Are we not photographers?

[Chris Kern]

Here's a thought—prompted by the link to the video from The New Yorker that I posted earlier today—for those irritated by the shift of posting volume from the discussion of photography to politics, COVID-19, and other non-photographic subjects:

Most of us are currently required or at least strongly encouraged by our respective governments to avoid unnecessary travel, but solitary walks for exercise and recreation are permitted, at least here in the States and I presume elsewhere, and collectively we have the geographical breadth to create a varied if not comprehensive photographic record of this extraordinary moment we are all living through.

I made an initial stab at doing this myself when I accompanied my wife to medical appointments in Washington, D.C., during the third and fourth weeks of March, and I'm thinking about what I might shoot in the little Maryland city where we spend most of our time—all our time these days, alas, except for those medical appointments.

I presume most of the participants in this forum who don't actually live in a city or town center at least occasionally must venture into one to buy groceries, visit pharmacies, or do other unavoidable errands, and I gather there are a few here who must leave home to work at essential jobs.  (I know have at least one practicing hospital doctor in our midst.)

The idea would be to make some images of public or commercial venues that capture what is happening at this particular time in our particular space.  Not with the idea of creating great art, but simply to compile a documentary record of our experience, to share it within this forum, and perhaps even to leave some interesting artifacts behind for those who, one hopes, will not soon have to repeat our little moment in history.

[armand]

I would say that Kodak had a much bigger digital presence in the early days of digital photography vs Fujifilm, they were significantly better positioned. But as time showed, having the resources is not good enough if you don't apply the wits.

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

...The idea would be to make some images of public or commercial venues that capture what is happening at this particular time in our particular space.  Not with the idea of creating great art, but simply to compile a documentary record of our experience, to share it within this forum, and perhaps even to leave some interesting artifacts behind for those who, one hopes, will not soon have to repeat our little moment in history.

On my way to pick up food today, I took this one. The sign reads "Stay at Home." The day was lovely, sunny, warm, trees are getting first leaves, and the sun was lighting them from behind. I noticed the trees the other day, but they were in the shade. So I planned today's shoot using Photographer's Ephemeris to tell me exactly at what time today the sun will illuminate this street. 3:02pm, it turns out.

As Chris said, no great art, but two things struck me as unusual: the sign, and the fact that the street was practically empty, although in different times, with a weather like this and the arrival of spring, it would be as busy as Times Square.

[LesPalenik]

I can see at the end of the street some people sitting on the outside patio.

[Chris Kern]

On my way to pick up food today, I took this one.

Yes!  Exactly what I had in mind.

[Rob C]

I bought my Hasselblad from Kodak. It came directly from Kodak. Invoice came from Kodak. Ergo, Hasselblad is a Kodak camera.

Q.E.D.

Rob

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Q.E.D.

Please elaborate.

[William Walker]

Fascinating, Les. When you first glance at it it looks as if the big rock and the grass are hanging in air.

How are you keeping Russ? Fine I hope. (The grandchild was a beautiful boy!) We managed to hold him for fifteen minutes each before the lockdown kicked in...

[Manoli]

The idea would be to make some images of public or commercial venues that capture what is happening at this particular time in our particular space.  Not with the idea of creating great art, but simply to compile a documentary record of our experience, to share it within this forum, and perhaps even to leave some interesting artifacts behind for those who, one hopes, will not soon have to repeat our little moment in history.

Tempting, and something I had thought of but the lockdown, pretty much throughout the EU, refers to ESSENTIAL trips and no matter how essential your 'trip' might be, wandering the street with camera in hand is almost certainly to be considered a contravention. In Paris, they're now going further and even banning joggers on the grounds that the increased exertion and elevated 'exhalation' increase risk.

I thought the movie short was excellent (it should be, he's part of the VII agency) as are others on that website .

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... the lockdown, pretty much throughout the EU, refers to ESSENTIAL trips and no matter how essential your 'trip' might be, wandering the street with camera in hand is almost certainly to be considered a contravention...

For sheeple. It is rebels that change the world.

[Rob C]

Please elaborate.

You proved, by example, exactly what you had set out to prove.

Rob

[Rob C]

For sheeple. It is rebels that change the world.

Are you certain the fever has left you?

