Jerusalem - take two

[Michael I.]

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=494514

Second batch of jerusalem pictures - the BW ones. I would apreceate what you have to say about them.

 

[Benjamin Marks]

MIke: Please take what I am about to say as constructive criticism. The pictures are, by and large, well-exposed, but I think what is missing, for me, is a degree of emotional engagement. I realize that this is a tall order for a place where passions run as intensely as they do in Jerusalem. For many of the pictures, I am left asking the question, "what is this picture trying to tell me?" For instance, there appear to be several shots of the Mount of Olives. These pictures may have a special meaning for you. But what that is special (or controversial, or moving) about being at the Mount of Olives are you seeking to convey. Similarly, the pictures of the people are, for the most part, taken from the perspective of an outsider looking in. I don't mean to offend, and I certainly have photos of a similar type in my own files, but you have an opportunity to communicate something specific about your experience in one of the most interesting places in the world. Dig in with both hands! Show us why the city matters. Best of luck,

Ben Marks

 

[bobofish]

For me some good pix, but way too washed out. The B&W is especially so, it needs a good deal more contrast, and looks underexposed more than anything. Too late to do anything to the negs, so try to up the contrast in photoshop, and maybe futz with the curves a tad.

The color is interesting in its washed-out-ness, it almost looks like X-pro. If that's the look you're going for, then bully for you, it's certainly counter type for most Jerusalem pix.

The color ends up being somewhat dreamy, but the same effect for black and white ends up being counter to what you may be going for. By upping the contrast, you will have matching emotions to the color and b&w.
Cheers.

 

[Michael I.]

I apreciate your comments.
I fixed the contrast and added some tint to the BW pictures.

 

[ruben]

Ho Jerusalem Jerusalem...
Whoever has not been there will not catch what a photographic challenge it is.
First you have monumental scenics at every corner, up to the point your sight becomes blinded. Then you have an almost unpossible continued change of lighting between exterior daylight and extreme outdoor darkness. If this is not enough then you have the never ending and ever mooving dancing of extremely peculiar people, and people situations of the most bizarre nature.
No need to mention the millenary ongoing political, national, religious and cultural conflict, focusing its energies on this city. It all falls upon your head with the same effect on the photographer, as if at the moment of clicking you suddenly get a 5 kg hammer blow on your head, and from behind. Finally the Israeli photographer lives immersed in a sea of already stereotyped images, testing his creativity under the most severe criteria.

From the pics I have seen from some of the best photographers I have known, most of them brought their emotional involvement from home, not catching it from the site itself. But exceptions to the rule do exist.

Fortunately for me, my Jerusalem pics were done at the beggining of my short photojournalist time, when I was much less photographically aware, and therefore shortsightedly bold. Now I am not sure I would dare to enter old Jerusalem again with a camera.

Fortunately for the RFF viewers, almost all of them were SLR taken, then giving me the excuse to relieve the members from this burden.

Cheers,
Ruben

PS: kindly remember that whatever member passing by to test his strengths, is kindly invited to my home, where we may gossip a lot around a coffee or beer.

 

[Michael I.]

I added names to the pics.

one of the main problems with jerusalem that it has a grey cloudless sky most of the summer - very harsh light

 

[PetarDima]

As an Ortodox Christian, Jerusalem is theeme wich causes feeling of holiness
in me. Which camera did you used?

 

[Michael I.]

nikon fm2n with 50/1.4AI and 75-150/3.6 series e for color and some bw
pentax k1000+50/2 for BW
canonet ql gii 17 for low light color i didnt scan yet

the films were fuji proplus II 100,fuji 400 extra,fuji press 800(not scanned yet)
kodak tmax 400 in tetenal 1:20 for 12 minutes at 20 degree C(68F)

 

[boilerdoc2]

Mike, I got a lot out of the shots. Especially the one near the bottom, of the lady at the altar with outstretched arms. Lot of emotion there. Try darkening the corners to focus the eye on her.

 

[wtl]

don't worry about what camera or lens or film you used. where is everybody? is the city a ghost town?

 

[Sparrow]

Michael, or Ruben, what are the “rules of engagement” with regard to the various military and civilian authorities?

 

[ruben]

Michael, or Ruben, what are the “rules of engagement” with regard to the various military and civilian authorities?

