Pherdinand
the snow must go on
i don't know, man... It's all about the photograph series, so it's not the TITLE that should be provocative, but that's just my humble opinion.
Death Bus 21075 - Yes/no/maybe
- Thread starter NY_Dan
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jsrockit
Moderator
helen.HH
To Light & Love ...
Not sure if you are calling me out on my Thoughts
But I agree
The 'Title' (and Concept) is far more Provacative than the Imagery
Though it should be the Imagery that Pulls You In , Seduces You as a Viewer
Along with the backstory/title , 😀
Pherdinand
the snow must go on
willie_901
Veteran
Maybe:
"The Last Bus Trip"
?
"The Last Bus Trip"
?
Bob Michaels
nobody special
Fred, thanks. I went back and read the text. It was helpful but did not change my overall impression that I conveyed in a previous post.
NY_Dan
Well-known
Thanks to everyone for looking, and for the insightful comments. I relate to what everyone has written -- without exception -- even when one comment states an opinion the complete opposite of another. This has been, and continues to be a learning experience. Over the last 2 months I've made what I call three personal Blurb books -- one of self-portraits from 1970-1982, a second of photos I shot, mostly street photos, from 1970-1981, and this book. I think my trip down Memory Lane is finished, at least for the time being -- a real relief 🙂
One person asked about the baseball cap I wore -- I wore it for a variety of reasons -- one I don't like looking at photos of myself -- amongst other things I have hair issues 🙂 -- to make it harder for the viewer to compare my appearance with my fathers' -- to help with the white ghostly over-exposed approach (which I grant is morbid).
I considered shooting film for the bus shots, but then I couldn't see what needed changing. Also this is the first time I've used Silver Efex Pro, and well it being a new toy, more restraint probably would've been a good idea. I was trying to adjust the images to bridge the gaps between them -- but it only helped so much.
The title, I wanted the viewer to say, "what's with this title?" And I was thinking of Quentin Tarantino. Back in 1987, my step-mother (divorced) made reference to the movie Midnight Cowboy, in which Dustin Hoffman's character Ratso Rizzo dies on a bus, and her comment stayed with me. This made me think movies.
Regarding other possible shots, like a grave -- My father is buried in Staten Island -- that's another story -- and I considered that, but I already went too far. The number of photos -- I realize there are quite a few -- I think 20 pairings -- I wanted that many so it was like a bus trip.
My bus trip did result in providing some inspiration -- I rode the Madison Avenue bus to 164th street and Broadway. The area from about 115th to 165th I found visually interesting, and in the coming weeks I plan on exploring the area with my Rolleiflex.
Thanks again to everyone! I'm voting maybe, but would vote yes, no and maybe if I could vote three times. I'll keep the book public for a day or two more.
By the way, my father had a few lines in Don Johnson's first movie -- he plays the bartender -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wuy-BOz9kU
One person asked about the baseball cap I wore -- I wore it for a variety of reasons -- one I don't like looking at photos of myself -- amongst other things I have hair issues 🙂 -- to make it harder for the viewer to compare my appearance with my fathers' -- to help with the white ghostly over-exposed approach (which I grant is morbid).
I considered shooting film for the bus shots, but then I couldn't see what needed changing. Also this is the first time I've used Silver Efex Pro, and well it being a new toy, more restraint probably would've been a good idea. I was trying to adjust the images to bridge the gaps between them -- but it only helped so much.
The title, I wanted the viewer to say, "what's with this title?" And I was thinking of Quentin Tarantino. Back in 1987, my step-mother (divorced) made reference to the movie Midnight Cowboy, in which Dustin Hoffman's character Ratso Rizzo dies on a bus, and her comment stayed with me. This made me think movies.
Regarding other possible shots, like a grave -- My father is buried in Staten Island -- that's another story -- and I considered that, but I already went too far. The number of photos -- I realize there are quite a few -- I think 20 pairings -- I wanted that many so it was like a bus trip.
My bus trip did result in providing some inspiration -- I rode the Madison Avenue bus to 164th street and Broadway. The area from about 115th to 165th I found visually interesting, and in the coming weeks I plan on exploring the area with my Rolleiflex.
Thanks again to everyone! I'm voting maybe, but would vote yes, no and maybe if I could vote three times. I'll keep the book public for a day or two more.
By the way, my father had a few lines in Don Johnson's first movie -- he plays the bartender -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wuy-BOz9kU
jsrockit
Moderator
Dan, I photograph in that area a few times a month (my GF lives at 123rd and Amsterdam and I go out in the morning when she sleeps in)... don't only stay on Broadway.
seakayaker1
Well-known
The photo pairing did not work for me. If you had taken photos of yourself facing the camera as your father expressing your feeling of the event or that day might have worked for me. An alternative would be to save the cash, take the trip to LA ride the bus from where he got on to where he got off taking photographs of what he saw and might have seen if he walked off the bus that day.
I appreciate your exploration of the subject matter. My father turned around to place the latch on the screen door coming in off the back porch and then hit the kitchen floor with a heart attack. We had a great conversation after supper on the porch and a then he was gone in a flash. That was September 26, 1962. Capturing or expressing the human spirit and exceptionally our own personal experiences is difficult and appreciate your efforts in this project.
Good luck with your continuing efforts.
I appreciate your exploration of the subject matter. My father turned around to place the latch on the screen door coming in off the back porch and then hit the kitchen floor with a heart attack. We had a great conversation after supper on the porch and a then he was gone in a flash. That was September 26, 1962. Capturing or expressing the human spirit and exceptionally our own personal experiences is difficult and appreciate your efforts in this project.
