'Pat?'

I didn't ask what may be the most obvious question of this young man

whom I asked if I could photographed. He was enthusiastic, and it was

not my business to ask why he was dressed that way; but he obviously

was proud to be chosen to be photographed. Probably he would have

told me, but I let it go, thinking I knew the answer or it was obvious, and

I am quite tolerant. Photo taken on sidewalk in Manhattan. Your

ratings and critiques are invited and most welcome. (Please rate on the

photography, not on personal reaction to the subject and his dress or

manner). 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

An interesting subject is . . . . well . . . an interesting subject.

 

I don't discriminate.

 

I didn't catch this most cooperative fellow's name.

 

The encounter took maybe two or three minutes, and he was delighted to review his captures.

 

Then we went our separate ways.

 

I hope he see this.

 

And doesn't see derogatory comments about his dress or lifestyle. (OK members?)

 

Rating should be for photographic merit and enterprise only, not on your judgment of how this man should be leading his life. That is for your religious leaders to advise you on, and for the religious world.

 

Thanks.

 

John (Crosley)

another fine addition to your gallery !

You rate a lot; comment far less often.

 

I treasure a comment such as yours.

 

I have been saving this one since fall.

 

I'm glad this one appealed to you; it's an unorthodox subject, but then that makes for an interesting capture I think.

 

I'd like to do more such, but then I am not in any community.

 

If given 'assignments' think what I could do!!! After all, this is just stopping a guy on the street and taking four or five photos of him, then each going our separate ways (after his review and enthusiastic approval).

 

John (Crosley)

I like much this image. His expression and how background is between grey and white tones while model wins importance with black tones. His position, this means your composition, earring and arm helps giving level to image. The background subject adds speaking about clothing. Congratulations. (sorry, can not explain it better in english... hope you understand what I am meaning, only a bit) Best Regards, John.

You have understood exactly how and why I took this photograph and what effect I as looking for, and feel, like I did, that it was successful.

 

I hardly felt it would be received as 'successful' by the PN crowd, but I was quite wrong.

 

I am happy for that; it is more an ecumenical group than I gave credit for.

 

Thank you for your explanation; I did understand every thought, as they mirrored mine as I took and processed the photo.

 

Best wishes and thanks again.

 

John (Crosley)

Very interesting, carefully chosen model and a great contrast between the foreground and the background both in terms of the tonality and the subject matter makes this photo original and interesting, at least in my eyes. The clothes in the shop window look like an offer for Pat in case he's changed his mind:). Like the story here and the way it's told, thank you for sharing, best regards -wm

It is interesting what interchange can take place on a Manhattan sidewalk on a fall afternoon when it warms up though the days are turning short and shadows are getting long (this was taken in late afternoon in the shadow of one of the skyscrapers around Herald Square or thereabouts).

 

I stopped this young man and said 'your look interests me'-- I take photos, they're considered pretty good; could I take a photo or several of you and then you can look at them and judge for yourself?

 

He was game, I just asked him to be himself, and moved about a little bit, focusing, dancing a little bit, slowly since I'm a little cumbersome (no Cartier-Bresson twinkle-toes me), and while focusing him spied the background, made a snap decision to juxtapose him with the background but also to blur the background using depth of field adjustment and voila -- this photo (and some others similar to it).

 

He reviewed this and the other photos,, seemed very pleased, I thanked him profusely, told him that one day one (just one probably) might be posted on the Internet as is my usual custom, and then we shook hands again and parted ways, both of us I think quite satisfied with our encounter.

 

For me a camera makes strange (not bed) fellows.

 

It bridges gaps that might not otherwise be bridged in the rest of life, especially given our age and quasi-gender gap.

 

(note the careful use of the coined phrase 'quasi-gender' -- try that out on your attorney friends as see if they are admiring or not).

 

And it all happened so fast - faster than it took to write this at 60 or more words per minute, I think.

 

I am a very instinctive shooter. In actuality I spend very little time framing and shooting and a lot of time looking when I actually am out for a 'shoot' but actually not so much time doing that either (I'd like to do it half a day every day, but that requires someone to mind the store (an expression -- since there really is no store).

 

I just take a camera, two or three with me wherever I go, one lens per camera so I seldom change, and then I'm a speed shooter once I recognize a subject's potential.

 

Today, unusually, I shot a few landscapes and went over them with staff at one of Nikon's facilities, and got kudos, though the shots were shown for 'diagnostic purposes' and I told the staff member 'i never shoot landscapes' -- but they were good, real good.

 

Again, I just saw something worth recording, that I'd never seen before,so I set about doing it.

 

(In a week or so look in color or landscape and you'll see one or two . . . .)

 

Best to you Wieslaw from a very intellectually instinctive shooter.

 

(for me that is NOT a contradiction in terms)

 

John (Crosley)

I am glad much for all your words. Thanks for sharing and for telling me. Best Regard, John.

Gracias and Best Wishes.

 

Juan (John) (Crosley)