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Politics -- One Man's View


johncrosley

Nikon D200, Nikkor 70~200 V.R. E.D. f 2.8. Desaturated in Photoshop CS2 channel mixer by checking (ticking) the 'monochrome' button and asjusting color sliders 'to taste'Copyright 2007, All Rights Reserved, John Crosley


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Street

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Ukraine heads for historic elections in a week or so that may

determine whether its government leans toward the 'West' or Putin's

Russia, and there are demonstrations countrywide. This older man

seems to express a view of many Ukrainians - that all politics are

corrupt and a charade, despite all the current flagwaving (and there

are flags of many colors for all parties with rock concerts and

speechmaking). Your ratings and critiques are invited and most

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

helpful and constructive comment; please share your superior

photographic knowledge to help improve my photography. Thanks!

Enjoy! John

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Maybe he just had gas.

 

Seriously, Ukrainian politics is something more new to the country; since allegedly corrupt leaders led the country after the Soviet Fall until the two-and one-half year old 'Orange Revolution' which has not fared well because of mistakes, allegations of corruption and a push by Russia's Putin and his pro-Russian forces to wrest Ukraine from Western infuence and into the Russian sphere.

 

So, maybe it isn't a joke.

 

Maybe he really has gas; political gas or indigestion.

 

At least Ukraine's political impasse will be settled (it is hoped) by an upcoming election, and the 'street demonstrations' as here, were the prelude to forcing those elections.

 

Posted before under a lesser folder, this was posted in the middle of the night in color, and without anyone on-line so it got little viewership.

 

Desaturated and posted mid-day (U.S. time) seems to be getting it more interest.

 

I long have considered it a very 'human' take on the subject of politics -- not just for Ukraine but for any country that has a long history of political suppression which is finding 'its own' politically through national elections.

 

Thanks for the commment.

 

John (Crosley)

 

Copyright image: 2007, John Crosley, All rights reserved.

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This is the second posting -- first as color, and it was just as good or better but I posted it at an inauspicious time so it languished.

 

I felt it belonged with my best work; I'm glad you agree.

 

In a way, it is reminiscent, now that I look at it, of the first photo -- balloon man -- that I posted, with a sour looking man in the corner staring at the camera -- you should look at that one and compare the two if you have time.

 

This, therefore, is derivative of that -- my best photo ever -- but not consciously derivative. It just so happens it's 'good composition' as well as expression; no attempt was made to 'copy' the first photo, and in fact, 'balloon man' was never in my mind when I made this photo.

 

It just looked good through the lens . . . for the fraction of a second that I could see this view.

 

Best to you, Michael, and thanks for the observation.

 

John (Crosley)

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hello John,

Stunning image..soooo many in your collection!

I have just returned to the photo.net pages and found you again. Discovering your world of images has again given me a spark of inspiration for more street shooting. You do have a great sense of timing and irony. I'l be going back to Paris an a few days and have in my heart the desire to shoot shoot shoot. Having stopped for awhile. I am excited again. Your work has always inspired me. Your thoughts and images are among the strongest around these parts. I have been urged to produce a book. I urge you to do the same.

It may be the best way to share you work and touch others. I still would love to walk the streets with you some day, or, at the very least enjoy an expresso and a dream or two.

Best to you wherever you are.

Lee

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I'm in Ukraine right now, but this is a slightly older image predating my most recent trip here.

 

Before you are in Paris, the 'street' shooter's delight, have a look at how many wonderful images I've made on the Paris Metro despite 'Operation Vigipirate' which restricts (I've been told, rightly or wrongly) photos on or about public transport in Paris (or all of France).

 

Improbably the flics, who have seen me when they're in groups of 20 and with nothing else to do and who could have stopped me photographing there, simply let me pass by,,some even miming for the camera(s).

 

It seems I'm no terrorist threat, which is totally true, though I may be a photo terrorist to the man who's out with his secretary kissing her on the street, if his wife sees the photo here.

 

Even publishing recognizable faces has French publishers scared, unless a releaase is attached which means 'no street photography' of seriousness by French citizens in France.

