Dancing in the Rain (And More)

'Dancing in the Rain' captures a rainy fall Sunday evening on Kiev's

fashionable main street, with students dancing and more -- a bum

picking through the trash, revealing the great contrasts even present

in this large city's most fashionable district. 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

Interesting, strong composition. Very original... -- DL

es, it's entirely 'original' and to my mind, extremely 'interesting' -- it had me photographing for some time, then the garbage picker happened by, and it became a social comment. It had started out by just being photos of silhouettes of dancers, some of which were stronger silhouettes.

 

There were many others.

 

In my mind, this is the essence of 'street' with more than one story going on at a time, and each of them contributing to the scene, but with lots going on -- something for the eye to wander around. The girl with her hands over her head dancing, the other leaning back, the passerby, and of course, the trash picker bending over into the fancy trash barrel on this fashionable boulevard/street, just down the street from a rock concert.

 

The other photographers were at the 'rock concert' (free), but these students were dancing to the music, and it created in my mind a great street scene.

 

And, rain adds so much to a scene. Of course, the concert was sparsely attended because of rain, but the rain makes photographing at night at high ISO very worthwhile, as it creates tonalities everywhere.

 

Thanks for commenting.

 

John (Crosley)

 

Copyright notice: Photo copyright 2007, John Crosley, All rights reserved.

How many photographers get their captures at night?

 

How many get their captures in the rain?

 

Part of what makes photo 'interesting' is that virtually no photographers will photograph 'street' at 'night', and do it halfway well.

 

I have decided (no matter what the ratings) this is one of my best shots in recent times, along with others made during this particular night. This one was chosen for its 'social comment', as opposed just to its aesthetics.

 

John (Crosley)

Cartier-Bresson wrote about the heart, the mind and the soul all pointed in the same direction as his camera, when asked to describe his photography.

 

That looks and sounds great, though except from looking at the subject to determine the soul's direction, that has always sounded a little overblown to me.

 

To me, the essence of 'street' photography is not only it is extemporaneous nature, as opposed to a 'candid' nature, which might be read to be 'surreptitious' -- and 'street' photography is not always surreptitious.

 

For instance,, these subjects except the garbage picker about whom I'm not certain, were fully aware I was taking photos, and even looked at one or two of them, but just couldn't have care less (until after about 160 photos one boy approached me and asked if I would just 'leave them alone' to which I replied, frankly 'no' since it was my work (not job, but my self-imposed work), but I soon found other, interesting subjects, and I had my captures so I did move along.

 

I do not take direction from my subjects about when and where I will take photographs remote from the subject. (If I had been pointing a lens down his throat, of course, I would have stopped then, but I was 10 meters or 5 meters from them when he asked, and seated while they were dancing, so I had to tell him my answer frankly.

 

But soon enough, a couple danced down the middle of the boulevard, performing great movss in the middle of isolation, all in great dance step style, complete with a Giant Dip at the end, and they caught my attention (one shot posted elsewhere for present).

 

The best part of this shot is not just that I've captured students and a garbage picker, but that I've also captured the park benches, trash bin, the rain, the reflection of the rain, the trees, and a passerby, all blurrerd (to show the longer exposure).

 

'Street' to me is capturing things one encounters day to day and even second to second in a way that reveals its meaningful relationships, much as intelligence means understanding meaningful relationships among ideas. In short, it is a sort of intelligence test for the photographer, and usually one in which quickness is scored too, like in a game show.

 

There are very few 'take overs' or 'do overs' in street photography, although there sometimes are a few.

 

One must act often instantaneously, and one must often prepare one's photo apparatus ahead of time for focus and/or focus point, ISO sensitivity, exposure -- including aperture if shutter speed is linked automatically, and also determine that that combination is proper for the subjects one is going to photograph.

 

I had a giant SB800 flash from Nikon atop my camera, but didn't think of using it (besides it was malfunctioning, but even if it were functioning, I wouldn't have used it). The reason is this is a photo about a night -- a special night, yet an ordinary one too.

