One of my extras from a weekend assignment

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Nuns praying at the scene of a homicide, I saw it as a bit of humanity in an otherwise terrible setting. This is what I'm calling a b-side, not the strongest photo of them, and it's not the one that ran in the paper, but it's still a photo I like.

Since Saturday the city has seen another homicide and several more shootings.

Another from a fire the previous weekend.

 

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More stuff:

 

[robklurfield]

Great storytelling in the image with nuns.

 

[sepiareverb]

Where are you in Jersey?

 

[-doomed-]

I work in Trenton at The Trentonian, we're the tabloid in a two-paper town.

 

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[denizg7]

damn i go to trenton each time i take the train to jersey..

 

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[-doomed-]

damn i go to trenton each time i take the train to jersey..

You ride the train into the station off South Clinton, huh?
Trenton has the sort of problems most cities that have had their industry gutted. It's a rough and tumble city that despite a colorful history has fallen by the wayside. It was once a thriving industrial town, with a solid middle class, rich cultural heritage and amazing architecture.

 

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[denizg7]

You ride the train into the station off South Clinton, huh?
Trenton has the sort of problems most cities that have had their industry gutted. It's a rough and tumble city that despite a colorful history has fallen by the wayside. It was once a thriving industrial town, with a solid middle class, rich cultural heritage and amazing architecture.

i dont know where south clinton is but i have family and friends in philly and I take the amtrak or whatever its called from penn station to trenton..

I can tell what you are saying about how it once was.. I once visited a korean war and vietnam war vet whos a far relative of my mom's and he lived in a pittsburg city that was full of steel factories and other factories.. now they are all closed and the city's image is gloomy..

I like how there are these few old closed italian restaurants and bars and they are closed but they look like they woulda been cool in the 1950s..

 

[-doomed-]

Nine rounds from multiple shooters through the drivers side of the car.
Driver was hit four times and as far as we know is still living. The other three passengers escaped without injury. Witnesses said that they heard what sounded like a rapid succession of automatic weapon fire. The rounds appeared to be small caliber.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

I work in Trenton at The Trentonian, we're the tabloid in a two-paper town.

I applied for a job with them maybe a month or so ago.
Now I'm up in Jersey City, about to start shooting (hopefully) for another pub.

Phil Forrest

 

[-doomed-]

Small world, If I had known I'd have put the word in for you.
I knew we were looking for someone to replace our Trenton Reporter, no idea about photographers. That isn't even my official title there.
Were you applying for the municipal reporter gig?
Who are you working with now?

 

[williams473]

I love that you are able to shoot a bit for yourself on these assignments. I envy your position - enjoy it!

I apologize if you weren't looking for a critique, but I'd like to offer a small bit of constructive criticism. The nuns praying is a great moment, but I would offer a Robert Capa quote: "If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough.” Good job taking the image and recognizing the moment - it just seems to me that the image doesn't fully work with the impact it could have. I realize that you want to include the crime scene elements in the foreground to give us some context, but in this situation without a caption I don't feel we can really see what makes the moment special because all the elements are too spread out, and the subject - the nuns - are too far from you. The photograph feels like you likely felt - outside of what they were doing. That these women would feel compelled to pray for someone's soul who they likely did not know - very moving - but the image doesn't convey that. Maybe if you had moved in closer in subsequent frames you could have some award winning material there - just my two cents - I just see a lot of potential in the access you have - keep working and thanks!

Matt

 

[-doomed-]

I love that you are able to shoot a bit for yourself on these assignments. I envy your position - enjoy it!

I apologize if you weren't looking for a critique, but I'd like to offer a small bit of constructive criticism. The nuns praying is a great moment, but I would offer a Robert Capa quote: "If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough.” Good job taking the image and recognizing the moment - it just seems to me that the image doesn't fully work with the impact it could have. I realize that you want to include the crime scene elements in the foreground to give us some context, but in this situation without a caption I don't feel we can really see what makes the moment special because all the elements are too spread out, and the subject - the nuns - are too far from you. The photograph feels like you likely felt - outside of what they were doing. That these women would feel compelled to pray for someone's soul who they likely did not know - very moving - but the image doesn't convey that. Maybe if you had moved in closer in subsequent frames you could have some award winning material there - just my two cents - I just see a lot of potential in the access you have - keep working and thanks!

Matt

Indeed and thanks, I would have loved to get closer. Two blocks and multiple levels of crime tape kept me at that distance.
I appreciate the honest critique and agree with your points.
If I had hung on that block about 10 minutes longer, I'd have been right where they are. I moved closer to the scene in an effort to gather more info for the story.

I actually spoke to the nun on the right months later at the march in November. She's 88 and a firecracker, somewhat of a troublemaker in the church. Interesting lady.

 

[-doomed-]

If I can piggy-back here, I think your original image could be stronger with a more effective crop.

With the crop the image ran out of rez and lacks image quality. I include it here to illustrate my point. If you wish, I will delete it. I'm not trying to be offensive.

I'm curious, what lens (effective focal length if a crop camera was used) did you use. If this was with the long end of a 70 - 200, adding a 1.4X convertor could have helped.

Agreed. I used an 80-200. Cropping does highlight the nuns better.
A 1.4 converter would be nice.

I appreciate the critique.

I'll have to look back and see what the actual printed image ended up like. I think it ended up being cropped for print.

 

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Another photo of mine that I liked:

 

[CRod]

You ride the train into the station off South Clinton, huh?
Trenton has the sort of problems most cities that have had their industry gutted. It's a rough and tumble city that despite a colorful history has fallen by the wayside. It was once a thriving industrial town, with a solid middle class, rich cultural heritage and amazing architecture.

I was born and raised in Trenton and this rang so true when I read it. I lived in the thick of it now moved a bit more south where it's quieter and calmer. Keep up the good work, it's a tough city but someone's gotta document it.