Having Fun (#292) 05-06-13

Ideally, when approaching strangers for a photograph, the encounter should be fun for all. Why take yourself, and others, too seriously. There is too little joy and fun in this world, and anything that can be done to increase it has to be a good thing.

So, while cruising the edges of an outdoor auto show, I saw a fellow who looked carefree, with a loosey-goosey body language. So I approached Mr. T (the only name that he gave), and went into my spiel. He thought it was a hoot to be photographed by a stranger and immediately called three women who were in his entourage. What luck!

They were all laughing, and the most difficult part was getting an halfway genuine expression. I got Mr. T to remove his hat so that I could get a view of his eyes.

Cindy just could not contain herself. Well, it's better than a perpetual scowl!

Diena (pronounced Deena), was insistent that I spell her name correctly. She schooled me in the old bromide, "i before e except after c". As my surname is Dein, I don't pay attention to that garbage.

They were all from Ft. Myers. But their friend Lauren was visiting from Jacksonville.

I feel that I got lucky here. Sometimes a portrait just looks right.

I am typing this on the afternoon of May 5. I have high hopes of meeting a few folks this evening, at a Cinco de Mayo event.

Bob

Guy Tal, on Gratitude (#291) 05-05-13

Here's a quick Sunday missive on a repeating topic that is dear to my heart, gratitude. The article of today's post is by Guy Tal, a landscape photographer and writer with a philosophical bent. See his website HERE.

The article of my interest is his blog post of April 2, entitled "The Grateful Mind". He references the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, a surprise to me. I think of Nietzsche's the concept of God being dead, hardly what I associate with art and gratitude. Nevertheless, according to Tal, Nietzsche said, “The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.” So there!

I am intrigued by this idea, as I have felt it in my own photography. When I take time to feel gratitude about my surroundings, personal situation, the weather (anything!), it is much easier to approach strangers and ask for a portrait. Moreover, the percentage of people who agree to be photographed is higher, and the quality of the personal encounter seems better.

And it has become easier to mentally prepare myself for photography. A few brief moments of being humble and grateful, of getting my "head straight", clears and opens the mind for whatever situations may present themselves. A grateful mind is receptive mind. Guy Tal says, "Humility is the fertile soil for a grateful mind; and a grateful mind, beyond any tool or technique you may own or master, is the engine of creativity and emotion that manifest in meaningful art."

The Grateful Mind is a brief, but powerful essay. Read it HERE.


Enjoy.

Bob

Beth (#290) 05-04-13

Beth had a booth at a Farmer's Market in Punta Gorda, FL. I am always a it ill at ease asking for a portrait of a vendor when I don't buy anything. Sometimes I DO buy something, even if I don't really want it. But this time, I didn't. And Beth was gracious to allow it.

Beth sold soap. Not just any soap, but soap that she personally made with olive oil and other natural ingredients. A sign says, "Everyone needs soap. Or should".

But most of all, I liked the name of her company" True Lyes".

Bob

Mel (#289) 05-03-13

About a month ago, I was driving near the Ft. Myers Historic District about 6PM. There were MANY pedestrians milling about, some dressed to the nines, and some apparently so 'overdressed' that I suspected that they were in some kind of costume. Then I saw a bearded man in a white robe with a staff, who was obviously coiffed as Jesus Christ. I did not know if/how he fit in with the others.

A few days ago I was back in the same area. This time, three blocks of a street were blocked off for a car rally. Most were vintage Thunderbirds, Corvettes, and the like. I spotted the ersatz Jesus again. Clearly he was doing this on his own, as I just don't usually think of Jesus and sports cars at the same time. So, naturally I approached him and asked for a photograph. He was more than eager to comply. Usually I like portrait images in black and white. Mel is an exception.

Mel found Jesus many years ago, and now feels compelled to spread the Word. He is currently homeless, but is very grateful for all of life's bounties. He says that the wealthy sometimes think that they are grateful – but they are not. They do not feel grateful for the simplicity of a meal, or shower. Mel is convinced that he will win the lottery, and will use the funds to found a ministry to spread the word of peace and inner joy. Mel says that today's television ministries are money oriented and not true to the cause.

Then Mel told me to Google "Mel Larsen Shark". So I did, and found several screens of "hits". The Google search is HERE.

This is the beauty of meeting and photographing strangers: you never know which interesting people are in your future.

Like Mel Larsen Shark.

Bob

Strength in Numbers (#288) 05-01-13

Two young ladies were sitting in front of Pro Fliies Nailz (nail salon), and just had the 'look' of employees on break. They were. I stopped, explained my project, and asked if I could meet, and photograph them. Both looked shocked with raised eyebrows. I showed them images on my Android phone. They stood, hugged each other, and asked to be photographed together. "We could be famous", one of them said.

