Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/12/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]At 09:14 PM 01/12/98 -0600, Harrison wrote: >If I am shooting a photo of something and want a person in the shot >then I hang out with my camera with my subject composed and wait for >someone to come along and do what I want. > That was a technique HCB used. He just hung out, waiting for the subject to enter the photo. He had the picture figured out before it was taken. All of the essential elements were put into place first, waiting for the subject to come and finish it off, adding the important human dimension. He usually wore clothes which did not draw attention, and carried very little gear, so as not to be too noticeable. Some examples that come to mind are (sorry, I can't remember the titles) - - a photo of a cyclist on the road. He shot standing on the top of a stairway, with the railing framing the image nicely. In an essay by John Swar.(sp?) (MoMA), he describes this as "setting the trap" and waiting for prey to take the bait. - - a photo of a young child (I think in Spain perhaps), running through the street, right in the spot where the sun was creating a strongly lit area on the ground There is a photo of HCB I saw somewhere, showing him "hanging out" like this. He was standing on a ledge, above the ground, just waiting for the human element to enter the picture.