old street shots

[NickMarkou]

I was browsing my old B/W negatives, saw these 3 images
from 1997 and decided to scan them. They made the time
I was at my 1st year in uni studying photography. All with an FM2 and Tri-x

And some personal thoughts in a dilemma about photography
With my partner we've been doing advertising photography for the last 11
years when he suddenly passed away from heart attack this march.
I wanted to organise a small exhibition showing his work to the public
and guess what: After 25 years of professional work I couldn't find many images
worth showing and be characteristic about him other than his work at the uni.
And the concern is that product shots are great, super duper megapixel
backs are awesome no doubt (just before he passed away he bought Aptus II),
location and fashion shots we did were great, point is...what's left behind ?
and in my opinion it is personal work, which some of us forget.

Thanks for reading this,
Nick Markou

P.S.
I dont think i would have taken the second shot now,
but then again I'm sharing it for the 1st time ever, so
probably I would.

[PierreVandevenne]

The second one is quite good indeed. Lots of possible interpretations.

[Dave (Isle of Skye)]

Yes I like shot two as well, as this puts the onus back on the person (the hunter) taking the shot just by daring to take the shot.

Taking images of the defenceless, poor and unfortunate (as discussed in another recent thread) as you may now know, I find difficulty accepting, I find it is like the people who attach the word "Sport" in front of words like hunting etc, whereby the sport aspect, is supposed to be that they have a high powered rifle with telescopic sights etc and the poor animal has, well, nothing other than fear - now if the animal had a gun and knew how to use it in a fair fight, and the hunter was willing to still go out in the woods to challenge it to a fair and sporting fight, then yes, that would be sport, but other than that it's just blood lust.

But a shot like this, where the hunter can quite easily become the hunted, then I do truly really applaud your nerve - well done, excellent..!

Photobloke

[James Billett]

I would have definitely thought twice about taking shot number 2. Nerves of steel

[NickMarkou]

He was standing in a train station 99% it was fake..though I've never asked.
Point is, with some images you actually click without thinking, (thats why the framing and the exposure is problematic)
at least that was happening to me back then when i was doing street shots. Just Reflexes

[RSL]

Nick, #1 is very good technically and the principal is interesting. I'd give that one about a B as a street shot. #2 is lacking in many respects. The fact that the guy is holding a pistol leads to a number of questions, beginning with "Is he going to shoot himself?" and "Is he going to shoot you?" But technically the picture isn't awfully good, and the fact that you might have exposed yourself to danger doesn't make the picture any better, Bloke to the contrary notwithstanding. A work of art has to stand on its own two feet. If #2 were part of a story and we knew the story it probably would be good as reportage, but as it stands, with no connection to a story I'd give it a C as street photography. #3 is pretty good since the woman is looking in the direction the statue is pointing, but she's trapped in the left side of the frame, needs more room to her left, and there's no way to tell what she's looking at or to what the statue is pointing. I'd give that one a C as a street shot.

[Dave (Isle of Skye)]

But technically the picture isn't awfully good, and the fact that you might have exposed yourself to danger doesn't make the picture any better, Bloke to the contrary notwithstanding. A work of art has to stand on its own two feet. If #2 were part of a story and we knew the story it probably would be good as reportage, but as it stands, with no connection to a story I'd give it a C as street photography.

Yes I suppose I must agree, but back in the days when I used to belong to a club, it was often thought that the effort one put into taking an image should be somehow reflected in how that image was marked in competitions, which some photographers agreed with and others didn't. So a picture taken from the top of a mountain with a large format camera for instance, should have more merit/weight than a shot taken by a camera phone from the window of a moving car. If you know what I mean.

But yes I agree..

Photobloke

[RSL]

Yes, I know what you mean, Bloke, and I've run into the same kind of reasoning from time to time. By that reasoning, if you were to take a shovel and dig a very large hole, then set up your 8 x 10 view camera and make a photograph of the hole, the print should win all the contests in sight.

One thing I should have added: Time to get out and make smore more street shots, Nick. I'm delighted to see someone trying. Street isn't easy, and, at least in my own estimation it requires a lot of study, looking at the work of the masters to learn what makes a good street shot. These three shots were near misses. Keep shooting.

[NickMarkou]

Don't get me wrong i dont believe the images are perfect.
There is no doubt that pics needed more attention, but given the fact that i was learning photography back then, i was somehow pleased with the result and now after about 15 years i watch them with nostalgia.

The first frame in my opinion needed more "air" on the top and maybe the camera turned a bit to the left. As for the gun pic, wrong lens, wrong exposure and framing but i forgive myself due to the speed the pic was taken and my concern was mainly to focus. I didn't had the camera ready with hyperfocal.

The 3rd pic as you already mentioned needs more "air" to the left and the lighting is awfull, but is my favorite out of the 3. I think there lies the whole thing about street photography, to be able to calculate all the parameters as fast as possible in order not to disturb your "subject". Even though I added the title street shots, i don't believe that #1 belongs in this category, it seems more like candid portrait to me.

The reason I added the images is about the critique and the "what's left behind question", and in my head its definitely not adv. work we've been doing. Any thoughts on that?

Thanks for all your posts,
Nick

[NickMarkou]

RSL thank you alot for your posts and your opinion, I totally agree.
I havent taken a single personal (out of business) shot for about 12 years
and Im planning to start doing it again. Not for street shots though, its not my thing,
I don't have what itgets anymore and im quite rusted  

As im still browsing my old negatives I might post some more but without expressing any concerns
this time, just the images

Thanks alot
Nick