City Lights (Comments: Sniping from what seems like 20,000 feet)
January 23rd, 2010 Posted in Uncategorized
I really haven’t done much night street photography. But last Sunday I went out with a photo-bud and shot a lot in Chinatown and Northbeach. This was taken through a window on the 2nd floor while having a beer at Vesuvio Cafe on Columbus. That’s City Lights book store to the left, with Jack Kerouac Alley in-between. City Lights was the place to be in the 1950’s if you were into Beat Generation literature and poetry. Shooting from the upstairs area at Vesuvio is pretty neat because you can watch the world go by below, and snap when something interesting comes into view.
9 Responses to “City Lights (Comments: Sniping from what seems like 20,000 feet)”
By Donald Kinney on Jan 23, 2010
Very cool shot, Brad… I’ve stood in that same spot many times but I’m real sure — almost positive — I’ve never sucked face anywhere near there…
By Jen on Jan 23, 2010
Nice capture. You’re never “off-duty” even while taking a break.
By Luis on Jan 23, 2010
What strategic positioning, and squeaky clean window…no way I could of picked up this was shot from within a cafe…second everyone else –spot on comp!
By Brad on Jan 24, 2010
Thanks for the nice comments!
I’ve been thinking a lot about that shot lately – it’s now been a week since I snapped it and it’s been bugging me. I like the way it turned out and it’s a nice photo, but there’s something missing and personally empty about it for me. And that’s the contact you get by actually being out on the street, closer, with the possibility of subject engagement. It really felt like I was sniping. Not that that’s necessarily bad, but is just not that satisfying for me. Shooting from the second floor through a cafe window, the distance was probably around 60 feet to where they were at street level. Looking back it seems so sterile now. I may as well have been shooting from what now seems like 20,000 feet. What I really like is being close and knowing that people know I’m out there.
My friend Athea and I were shooting more on the same street (but on the sidewalk) later that evening and found another couple in embrace. We took some photos and there was a much more rewarding outcome with subsequent subject connection and engagement. For me, that’s what makes photography such an awesome personal experience. I’ll blog a bit about that in a few days.
By Rem on Jan 24, 2010
This is an old saw: are we intimate, and related to our subject; or are we voyeurs. My answer: the question is irrelevant—at least to me as a viewer of your shot. The only real question for me (as viewer) is, does the photograph stand on its own two feet, or doesn’t it. In this case I think that there is no question but that it does. I’m not trying to make light of your feelings as the photographer, Brad…but it is incumbent on my to disregard them when I view the shot. I can appreciate (and even admire) the fact that it is more rewarding to you as photographer to get up close and personal with your subjects, but as we have seen for over 150 years now it doesn’t necessarily have anything
to do with the final impact of the shot.
By Quyen on Jan 27, 2010
Sweet moment. I like the relection of the cab and the movement of the other cars in the backdrop while the lovers share an intimate kiss and are oblivious to their busy surrounding.
By Brad on Jan 28, 2010
Thanks Quyen! Was a sweet moment indeed. I seem to be snagging more of those…
By Luis on Jan 29, 2010
Would like to see those photos you shot afterwards. I know what you mean about the sniping. Especially in this type of moment one feels that one is intruding in a way, robbing people of something, but then again the adults chose to share that intimacy on the street before all…but there is that lingering dilemma: how justified would you feel taking the shot in the vein just presented if you were closer, that is, right in their face? A rhetorical question, that’s all. I see you have no problem getting up close and approaching people. Don’t see how you can accomplish half of what you do without this concern of the person and not just making a photograph.
By czon on Jan 31, 2010
great shot!