Mirror...mirror!

[Daisy Mae]

Bill,

A quick look at your posting history tells me that you would much rather argue the semantics of a subject to death than post photographs. Fair enough if you want to hone your debating skills but for me it is all about the pictures!

You now have the distinction of being the only person ever to make it to my ignore list. Your PM's will also be blocked .

[William W]

Bill,

A quick look at your posting history tells me that you would much rather argue the semantics of a subject to death than post photographs.

That is only one woman's opinion, that, amongst many members here. . . based upon "a quick look."

I assume you will ignore my comments on the Fuji x100 too?

WW

[tomdinning]

Hi Sharon.
Back to the photo, which is surely what you would like to do.
I was giving some thought to you image in the light of taking my beginners out on their first 'street' photo shoot coming up and what advise I could give them. I showed them your shot. I hope you don't mind.
The reason I did that was to provide an example of what to look for and how the final image might look.
There is a balance between planning and spontaneity that seems an essential part of photographing this sort of subject matter. Planning for place, gear, settings, and alertness and spontaneity for the apparent casualness of the look where things often seem a bit ill conceived yet dynamic and interesting.
If we had more time and a bit more control we might well frame differently and even exclude the woman on the left or find a new place to stand, but isn't this the very essence of the shot? As we do when we are in the street, we see things in a hurry. Snapshots of life. That sort of approach seems to work best out there where stuff is going on at a fast pace and you're in a hurry to catch it all.
There is a level of excitement in doing it. That excitement is best transferred to the photo by providing the viewer with that same thoughtful spontaneity.
What I do find with shots like yours is to put aside the technical issues and compositional restriction and go with the flow. Feel like the photographer. Respond with the photographers feelings in mind.
When my wife visits Tony and Guy I often stand outside and watch with amazement at what goes on. Your shot is exactly what it looks like.
As for the other business, I won't mention it for fear of receiving another PM.
Cheers
Tom

[Daisy Mae]

Tom,

I very rarely take street shots as candids like this one...( Thank goodness if this is the havoc it wreaks!) lol.
It had next to no preperation and is simply a snap .

I do take street shots and give them an Impressionist twist







Ii fail to see any boudaries between photography and the so called 'Fine Art' scene

[tomdinning]

Tom,

I very rarely take street shots as candids like this one...( Thank goodness if this is the havoc it wreaks!) lol.
It had next to no preperation and is simply a snap .

I do take street shots and give them an Impressionist twist


Ii fail to see any boudaries between photography and the so called 'Fine Art' scene

The difference is, Sharon, you noticed. Some might not. You might call it a 'snap', and you are probably right. As Hirsch describes in Seizing the Light " the snapshooter's interest [is] almost exclusively personal and the values presented [are] life affirming. This uninhibited and unpretentious outlook had a deceptively simple freshness capable of changing the attitude of an observer towards a subject".
Such images dont necessarily need a tuck here and a nudge there to get them 'right'. The attitude of the photographer here is quite different. It is 'direct, spontaneous and matter of fact' as compared to your other photographs here which have a more considered approach with the traditional influences of current photographic trends and aesthetics in mind.
Each approach serves a valuable purpose for both the photographer and the viewer. The first being a recreation of what you believe, know and have seen; the latter, an expression of how you might like to see it or how you might like others to see it. I think some might call that Art.
You certainly generate another level of viewing in the latter photos. Each has incorporated some design elements which exhibit certain moods and elicit some feelings. At least, in me they do.

[tomdinning]

And you're right about the too much blabbing and not enough pictures so I thought a shot or two for the files might be in order. Hope you don't mind.
Here's a couple of snaps from the streets of Sydney. That's a bit of my viewpoint. Make of them what you will.[IMG] 20110808_3964 by tom.dinning, on Flickr[/IMG]


[IMG] DSC_2409 by tom.dinning, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG] DSC_3276 by tom.dinning, on Flickr[/IMG]

[Paniaa]

Hi Sharon I think your photographs or rather your point of view is so interesting, unique. The pics almost look like stills from a movie. Or displayed at an art gallery. I trust you do have exhibitions? I especially love the man in the street with dog (?)

[ClaudioG]

Hi Daisy..im pretty new to CiC but i am amazed and trully inspired by your work... i'd love to see how you work from an original to the final product. I notice alot of pple shy away from overdoing PP on an image..but you seem to find that perfect balance..what tells you enough is enough? How do you know if you've gone to far or not? I'm really struggling to see where the point is when ones photo is not a photo anymore. Unless,im missing the point and what everyone else thinks is irrelevant...its what you as the photographer/artist/creator thinks? Did you just find this niche and feel that is where you felt you belonged?

Keep up the great work!!! Amazing.

[Daisy Mae]

Hi Claudio and welcome to CIC...you will find lots of friendly advice and comment here. I also see you have posted some work using Silver Effex pro2 which is my favourite piece of Software!

Personally I don't give any thought to whether my work is photography or Art....Photo art.. It is what it is and if that is aesthetically pleasing and /or gives people pause for thought then I am happy and see no need to 'define it' further.

How do I know when enough is enough? I don't. I just know when it feels right to me and when if I compare it with the original shot it looks better. I liken it to an eye test at the opticians,,,they drop lenses in and ask 'better or worse?' I drop editing changes in and think..'better or worse?'..! Apply stuff, try it out.sometimes you get alchemy sometimes you get mud but it is only with this process that you begin to know what suits your style. Above all have FUN! Push the boundaries...you can always reverse the last step and no one knows you even thought that 'mad step' might work but you. After a little while you will find you have a set of initial steps you use to see if a shot can work in your style and things fall into place...Honest!

Give me a shout anytime, here or on Flickr and I will be more than happy to talk/share ideas..


Pania...thank you so much for your comments..most kind.

I DO like a cinematic look..we all need our fantasies and why not aim high!

I don't exhibit..well not yet anyway but we will see how this year pans out.

I am glad you like Man and dog in the City..it's one of my favourites.

Tom...Your shots are very evocative. The juxstaposition of poverty/homelessness with the ( seemingly oblivious) bustling city life and the freedom of the skateboarder point up inequalities
that surround us extremely well.