A Subway Scene

Looking through my photo archives for a photo to discuss this week, I came across this one. I never thought very much of this photo when I took it, it was an on the run capture and I don’t think it was ever really what I was picturing to capture. After not seeing it for a while, I find it pretty interesting and rather funny. And even more surprising, I now love the composition of the shot. It is almost like it is not even a photograph, but a child’s view of the scene, hidden behind other passerby's. This scene has so many details that create a multitude of stories and ideas for the audience. Probably the most unusual detail is the native american fellow towards the right side of the photo. He immediately pops out as almost out of place, almost creating a staged feel to the photo. He is in the one open spot of the scene, where behind him a woman is in mid walk, and even further behind, two people are having a conversation. Its not surprising to believe that this is of course in New York, a city where you find all kids of people by just walking down the street of any neighborhood. Street and urban photography, like portraits, always provide great stories and profile of real, unscripted lives. Similarly to portraits, theres always that aspect of street photography that you can’t control, even greater than portraits usually, too. This is why journalists and reporters are some of the largest groups of photographers who create captivating street photographs, the ones which are featured on the front page of the Times and trend all over the web. What do you like about street photography?

Hannah

Portraiture is one of my favorite types of photography. You can capture so much expression and so much of a story just from someone’s facial expression. This photo is of my sister Hannah, it was taken in New York over winter. So what makes a great portrait? There are basic rules of photography, pertaining to lighting and focusing and the sort, this structure of the photo, commonly referred to as the rule of thirds, and then there is this untouchable element, the human, that is the wild card. The rules and structure are simple to follow, even for the most novice photographer, but this third element is usually where the photo either makes or breaks it. Well, this isn’t an easy question to answer. There is only so much you can do to manipulate someones expression. A good portrait must also reflect on its surroundings and the mood of the light, as well as the person’s intellectual state. I think this portrait of my sister almost captures all three aspects perfectly. Not only is she in a great spot, but the lighting is almost spot on. You can get a great sense of depth from how the lake looks like it continues on and fades into the distance. Her face is outlined by the focus of the lens and her expression says it all. Although her face is relatively small when compared with the rest of the photo, you can tell she is taking in the atmosphere and environment and enjoying her life. 

Chinatown

This is an older photograph of mine that I took with a film camera. One day during the spring I was in New York city and was snapping all kinds of urban type shots, this one specifically is from a fish market in Chinatown. I had found an old 35mm film camera in my house that needed some work, so I got it repaired at put it to work. Film cameras often yield much different types of photos than digital pictures, they just have a more vintage feel to them, even if they’re just as sharp. They seem so much more untouched, no pun intended considering that film comes out pretty much raw disregarding the modifications that can be applied in the darkroom. The high contrast and graininess of the photo make it unique, and the fellow standing front and center adds a certain mood to the scene. Although his face expression is small, compared to the other parts of the photo, you can tell he isn’t happy, he looks tired. He probably works long and dull days and doesn’t make the best money. From the appearance of the store, it doesn’t look like its in the best condition and may not be the image people get when they think of Chinatown and New York City. I find taking pictures of strangers, and urban settings, interesting. You get so much personality and character since its on the fly and usually in their natural setting (not a lab or set), and a real story can be developed. Lighting, objects, and the scenery is all natural and not set up. Two summers ago, I walked all over New York with one of my friends and took pictures of all types of New Yorkers, young and old. Look forward to some of those photos in the coming weeks.