 

In the E.U. and in France in particular, someone told me the Constitution (of France) prevents taking a photo without permission.

 

F*** that; as far as I'm concerned -- most people don't care, and the way they idolize Cartier-Bresson, Doisneau (the 's' is silent I've been corrected by Parisiens), and Wily Ronis, the Parisians don't seem particularly disturbed by 'street' photography, especially since every tourist is continually snapping away.

 

And there are video cameras recording every move in a great many public places, so the odds of NOT getting photographed are very low in France and even lower across the Channel in Britain, where they've got monitors with point and shoot video cams and listening devices on them, all in attempt to suppress crime (or listen in on your private conversations -- you won't know.)

 

Privacy has always been an issue with photography, but when the authorities do it with surveillance cameras, or private companies, no one seems too upset, though the lowest low classes often review the videos or control the cameras (and can misuse them). Even the CIA has acknowledged (and the FBI too) misuse of data gathered under the USA Patriot Act. Lord knows how much more is being misused -- that was J. Edgar Hoover's hammer over even a president like L.B.Johnson, who learned he couldn't fire Hoover, because Hoover was blackmailing him. (numerous sources on that, just ask, and all widely acknowledged.)

 

Who's to say that private surveillance and the USA Patriot Act right now aren't being used by some in government or industry for nefarious purposes. After all, the FBI admits it spied with cameras on comedian Dan Rowan (or Rowan and Martin) in an attempt to placate gangster Sam Giancanna about questions his mistress, Phyllis McGuire (singer), was having an 'affair' with the comedian. That was revealed in 'the family jewels' -- papers recently disclosed by the FBI about its nefarious operations in the USA in an attempt to disclose before someone could uncover it and damage further the FBI.

 

Were you in Romania or someplace else that I might know about, or stateside?

 

You are the published photographer, not me, but I now have some 'gallery' leads and a couple of mentors who are in the business, so my images may get much greater exposure (or more lucrative at least), than here or on Photocritiq.com where some others will be seen.

 

I urge you to do a book, but my research has warned me that photo books seldom earn any money for publishers, so beware, and I am told gallery sales are 'where it's at', and given recent prices and my trip last year to the Photo Expo in Paris, I'd say it's true, but 'street' photography there was a poor stepchild, since the Europeans are not 'officially' engaged in street photography and it's the 'old masters' -- Doisneau, Cartier-Bresson and Ronis, that are the ones who sell.

 

What a pity; the heart and soul of 'street photography' offially at least, turning a cold shoulder to the street photographer.

 

But don't be discouraged; on a two-hour ride on the Metro, getting off at each station, late on a Sunday night, I can get enough good to great shots to keep posting here for two or three months, (and get high scores and satisfy myself that they're good).

 

And don't forget some shots of haute couture areas -- the snooty half -- but beware of the pickpockets as Paris is full of them -- they're bold and will even reach into a pocket to snatch a few Euros, and probably wouldn't hesitate to reach into a camera bag and steal a lens or two (which is why I NEVER carry a camera bag -- those things are too easily left somewhere or easily stolen).

 

I'd rather carry two cameras and a jacket with a second lens for each in each pocket (or an overcoat in the winter with a new lens in each of four pockets -- London Fog makes one perfect for that, and same with rain jackets.)

 

I have missed your appearances and am sad to hear you haven't been shooting, but you're younger than I and have less time to make up, having shot all your life (me just three years in this latest incarnation and shooting like heck, too, as you can see, and I hope getting better . . . or getting more good ones per situation . . . is the way I might put it).

 

As you probably can see, I've been able to 'synthesize' or re-incarnate my older 'street shooting' style, despite my myriad other styles.

 

I'm routed through Paris in my way to return to the US but it isn't until next month, so if you're going to be there then, let me know and I'd love to meet with you -- and there are a few Photo.net members in Paris too -- one of whom is quite prominent whom I didn't see last time because of a stolen passport and an airline that lost all my bags which were sent somewhere else, then it abandoned the misrouted me in Paris on my way to Ukraine, cancelling (against my will) all my remaining reservations for several days until I could get it straightened out (and a new passport).