So, I photographed them together before I convinced them to allow individual headshots, first Torri, then Lili. I am pretty sure that alone, Torri and Lili each would have declined. But together, it became sort of a game, and in the end we all had fun.

02-05-13 Torri2.jpg

Then, a couple of days later I passed the salon and saw Torri and another employee, Dakota. Dakota was a bit reluctant at first, but Torri egged her on, and said that she had already been photographed. Thanks, Torri!

Sometimes, there is strength in numbers.

Bob

Street Portraiture vs Street Photography – Eric Kim (#287) 05-01-13

I have often separated Street Portraiture (what I do), from Street Photography, a genre of photography involved with candid images.

Eric Kim is a prolific Street photographer, maintaining a very active blog, and offering numerous workshops around the world. See his website HERE. 

While cruising the web, I came across his blog post dated March 7, 2011. It is entitled "Street Portraits vs Street Photography: What's the Difference?" See it HERE.

It is an easy read, and I hope that you'll check it out. And by all means, read the comments. They are enlightening, and in some cases, entertaining.

Enjoy.

Bob

JR, a Most Pleasant Stranger (#286) 04-30-13

Barbara and I were walking to a restaurant for lunch on Useppa Island. On the side of the building, a workman was sitting on a flight of steps. His demeanor just screamed at me to meet, and photograph him. He seemed a little surprised, but shrugged and said to go ahead. He works for an air conditioning company that does subcontractor work for the island. We had barely begun to speak when a coworker pulled up in a golf cart to take him to lunch – I clicked VERY quickly and thanked JR for his time.

When I saw the images, I had to pause and be grateful that JR was so genuine, and "in the moment". In retrospect, I am surprised that in such a brief encounter, he became relaxed, and 'opened himself up and let me in'. I truly feel privileged to have been granted the opportunity.

This does happen remarkably often, I believe. Making a 'connection' with a person in a brief time is very gratifying. In blog post #221 (February 15), I showed a brief slide show of strangers that, in my opinion, opened up and revealed a part of their character in the portrait. I think that it's appropriate to revisit it now.

Do you think that JR belongs in this slide show?

Bob

Carl (#285) 04-29-13

I was coffee hunting in the Ft. Myers Historical District. A Starbucks was prominant, but next door was an establishment with a provocative name, A Lush Bakery.

I liked the name and the logo on the door. It was primarily a bakery; coffee was an afterthought, but that's where I stopped, anyway. A side benefit was a small adjoining courtyard with several tables and chairs.

While happily sipping, I heard someone behind me, pulling up a chair. When I saw Carl, I was immediately attracted to his unusual (to me) hairstyle. I told Carl so, and explained my stranger portrait hobby. With that hair, I was sure that he would be anxious to be photographed. Not so. He slowly agreed, but did not seem to buy into the idea.

When done, I showed him an image on the LCD and offered to send him a copy. He rather abruptly declined and walked inside. Carl was an employee of A Lush Bakery.

Back to my coffee...

Bob

Roxanne and the Canon S100 (#283) 04-27-13

I have only used two cameras for making portraits of strangers, my Nikon D90, and a rented Olympus OM-D E-M5. Each of these has quick auto focus, a fairly quick burst rate, and has good prime lenses. When someone allows me to photograph them, I feel obligated to produce a decent result. Therefore I keep the gear simple (like me), and with these cameras, the results are fairly reproducible.

A few days ago, I was at a club on Useppa Island, FL. While walking around a pool area, I passed by a building with an open window which serves as a pass-through into a bar. A lady server was just inside, and the light on her face, and background bar, was sumptuous. In my pocket was my fairly new Canon S100. I had to try.

I leaned into the bar area, and explained my project to Roxanne. She seemed a bit reluctant, but ultimately allowed a photo, even though I did not buy a thing. The controls on the S100 are predominantly menu driven, which I hate. But it does have a control dial with Av (aperture priority) and easily controlled exposure compensation. I quickly set the Aperture to f4 and exposure compensation to -1, and clicked off two shots. The shutter release was agonizingly slow.

I really liked the gesture. Thank you, Roxanne! But the image is not at all sharp. I refuse to print the shutter speed – it was WAY too slow. The ISO control is buried somewhere deep in the menu, something with which to acquaint myself.

But this is DO-ABLE. With a little practice, the Canon S100 can become a useful adjunct in my stranger portrait project. I am glad that I had it along that day.

