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Author Topic: City Photography  (Read 1479 times)

Rob C

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City Photography
« on: December 13, 2013, 02:40:41 pm »

Just thought I'd drop in an observation: I've been following an interesting new BBC series in three parts, about Byzantium.

The important thing for me, apart from the historical, is that it again reinforces my belief that ciné photographers have a better eye than stills shooters for landscape as well as the observation of people.

Especially do I think they have a magical touch with long lenes used in cityscapes with people: several shots of people made from over oof vegetation and low fences etc. created beautiful frames for half-length shots; the same applied to images of people sitting at outdoor cafés, though in that instance, the people were used as interesting oof background decoration for the chap doing the speaking for the camera. Two attractive ladies in particular caught my oof attention: they seemed (to me) to be more than aware of the camera and their smiles and enjoyment in their attractiveness was a delight to watch. Sure, it distracted from the speaker, but you could lend him your ears if not your eyes. And that's not a problem for stills. We really should watch more high quality BBC stuff if we can. Really, really looking teaches as much if not more than a magazine ever could. But you have to apply yourself, even try to ignore the storyline...

Hot damn! Isn't that what folks are supposed to do with porn?

Rob C

WalterEG

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Re: City Photography
« Reply #1 on: December 13, 2013, 03:48:40 pm »

it again reinforces my belief that ciné photographers have a better eye than stills shooters for landscape as well as the observation of people.

'Twas ever thus.

This may well be, in no small part, to a number of facts:

  • Few Directors Of Photography ever get to practice without extensive training
  • There is invariably a a script of a treatment devised and vision formulated
  • The personal creating the images is one member of a team who, in pre-production, will have determined a 'look' and style for the project
  • There is always a narrative to convey and images are formulated as inter-related elements as opposed to one-off hero pics.

Where commercial photography is concerned we often find that where the moving image is made to be seen, the still image is used to fill a blank space in a layout.

I am a fan of Byzantium and look forward to this series coming down-under.

Cheers,

W
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Rob C

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Re: City Photography
« Reply #2 on: December 13, 2013, 05:35:00 pm »

'Twas ever thus.

This may well be, in no small part, to a number of facts:

  • Few Directors Of Photography ever get to practice without extensive training
  • There is invariably a a script of a treatment devised and vision formulated
  • The personal creating the images is one member of a team who, in pre-production, will have determined a 'look' and style for the project
  • There is always a narrative to convey and images are formulated as inter-related elements as opposed to one-off hero pics.

Where commercial photography is concerned we often find that where the moving image is made to be seen, the still image is used to fill a blank space in a layout.

I am a fan of Byzantium and look forward to this series coming down-under.

Cheers,

W


Yes, what you say is certainly true, but I also think that it's a sort of inheritance thing too: the old guys upon whose books and stuff many living photographers now base and try to develop their own style - for want of a better word - were given to normal or slightly wide optics, and that has carried through. Not that many of us in stills have embraced long lenses for themselves, other than for purely practical reasons such as sport and lack of access. In other words, long lenses are a kind of last resort or, in the case of 'street' kinds of subjects, seen as a coward's way out. I ignore the paparazzo world.

Just thinking about some of those delightful lenses gives me goosebumps! I never feel emotional about short ones.

The first two parts of Byzantium have run; I think the last one happens on Thursday next, BBC 4. Unfortunately, I haven't recorded any...

;-(

Rob C

Rocco Penny

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Re: City Photography
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2013, 07:46:50 am »

Duuuude, I thought I was the only one to have a weird obsession with Bettany Hughes.
OH MY GOD!  So if she were in charge around here I'd hop and lift and kick and swing any way she delegates.
I like her when she goes on about women in history.
She gets taken by her own prowess,
in short,
Bettany Hughes is a national treasure I wish was our own.
The BBC is the first semi different view of the world I ever had.
The BBC newshour from 5:00 GMT is a popular primetime public broadcasting system show on at 9PM on the west coast.
Documentaries and even those insipid english comedies and dramas are popular on public broadcasting
Didn't we steal office space from yall?
Anyway
I was proud as punch when as a kid I made it to the end of every episode of the singing detective as broadcast weekly on saturday night.
strange kid I guess
hahahaha
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WalterEG

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Re: City Photography
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2013, 02:21:29 pm »

Bettany Hughes is high on my list of desirable encounters, too.
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Rob C

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Re: City Photography
« Reply #5 on: December 14, 2013, 05:20:36 pm »

But Bettany has nothing to do with Byzantium: it's a guy, Simon Sebag Montefiore. I also like the lady; she's comfortable in her skin and covers interesting places. I meant she does programmes about interesting places, of course. I think she did the Beeb one about Atlantis/Santorini (not to be confused with the one with Angelina Jolie). Why is there so much confusion in life? Are the options too broad?

Rob C

Rocco Penny

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Re: City Photography
« Reply #6 on: December 16, 2013, 10:07:58 am »

OK Rob, I'm glad you've heard of Bettany.
I watched that fuddy duddy go on about what essentially is an englishmans history of the exotic near east.
Where is the dirt?
Where is the art?
Where are the people?
Bettany Hughes has a piece on Byzantium, along with other interesting videos.
I guess I mention her because she does what he does but in a way that is riveting...
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Rob C

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Re: City Photography
« Reply #7 on: December 16, 2013, 11:20:55 am »

OK Rob, I'm glad you've heard of Bettany.
I watched that fuddy duddy go on about what essentially is an englishmans history of the exotic near east.
Where is the dirt?
Where is the art?
Where are the people?Bettany Hughes has a piece on Byzantium, along with other interesting videos.
I guess I mention her because she does what he does but in a way that is riveting...


The last part is due this week - I guess that'll bring on the dancing girls! ;-) But you never can tell. And you are right; he doesn't have the most engaging screen persona. With Bets, my eyes keep drifting downwards, but that's probably just the glaucoma or I'm tired, those shows come on late here - an hour ahead of Britain...

Rob C
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