marta_cajiao

<p>My grandma had the same problem. She would cook a real nice meal and baked goods and people used to say to her "You must have the best oven in the world." As if the oven had everything to do with how a meal turned out and one day I heard her say to a gent. "It's not the equipement Honey, it's what you can do with it." in her best Mae West voice. I guess, it's akin to that old saying "It's not how big it is but what you can do with it." So, when ever someone notices my camera a strike a pose and just say the words my granny used to--it usually breaks the tension...mine, and it makes me laugh and the person admiring my camera gets the message. Works for me. Lol.</p>

<p>I am a pathological photographer. Got my first camera (film 110) when I was fifteen and have been taking photos ever since then. Thirty-One years later I am still taking pictures. Sure, I don't take it to bed with me--hubby won't allow it--or the shower, it's not waterproof but, oddly enough I do take it everywhere else with me and although I am not always taking photos, family and friends can count on me to help them record their events; birthdays and such because, I am always ready and have extra batteries. I have integrated photography into my lifestyle or better said way of living and i feel a much better person for it. I am one of those people who can actually not say "gee, I wish i had my camera with me." Because,it's always with me.</p>

<p>Note: Ifr you were standing on the street when you took it then yes it is a street photo and consider yourself lucky that they didn't ask you what you were doing there--great shots by the way.</p>

<p> Photography is the destination of the journeyl of life that mankind travels through,the<br>

end product.</p>

<p>A picture is an image is a photograph...repeat this mantra until the only thing that matters is making the picture that is the photograph that is the image.</p>

<p> Mike dude,<br>

Don't ever give up the coffee? Perhaps some little blue pills would help as well?</p>

You could be right Carlos--seems that everyone has gone digital and buying film and especially black and white film is not only expensive but getting hard to find. For the longest time I used film cameras and just recently purchased a digital camera because,except for a few places it was hard to find a good place to process my film. It's like one day I walked into Blockbuster Videoas and was stunned to learn that they had gone from VHS to DVDS and it seemed like it just happened over night and I didn't even own a DVD player--had no idea what it was. Technology is making such leaps and bounds that if you're not there at the cusp you can get left behind--suddenly film photography is outdated and expensive to buy and have processed--it's considered old school by most people and like emailing some people think it's quaint that others actually use stamps and envelopes and write with pens/pencils on paper. Now it's either board that digital fast track train or ride that burro on the dirt path and get there whenever. Life is moving at such a fast pace that it's dizzying and there's no slowing down for those who want to get off and taking the time to smell the flowers.

<p> I have seen Cartier-Bresson's lovely street photos and he claimed that he wouldn't even put the camera to his eyes at times just shot from the hip--like a cowboy in some western movie,his Leica was small also and he could hide it easily enough. I've tried his method of shooting and got some got pictured but,I'm so obvious with my camera--that it is a good thing that I am not a big imposing man or I might have gotten arrested already--my camera lens being my third eye,people do notice me but I am either granted permission by a nod of the head or shrugg and sometimes,just 'ignored' as if 'go ahead and take my pucture,that doesn't bother me' by the older folks--the middle-age group will either wsmile or frown--and then I know whether to proceed or back off and the younger set,especially the teenaged boys always ham it up--they can be amusing but also annoying because they want to be my fan club and have to be persuaded not to follow me about. I think that it's all in the body language--I have learned to read the not so subtle mannerisms that prompt me to either go ahead and take the photo or back off and find another subject to photograph and coupled with instincts it has helped me to avoid alot of problems and social gaffs.</p>

<p> I sort them b y subjects and each subject theme has a folder and those are titled and dated--easier to find pictures taken already if and when you need them.</p>

<p> I was thinking Diana--as in Princess Diana. My bad.</p>

<p> nature in my neighborhood,all the wild things and not just the animals that are lurking about some uh,people too!</p>

<p>Forgetting I didn't have film in the camera--shooting some great pictures and well...no pictures because there was no film in the camera!</p>

<p> I have been reading some of the threads on this forum and I was wondering do men have more problems or encounter more obstacles than do women when shooting out in public? I have done alot of street photography and I have never been hassled by the cops/security guards or any other official--usually,I just point to my camera and smile and the responses that I have gotten have always been favorable.</p>

<p>Okay,So I am NOT crazy--I hear voices in my head all the time the questions and answers spinning and spinning and it's only when I hear another person voice outside my head that I realize that I have left the volume in my head way too loud--then I turn it back down and it's all internal again. Lol. :)</p>

<p>Wow deep thoughts here,<br>

I have to say that I consider Pluto a planet--even if it's just a little ball of nothing spinning in out orbit. Juswt when I thought it was safe to just snap a picture someone comes along and poses this question...I have to say that it seems as if we're over-thinking this whole process...I see an object I like--point my camera and push that little red button and whala! I like to think that it's magic and leave off on that--When you close the door to the fridge do you wonder if the light just turns off or does a little man in a snow suit come out from within and push the off switch?</p>