Are you asking in theory, :angel:


or in practice ? :bang:

 

[Sparrow]

Are you asking in theory, :angel:


or in practice ? :bang:

both i think, it is one of those places on the list

Would an American accent and a Hawaiian shirt would offer some protection?

 

[ruben]

both i think, it is one of those places on the list

Would an American accent and a Hawaiian shirt would offer some protection?

It rather goes by the size of the camera. :angel:


But at this point Michael should be better updated, therefore I pass him the microphone

 

[Michael I.]

Michael, or Ruben, what are the “rules of engagement” with regard to the various military and civilian authorities?

Its' illegal to photograph military bases and such if that's what you mean.
Photographing policemen and soldiers who's been on guard duty with a flak west in th middle of august is not very nice also plausable.The locals are so used to being photographed they dont mind.

It's important not to look rich or stupid - prices will soar - there are a couple of photo shops in old Jerusalem- which sell mostly prints - one of them sells prints made by the family who owns it since the thirties(if not 1900)! Important not to engage in conversations with local peddlers - they will not leave you. Remember aggresive marketing is present - this is the middle east,it is ok to haggle - it is mandatory if you want a reasonable price. I presume there are pickpockets - I never met one.I prefer shooting during the piligrim gathering holidays - it's safer visiting the Arab quarter then - there is some tension between the Israeli jews and the arabs as you might know. Do not wear shorts ot revealing clothes - respect the holy places!

 

[Michael I.]

don't worry about what camera or lens or film you used. where is everybody? is the city a ghost town?

The city is packed with local and the shots shown were all taken on Easter - I just tried to get the clearer moments - there are too many short wearing tourists i dislike

 

[ruben]

don't worry about what camera or lens or film you used. where is everybody? is the city a ghost town?

Up to some decade ago the situation was clear cut. Israelis viewed the media as their enemies and Palestinians saw photographers as their allies.

Since things went really nasty here, Israelis continued to hold their attitude, while Palestinians borrowed it for their own reasons.

Therefore the photographer is left alone at the arena, both sides against him. Don't think for a minute that it is a peacefull city. It has a peace enforced situation, with a lot of underground activists, secret agents (locals, locals working for foreign countries worldwide, foreigners working for locas, etc), extremist paramilitary, etc. etc. with each size masking itself as being the other. And a widespread resentment at popular level both sides, with acute discerning about the visitors and their own propaganda needs.

Therefore it is not easy to raise a camera at the old city, photographing people, unless you are a real idiot tourist, or somehow manage to work with one of the factions, under its protection.

Wether you like it or not, wether you are counscious of it or not, a professional camera is a weapon of war. You may not be counscious of it, but the locals both sides are.

As for the American shirt or accent, it seems to me it may be a liability, thanks to American governmental policies, as viewed and intrepreted locally.
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Now, guys and girls of the RFF, if upon reading this posting any one of you feels something like Oh, what nice, this is the kind of situations I like to be in, most of the chances are he or she fits. Now you understand why you'll find so much people like you.

If on the other hand you get a feeling of liking to be far from this, definitely your heart and mind are not lying to you. Now you understand why this piece of earth is so lacking poeple like you.

With aging, I changed from the former to the later.

Cheers,
Ruben

 

[dostacos]

the only time I found a problem with taking a picture was leaving the Damascus gate and an A Palestinian woman sitting on the ground [selling raisins] kinda growled at me so I did not shoot. I also almost lost my camera bag at the same spot, a couple of kids were ready to cut the metal buckle with a pair of diagonal cutters when they realized I was not at the back of my goup but in the middle and the guy behind them had a very hard looking cane 🙂

I need to scan my slides I have shots that I really want to enlarge, the Western Wall. mount of Olives to the Eastern gate, Masada......heavy sigh I want to return 🙁 but sadly cannot at this time

 

[wtl]

michael and ruben - you can think i am one of those american idiots who shut my ears off from the rest of the world...please keep writing some more lengthy thesis educating me.

i am aware of the situation and never mean to say it is easy to get shots there, or here, or anywhere in the world. Still you either work your way and get the shots, or you don't. not sure what the excuse is or needs to be.

and no, michael, i don't mean to fill your frames with tourists. you missed my point.

you can choose to not like what i say...