Michael Markey
Veteran
Lovely shot Chris and a heart rending story .
He looks so optimistic too ..... all kinds of lessons you take away from this.
He looks so optimistic too ..... all kinds of lessons you take away from this.
Photos Under Discussion #1 Sterling Hall Sr.
- Thread starter Chriscrawfordphoto
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Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
I think that's true of many great photos done in the documentary tradition. The photo is inseparable from the subject's identity and story, and the photo and the story/history build on each other. That's why I find it odd that so many photographers adamantly refuse to provide any info on the photos they post. The argument is that photos should stand on their own, which is an argument contradicted by the history of photography.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
I've met a lot of interesting people while photographing. There have been a few people I photographed who later died, and their families found my photos on my website years later (when I was younger I didn't give people prints because I was barely able to feed myself back then) and found the photos I had made of their uncle or mom or grandparent.
Some of them had no good photos of the person, and were glad to find mine. It was neat to have preserved the memory of someone's life like that.
jmilkins
Digited User
Chris - thank you for posting this photograph. And thank you for telling Sterling's story. I fall on your side of the fence - a picture might "tell a thousand words", but for this style of photography, I like at least some of those words to be by the the image maker.
The story made me stop and consider Sterling and his family's life and the picture in that context. I'm sure your picture will be a treasured possession for his family.
I find documentary and people photography quite a challenge, and reading of your process in making this photograph was instructive. For me, Sterling's expression is a focal point, and that of his dog, and the colour really works too. The exaggerated foreground perspective serves to highlight his leg, but then underline his missing one in my mind.
Looking forward to more.
The story made me stop and consider Sterling and his family's life and the picture in that context. I'm sure your picture will be a treasured possession for his family.
I find documentary and people photography quite a challenge, and reading of your process in making this photograph was instructive. For me, Sterling's expression is a focal point, and that of his dog, and the colour really works too. The exaggerated foreground perspective serves to highlight his leg, but then underline his missing one in my mind.
Looking forward to more.
retinax
Well-known
I'll just quote this because I'm lazy. Agree with everything except the highlighted part. I think the way you approached him and tell this story is great.
I only disagree about the angle of view. The distortion doesn't work for me, and emphasizing his one leg this much may even come across as insensitive. I don't see anything of interest inside the house that needs to be included to warrant the wide angle. With a longer focal length you could have kept the camera at his head level too, stepped a bit further away and still kept the dog visible.
P.S. You were clearly not being insensitive and he as he liked the photo, it's a non-issue in this case. I just would assume that generally someone with a physical disability wouldn't like it to be emphasized visually, nor hidden of course.
aizan
Veteran
including technical details opens up a photo to the photographer's creative decisions. that's one of my favorite things about ansel adams's approach; they make work by accomplished photographers more accessible. could the photo have been stronger if it was taken with a longer focal length? i'd encourage anyone who starts a "show and tell" thread to include relevant technical details.
Pioneer
Veteran
The story is nice Chris and adds to the photograph, much as the story of Yousuf Karsh grabbing Churchill's cigar adds to that portrait.
But I do think the photo stands entirely on its own. If you spend some time studying it the portrait really begins to come to life, regardless of the story.
This is where I do not always agree with including the story. Often the story interferes with the photograph itself and prevents others from really spending time with the photo.
I do have to agree with others regarding the choice of the wide angle. It may have allowed you to get more of the background but it also distorted part of the man's anatomy. The real story was this man and his dog.
However, I feel it is a very well done portrait of a man and his companion and can understand why the subject and his family liked it as well. It just works.
Thank you
But I do think the photo stands entirely on its own. If you spend some time studying it the portrait really begins to come to life, regardless of the story.
This is where I do not always agree with including the story. Often the story interferes with the photograph itself and prevents others from really spending time with the photo.
I do have to agree with others regarding the choice of the wide angle. It may have allowed you to get more of the background but it also distorted part of the man's anatomy. The real story was this man and his dog.
However, I feel it is a very well done portrait of a man and his companion and can understand why the subject and his family liked it as well. It just works.
Thank you
Bob Michaels
nobody special
Is the photographer's desired audience the general public or just other photographers?
Personally I adamantly refuse to include anything technical, even if the original capture was digital or film or if the final output was created wet or dry. I believe inclusion of any of this data dilutes the message I want my work to deliver. Last year I had to give a curator a decision to either include my work with no technical information or remove my work from the exhibit. I explained that if a viewer was concerned about anything technical instead of the content that my photos has already failed in my mind. I equated her request to being like asking a painter to list what type brush and brand of oil they used.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
Bob,
On my website, I do not have any technical information, nor is any given when I exhibit my prints in galleries and museums. Art collectors don't care about such things.
