jeff_spirer1

What's interesting about this photo, Tony's previous posting, and

several of Tom's postings is that they use people in a radically

different way than most of the photos that preceded them. The

more "portrait" and "fashion" type shots use the person as a primary

subject; what should interest us is the people and how they are

portrayed.

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In these shots, the people become symbols set in their environment,

which might be a frozen street in an urban (?) environment or a large

warehouse wall. We have to think about the relationship of the

person to the world around them - their significance, or lack

thereof, their humanity in a vanishing landscape, or maybe just

temporal visitors in an infinite universe.

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In the more traditional people photos, we are confronted with how we

feel about the specific person in each photo. Our reactions are

shaped by what we think that person might be like and how we would

relate to them.

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I'm not sure I have a point, but it's an interesting contrast.

You can find tests of the 15, 25 and 50 by well-known Leica expert

Erwin Puts by clicking <a

href=http://www.imx.nl/photosite/japan/voigtl01.html> here.</a>

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The report is summed up by this statement in the review:

<i>

All three give better imagery than first class lenses 10 years ago

and clearly show the direction of the Cosina designers: Astounding

value for the money.</i>

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Also, regarding comments above about vignetting with the 15 -

<i>all</i> ultra-wide angle lenses have light falloff regardless of

design, it's just physics. This is what the 15 exhibits according to

all published accounts. I have one, but the M adapter is

backordered, so I can't report on personal usage.

I have had no problems recruiting models, and virtually all of them

were found working somewhere. For people in low paying jobs, putting

together a modeling portfolio is one way to find a way into better

work. I've had success with coffee shops, bowling alleys, bars,

tranvestite bars, restaurants, farmers' markets - you can try just

about anywhere. Have a business card, this will make a big

difference. Always offer prints (which I have found is more

appealing to amateurs than money) and get a model release signed.

<i>I never post my work for critique; not because I'm thin-skinned,

but because I'm a much stronger critic of my work than anyone else. I

know exactly what look I was attempting to create when I took the

picture and I can quite easily tell whether or not I succeeded and to

what extent. </i>

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I find this comment amazing. It completely removes the viewer from

the photograph, assumes that communication is internal to the

photographer. It eliminates the possibility of the photograph

transcending its origins.

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Critique is essential to artistic growth. No one person, whether the

photographer or a viewer, can fully assess the effect of a

photograph, or a collection of photographs. Every viewpoint is

different, and thus, valuable.

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I have benefited immensely from seeking out critique from my peer

group (photographers I hang out with), highly successful

photographers, teachers, random viewers (like at shows), and even

online strangers. I showed my portfolio to a published photographer

whose work I respect highly and his comments were <i>so</i> different

from what I had heard previously, and so different from how I viewed

them, that it caused a significant shift in my work.

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Unless one plans to only look at one's photos in the privacy of the

home, I can't understand not constantly seeking out criticism. It's

the way to grow...

<i>I thought the latest thing in fashion photography was

using "normal" people (the Gap and Levi TV commercials)... </i>

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Esprit started this a number of years ago. I don't know if it's

still being done, but all the models in Esprit ads were employees or

relatives of employees.

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I know someone Levi has been using recently (don't know if she's done

TV, but she's been in print and on the web site) and she is a

professional model.

Click <a href=http://www.slip.net/~harrisj/gall2.htm>here</a> for a

site with Holga photos. Not much in the way of people shots and a

few seem to be missing, but there's some good shots anyway.

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It's just another tool, an agent of seredipity.

I tried to say it above but I'll say it again.

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It isn't about the camera. All the blithering in the world about

Leicas or anything else doesn't change that - succeeding at street

photography has nothing to do with what camera you use. Alan Gibson

takes candid street shots with a view camera.

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It's about the photographer's ability to turn himself (herself)

invisible. The two shots I posted above were taken at extreme close

range with a large camera.

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If there's a photo out there that could only be taken with one brand

of camera, someone should post it here.

<b>More on being obvious</b>

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<img src="http://www.hyperreal.org/~jeffs/images/fete.jpg">

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Another photo and a comment about how it was made. This was shot on

a tripod with a very wide lens (the above-mentioned M7 setup) and

it's printed full-frame, so you should be able to realize how close I

was. But I ended up with at totally candid photo composed the way I

wanted it.

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I initially had a discussion (debate, or maybe even an argument)about

taking a photo, but they eventually agreed. I set up the camera and

tripod, composed, and stood around holding a cable release and

ignoring the viewfinder. Over time, they stopped paying attention to

me, but someone came along that knew them and started talking to them

from behind me. I just snapped the cable release. It's that simple.

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I think for people who are willing to be photographed, it's a lot

easier to be obvious and wait for the right time. You're better

positioned and can be much more aware of what is going on.

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By the way, they're barbecuing sheep heads on a bed frame.

<i>Is it in front of the church in Oaxaca, Mexico? </i>

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Bingo.

I prefer to work completely in the open most of the time. I use a

Mamiya 7 and the 43mm lens, so it's pretty obvious. I stake out some

ground based on what might be there and the background/foreground,

and just hang out. It seems to work just fine; it's usually possible

to become part of the furniture, so to speak. Occasionally, I use a

Hexar, especially if I'm working at night (the M7 lenses aren't very

fast) or in "dangerous" neighborhoods.

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<img src="http://www.hyperreal.org/~jeffs/images/2girls.jpg">

You can find information about this topic at the following URL:

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http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/eos&ir.htm

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The problem has to do with cameras that use infrared LEDs for film

advance. It does not have to do with plastic bodies.