RNC 2008 - pre-opening ceremony protests (all with Leica M8)

Some people might consider those shots too artsy and ostentatious but I think that's how you saw it, so its all good.
 
endustry said:
(Ralph Nader is my man, btw.)
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Let's be realistic: If Nader is your man, then your man helped elect George in 2000.

Just say George Bush is your man.

Nice pics, Gabriel.

I expect red meat at the Republican Convention, but it shocked me when George said "if the Viet Namese couldn't defeat John McCain, then the angry left won't be able to either." This is our president? The president of all the people?

Just my $0.02. (this is a political thread, right?)
 
Al Patterson said:
kshapero said:
Some very well taken shots. I am not a Republican or a Democrat (Ron Paul is my man) but does anyone here think all those protesters seem really stupid looking. "No war, No RNC" It makes no sense. "Stop Racism, Stop War" Crazy grammar. An American Flag with IBM (???) and NBC ( A Liberal bunch) and other nonsense logos. Just musing.
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Gabriel did some nice work, but I also think some of these folks need to attend remedial sign grammar classes or something.
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Interesting point, but I should remind you that slogans may take literary license. You know, like "United We Stand" and "Read My Lips: No New Taxes", "The Change You Deserve", etc. None of the signs have spelling errors, none that I recall, anyway.

So remember: slogan ok, obit no way ;)
 
Nh3 said:
Some people might consider those shots too artsy and ostentatious but I think that's how you saw it, so its all good.
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Wow, I happen to agree with you. Thanks. Yes, many people forget one thing: the photos I take are as I see them, not as other people would hope they should have seen it. Those people often like to take photos in a very controlled environment, and don't seem to appreciate the effort taken in a very out-of-your-hands atmosphere.
 
back alley said:
stick to the images folks, this is not a forum for political discussions.
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Agreed. The images are what they are. My main focus here is to "discuss" photoreportage, rangefinders nowadays, and the M8 as a "happened to used it" in all of this.

Interesting to see the feedback on color saturation, DOF, B&W...and slogan grammar. Yes We Can ;)
 
amateriat said:
And what images they are, Gabriel. Thanks so much for this.
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2XLX2 said:
nice pics, gabriel. keep them coming :)
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No, thank you. I'll try. I'm home today sick. Nasty little bug won't let go of me. Just today they prescribed antibiotics; I am strongly against antibiotics abuse. Apparently, I can't get away from it, a week later. :(

But I'll try to post more later today! :
 
endustry said:
Sadly most of these protests only add fuel to the fires of the groups they oppose. Black-clad "anarchists" going nuts in the street really only succeed in scaring the **** out of blue-haired old ladies. One group votes; the other usually does not.

But anyway, yeah, even after living in San Francisco for 7 years and having recently spent nearly three years on a college campus, I still have yet to encounter a demonstration/protest by "radical" leftists that was even vaguely cohesive. But who am I to criticize people for voicing their 1st amendment right to speak out against racism, the fur trade, the Palestinian crisis, homophobia, globalization, sweatshops, police profiling, the war, NAFTA, immigration reform and meat-eating simultaneously?

(Ralph Nader is my man, btw.)
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Ooh, I don't know where to begin; yeah, the issue with "radical leftists" is that everybody has an idea of what "good" or "right" is. The "radical rightists" are pretty much cohesive in that sense, given to issues that I won't go into here.

The beauty of all of this is, that the freedom to do this, and show it, is far too valuable. Whether you agree on something or not, the basic idea is that we all have the right to think and say we're right, as long as it doesn't physically, socially and economically hurt your fellow citizens.

Like Voltaire may have said, "I disagree with your choice of camera gear, but I will defend to the death your right to choose it!" :D
 
raid said:
These are excellent images, Gabriel.
I like them.
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Thank you, Raid :)


MichaelHarris said:
Very nice images Gabriel! Did you happen to be around the tear-gassing today of some marchers? The arrests of journalists and marchers is also not being covered very well.

What was it Gaajin said here? Oh yeah, you won't see any arrests at the RNC, only Dems are against free speech. Tell that to those tear gassed today and the journalist arrested yesterday.
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Thanks, Michael. No, I was not. It was almost literally a "come and go" thing for me. They had been gathering since around 11am that day; I showed up at around 1pm, left at about 1:30pm. What had been on the news happened many hours after that. I was hoping to go this afternoon (McCain's plane *just* touched down about 15 min ago), but I'm home sick. We'll see.

When the Press actually begin report things unfiltered, without "commentary", that's when we'll get news and events as they are, not through some filter.

The only filter I like to apply is B&W Convert or my own "Velvia/Kodachrome" PS action. ;)
 
These are great shots, Gabriel ! I like the way you approach the people not to close but close enough to get the emotions and atmosphere. Normally I would prefer BW for this kind of reportage but in this case I like the color photos much better.

Hopefully you will be fine soon again ! ... and looking forward seeing more photos !! :)

Cheers,

Gabor
 
Gabriel, perhaps your bout of illness is good fortune or a silver lining because several credentialed AP photographers were arrested at the RNC event!

Details here
 
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memphis said:
great stuff --- I personally would have loved to see what I like to think of as "Backstage pass" stuff -- the access that not every dope who smuggles a camera into an arena to take pics of the jonas brothers or whoever all the kids go and see nowadays....

It's good stuff- - work on selling the pics or getting them on ap or another news wire -- work immediately on publication-- to help build your professional credo -- makes it easier to get passes to the next event, and after a while, you're doing it full time ----

never got a pm following our initial discussion Friday- -- I did call a friend of mine for you, but it was a no go... not worth mentioning as they didn't come through

The pictures are fantastic, context makes them more interesting than run of the mill protests -- and if you can't get the proverbial wonka golden ticket, that leaves you in a position of not being invited to prom --- get some of the republicans and delegates in casual atmosphere - believe me, the reporters are spending downtime in the closest bars, the delegates are in nearby hotels -- push yourself and go for a little more substance than the shock value of protesters...
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I will most certainly try. I need to get my energy back...very ill-timed (or is it?) illness. I hardly ever get sick, but this year's been weird. This is the second time ever I take antibiotics in over six years. The previous time, it was after some "minor" surgery.

Anyway, thanks again. I was going to go pub/hotel -hopping, but I'm lucky to go for my daily walk this week :(

Cheers!
 
maddoc said:
These are great shots, Gabriel ! I like the way you approach the people not to close but close enough to get the emotions and atmosphere. Normally I would prefer BW for this kind of reportage but in this case I like the color photos much better.

Hopefully you will be fine soon again ! ... and looking forward seeing more photos !! :)
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Thanks, Gabor. Well, yes, I guess I have no qualms of approaching people when there are other photographers in the area! Oddly enough, I feel comfortable in a quiet, close setting, too, with acquaintance, friend and stranger alike. Anything in-between makes me a bit nervous, still.

I have more to work on, but will try to get a few more once I'm a bit better.

Cheers!
 
jan normandale said:
Gabriel, perhaps your bout of illness is good fortune or a silver lining because several credentialed AP photographers were arrested at the RNC event!

Details here
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Oy. Yeah, I was thinking that when I read a local article mentioning that in passing. I seem to have some luck when it comes to that, because the two times I showed up, the police were relaxed, and at times joking with the crowd. Connecting some of the dots, I really wonder if some of the "disturbances" were instigated by a few that really felt they had to shake things up. But what do I know, I'm not a Sith. :eek:

Saludos.
 
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