reminds me of the day I took a pic of a woman in traditional clothing. She walked up to me and asked why I took a picture of her. I explained I did street photography, showed her the picture I made and she was flattered by my attention for her. I'm a white male btw. Photography can connect people.
I think that's a very important observation. I'm just beginning to learn that myself. A street photographer is supposed to be invisible. A fly on the wall with a camera, looking for a candid shot. But, just as street photography is about engaging with our everyday environment, it is also about engaging with everyday people.
I love your black and white photography, BTW. It's an exotic holiday from the world of colour.
Now, I'm trying to work out whether I dream in black and white or colour.
as a street photographer I almost never take candid shots, on the contrary, I stand or sit very visible with my camera pointing towards the frame I want to capture, and then I wait for passers-by. Sometimes 20 minutes long. People seem to sense they are not the subject but the frame is. In 9 yrs, I got 2 bad reactions and countless positive ones.
I don't think photography needs to be a political act at all. I looked up the word in the OED, and most photos I take aren't political according to that definition. Maybe a "philosophical" act would be a better description, given that our choices are based on our underlying philosophy, whether that is politically based or not. While I disagree with the politics of the protest I still appreciate the photos themselves. Well done!
Thanks, Ariane. I like your use of video and sound on your Instagram account. The set of corners is fun. I see you've spent time in Halifax. Beautiful city (I've only spend a few days there). Europe is also nice. Whatever city we visit, we can always find parking garages to visit and photograph. They are always among the more popular destinations. Often quite full of cars. They shouldn't allow parking, though. I find the cars often get in the way of my shots.
Thank you for popping on my Instagram page ! I’ve discovered your Substack articles a few months ago and I appreciate this format a lot. Reading thoughts from different photographers from all over the world!
And yes I lived in Halifax for two years, the place was quite beautiful, loved the waterfront and the east Canadian architecture ☺️
Thanks very much for the heads up. Your post raises many interesting points. It helps to have good examples. The organisers of the pro-Palestinian rallies here in Dunedin, New Zealand, have been careful with their use of language but also adamant about their right to determine the meaning of what they are saying. They often explain what they mean when they use phrases like "from the river to the sea". Their message is pro-Palestinian, not anti-Jewish. They make a distinction between Jewish people and the actions of the Jewish State, particularly the current right wing Israeli war cabinet. Much about this conflict is messy, complicated, and difficult to understand. But some things are clear enough to reasonable people. For example, the killing of so many innocent Palestinian civilians and the destruction of so many houses and so much of the infrastructure in Gaza simply cannot be justified.
reminds me of the day I took a pic of a woman in traditional clothing. She walked up to me and asked why I took a picture of her. I explained I did street photography, showed her the picture I made and she was flattered by my attention for her. I'm a white male btw. Photography can connect people.
I think that's a very important observation. I'm just beginning to learn that myself. A street photographer is supposed to be invisible. A fly on the wall with a camera, looking for a candid shot. But, just as street photography is about engaging with our everyday environment, it is also about engaging with everyday people.
I love your black and white photography, BTW. It's an exotic holiday from the world of colour.
Now, I'm trying to work out whether I dream in black and white or colour.
as a street photographer I almost never take candid shots, on the contrary, I stand or sit very visible with my camera pointing towards the frame I want to capture, and then I wait for passers-by. Sometimes 20 minutes long. People seem to sense they are not the subject but the frame is. In 9 yrs, I got 2 bad reactions and countless positive ones.
I don't think photography needs to be a political act at all. I looked up the word in the OED, and most photos I take aren't political according to that definition. Maybe a "philosophical" act would be a better description, given that our choices are based on our underlying philosophy, whether that is politically based or not. While I disagree with the politics of the protest I still appreciate the photos themselves. Well done!
I totally agree with you, photographers are very important to document events like the one here. Beautiful pictures Mark ❤️💚🖤
Thanks, Ariane. I like your use of video and sound on your Instagram account. The set of corners is fun. I see you've spent time in Halifax. Beautiful city (I've only spend a few days there). Europe is also nice. Whatever city we visit, we can always find parking garages to visit and photograph. They are always among the more popular destinations. Often quite full of cars. They shouldn't allow parking, though. I find the cars often get in the way of my shots.
Thank you for popping on my Instagram page ! I’ve discovered your Substack articles a few months ago and I appreciate this format a lot. Reading thoughts from different photographers from all over the world!
And yes I lived in Halifax for two years, the place was quite beautiful, loved the waterfront and the east Canadian architecture ☺️
Hi Mark, I don't know if there is a way to contact you directly, but I thought you might find this interesting: https://wideaperture.substack.com/p/language-a-recent-casualty
Thanks very much for the heads up. Your post raises many interesting points. It helps to have good examples. The organisers of the pro-Palestinian rallies here in Dunedin, New Zealand, have been careful with their use of language but also adamant about their right to determine the meaning of what they are saying. They often explain what they mean when they use phrases like "from the river to the sea". Their message is pro-Palestinian, not anti-Jewish. They make a distinction between Jewish people and the actions of the Jewish State, particularly the current right wing Israeli war cabinet. Much about this conflict is messy, complicated, and difficult to understand. But some things are clear enough to reasonable people. For example, the killing of so many innocent Palestinian civilians and the destruction of so many houses and so much of the infrastructure in Gaza simply cannot be justified.