Bob

Shawn, and Shadow in Street Portraiture (#282) 04-26-13

Shadow adds dimension to the face in portraiture. And heavy shadow can add mystery, by hiding certain features. Joe McNalley says that to make a subject more interesting, don't light all of it. OK, here goes.

When I found Austin (yesterday's post), he was sitting with Shawn. I sheepishly admit that I may me misspelling his name. Maybe it's Sean. Either way, he was fabricating small flowers from cut palm fronds. I have not seen this activity in Venice before. It is VERY common in Savannah, where it is a favorite attempt at fundraising for the homeless. Both the activity and Shawn's appearance set him apart in Venice, where most folks are (ahem!) more senior, and VERY conservative in appearance and dress. More like, well..., me.

When I explained my project and asked for a photograph, Shawn was enthusiastic, and thought that it was "cool'. So here is Shawn, doing his thing.

Now, I brightened up the left side of his face a bit, as it was in fairly deep shadow. Here is what he looked like before post processing.

Now, as I was photographing for a head shot, I was well aware of the darkness of his left side. I could have asked him to move, or I could have used fill flash. But as he has a bit of a mysterious look (in our town, at least), I photographed him knowing that I would deepen the shadow.

Now that adds a mood, I think. I've used this technique a few times, always on men. For women, not so much.

Do you think that Joe McNalley is right? Is Shawn's face more interesting because it is not totally lit?

Bob

Austin and the Power of Story in Portraiture (#281) 04-25-13

Here is a post, sort of like #279, that demonstrates portraits that do, and do not, imply story.

Walking along Venice Avenue, I spotted a couple half a block away. We would meet in an area of relatively harsh light, but I wanted to try to soften light with reflected walls (I think that the technical results are mixed).

Harry and Celeste seemed somewhat perplexed by my request, but did not reject it out of hand. They are visitors to the area, but from Port St. Lucie, FL, which is on the same latitude as Venice. So they were not from the frozen north seeking warmth. Harry recently started a new job, and vacations had to be limited to long weekends.

When I asked them not to smile for the camera..., well, you be the judge.

Obviously this is not what I was hoping for. While we were speaking, Celeste was not laughing or smiling. This look is for the camera only. Had I not spoke with them first, I think that I would recognize this just from the image. The looks in their eyes tell e nothing.

Now, on to Austin. On a different day, I sat on a bench close to where I met Harry and Celeste. I looked up just in time to see a young, happy looking fellow, walking right next to me. He nodded as he made eye contact. And in that instant, I wasn't ready. Rats! I don't like to chase someone down and approach them from behind, so I just accepted that I had blown a chance and resumed walking (in the opposite direction).

After about 20 minutes of 'making rounds', I saw two young men on a bench; one was Austin, the fellow I had missed. When fate seems to deal a good hand, I feel obligated to approch the person and go through with a portrait request. Both readily agreed and seemed genuinely interested in the project (the other man will be the subject of a future post.) Austin seemed to be in a very good mood. When I asked him to not smile for the camera, he said that he was just a happy guy and loved life.

In think that Austin is a just happy guy, and loves life. Comparing his photo to Celeste's, there is something in Austin's eyes that exudes authenticity. Do you agree?

Bob

a lesser photographer – storytelling (#280) 04-24-13

Wednesday again, and time to review someone else's work.

A lesser photographer is an interesting site, run by an interesting guy, C. J. Chilvers. See it HERE. 

In his words, what is a lesser photographer?  "A person who makes images and is more interested in increasing their creativity than their street cred with other photographers. The phrase refers to what those other photographers may think of you, until they see your results." In other words, simplicity in photography, without the emphasis on trendy gear or techniques.

In September 2011, Chilvers published his lesser photographer manifesto. See it HERE. 

It consists of 10 principles. They are simple, easy to read, and common sense. One of the principles is about storytelling and is therefore germane to the topic upon which I am spending some time. So relevant is it, that I am copying it below:

"Tell a Story

Why does every major photography award seem to go to the same few outlets: National Geographic, The New York Times Magazine, Time Magazine and a handful of interchangeable lifestyle publications?

If you visit your local bookstore, you’ll find the magazine rack packed with photography how-to publications, featuring the best work of the most celebrated photographers on the planet. Why aren’t these publications recognized with awards and loved by hundreds of thousands of subscribers? They feature the best photography has to offer, yet they’re read by far fewer and usually as an impulse buy.

Online it’s the same. Countless blogs teach you technique and countless photographers blog about their work and show off their portfolios, but National Geographic and a handful of journalistic organizations still bring the most recognition. What do they know that the millions of contenders don’t?

