The Function of Light

[jeremypayne]

What is the image itself? I think the image itself is only ink on paper unless it is seen by a viewer; whereby they think and then respond emotionally in accordance with their genetics, personality and experience.

One cannot view an image and not add emotional content from our mind.

How pedantic.  Yes, thoughts and emotions originate in the brain of humans.

[michswiss]

On many levels. Maybe the shot is more spectacular than you first thought...

Rob C

I see what you meant by using oblique light to bring out aspects of the scene.  I like the light but aside from the very entertaining stories provided, the image felt static and that called attention to other aspects for me...

Why is it depressing to you?  I don't see where that comes from.

Are sports bars depressing to you by their nature?

As a matter of fact, yes.  I find the idea of sports bars depressing.  The TVs take the primary role as arbiter of social interaction.  The people are on the edges.  Lack of interaction.  Anonymity in public.  The bar could be completely devoid of human presence and still have the same ambiance. 

Jennifer, You feel it's depressing because it's not pretty. But it's truth, and if you believe John Keats, truth is beauty, beauty truth.

What it actually is is a study in the way lateral light gives you good mid-tones. It's a fair demonstration of that in color, but much better in B&W.

Yup, thanks for the reminder to look at the light and how it affects a scene.  I love that sort of thing and it's rare that it comes with an urban setting too.  That said and apologies to Keats, but not all truth is beautiful (I know I've modified things.)  For me truth needs motivation or at least momentum and story telling.  It's a narrative.

This is probably more telling about me and why I take the sort if images I do than the OP itself.

[RSL]

Okay. I'm not thrilled by sports bars either, but sometimes their denizens are interesting. This particular sports bar has the best reuben sandwiches I've ever eaten. It was about 11:30 and I was there for a reuben. As usual, my camera was sitting next to me on the table when I saw this scene, so I picked up the camera, tripped the shutter, set it down and took the next bite.

Jennifer, if you've looked at my web you know I'm a lot more interested in people and their artifacts than in rocks, trees, and shorelines -- just as you are. But you find people in all sorts of environments and they're always interesting -- even in sports bars. So don't turn away from a scene just because it isn't pretty. Always remember Walker Evans's dictum: "That's a beautiful sunset. So what?"

[Rob C]

"That's a beautiful sunset. So what?"

I like that, reminds me of another attributed to Hugh in the late-fifties: 'That's a fine pair of tits! Give it three thousand dollars and put it on record!'

Must have followed his plan a decade later - seemed like a good idea at the time.

Bemused... but more probably just bedazzled.

Rob C

[michswiss]

Being a volunteer longterm outcast of my home country, I can totally appreciate a good Reuben.  Man, what a sublime rarity.  That by itself would have me there for the occasional lunch despite the TVs.  You're right to not ignore these settings.  There's always potential.

[John R Smith]

Being a volunteer longterm outcast of my home country, I can totally appreciate a good Reuben.  Man, what a sublime rarity.  That by itself would have me there for the occasional lunch despite the TVs.  You're right to not ignore these settings.  There's always potential.

Please, please enlighten me. What the devil is a "Reuben"?

John

[michswiss]

Please, please enlighten me. What the devil is a "Reuben"?

John

Corned beef, sour kraut, rye bread, the right cheese and a good mustard.  It's topped off with a good coleslaw to the side.

[michswiss]

Okay. I'm not thrilled by sports bars either, but sometimes their denizens are interesting. This particular sports bar has the best reuben sandwiches I've ever eaten. It was about 11:30 and I was there for a reuben. As usual, my camera was sitting next to me on the table when I saw this scene, so I picked up the camera, tripped the shutter, set it down and took the next bite.

Jennifer, if you've looked at my web you know I'm a lot more interested in people and their artifacts than in rocks, trees, and shorelines -- just as you are. But you find people in all sorts of environments and they're always interesting -- even in sports bars. So don't turn away from a scene just because it isn't pretty. Always remember Walker Evans's dictum: "That's a beautiful sunset. So what?"

I've just gone through your B&W gallery (I can't always access Flash stuff).  Some of the shots simply stunned me.  I know they are dated, but that doesn't matter.  It's a humanity and sociality thing and I want to learn more.  Are you doing similar work today?

Edited to add that I'm an idiot.  I've gone through the colour work and aside from being contemporary, it's awesome.  I need mentors like you.

[John R Smith]

Corned beef, sour kraut, rye bread, the right cheese and a good mustard.  It's topped off with a good coleslaw to the side.

Gosh.

J

[RSL]

Are you doing similar work today?

Jennifer, I don't usually give out the URL for the web where I'm posting current stuff on an interim basis until I decide what's worth putting on www.FineArtSnaps.com, but the URL's going to be in the bio for my B&W spotlight award in the March issue of B&W magazine anyway, which will hit the stands in January. So,what the heck: go to www.russ-lewis.com, click on the Photo Gallery, and click on Manitou Springs. That's an HTML gallery and it has a lot of the work I was doing just before I came down to Florida for the winter. It's in chronological order, so if you go to the last page and work back from there you'll see my very latest stuff. I'm not very happy with the HTML gallery, so I'll probably convert it back to Flash when I finally get enough time to sit down and work on my webs. The problem with the HTML gallery is that I can't move from picture to picture without using the mouse.

From what I've seen of your work you don't need a mentor. You just need to keep on shooting. Yours is some of the best street work I've seen in a long time. If you haven't already done so, spend some time with the works of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Walker Evans, Elliott Erwitt, Andre Kertesz, Willy Ronis, Brassai, W. Eugene Smith, Dorothea Lange, Marc Riboud, Helen Levitt, Garry Winogrand, Lee Friedlander, Steve McCurry, and very importantly: Robert Frank. Yes, a lot of this is "dated," but I guess I'm enough of a fussy old guy to believe we've moved away from the heyday of great street photography. Nowadays most of what's called street photography seems designed to shock the viewer rather than to show something important about the human condition. That's a fad that won't last, so, stick with the kind of thing I've seen you do. You do it very well.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

From what I've seen of your work you don't need a mentor. You just need to keep on shooting. Yours is some of the best street work I've seen in a long time. If you haven't already done so, spend some time with the works of Henri Cartier-Bresson, Walker Evans, Elliott Erwitt, Andre Kertesz, Willy Ronis, Brassai, W. Eugene Smith, Dorothea Lange, Marc Riboud, Helen Levitt, Garry Winogrand, Lee Friedlander, Steve McCurry, and very importantly: Robert Frank. Yes, a lot of this is "dated," but I guess I'm enough of a fussy old guy to believe we've moved away from the heyday of great street photography. Nowadays most of what's called street photography seems designed to shock the viewer rather than to show something important about the human condition. That's a fad that won't last, so, stick with the kind of thing I've seen you do. You do it very well.

Jennifer,
Russ is absolutely right (as he often is). Just keep on shooting, and post your good ones for us to enjoy!

Eric

P.S. I'll just add that the corned beef and the rye bread must be top quality for a good Reuben.

[Rob C]

Jennifer,
Russ is absolutely right (as he often is). Just keep on shooting, and post your good ones for us to enjoy!

Eric

P.S. I'll just add that the corned beef and the rye bread must be top quality for a good Reuben.

Russ is right.

But the Reuben doesn't grab me at all. Corned beef has memories of wartime Britain, best forgotten as quickly as possible.

Rob C