<p>Can't get any sweeter than that can it? Very nice image. :)</p>

<p>Nothing. I have one of those new digital cameras made by polaroid--remember those instant picture cameras? The small camera fits in the back pocket of my jeans and it comes with an equally small cloth bag that it goes into. I travel light,i guess.</p>

<p>Beautiful photo--leave the thingie on his beak,unless you can rubbed it's nose and ask it to pose for you again.</p>

<p>Hi David,<br>

I have to say that my favorite is the one with the sofas because it asks alot of questions--like,Who's sofa was it? Do the clothes it the bog one belong to anyone? Do people sit on it if they are tired or think that it's too ickky to sit on? Good questions to an interesting image. The image with the young people is also a nice one and I like that there was another group of people in the background doing something totally unrelated--it's almsot as if you took two pictures and merged them into one--real nice. The only photo I didn't like too much was the one with the man looking towards something because the background was blurry but otherwise it would have been a great shot--I would have asked what is he looking at that is holding his ineterst? So yeah,it could work and the last shot--amusing--is that Humphrey Bogart on the door? I say that you shouldn't stop photographing street scenes--When I am not working I like to go out and take pictures of people out on the street and it's fun and sometimes,the most amussing things happen between people.</p>

<p>Mark,<br>

Verbal permission is fine...written permission is binding. Err on the side of caution and get the permission in writing--even if you have to get everyone's permission signature. People tend to get a bit fuzzy-headed when it concerns the little things and sometimes people do forget that they said it was okay to be photographed--it's worth the trouble to get the wriiten permission and any lawyer would agree with this,you can't argue with that now can you?</p>

<p>Sorry I meant re-creation not recreation...i'm word challenged today.</p>

<p>Allen,<br>

I would say that the original is the first creation and the reproductions are what comes after the first. Kind of like Adam and Eve were the first creations and we are reproductions born from them,so your original is the first work created and everything after that was born from that ergo a recreation. You could change the terminology for those people who are word challenged and say creation and recreation.</p>

<p>Thanks Matt and James for sharing. I'd buy the book and even the photo--even if it wasn't someone I was related to.</p>

<p>Thank you Lex,<br>

I think neither,I am doing the right thing in taking these photos quaint as it may seem. I have been charging a standard fee and I guess,I was just thinking out loud--putting this subject out there in terms of should I be charging the flat rate that I am and will this be a service that I can monopolize in the future--not as a sideline but as a full blown service to provide. Sure,I agree with you that this could be a difficult thing to do in the U.S. and there might not be a viable market for it but,I want to make it one--I would like to break the constraints and taboo and bring this kind of photography back to life--no pun intended--I don't want to donate my time I want to get paid for a service well done. If my thread seems confusing it is because for a moment there I was confused as to how to continue with the kind of service--thank you for your input I appreciate it and know how I will proceed.<br>

Thank you Michael for your answer and I will consider just that. Howard I think that a person not related to the deceased is the proper person to take the photos and is it wrong to profit from that? I get hired by these people--offer a service and they pay me,it's not as if they didn't have a choice and I take excellent photos--people die all the time and other people don't profit from it? What about that guy John Edwards? How many of you think he can really talk to the dead? At least I offer something tangible in return for my money.<br>

Rob I agree--but those who do pay me and those who don't--don't require my services. Thanks Jim. I have to say Rich--that I do charge a good grip--as I do excellent work and no I don't feel bad about it because I am not forcing anyone to buy my services. Overall I guess that my way of thinking of the dead does differ from alot of other people's--while it is something tragic having a loved one die--I think it is more tragic not to honor this person in death as in life--and some people you might all agree aren't appreciated until they have departed this world. <br>

Thanks for all your answers and no my feelings aren't hurt and I don't think that anyone was being mean or rude..I put out a thread and I appreciate everyone who answered it--even the people whom I didn't agree with...I do tend to put out the same threads in different forums but that's only because I am looking for more than one opinion at different levels of the photography spectrum--I will watch that in the future and please try not to get annoyed if I do that--for those of you whom might have become irked--I try and ask the same question in different ways and cast my thread line far and wide. I am thinking about changing my company logo from a casket to a vulture--that might look good on a card. Thanks to all,hope to write again soon.</p>

<p>Hello Steve,<br>

Good ideas? Hmmm. 1) How about group photos--friends gathered around the car. 2) take photos of hubcaps,fenders and interiors in part. 3) The girl on the hood as an ornament is a classic. 4) Driver behind the wheel. 5) try different angles of the cars by you sitting in front of the car and taking a photo from that position or get under the care and take a photo of the underbelly of the car. 6) pop open the hood and check out the engine. 7)Do a self-portrait in the rearview mirror. 8) ever watch the movie GREASE with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John when the guys are at the garage and getting ready to work on the car and they do this dance thing? So,cool. How about taking a picture of the sky refelcted on the back windshield--I recently did take a picture whileI was on the bus and the back of someone's care was reflecting the sky and clouds and it came out better than I expected and 8) how about everyone sits on the hood and place their feet on the bumper and you take a photo of their footwear & bumper? How many ways to take a phtos of friends and their cars...let me count the ways. Be creative have fun and good luck. Don't forget close ups also.</p>