Of course, that may have been an allusion to those rebels changing the world order by infecting and killing off most of the saner humans...

;-)

[RSL]

How are you keeping Russ? Fine I hope. (The grandchild was a beautiful boy!) We managed to hold him for fifteen minutes each before the lockdown kicked in...

Hanging in there, William, as I hope you are too. Holding a grandchild even for fifteen minutes is an experience everyone should have. There's nothing else in the world quite like it.

[Chris Kern]

Tempting, and something I had thought of but the lockdown, pretty much throughout the EU, refers to ESSENTIAL trips and no matter how essential your 'trip' might be, wandering the street with camera in hand is almost certainly to be considered a contravention.

I'm certainly not proposing that anyone violate the explicit or even implicit "social distancing" rules of their jurisdiction.  Here in the States, at least, stopping to snap a picture of a deserted commercial district during a solitary trip to buy groceries or recreational excursion would not contravene any of the regulations or recommendations.

In Paris, they're now going further and even banning joggers on the grounds that the increased exertion and elevated 'exhalation' increase risk.

Is there really any evidence that solitary joggers pose a greater threat of spreading the virus than solitary walkers?  This sounds like the kind of parody of bureaucratic overreaction that might be published by a right-wing satirical magazine: Don't Breathe Too Much: Excessive Respiration Endangers Your Neighbors.

[Rob C]

I'm certainly not proposing that anyone violate the explicit or even implicit "social distancing" rules of their jurisdiction.  Here in the States, at least, stopping to snap a picture of a deserted commercial district during a solitary trip to buy groceries or recreational excursion would not contravene any of the regulations or recommendations.

Is there really any evidence that solitary joggers pose a greater threat of spreading the virus than solitary walkers?  This sounds like the kind of parody of bureaucratic overreaction that might be published by a right-wing satirical magazine: Don't Breathe Too Much: Excessive Respiration Endangers Your Neighbors.

"In Paris, they're now going further and even banning joggers on the grounds that the increased exertion and elevated 'exhalation' increase risk."

I can imagine that somebody passing you at a greater rate of knots is going both to be exhaling and inhaling a damned sight more powerfully and deeply than the same person walking. As a direct consequence, his/her airborne spoor is going to be producing a far longer and potentially more toxic trail (before falling to the ground and infecting some innocent, ear-clipped pit bull terrier), thus causing many more deep such particles the opportunity to be coming your way; for himself/herself, that deep breathing is going to make a far more efficient vacuum cleaner by means of which to suck up your infections (if you have any) as they pass you.

Its important that neither jogger nor anyone else get ill.

No jogging = win/win.

[Rob C]

Hanging in there, William, as I hope you are too. Holding a grandchild even for fifteen minutes is an experience everyone should have. There's nothing else in the world quite like it.

Unless holding yet another one. Holding a second one makes one more cautious.

Personally speaking, as with both my kids and the grandkids, it was always an experience fraught with concern. After a few weeks they felt quite different and safe to touch. And then there enters the little matter of competition:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqfK0EAdlt4

;-)

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

... Is there really any evidence that solitary joggers pose a greater threat of spreading the virus than solitary walkers?  This sounds like the kind of parody of bureaucratic overreaction that might be published by a right-wing satirical magazine: Don't Breathe Too Much: Excessive Respiration Endangers Your Neighbors.

Indeed. My comment is the same as I said to my friend here who was complaining that joggers pass him by without a mask: if they can jog, they are not sick. Even if they are contagious, but asymptomatic, just exhaling is hardly, if at all, going to transmit the virus.

[Alan Klein]

My wife just completed a mile walk.  She told me no one pass her.  But we live in a gated community.  So I'm not sure if the rules actually apply here.

[Rob C]

Indeed. My comment is the same as I said to my friend here who was complaining that joggers pass him by without a mask: if they can jog, they are not sick. Even if they are contagious, but asymptomatic, just exhaling is hardly, if at all, going to transmit the virus.

So, how exactly do you reckon you were given it? Off a toilet seat?

;-)

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

So, how exactly do you reckon you were given it? Off a toilet seat?

In the beginning of March, I was in a pub concert, with probably around 500 people tightly packed. I shook hands with the musicians, two of which later tested positive and ended up in hospital with pneumonia. Those two people had friends recently returning from Italy.