Good luck with your continuing efforts.
semi-ambivalent
Little to say
The opening double truck is awesome.
s-a
s-a
Jack Conrad
Well-known
It's a compelling story. Great potential. You've waited for that bus for 27 years. Despite your conscious effort to metaphorically catch and ride it, you couldn't. It passed you by. You've outlived your father.
My personal opinion about that series of photos of you on the bus is that, as a group they seem contrived... what with all the slumping and pretending. Just one pensive shot of you on the bus would be sufficient.
Also, the multiple portraits of your father, as excellent as they are, seem excessively repetitive for moving the story along.
What I like about those photographs is how you depict yourself as almost ghostly in stark contrast to the solidity of the bus environment.
I suggest that you pick the best one of those and drop the rest. If you want to fill a book, fill it with depictions of you and your wait from the beginning. Times in your life after your father's passing.
And perhaps end it with a depiction of that long awaited death bus passing you by at a bus stop...or something like that.
My personal opinion about that series of photos of you on the bus is that, as a group they seem contrived... what with all the slumping and pretending. Just one pensive shot of you on the bus would be sufficient.
Also, the multiple portraits of your father, as excellent as they are, seem excessively repetitive for moving the story along.
What I like about those photographs is how you depict yourself as almost ghostly in stark contrast to the solidity of the bus environment.
I suggest that you pick the best one of those and drop the rest. If you want to fill a book, fill it with depictions of you and your wait from the beginning. Times in your life after your father's passing.
And perhaps end it with a depiction of that long awaited death bus passing you by at a bus stop...or something like that.
NY_Dan
Well-known
The bus that passed me by -- I like that concept. And yeah, it did pass me by. I agree with the contrived aspect -- I probably could've repeated just one pensive shot. My wife suggested just having two photos (not a book). I'm glad you got the ghostly contrast -- I think I may try this in another context -- I've wanted to for a few years. Seakayaker -- hopefully I can visit LA at some point in the future -- I worked as an assistant there for part of 1981 -- and I'd like to do some shooting -- but mostly in Hollywood, Sunset Strip, and Venice/Santa Monica. 1962 -- good you had a great last conversation -- I remember mine too -- it also was good.
Hiyawaan
Particular Individual
Hi Dan,
I think its great idea. The opening shot with your dad looking it the rearview mirror is great within the context of your book, mirroring your looking back in time to find some closure. I like the title too, it looms ominously in my minds eye like a B-movie poster or death i guess.
I feel that the stylistic difference between the two sets of pictures is too great though.
The white outfit at first bothered me but when I looked at it again I realized it was your lighting, too direct and harsh for my taste that wasn't working for me. I do like the white outfit cause symbolically white is linked with good,pure, spiritual, spirit, etc. Your recreated sequence is more like an attempt to capture a ghost.
In my mind this book is your way of remembering your father last journey, yet your pictures are a recreation and outside of the context of your book could look like a drunken dude on the bus, I feel that you need to insert yourself into this story, remembering your father, I feel it would be more poignant. As simple as you holding a framed print and riding his last route in remembrance, experiencing the sights and sounds of that journey. Then place all the recreation picture together on facing pages creating a wall visually spacing out the head shots to pace the piece.. my 0.2 cents
This book is as much about you as it is your dad.
I voted yes but I think it needs some more work.
I think its great idea. The opening shot with your dad looking it the rearview mirror is great within the context of your book, mirroring your looking back in time to find some closure. I like the title too, it looms ominously in my minds eye like a B-movie poster or death i guess.
I feel that the stylistic difference between the two sets of pictures is too great though.
The white outfit at first bothered me but when I looked at it again I realized it was your lighting, too direct and harsh for my taste that wasn't working for me. I do like the white outfit cause symbolically white is linked with good,pure, spiritual, spirit, etc. Your recreated sequence is more like an attempt to capture a ghost.
In my mind this book is your way of remembering your father last journey, yet your pictures are a recreation and outside of the context of your book could look like a drunken dude on the bus, I feel that you need to insert yourself into this story, remembering your father, I feel it would be more poignant. As simple as you holding a framed print and riding his last route in remembrance, experiencing the sights and sounds of that journey. Then place all the recreation picture together on facing pages creating a wall visually spacing out the head shots to pace the piece.. my 0.2 cents
This book is as much about you as it is your dad.
I voted yes but I think it needs some more work.
NY_Dan
Well-known
Hiyawaan, hmm -- the idea of holding a framed print -- intriguing -- maybe if I had 20 separate prints so it matched the photo of my dad on the left facing pages. Or forget this project -- I like your idea as it's own project.
The harsh direct lighting -- that was on purpose -- not that it was the best or a good approach -- I set my flash to +1 and didn't bring the accessory diffuser. I did like that there were raindrops on the windows. But I think the value of the experiment is more as something that might be useful in the future for something else, and not as you mention for this effort.
The "drunken dude" -- back in 1987 I received an incident report, and evidently some people mistakenly assumed that my father slumping was from drink and not from a heart attack. So that delay might or might not have made a difference. At the time I saw no benefit in investigating further, and knew my father wouldn't want that. You and others have certainly provided "food" for thought. Thank you.
The harsh direct lighting -- that was on purpose -- not that it was the best or a good approach -- I set my flash to +1 and didn't bring the accessory diffuser. I did like that there were raindrops on the windows. But I think the value of the experiment is more as something that might be useful in the future for something else, and not as you mention for this effort.
The "drunken dude" -- back in 1987 I received an incident report, and evidently some people mistakenly assumed that my father slumping was from drink and not from a heart attack. So that delay might or might not have made a difference. At the time I saw no benefit in investigating further, and knew my father wouldn't want that. You and others have certainly provided "food" for thought. Thank you.