 

There are no 'stars' in my photos, though from time to time I meet and have discussions with the very celebrated in life. It's just that I don't photograph celebrities usually, unless there is a proper photographic reason for capturing them, and there have been no such reason to date, just as I passed up photographing Oscar Winner Hillary Swank just before I shot the very good photo, 'Leaving Las Vegas, Three Views' which made 'stars' out of ordinary citizens. My photos don't need to trade on celebrity to get their strength . . . instead I hope they gain strength on their own.

 

Rather than the 'heart, the mind,and the soul' all being in alignmnet with my camera, (which it may be, but I don't really understand the C-B quote), I try to capture scenes on the 'street' so that they make intelligent relationshps between the elements.

 

And they have one more element.

 

They're 'interesting'.

 

One photographer whom I admire greatly, I think lost his audience, because he decided to photograph things that were in juxtaposition, and also because he began photographing 'uninteresting things' and in an 'uninteresting manner'-- which violates my fundamental rule -0- Keep It Interesting!!!

 

I hope you find this photo interesting and worth more than an initial glance.

 

John (Crosley)

Great shot , I like it.

Some of the old-time magazine photographers occasionally would take photos at night or in the rain, or both, but I don't remember any with any particular photos with a strong message. Just taking a photo at night in the rain required that one have the camera on a tripod.

 

This was taken at ISO 3200 and has had some noise reduction software applied, but not too much (I am sure they make better and stronger than found in Photoshop CS3, which has a noise reduction tool found also in Photoshop CS2 -- same one exactly, I think.)

 

This photo has a message, or that is, several messages or 'stories' within its four corners, which is what makes it slightly different, but also hard to show on this service, which shows photos first only in thumbnail.

 

If it showed photos first as a full page, I think this photo would blow people away, but as a thumbnail, it is only slightly interesting and only maybe to those who know I continually take chances and don't post (in this folder at least) stuff I don't believe in.

 

I believe in this photo.

 

It's one of my best, despite an obvious inherent difficulty, left.

 

I am proud to have taken it.

 

There is on another service, another photo taken the same night, of an entirely different scene, also involving dancing.

 

Lesson for me at least: Believe in the raters, take your photo at night if necessary and also in the rain, and if it's good, go against the general conceptions and 'rules' and post it, or simpler -- if you believe in a photo, post it: You may be rewarded well.

 

I have been, so far, despite earlier indications to the contrary. Rule two: Don't trust in initial ratings for a photo such as this.

 

John (Crosley)

I agree about doing things with a gut feeling. This picture speaks to me strongly about invidividualism. We all live in our own world with our realities. Something magical happens when we manage to communicate and relate to one another through common grounds. All these characters in the square share this space, just as we humans share the earth. It's a microcosm of the world.

I am glad you like the photograph. It's unlike anything I've posted before, possibly because I never have seen anything like this and had a camera that could record the scene.

 

Without the reflectivity of the rain, this photo would be just waste -- rubbish, to be put in a hard drive somewhere, but the rain brings it out by filling in the empty spaces with gradations of light and dark.

 

And I very much like your interpretation -- we all share this space together, and it seems, some in very different ways.

 

One wonders if someday one of the young men will be picking bottlees (or food) out of the trash because he had a dissolute life, full of way too much alcohol, or if these young men (very polite) will be the movers and shakers of their country's future.

 

The old man, it seems, probably was better off under the Soviets, where it was acknowledged one could drink and still maintain a productive (or makework) job.

 

Capitalism is a little hard on those who cannot fend for themselvs so well, and Ukraine is more than a little unforgiving of those who fall through the cracks.

 

I'd hate to be poor in Ukraine -- very poor, because no one will bring you hot food or a cot (cot and three hots as it's said) if you're destitute -- you just suck it up. Or rely on friends. I had an assistant from neighboring Russia who told me that sometimes for several days at a time her household (no father) had no food at all -- not even potatoes although her mother got a regular salary. The salary and food was just all used up. (I think mother also had money management problems.)