I do think that in a discussion of a photograph, by photographers, as we're doing here, There needs to be some discussion of the equipment and materials used. That is because I am trying to help others learn by showing them my thought process as I create an image. Part of that is choosing the right equipment to get the image I want, so I include some info on that.
Bob Michaels
nobody special
Chris: your thinking and mine are totally in parallel on your first statement.
I see merit in your second statement. Maybe I am overly sensitive from looking at so many photos here that I would love to know the location or some subject information but the photographer thinks the only thing worth mentioning is that it was made with a ziptydodah camera. I certainly agree the thought process in creating the image is important. But the equipment? So often that ends up being a function of what you have in your hand at that time.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
I agree that the tech info is not usually important, and I am constantly frustrated by images with no info about what I am seeing. When I post photos in my own image thread, the New Photos From Fort Wayne thread, I never mention equipment unless someone asks about it.
In this thread, which I see as educational, then I do think its important to say what I used and WHY. Not simply saying "I used a Canon 5DmkII with the 24-105mm f4L lens." That doesn't really help anyone. The camera I used isn't really important in this photo, but the choice of lens and what focal length I set the zoom at were important. I chose that lens and zoom setting for a reason, which I explained.
Carriage
Established
Thanks for posting this Chris. I like the format you're following and I'm looking forward to the next one.
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
You're welcome. This has been a great discussion; thanks to everyone who contributed! I'll post a new one tomorrow.
dfranklin
Established
Chris, thanks for posting this photo and the story of its making.
I was not immediately gripped by this image, but as I looked a little harder, the thing that really grabbed me was the 'rhyming' effect of the angles at which your subject and his dog hold their heads. It communicates to me that these are two beings in harmony, mutually protective of each other. I now think of this as a very strong image.
I was not immediately gripped by this image, but as I looked a little harder, the thing that really grabbed me was the 'rhyming' effect of the angles at which your subject and his dog hold their heads. It communicates to me that these are two beings in harmony, mutually protective of each other. I now think of this as a very strong image.
steve kessel
steve kessel
Dear Chris
I also think your photo can stand on its own, without commentary which I don't mind. Notwithstanding your concern with the technical aspects of its taking, there is a wonderful warmth and intimacy that comes across, from the subject and by implication,the photographer.
Best wishes
Steve
I also think your photo can stand on its own, without commentary which I don't mind. Notwithstanding your concern with the technical aspects of its taking, there is a wonderful warmth and intimacy that comes across, from the subject and by implication,the photographer.
Best wishes
Steve
Chriscrawfordphoto
Real Men Shoot Film.
How can we discuss a photo if you don't know what you're seeing? This isn't abstract painting, it is documentary photography. The meaning is derived from the subject, and is inseparable from it. If I posted the photo with nothing but the image, I'd only be telling half the story. That would be a failure, because my purpose is not to take pretty pictures. It is to tell the stories of the people I encounter in my journey through life.
robert blu
quiet photographer
robert blu
quiet photographer
I think in these internet times very oft people look at pictures only in a quick superficial way. A few seconds, the time to think " ohh, this is a man with his dog", done, let's see the next one.
What Pioneer says is very true, we need time to study a photo, to make it something alive. The man, his face, the position of his hands, the few details of the interior of the house, the shirt....so many important details to look at...
robert
Pioneer
Veteran
You want to include the story with this portrait and that is fine. I am just saying it isn't necessary. Your portrait is well done and a lot more of the story comes to light if you take time to really look at the portrait.
I also can tell some things about the photographer. He/she has been able to put the subject at ease which is clear from the relaxed, slightly bemused, expression on the face. But the dog is not convinced so the photographer must not be a regular visitor. The dog has a slightly puzzled look but is still in a guarded position. I think he knew you were a cat lover. 🙂
You do a lot of documentary photography of your city and its' people, much of it very interesting. You are interested in the history of your city and your area and can relate a lot of information. But I doubt very seriously that you have heart warming stories for each photograph you take. Often a simple caption describing the place, location, person(s) if appropriate and time is sufficient.
What do you think of the portrait? I know you have spent much more time looking at it than we have. What do you like, what would you change? Would you want to go back if you could and redo it or are you happy with it as it is?