 

That was an amazingly productive stop in Paris, so I urge you to let those creative juices just run, run, run and see what you get. It's hard for a 'street photographer' not to get something good in Paris is my view, and you have a surfeit of talent, so good hunting.

 

E-mail me when you expect to be in Paris, please, and also if you're to be in California, as I get back there periodically and maybe we can have that meeting.

 

I've been documenting from my auto and walking, the streets of South Central L.A., which is totally unlike say, the Valley or West Side.

 

Downtown too has some possibilities as well as Wilshire Boulevard, (its length).

 

Look around and see in my portfolio what I've been shooting and where my photos are from (I don't post from where I am necessarily; sometimes the postings are delayed).

 

Welcome back, mon ami. I hope you are well.

 

John (Crosley)

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hey,

 

i enjoy this picture. i'm always amazed at seeing pictures where everyones attention is diverted somewhere else yet one person stands out and is making eye contact with the camera...

 

it jumps out to me at the triangular composition of this peice... my eye is immediatly directed at the man left of center in the foreground up to the flag above him and lastly to settle on the man who is looking at the camera. i think this is excellent because it allows you to understand first what is going on and lastly to get personal with the details. to me it would not be a strong if my eye went to the man first and then ended with what was going on around.

 

just my .02.

 

jim baker

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I often engage in careful study of composition, and other times I just post a photo I find interesting without studying 'why' I like it so much.

 

Your analysis of the composition of this photo is 'spot on' as said in British English; it couldn't be better and is entirely accurate from my viewpoint.

 

In fact, I couldn't have analyzed it or read it better; my congratulations to you for materially adding to my (and the audience's) understanding of this photo.

 

It isn't my all-time best, maybe by a good distance, but it is a 'major' photo of mine, and when posted in color it got about 4.85/4.85 (or so) in rates -- but was posted at the wrong time. It's just about as strong in color and was highly underrated, but posted I think on a weekend early morning or some such when no serious raters were on the site.

 

Thank you again, so much.

 

I will watch your posts even more carefully from now on; you have earned your chops. A photography professor couldn't have done a better job of explaining the composition of this photo.

 

John (Crosley)

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It would be hard to forget it.

 

That photo needed a little healthy criticism, or at least I thought so, but it doesn't take long to grow on Photo.net.

 

The job of the 'critic' is not to alienate, but to help -- not to rejoice in snideness that says 'I'm better than you are', which reeks of little children and their games, but is sometimes found on this site -- not too often, but occasionally it can get out of hand.

 

I really meant my compliment.

 

And I think you know that comes from an honest place; I have opinions about things, and it is my hope they always come from an honest place -- and if someone sees error in them, they are free to point that out (as some have).

 

Best wishes.

 

John (Crosley)

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john,

 

i appreciate your compliment, i truley do.

 

i'd love for you to swing by and critique any of my work. brutal honesty does a body good.

 

i'm headed out to shoot, i've been trying to shoot everday.

 

cheers

jim baker

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I left you a lengthy comment on your linked photo (the man who started the very lengthy discussion presently has the 'last' word -- for now).

 

I think this is one craft where a hefty amount of criticism (good natured of course, but also honest and not cloying by any means) is one in which that coupled with daily practice greatly benefits, particularly where one is shooting 'street' as I do.

 

I was out tonight after doing some on-house video work which was greatly enjoyable, and when I hit the 'street' it was after dark but I was 'armed' with an f 2.8 zoom lens -- a Nikkor 17~55 lens which is my preferred lens now for nighttime shooting in general because it is 'fast' with a small-numbered aperture. There are 'faster' lenses but they're 'prime' lenses (lenses with fixed focal length), not zooms as this one is. It actually is possible to shoot under street lighting and in stores with such a lens and get sharp, non-fuzzy subjects, if one focuses carefully and holds the camera stedy (it's not an anti-shake lens).