 

But somehow it helped shape the former assistant into a very interesting (and independent) person. Regrettably she has moved on, but the story remains.

 

As her reward for a childhood sometimes of great deprivation, I brought her dinner in bed, got all her drinks, fluffed her pillow in her bed before bringing her bon bons, etc., all to let her know that story touched me greatly (one night only, and she was only my assistant, never my lover -- we just shared apartment space together while traveling).

 

Destitute in Russia and Ukraine has a different meaning than in much of the USA where if you're really poor, you get free cheese and turkeys and some food stamps (never enough of course).

 

Or a cot and three hots.

 

John (Crosley)

Capitalism has no conscience and brings out the "animal" in people. It's a jungle where the strongest (or most cunning) survives. It makes for a perfect system in a Machiavellian society. I guess that is why I admire the Scandinavian countries so much. You are taxed to death, but everyone is taken care of. I believe that is the closest one can get to an utopian society in the world.

 

John, I profess no real ability nor former knowledge when it comes to photography, but I am learning here at PN by looking at the work of talented people who are also great human beings. I am glad I discovered your work through a reference by Fred Goldsmith and hope to learn from your vision and expertise.

 

If the quality of your critiques and comments is any indicator, you may have a long and very bright career here at Photo.net.

 

You might look at how rank amateur Micki Ferguson (who had photo critique and Photoshop experience and was an artist who could no longer paint) captured attention when she came on the Photo.net scene with her intelligent and apt comments, all in her own style. Don't copy her, but you might look at the might work she has done in six months or so to become a stalwart of the Photo.net community. This place is richer for her presence and her participation.

 

She's also learning the craft of photography rather fast, which is a thing that can happen on this site if one look seriously at feedback that is well-meant. That doesn't mean you take every posted critique seriously, but some feedback is wonderful.

 

I was lucky when I came here. I posted my first photo and it was my best ever, and now has about 33 ratings and about 100,000+ views, and never was put up for critique. If ever I had a photo for Photo of the Week, that was it, but it was never noticed (at least at first).

 

Better for my ego, since it was taken when I was 22 and now, after a photo histus of over 35 years, I'm back in the saddle, and maybe for the rest of my productive life. At least I hope so. (Don't try to guess my present age, as I said 'over' 35 years; those who meet me can't believe I'm as old as my true age, and I can't believe it either. I thought I'd die before I was 40 from the stress of practicing law my way -- trying to be perfect in everything).

 

I also try the same with photographs, but each one is just an 'instant' and each new experience wipes the slate clean.

 

I just know now that I have sufficient skill I can go out with today's modern equipment and take one or several worthy photos in one truncated day (a couple of hours) of shooting.

 

And 'street' doesn't require a trip to the National Parks, either, with attendant expense. My trip to the local train station today, around which there are an amazingly weird group of people, many quite earthy and some quite scary, cost me a total of one-half Hrivna (a Hrivna, pronounced Grivna) is presently more than five to the dollar. So the trip cost half of a 20 cent piece or better, a dime. That's cheap and the streetcar (tram) stops at the corner. If I want to ride in a jitney bus, they appear every two to three minutes where I want to go, and cost three times (30 cents), or a compromise is a Bagdan (literally 'from God') (yellow jitney bus, larger), which costs 20 cents.

 

No need to own a car, and it has a good chance of ending up stolen, and I hear stories from Odessa (none from locally) about cops demanding 'fees' to find stolen cars, and once they get the fee, the car magically appears. Hunh . . . . ?

 

But I have high regard for the local cops, they pulled me out of a 'jackpot' today (and some problem causers are spending what may be a long time in jail for giving me some extreme difficulty -- it comes with the territory. No one opposes the local gendarmerie -- the thought of what might happen may be too much to comprehend, but I have no personal knowledge.

