then skeedaddle.

 

And if police come, as they did last night as I photographed at a major airport to shoo me away, I make the effort to show them I'm no terrorist by showing them I'm not taking photos to measure terminals for 'device' placement, but for photographic merit only. And they then are usually quite kind about it.

 

And be sure to ask me about the Nigerian man I met in the US who turned the tables on those Nigerian oil fortune scammers. He just told me a story that I think I want to copyright and publish -- probably in a national periodical -- it's hilarious.

 

Thanks for thinking of me; I have a wonderful photo from this A.M. to upload, I hope will get a wonderful reception on PN.

 

John

The fact that the 'weeping guy'(my interpretation) is in businesss attire is all the better for my imagination. The yellow Chron boxes are so eye-catching and pervasive in SF You did well to spot and capture this moment.

So entertaining and expresive on many levels. Bravo again!

Lee

Because I didn't have to work and he had a coffee in one hand (which doesn't really show -- left hand), this seems hardly 'real' or 'important' -- even though divorced from the context of shooting it, I know it really is a 'good photo'.

 

It would be nicer if the headline were more visible and said something other than what it says and said something like 'Titanic Sinks' or '56 Killed in Iraq' or 'Iraq Disaster' to place it in context (not that I wish any disasters).

 

It's just that sometimes when I know a contradictory context, for me it detracts, especially when I didn't have to 'work'. Here, I just paused at a light for about 20 seconds, popped off three or four photos of which this is the best, and moved on. That's it. End of story.

 

That's the contradictory life of a 'street shooter.

 

John

This little photo was an unexpected surprise in my day's self-imposed task -- a drive around San Francisco -- just one day, taking photos, and this photo was taken while driving (stopped in traffic) from the driver's seat, but safely stopped with regard for other drivers, for when there's a conflict between photos and driving safety, I opt for driving safety, always.

 

As they say in the chant.

 

Hare hare.

 

John (Crosley)