 

I actually took some very good photos in a brand new Ukrainian shopping center without being detected, though with my large D2Xs and that huge lens (with lens hood) I could hardly escape being noticed by security guards who continually watch over me, lest I actually shoot a photo.

 

The trick is in 'speed shooting' as I did above.

 

The above scene lasted less than one second, yet I had time to frame, (auto)focus, even adjust slightly the Easy Exposure setting on my camera (with a gnurled knob) and shoot, then look elsewhere. That befuddles security guards, as it just looks like I'm taking a peek through my viewfinder, but actually have 'seen' and 'previsualized' a photo, raised the camera and taken it, before they realize it's physically possible for an individual to do that. It helps to put a big flash on the camera (a Nikon SB800) then never turn it on, so it looks like there should be a 'flash' when taking a photo, but the photographer is taking photos 'available light'. Hah! (as Micki Ferguson would write.

 

The key is to get the photo and not to satisfy the unknowing and unknown whims of strangers. Most of the time if they see the photo they're quite pleased no matter whether or not they'd have let you take it in the first place.

 

(as I noted once before in these commentaries, I once took photos of an accordion player from behind sitting on a box, framed by passing traffic, all blurred because of a slow shutter speed. I showed the man the photos -- a series -- and he just looked at me with a blank look 'why am I supposed to even understand why you took these photos' was what his stare said to me, and I said to myself 'ok, he doesn't get it.' I looked up later a block and a half away, and the man had tracke me down to pronounce me a 'genius' for taking such 'wonderful photos' and apologized for giving me a blank stare. You just never know about subjects who turn audience, and I'll always remember how that one guy eventually processed what he'd seen and decided he not only liked it, but liked being the unwitting 'star' of such good frames (none posted for now).

 

Speed shooting offers advantages when one is on the street -- the primary one being the subjects' question to themselves and their friends 'I saw him raise his camera, then put it down, but he certainly didn't have it up long enough to take a photo of me (or did he?).'

 

The fact is with multiple frames per second, I might have taken three to five, if the scene was moving along, or if I figured either my camera might suffer from camera shake or autofocus might not have time to 'lock on'. I set my camera for 'release' when I press the shutter so I'll get something, anything, but it's not set for being 'focused' first, as it can be set; that's too restrictive for me.

 

The result is some 'autofocus' shots are not in focus at all, especially with lenses slower to focus, so it's the subsequent frames that might be in focus. I often now shoot more than one frame, because of the extreme adverse lighting, crowd, etc., conditions in which I shoot. I might get jostled, a car might pass in front of me (or a pedestrian) just as I'm getting 'that shot', so I might take several, knowing one will be 'the one', and I've 'saved my photographic hide' by doing so, as a substantial number of shots mght not hit it the first or even the second or third time because of, say, camera unsteadiness, but on the third or fifth shot, it will be perfect. This is extremely important with telephoto work in adverse (low) lighting conditions.

 

A single frame shooter would not have had the guts to press the shutter so soon as this speed shooter if restricted to one shot only. That does not mean I rat-a-rat-rat on the street. But if a subject is moving, particularly fast, I will hit 'C' drive for multiple frames, or I'll just press the shutter several times as a scene progresses.

 

Even at 5 frames per second, walking individuals seen from the length of a 200 mm telephoto zoom setting, can walk an appreciable part of a frame, and thus, each frame may show that individual differently.

 

Trying to visualize in such fast moving circumstances, which frame in advance might be the one on which to release the shutter requires knowledge sometimes one cannot have.

 

I still am a single frame shooter most of the time, but have had enough lens/focus/passerby problems, I've learned to 'save my bacon' by speed shooting.

 

Speed shooting does not just mean several frames per second. I don't do that too often when I have any time at all.

 

It does to me mean raising and lowering the camera often within two or three seconds, framing the shot, releasing the shutter, then turning abruptly my head and often my body and adopting a '1,000-yard stare' at some distant visual point in a different direction, so that the last subject cannot possibly think I was interested in them, (when I'm not trying to affect their situation.

