Of Radio City Music Hall. And more...
I am shy at photographing homeless people. I just don't feel comfortable; Yet, this bare scene was screaming to be taken.
It is hard to get this right. Plenty of opportunities to include the homeless in photos where I live, but I almost always avoid it for the same reason. And yet, it tells a story.
I'm glad you feel that way. The confession confirms the character attributes that can be derived from your 'typical' work of art: you are a photographer of compassionate character with a streak of humor that can tip-toe the line of "irreverent". Meanwhile, I see too many photographers who make a photograph of a homeless person and then call themselves a "street photographer" - probably my #1 photography pet peeve. I have even - believe it or not - seen images from a for-profit street photography workshop that were nothing but 'snapshots' of homeless people. I view it as pure exploitation in the name of art. There has to be "something" that delivers the message of the plight of the subject within the context of their surroundings in order to make it "art". I see that in this image. In the context of what can be viewed as a "grand" setting...i.e., Radio City being a penultimate achievement of entertainers, a member of the same society lies upon a grate in order to gain a basic human comfort of warmth. If I'm *super* picky, I'd like to see the bottom right yellow column cropped out so it doesn't distract me...but that's super picky. After all that, this is the most I've ranted on an image on 365 in a *very* long time, I hope no offense has been received...certainly none was meant. Great image.
@helenhall Thank you, Helen! @dbj_365 Well, I appreciate so much this comment of yours! Thank you.
Yes, street is often confounded with snapshots of strangers, and I'm convinced that notwithstanding it sometimes needs snapping, there's something more to it, searching a story, be it of an instant or of a life. This is what I look for and the way I select one street photograph out of the tons I shoot when I go out.
I see your point with the yellow column and get it as a most valuable advise, I was distracted by the formal aspects (having the two columns "frame" the subject + mirroring the yellow reflections in the windows on the left) and didn't consider its weight on the "punctum" of the image. Thank you very much, indeed!
@dbj_365 Well, I appreciate so much this comment of yours! Thank you.
Yes, street is often confounded with snapshots of strangers, and I'm convinced that notwithstanding it sometimes needs snapping, there's something more to it, searching a story, be it of an instant or of a life. This is what I look for and the way I select one street photograph out of the tons I shoot when I go out.
I see your point with the yellow column and get it as a most valuable advise, I was distracted by the formal aspects (having the two columns "frame" the subject + mirroring the yellow reflections in the windows on the left) and didn't consider its weight on the "punctum" of the image. Thank you very much, indeed!