Weekly Photograph - Crossing The Street
30.03.07 @ 9:14 am
Since I work in SOMA, I have begun to accumulate quite a few photos from around the area. To say there are plenty of sights to behold where I work is an understatement. I try to bring my camera once or twice a week to see if I can catch something interesting - with my new desire to photograph people, SOMA makes a perfect setting.
I have graduated from photographing people from behind, now I am starting to take photos of people from the side. I still use stealth and secrecy when photographing my subjects - I have yet to muster the courage to actually photograph someone head on or actually ask someone to photograph them. I see myself actually considering it every once in a while, but it never gets beyond that point. My friends and colleagues have no problem whatsoever doing it - I think it is just going to take some time before I am ready. I really enjoyed this photo due to the blank, yet telling expression on this person's face. This was shot with the digital SLR and needed considerable work to look tolerable. My buddy and I have had lengthy discussions on the validity of Photoshopping digital photos - his argument being that Photoshop is merely the darkroom for digital photos. Considering I rarely get anything of value straight from the camera, I am beginning to agree with his opinion.
black and white, digital, digital photography, mint, mission, Photography, san francisco weekly
March 30th, 2007 at 11:57 am
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Your friend is right, as long as you don’t go too far (IMO). Film photo processing can involve the selection of chemicals, processing times, papers, and filters - it’s not always “drop it into a machine and process everything identically”. Playing with brightness, levels, curves and (of course) cropping in software isn’t very different.
I’ve heard it said that Ansel Adams’ photos didn’t just come out of the camera that way - he spent years trying different things in the darkroom.
March 30th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Yeah, that makes perfect sense. I am still trying to get my head wrapped around what the acceptable level of adjustment is with digital photos. Obviously, that will differ form person to person, but it would be interesting to here other people’s opinions on the subject.
April 3rd, 2007 at 6:51 am
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Asking for a person’s permission to photograph them destroys any candid moment you were hoping to capture, but if it is character study you are looking for, then that’s the best approach. Don’t forget to get them sign a model release waiver too ;o)
April 3rd, 2007 at 8:48 am
grain - I totally agree with you, but I think it would be beneficial as a learning experience to engage the subject as well. Still, neither replaces the other.
Another reason why I would like to give it a go is because I am quickly getting tired of the very hostile reactions I occasionally receive when photographing an unsuspecting person…