[Leica] Street Photo Gallery

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

Justin Low said and showed:
Subject: [Leica] Street Photo Gallery


> Hi there! I'm back on the LUG after a long hiatus. I've been busy lately 
> with a photo project that involves street photography. My intent is to 
> document the monotony and repetition of city life and the routines of it's 
> population.
>
> You can see an initial cut of the shots here: 
> http://justinlow.com/photos/city-life/<<<<<<

Hi Justin,
Your concept is interesting and one wouldn't think too difficult to shoot in 
a hustle bustle city.

However,  much like my " Winter photo project" many years ago when the 
subject was... "Show the visual psychological problems of driving in the 
winter."  Seemed simple enough as we who lived for seemingly endless months 
of snow and idiot drivers who constantly drove like it was 1 July! :-) Hot 
and dry pavement!

Truthfully? Much easier said than done. Yep we of the northern part of the 
world endure snow and ice understand how many stupid drivers there are 
sliding all over the place. Also "how we react in our own car to the idiots 
in the other." But it didn't equate to a visual capture unless you were in a 
car and not standing in the snow on the street. Therefore it was an abysmal 
failure.

Your concept sounds interesting, however I don't see in your pictures what 
you're saying is happening? Or what you are trying to capture one unto the 
other. Like it doesn't appear there's a connecting subject, picture to 
picture.

Please don't take this to mean your pictures aren't OK, they are. I feel you 
should edit tighter. And possibly look at your theme line again as it's 
obvious you don't have any problem shooting on the street which many others 
do.

>>> My intent is to document the monotony and repetition of city life and 
>>> the routines of it's population.<<<

I think this intro to your photo project throws people off when they look 
for the photos to have a direct connection to what you're saying. It's 
obvious you have an eye for the street life and maybe what we need here is 
to call it something as simple as  "On the street, me and my camera."  Or 
something that keeps it open and yet gives the idea it's people on the move 
in the big city.

I bet if you stay with this you'll complete an interesting and evocative 
series of photographs simply because everything is so simple and casual 
looking. And you show no fear of shooting on the street.

ted