Technically proficient photography is no longer enough to inspire. You must tell a story. And while you’re telling a story, don’t limit yourself to just images.

For years, photographers have been wisely imploring writers to learn to create compelling images to enhance their storytelling. The same argument must be made in reverse. Photographers must learn to write to enhance their storytelling, or find a writer to collaborate with. The two skills are inescapably linked now.

This is why it makes no sense for a photographer, with no professional mandate, to keep a portfolio section on their website. Viewers would be better served, and in turn photographers would be better served, by telling stories. Those stories are better served with great writing. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but the worth of a great story is incalculable.

Videography is the combination of visual and audio storytelling, and given that many photographers are visual thinkers, a story may be best told to some audiences through video. National Geographic presents both types of audiences with impeccable storytelling, catered to their consumption styles. That’s why they win."

What is simpler than photographing strangers? Two people and one camera, that's all that it takes. I use a DSLR, but that is not a requirement. In fact, I'll probably change to a smaller camera. The files are digital so I do use Photoshop, but without fancy gimmicks: no head swapping, no HDR.

The manifesto does bring up a topic that haunts me. Which is more important, the implied story in a well photographed face, or the written account that accompanies it? I will spend some time on this.

I hope that you read the manifesto. Enjoy.

Bob

Nick, and the Power of Story in Portraiture (#279) 04-23-13

People like stories. We all like stories. Stories are passed from person to person, and generation to generation. Many are passed on by voice, or the written word. But powerful paintings and photographs also convey stories. The enigmatic smile(?) of the Mona Lisa has implied stories for generations.

Ah, but there's the difference. Spoken and written stories can convey thoughts through analogies, similes and metaphors. In the visual arts, stories have to be implied, and it requires a viewer with an open mind to infer the artworks implied meanings.

From the portrait photographer's standpoint, that is the beauty of story. I, the portrait photographer, does not have to extract story from the image. You, the viewer does. And five viewers may find five different stories within an image.

Fine art photographer, John Paul Caponigro has published 44 of his favorite quotes about story. See them HERE. 

One of my favorites is by the German-American political theorist, Hannah Arendt, "Storytelling reveals meaning without committing the error of defining it". In other words, I , the portrait photographer, can create images that imply story without ever running the risk of being wrong. I love it! :-)

So, how to do that? Ironically, I turn to one of my favorite quotes by John Paul Caponigro's father, Paul Caponigro, "It's one thing to make a picture of what a person looks like looks like, it's another thing to make a portrait of who they are". Good stuff! So, my goal is to capture a tiny glimpse of who someone is, with each portrait. Easier said than done.

And here are two examples. Yesterday's blog entry was about Marilyn. She was pleasant enough, albeit a bit reticent, and the expression is not a "say cheese" camera smile. But still it is a generic gesture. I did not reveal anything about her (to me, at least). This absolutely is not Marilyn's fault. She was gracious to let a stranger photograph her, but the photographer failed to elicit a gesture that revealed any part of her personality.

Now I will contrast this with Nick, a young man who I met in Ft. Myers. While I was drinking coffee, I saw Nick quickly walking from place to place, constantly snapping pictures with his cell phone. When I approached him, he was eager to talk (to someone). Nick had just moved from Rhode Island (Marilyn's home!) and was snapping pictures to sent to his friends there. He was excited that he had a job lined up at a Biker's Bar in neighboring Cape Coral. This brief conversation was BEFORE I raised the camera. I asked him to NOT smile for the camera, and this is what I got.

I feel that this gesture is very genuine, and not contrived for the camera. It is noncommittal enough that I can read one of several stories into his eyes. Can you?

The next few posts will continue the theme of story.

Bob

Marilyn (#278) 04-22-13

Walking down Venice Avenue, behold, a lady sitting at an outdoor table for four. One human, three empty chairs. One cup of coffee and one Canon DSLR. Oh, and a Sony DSLR. One for each hand, I loved it! You never know what you'll find while people watching.

So I introduced myself to Marilyn and complemented her on her pair of cameras. One belonged to her sister (darn!), but she was nowhere to be found. Marilyn was visiting the area from Rhode Island, and had five more days before returning to the frozen north. Notice the Boston Red Sox hat – this was a week prior to the Boston Marathon tragedy.

I love to get wide open eyes; sometimes, it just can't happen. The bright street was behind Marilyn and storefronts were to my back. So, she was looking at relative darkness. But still, the eyes are slits. What is a photographer to do? Accept.

My belief is that all images should tell a story, and that all faces can tell a story. It is our job as photographers to capture it. With this portrait of Marilyn, I grade my effort as a D. Over the next several posts, I shall return to 'story' quite a bit.