 

When my work is known and welcome, I do no such thing, though in a crowd of people who are clamoring to have their photos taken, I'll often again, after framing, hit 'C' drive (frames per second) because I don't take photos generally of fixed subjects in groups but encourage them to 'act naturally' and they do - the result is that they often are moving and/or dynamic in their placement and/or expressions so that each frame will be entirely different.

 

That's one reason I get so many good shots. Speed shooting (frames per second) allows me, in a situation where I am revealed, to catch fleeting moments.

 

Speed shooting, in another sense, allows me to raise the camera, frame and autofocus -- make auto exposure adjustments for various factors such as backlighting, and release the shutter, all in almost one motion.

 

Sometimes on the street, the difference between 'speed shooting' of the latter variety, and standing there with a camera, framing, focusing and shooting where one hopes for having sufficient time to do it, means the subjects will change their positions/facial expressions, etc., and often spot the photographer and begin primping (or yelling, or whatever).

 

You never know what strangers will do -- want more photos and call in their friends or yell at you 'not allowed' which they sometimes do. In those circumstances, since public is public, I often just go farther away, bide my time, later raise my telephoto, and turn around and take that scene anyway if it has not gone away.

 

There are lots of ways to skin a cat.

 

The problem is that you can't 'skin a cat' if you don't have practice.

 

Which is why your going out every day and working with your photography is bound to make you excel (as well as your willingness to be subject to criticism.)

 

Handling controls on a multi-faceted camera of professional level can be a daunting task until one 'gets the hang of it' which can take months or even years. But it pays off in 'speed shooting' -- ultrafast framing, focusing and shutter releases which allow the photographer just to turn away as if he didn't have any interest in the shot.

 

(sometimes I'll call a subject over to show them a particularly good photo - I'm not always so stealthy except when circumstances call for it, which is when my presence taking photographs will affect adversely the scene.).

 

My best to you (it's already the next day, early morning here.)

 

John (Crosley)

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john...

 

speed shooting huh? what i feel like i'm learning right now is to SLOW down... and make sure that i'm getting tack sharp shots, thats because I haven't been working much with street... but I'm sure that day will come and I will tuck these peices of information away until that day.

 

thanks

jim baker

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I was just on the street, and wanted to photograph a group near the local train station, but with a 17~55 mm Nikkor lens (with lens hood) and carrying a second, larger D2Xs camera with 70~200 mm lens, they got shy and covered their faces, ruining the shot.

 

I went out past nose-in parallel parked cars, and stood in the street.

 

I had to wait while a couple disassembled an interfering metal tube and canvas vendor's stand, and that took about 15 minutes, but my stationary subjects didn't move appreciably (and another joined them) so the 'shot' lasted an incredibly long time. I knew it would fall apart if they saw me photographing (I was looking elsewhere on purpose as the 'stand' was disassembled.)

 

So, when the stand was removed, and the couple in the way had just left, I raised my telephoto and fired away.

 

I just edited those shots. The first one the autofocus didn't 'lock on' or there was camera movement -- it wasn't 'tack sharp'. The second within a 1/3 second, was tack sharp. The third, fourth and fifth, all within two seconds, had them reacting to me but were spoiled thought they were 'tack sharp.

 

So, I got one good shot out of five and only by using fps (frames per second) drive.

 

It also was speed shooting. I lifted my camera, framed (zoom was pretty much preset on my 70~200 mm telephoto and I made minor adjustments), then I fired (five times). Four were acceptable sharpness but two of those had them obscuring their faces (peasant people, not sure of what the photography was about). So, I got one good one out of five. If I'd shot one, it would have been unsteady or otherwise unsharp, and I would have walked away with nothing.

 

See attachment for the results. I'll post it now or soon.

 

I didn't crop out the sidewalk, because I don't like to crop, but it could easily be cropped out.

 

See what you think of the results of 'speed shooting' . . . I got tack sharp (as good as conditions would allow), and still got my photo before my shooting could trigger a reaction (notice the old woman is staring right at me).

