'Chase(ing) Savings? Maybe Later, When There's Money'

This man is entreated by the sign to find a nearby 'Chase' (worldwide

bank with numerous local branches), but does not appear very

motivated to make the effort, perhaps for reasons that appear obvious to

viewers. 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

irony - one of the strongest triggers of art.

fantastic.

excellent street photo. Heinz

Very nice moment, bravo

From the first moment I began photographing almost, two elements began to predominate. (1) good design which I sought everywhere. and (2) the ironic contrast, which is evidenced here.

 

I began long ago with 'ironic contrast',as here. See my first posting 'Balloon Man' first in this folder, from in my early '20s' before I gave up photography mostly for decades.

 

But the style stayed with me and remained through my Photo of the Week, same theme, almost two years ago, (also in this folder).

 

In both of those photos, good design AND ironic contrast joined together to approach 'greatness' as far as I was concerned. This is more pedestrian, but I was just waiting for the bus.

 

Thanks for the nice comment.

 

John (Crosley)

 

 

There's not much point in taking a photo of a drunk or homeless person 'sleeping' in broad daylight unless one has a point to make.

 

I don't go out to 'shoot bums' but if there's a photo to be made, I will do so, keeping in mind that there almost always is a level of awareness of such individuals about what is going on around them, and not to be lulled by their inactivity.

 

I can't help his situation: Imagine waking him to give him money, and the possible consequences, nor ignore him (I wanted to sit there,but felt threatened, but it did make a decent photograph, though with a huge range of exposure values.

 

Thanks, Heinz.

 

John (Crosley)

Thanks for the kind compliment. There are more in this folder - maybe some better ones. I hope you get a chance to browse.

 

Thanks again.

 

John (Crosley)

Good one .. :-)

I have sensed that you may sometimes visit here.

 

But almost never comment.

 

I never know when I'm gonna get a good one, though lately I am getting incredibly productive again.

 

I'm 'in the groove' - something I know you are familiar with, as it seems to be a place you reside permanently.

 

Yes, I pay you visits from time to time, and regret sometimes that taking such photos is my talent instead of what you do so well. Regret, regret, regret.

 

But I knew that from age 21 when I bought my first camera 'to get girls to take off their clothes for me', then went out and took a photo similar to this - and saw that was my talent.

 

It's still in this folder.

 

I frankly did not have such high hopes for this one - Exposure values were so great, and I was there a long time (waiting for bus).

 

It just seemed 'too easy' - anybody could have taken this photo, frankly, but I happened by with my cameras and had to wait near this guy (for what seemed an eternity) No Paris autobuses in LA. And on this particular route, they're pretty scarce in daylight on weekdays, no less.

 

Welcome back.

 

John (Crosley)

but a good, natural eye to freeze the moment. I find particularly appealing the shopping trolley just behind the man. A scene that narrates with sobriety a contemporary tale. Thanks for sharing, Giuseppe

After I just analyzed your Venice Gondolier which I saw without your posting comment, analyzed it correctly, including your intent, then saw your comment which confirmed my view.

 

So anything you write, I know will be sane, sober, with reflection and well expressed.

 

Those 'shopping trolleys' you Europeans refer to, we Americans call 'shopping carts' here, and have two fixed rear wheels, compared to those in Europe.

 

Homeless people often drag their things around in them,though in California now, possession of one off a store premises now presumes it was stolen.

 

They are expensive and loss costs store chains millions each year. Some are equipped with anti-theft devices, which disable them when hauled beyond a hidden magnetic strip in store parking lots.

 

While perusing this, I happened to notice some hitherto unnoticed synchronicity, which may be in part why I HAD to take this photo (not so great or well expressed as your gondolier hat/bridge one of course as that is the mother of all synchronicity shots).

 

The man has a certain angle at which he is reclining.

 

The poster illustration is at the precise same angle. It is of a pair of glasses with one lens with the Chase (bank) logo, but not clear or very meaningful if you ask me.

 

But it mirrors the 'attitude' of the reclining man, and I am certain is why I absolutely SAW this photo as one to be taken and why it seems to successful, as well of course because of the message, which something I could have 'made to order' if given a chance.

 

Maybe that's part of the 'good design' mentioned by me in a comment above I thought was lacking entirely - but not quite so much now on (sober) reflection. (sober = serious for me, a near non-drinker)

 

Thank you Giuseppe (my hero among 'street' shooters -- the 'Man With The Golden Eye' and post-processing skills to match).

 

Salut.

 

John (Crosley)

One day, in perusing, I noticed, that the Chase illustration was parallel to his body, then I had increasing estimation for the composition, but still wondered why it was rated so strongly, because the composition and photo seemed 'so obvious' and straightforward, and as I posited above, 'anybody could have taken it'.

 

Well, I have taken another look and there is another element.

 

The Chase illustration ends at the edge of the bus shelter where the frame plunges downward abruptly to the pavement, AND the shadow goes downward at another angle.

 

Now look at the man's legs.

 

His parallelness ends at his knees, then his lower legs to feet plunge downward, BUT one leg goes downward at one angle, another goes at a different angle - quite similar to how the frame and shadow of the sign's edge plunge downward.

 

It seems a very complex instance of 'mirroring' that had gone undetected (in words) by me before this.

 

Maybe raters picked up on that, beside the obvious message of a bum who can't go to the bank which seems to be trying to entice him 'a few steps further'.

 

I knew there had to be something I was overlooking.

 

Maybe this is it. I certainly now give this photo far more credit than previously.

 

John (Crosley)