 

When they pick up a drunk, they alert the drunk, and one cop walks in front and one walks behind, and the drunk is just marched away, whether it's in Kyiv, the capital where I saw that two days ago or a strip club here where a drunken heckler annoys the dancers. They 'talk to' the drunk, explain the alternatives and there never is opposition. No need for handcuffs; no one here carries weapons; or at least that I've seen, and the price for attacking a cop with a weapon would I am sure be unthinkable (after all this is a former Soviet country, and the cops once were allied with the KGB, the former NKVD and originally the CHECKA, but the cops are not the 'secret police'

 

People in this town generally are very well behaved, at least toward me and my equipment, with one notable exception, which was ironed out promptly by the gendarmes today with good graces.

 

And with apologies from them (and the criminal).

 

(I didn't press charges, but then the criminals had witnesses against them, and there probably will be prosecutions anyway . . . it was a major assault with no longlasting consequences. I'll still take my 'street' photographs.)

 

The cops suggested I have an interpreter with me at all times, but didn't realize I've spent months over the years in this particular town, Odessa and and Kyiv and never had serious problems of any sort; I have more problems in South Central Los Angeles, even though I speak the language (somewhat) that's spoken there (but I do know how to conjugate the verb 'to be' . . . )

 

And I do speak some Russian/Ukrainian - I can always get a meal and find a toilet and converse rudimentarily with the local populace -- most of whom go out of their way to meet me, and most of whom are more than happy to have their photo taken by me (it's a 'badge of honor' for many).

 

After all, Americans are held in high regard here. It's shown on TV how we live, work, etc., all as portrayed in television and the movies in which everyone lives in a great big, well-decorated house that would cost millions if we bought it on the open market (well prices ARE going down daily, aren't they?)

 

Anyway, America is seen as the land of milk and honey, but for 'street' photography, Ukraine has a wonderful sort of people, gritty and 'real' with little pretense.

 

The women gussy up to the nines when they just go out to the store; they want to catch a man; it's the culture, and the women are great looking anyway, so why not look like movie stars, even if one's just eating potatoes.

 

Every woman has a really, really pretty dress and outfit, no matter how poor.

 

And women are specially schooled on how to wear makeup properly. Few go out without it, but none of that slapdash abuse of makeup that one finds in America so frequently -- visagist (makeup artist) is a respected profession here, and the canvas (face of the women) often is top notch. Women here deserve much more respect than the the men give them; good men are hard to find as drinking is rampant and there are more women than men -- plus the men expect their 'woman' to stay home and make babies, even if she has a high university degree and should enter a profession. It's a dilemma for the women, which explains why so many want to go to America, or Canada, a long-time Ukrainian ally.

 

At the other end of the spectrum are the people who are stupid and poor -- a bad combination. They must be watched. The streets are full of street vendors, and one can use a telephoto for many of them; some allow one to come very close up and take wonderful shots. This just is not possible with Americans in America. People in America are so guarded about their 'personal space'.

 

 

In this land in which men are primarily homophotobic, it is not unusual to see two or more men embracing as they drink their beer (it's almost always beer, or other things mixed with Vodka or bottled alcoholic cocktails).

 

(If one goes into a restaurant and orders a 'cocktail', one gets the equivalent of a fruit smoothee).

 

It's a land of immense contrasts and many of my photos deal with such contrasts.

 

So, it's a preferred place for my photography, and the people (most of them) seem to enjoy what I do, despite an occasional detractor.

 

And people here have friends and strong relationships -- something missing from much of American society.

 

In all, it's fine fettle for a street photographer.

 

I go back to America soon for a stay and hopefully a career boost.

 

But I'll return as soon as possible.

 

Adan, just take 'interesting photos' no matter what the subject and aim for technical perfection, but make them 'interesting' and people will beat a path to your door. Who wants to look at portfolio of the same nude model photographed from every available angle. After two glances, one closes that folder . . . and quicker for the nonnude models.

 

Look for the expression, the interested face, the scene you'd want to see again. If it interests you, it may interest the PN viewers. I chose to spend time in Ukraine because it produces VERY interesting scenes. So does South Central LA, but I need to drive there, and I do 'stand out' as I'm white.