 

;~)

 

John (Crosley)

5495421.jpg
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Look at all that's going on in that photo -- it's got expressions and stances of every sort, but the old lady -- the lookout -- is staring right at me and she's skittish.

 

She alerted everyone after this frame, and the females scurried to cover their faces which they did in a moment. End of situation, and end of shooting opportunity within one second. I waited 15 minutes for this and wasn't about to lazily raise camera only to find covered faces and a ruined shot.

 

John (Crosley)

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john,

 

your e-mail is safe with me... i printed out the first one and read it twice... i never read anything twice. it took me about a half hour to read once. i will print out the others tomorrow. and respond. thank you for taking the time to share.

 

jim baker

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They are the answer to your question(s) and a whole lot more -- and discursive.

 

But you aren't the only one interested in the answers to that(those) question(s).

 

So, it made sense to do the answer(s) up right and send them to you, but copyright them for later distribution and/or publication or just notes for some publication or speech or something at a future time.

 

In any event, it's like photography -- the more you practice by doing, the better at it you get (almost always).

 

So, though it may seem like an 'overwhelming response' and it really is -- and that might sometimes bespeak in appropriateness, it's not really, since it (they) have more than one purpose than in just responding to you.

 

I have a habit of recognizing when work for one may be done for many, in advance of the demand, and then giving the first person who gets the work far more than they bargained for, so I could put down on paper (or otherwise) my work for the future.

 

Working in advance of the demand -- sensing a need, then building an advance inventory, so one doesn't have to trouble one's self when the time comes and one may be busy doing other things (just look up this reponse and cut and paste from it, or use it as notes. Why do something part way when you can do it right (and have the time)?

 

So, that's the story.

 

And I'm sticking to it.

 

And if it's inappropriate, I often am, but sometimes the beneficiaries are the first who ask. The e-mail actually is much a synthesis from comments made already on Photo.net that caused me to think many of the observations through in the first place, whether I then wrote them down or not at times past.

 

Best to you.

 

Good reading.

 

John (Crosley)

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Genial perspective. You use the people's faces to guide us through the composition. Except for the guy on the right side (which to me is the main subject) we follow the parade from right to left and then the guy with the cap in the foreground diverts us to the front leading our eyes forward. Sort of like an "L" shape. Back to our main subject. The expression of the man in the lower right hand side seems to command the attention of the audience right away. He seems tired and incredulous. The supporters in the back with the flags waving take a secondary role in the composition. I think this is the portrait of a disbeliever.
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This was one of them.

 

A disbelieving face in a corners among so many flags was a clue to me that I'd taken a pretty good photo. It is one of my favorites, so I'll gladly and without reservation accept good ratings.

 

You should note I have reservations about some of my high rated photos, and I don't hesitate to say so. I accept them of course, but i also 'love' some of my low-rated photos. I wouldn't pull them for anything, as some Photo.netters do -- pulling photos that get low rates. If I post something, almost certainly it stays posted. I have one or two exceptions in the last half year, I think.

 

I like this one very much; it's one of my 'signature' photographs. I'm proud to have my name associated with this one.

 

Thanks for your endorsement, Adan W.

 

John (Crosley)

 

 

 

 

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You have quite an eye for the very good photo, that's all I have to say -- you're picking my personal favorites that often are overlooked by others.

 

Bravo on your choices.

 

John (Crosley)

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You have quite an eye for the very good photo, that's all I have to say -- you're picking my personal favorites that often are overlooked by others.

Bravo on your choices.

John (Crosley)>

 

John, the main reason is, that I love simple, true and (mostly) BW reportage/ street photography.. I used to wander through this kind of memories on places and peoples, wether it is on pages of books (mostly jerry dantzic, antonin kratochvil, or jindrich streit), or in gallery, tv, street..

And - some of yours photography are really of this kind..

I will appreciate you comments on my photos, if you find some interesting for you there..

If not - well, I am just on beginning and my target is high (-;

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