Bob

100 Years in Tokyo (#277) 04-21-13

Photographs in general, and portraits in particular, have long been a way to 'freeze' time. We watch our children grow in photographs. We watch politicians, sports figures, and entertainers grow older through both still and video images.

When viewing old family photo albums, it can be s

obering to watch the physical changes over time.

The website PetaPixel introduces a project that documents these changes across a population. Finnish photographer, Petri Artturi Asikainen, has completed a personal project, "100 Years in Tokyo". He took about 500 portraits of residents of Tokyo, and always got the subject's age. He then compiled a book of the images, sorted by age.

The PetaPixel article about the project is HERE. 

Within the article is this five minute video, highlighting the book, page by page.

I find the video powerful. Enjoy.

Bob

Brenda (#276) 04-19-13

Downtown Ft. Myers has had somewhat of a rebirth. A several block area has streets redone with pavers, and lined by numerous retail shops and eateries. Pedestrian traffic is substantial, and First St. Is the epicenter.

Blake Hair Style is a First St. establishment. As I approached, Brenda was on break and passing time on the sidewalk. I was impressed by her Medusa hair and told her so (Admittedly, I did not use the term Medusa hair). She was a bit standoffish, but did allow the portrait. Immediately after clicking, she excused herself and stepped back inside Blake Hair Style

Usually I like dark backgrounds, so that the brighter face can stand out. Brenda, however, cried out for a bright background so that all of her hair would be easily visible. I considered this as I photographed, but also modified the post processing a bit. Using Control Points in Nik Silver Efex Pro II, I brightened the background without affecting the hair. And then, I sharpened a bit more than I usually do.

Bob

The Quisnos Guy (#275) 18-04-13

In Tampa, I bought a decent sandwich, and then asked the Quisnos worker for a photograph. No problem.

Here is the problem. I got this image about two years ago. Reviewing it now, I like it better than most of the images that I've gotten in the last six months. Maybe I am going backwards – not a pleasant thought. One thing is different; this was shot indoors. Over the past year, almost all of my strangers have been photographed outdoors for two reasons:

1. Indoor light can be SO finicky, unless there is a large window letting in soft light, and

2. Photographing outdoors in public places, affords the photographer (me!) more rights than within indoor establishments.

As to the first issue, I have to say that the Quisnos guy is in darned nice light. As to the second... well, I'm not going to sell this anyway.

I may have to rethink this indoor/outdoor thing.

Bob

The Finsbury Fifty (#274) 04-17-13

Now that It's Wednesday again, I have stumbled upon another photographer's personal project, The Finsbury Fifty. The fifty is 50 portraits of 50 people, all with a 50mm lens. And all in Finsbury Park, a neighborhood of London. If you are interested in Finsbury Park, read about it HERE.

British photographer Rob Cartwright is a professional wedding and corporate event photographer, by day. :-) See his website HERE. 

His main blog for showcasing professional work is HERE. 

But like many professional photographers, he recharges his creative batteries with a personal project, The Finsbury Fifty. Having recently moved to Finsbury Park, he found that photographing its inhabitants was the perfect outlet. Here are Rob Carter's words:

"I loved shooting everyday and wanted to continue with that. Having completed a very general 365 project I was keen to work on something more focused next.

"I’m also very excited about getting to know my new neighbourhood, and, more importantly, some of the people who live here, better.

Taking 50 portraits of 50, err, Finsburians (I’m using it) all on a 50mm lens seemed like the perfect way to do it.

I genuinely relish meeting new people, am obsessed with shooting portraits and am excited by the idea of recording a tiny slither of London’s social history at the start of the 21st century.

This blog focuses on the people who live, work and move through the district of Finsbury Park and immediate surrounding area in North London."

See The Finsbury Fifty project HERE.

Enjoy.

Bob

Three Friends (#273) 04-16-13

The Venice public beach has a rather jazzy open pavilion with not-so-jazzy concrete benches. From a distance I could see a young man and woman with a friendly body language. Well, very friendly. I figured that they must be in a good mood – what better time for a photograph? They were a bit shy (a surprise to me, under the circumstances), but did agree to be photographed. Zack is a high school student from Sarasota, about 15 miles away.

Lily goes to Venice High School, one mile away. She took an interest in the process, as she Sony camera with the equivalent of a DX sensor. She took my MOO card and said that she would check out my Flickr Photostream, and this blog.

While we were speaking, Trent appeared. He was eager to be photographed. His father was at one time a professional photographer, so Trent is was interested in the 'event'.

Nice to spend a few minutes with such an agreeable young threesome.

Bob