 

But even there, I'm learning to make friends on the street -- which is what the street photographer must do.

 

A local (San Francisco talk show radio station was chosen major market station of the year last year (KGO-AM, which streams on the Internet) under its general manager Mickey Luckoff, who's got a canny talent for choosing talk hosts.

 

Most hosts are middle of the road to liberal, in keeping with San Francisco's political bent, but the station broadcasts from San Diego to Canada and has listeners at night from everywhere on the West Coast.

 

Luckoff's advice to prospective talk show hosts: Talk about what you are passionate about, and people will sense and respect that passion. If your subject is somewhat mainstream and topical, people will make all kinds of reasons to catch your broadcast. Most of all, talk about what you know, and be on top of everything callers want to talk about. It's a winning combination.

 

It's the same thing in photography. In some areas, you must Photoshop very well; others you just must show an original eye. Don't ignore ratings; the system actually does pretty well, though many members disregard 'street' because they 'don't get it' compared to oversaturated sunsets, but that's OK.

 

The ratings sytem does work pretty well, overall -- if not in absolute numbers (such as 5s, 6s, and 7s,) at least relatively from one posting to the next, with substantial consistency. If you get a slew of low ratings, look to your photograph first (unless there are bots about).

 

And most of all, photograph passionately and interestingly.

 

And whatever

John, I am honored by your reply and to be the recipient of such wisdom. I look forward to learning more from you. Thanks.

My so-called 'wisdom' is only 'experience distilled'. Nothing more.

 

I want to make it easier for the 'next guy'.

 

Why die with a bunch of secrets when it can help the next guy.

 

(I am NOT planning on dying soon, but eventually it will happen to everyone).

 

John (Crosley)

and it is hard to add more. But I have to say that it fulfils my main aesthetic criterion: apart from being technically impeccable from the framing to exposure, it tells a very, very strong story. I could very well see it exhibited.

 

From time to time I go through portfolios, but I am realising that a PC screen is not the best place to get impressions from a photo, even if excellent. But we have to overcome our limitations.

 

Best,

 

Luca

You are correct about using a PC screen for viewing -- one thing is that it is backlighted -- only transparencies viewed on a light table have that capability, or exhibited on one of those lighted billboards you see on streets.

 

And it might help if a PC screen were 24 inches as an Apple screen I saw for just under $900 before I left the US. It would run on local (220 V. 50 herz or 60 herz) current, too, but I thought shipping it would be too much danger of loss and no insurance, plus maybe duty to pay at this end totaling more than the screen's value if I can't sneak it in wich my baggage and the box it's in is just huge. If damaged during shipping, the airline would not be responsible no matter how negligent, because it's for 'computers' and 'photography' both excluded categories of things they insure.

 

There are 24" screens avaiilable here (Samsung, I think and maybe LG), and I'm tempted to spring for one, just for viewing my own photos, so I can work on them better and understand them better; I've been making too many decisions on Photoshop and from thumbnail size views, which rewards simplisitic framing/composition, and not so much like this composition above, which is more complex, and which I'm striving to do more often. I work now from a laptop screen (several actually, and they're pretty good, but things such as color look different depending on your angle of view. . . .

 

Of course, in part I chose this photo of all of the ones I took for the rain on the pavers and the old mam (bum sounds too harsh) picking through the garbage -- and the reflection, to give it that light and shininess that is invaluable.

 

And of course, this one of all the ones because it tells a story, even though the pedestrian is walking through the frame . . . (in spite of that, not because of that, but that does 'prove' that it's a walkway or sidewalk . . .)

 

I always appreciate getting a comment from you; then I know I've really done well.

 

I hope to exhibit maybe within the next year, and maybe somewhere worthwhile; I'm working on it and all the feedback you can give me here (or elsewhere) is most valuable to me. I invite all the criticism and hints you can give me.

 

Best wishes and thanks,

 

John (Crosley)