Square street
January 22nd, 2012 Posted in Uncategorized
It seems with my foray into iPhone photography most of my captures have been street portraiture. That’s in my blood, enjoying the process and excitement of the approach and engagement as a photographer, and usually learning something new from a subject as a result. That aspect of photography will be with me forever.
For 2012, however, my goal is to try and balance that out a bit seeking more candid street photos. I always seem to bounce between the extremes of candid street photography and street portraiture. This year, with a more concerted effort, and not being so quick to reflexively snag portraits of subjects that seem interesting, I’m hoping to come back with more candid street photos.
The pic above was snapped at the Jewish Contemporary Museum in San Francisco. I’ve shot in that same area many times before with my dSLR, but in the past have always tried to include much more of the building and it’s dramatic architecture. This time I was looking for just a hint of the building and think the above photo turned out much better.
5 Responses to “Square street”
By Vladimir Panasenko on Jan 24, 2012
This would have been a great shot with a Rolleiflex……..
By Krunal on Jan 26, 2012
nice shot, love your blog….wonderful street photography
By Brad E on Jan 26, 2012
Thanks Krunal – I appreciate your kind words.
By Wayne Melia on Jan 28, 2012
What’s the connection?
I do not see your “foray into iPhone photography” as having made your photography any better. Your vision of light and how it translates into black, white, and tonality in between in a photograph is what defines a good photographer.
IMO your iPhone comes between your vision and the result. The style of the: aspect ratio, black ‘vignette’ around the border, and quaint tonality; visualy speak ‘iPhone’ first, then subject and photographer’s interpretation/reaction come tumbling along in the wake if the viewer is either: dedicated, or preconditioned by knowing you are the photographer.
Your experience as photographer is no doubt completely different, and I can only speculate how the relative weightlesness, composing from a different perspective, etc have altered that experience.
The engagement of your street portraiture has always been a strong suit for you; according to your words, and certainly for the viewers of your photos, whatever gear you use. ‘Balance with more candid scene oriented vs portrait oriented’ is neither good nor bad is it? or am I missing the whole point? Why are you making this a goal?
One thing I should not do, event tho tempted, (because it may taint the purity of your response to the “why” question), is speculate that the reason may be that you want your pictures to have more “fine art” appeal from light and form alone, without dependence on perceived human connection between the viewer and subject. (“perceived” because the reaction is actually between photographer and subject). Oooops, I did just speculate, but unsee it, OK?
Cheers, love following your work, and I’m of course not offended if you shoot pictures instead of replying.
By Vladimir Panasenko on Jan 28, 2012
To my mind, the i-phone trip has two effects; it conceals one’s public identity of photographer, and it invariably must be somewhat deficient in optical quality. You guys sound like Art School graduates and all your fancy vocabulary is over my head. I call Brad’s pictures “French” because the emphasis is usually on perfect composition rather than human soap opera.