NYT: Alone in the Crowd

As a New Yorker, I don't see anything out of the ordinary or special about these photos. This is every day on the subway -- the general rule of thumb is no eye contact or interaction.

And, in my opinion, the photos just aren't exciting or dynamic.
 
Pretty much what you see in most big cities...The first time I was exposed to this was on Tokyo subway...
The extreme opposite is that while driving down any gravel road in the middle of Kansas you better be ready to wave at any car coming at you because the other driver will be waving at you...
 
nikon_sam said:
,,,The extreme opposite is that while driving down any gravel road in the middle of Kansas you better be ready to wave at any car coming at you because the other driver will be waving at you...
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I've experienced the same thing on the backroads of Saskatchewan. You really don't have to worry about breakdowns, either. There isn't a lot of traffic but if someone comes along you will be offered help...
 
I don't think the pictures are bad. There is a nice blending of color, and the faces are interesting. The snuggly-wuggly couple on the right of the second one, and the ipod listening girl in the first one make the pictures good. But then the photographer goes on to try and connect these photos to a political statement, about the economic crisis and all.

That is where this series (if one could consider two pictures a series - I call it a diptych) fails. there is no indication that there is any economic worry going on inside these folks heads at all. Te aforementioned couple is oblivious to the outside world, one lady is reading a book, one is fiddling with an ipod, a couple more are listening to unseen 'pods, the chick in #1 is thinking about something she sees, the guy in the suit is looking for a job, and the guy looking out the window is thinking about something completely unrelated to the economy. The story is not supported by the pictures, although as stand alone pictures, I rather like #2.
 
I think they're great pictures - I never saw like it before. Maybe it's common scenes, but uncommon pictures.
I would see more to be sure of the quality of the work (two isn't enough).
Do you know what's the camera and lens? I wondering how he can obtain such colors and details, so closer with people and so discretly.
Thanks for the link.
 
I don't think I have seen many commuters going to work with a smile on their faces so I can't see a connection with the recession.

Did you notice this?

"Rather than a single photograph, it is a construct that captures a moment, with several images of the same people taken in rapid succession and then digitally stitched together, so that most people within the image are seen in the same focus."

I would rather see them unadulterated.
 
Reinier Gerritsen

Reinier Gerritsen

gekopaca said:
I think they're great pictures - I never saw like it before. Maybe it's common scenes, but uncommon pictures.
I would see more to be sure of the quality of the work (two isn't enough).
Do you know what's the camera and lens? I wondering how he can obtain such colors and details, so closer with people and so discretly.
Thanks for the link.
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http://www.foammagazine.nl/portfolio?foto=123

He dresses as a construction worker and the images are apparently "stacked" in Photoshop.

yours
FPJ
 
Back in his studio he uses Photoshop to merge two shots of the same situation into one picture and to enhance the sharpness and create a panorama effect. He isolates the individuals, and creates a fascinating spectacle of human choreography and personal expression.
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IMO, in itself this is a process one could choose to use, if so preferred. But, to relate the resulting images back to a situation or development in real life, is mere fraud.

The described process is what would be used by an artist, not someone claiming to document. It is a Rembrandt process, arranging people to a group and end up with the Night Watch. Yes, all these individuals existed and wore those outfits but no, they did not stand around like that, it's not a representation of real life but of imagined life.

BTW, I've never heard of the guy in the Netherlands. And I will not buy Foam magazine if this is their view on good photography.

Additonal question: if everybody using a camera a photographer? Is everyone using a hammer, a carpenter?
 
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buzzardkid said:
IMO, in itself this is a process one could choose to use, if so preferred. But, to relate the resulting images back to a situation or development in real life, is mere fraud.

The described process is what would be used by an artist, not someone claiming to document. It is a Rembrandt process, arranging people to a group and end up with the Night Watch. Yes, all these individuals existed and wore those outfits but no, they did not stand around like that, it's not a representation of real life but of imagined life.

BTW, I've never heard of the guy in the Netherlands. And I will not buy Foam magazine if this is their view on good photography.

Additonal question: if everybody using a camera a photographer? Is everyone using a hammer, a carpenter?
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After reading this I deleted my post where I said that I like photo #2. If it's merged together than this is indeed not something I want to support.
 
I don't think it is possible to form a decent opinion based on just two pictures. Personally, I like the second one and don't particularly like the first. I would hope that almost anyone could get at least one good picture after taking thousands of pictures over seven weeks.
 
Thinking more about this, I think the NY Times should have marked this as a "composite photograph" or "digital illustration" or something. It's not immediately clear from the article that these are not straight photographs. They are Photoshop creations. In any other context perhaps that would be fine, but this is a newspaper, not an art magazine. Or do people think I'm being too sensitive?
 
It's a collage, not a "photograph," IMHO.

And I feel he is projecting his own feelings on the subjects, as I do not see sadness and despair.
 
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