Assignment No. 4 has probably the most number of beautiful images I’ve seen in an assignment. There were plenty of great photographs that adhered to our theme of “Strong Light” as well some creative executions that still fits the theme well. I give my thanks to all of those who participated for this assignment and of course to Bertrand Domas for giving everyone in the group an amazing assignment. I sure hope many were able to learn and harness the creative possibilities of “Strong Light”.

Without further ado, here are some of the interpretations of Assignment No. 4 “Strong Light”

Vistas

Let’s kick things off with Bertrand’s photo here. It is always though to photograph a place that have been photographed like nothing else. Using strong light and humans in the frame, Bertrand was able to create something unique.

Edmond utilized the golden hour to show the silhouette of this angler backed against the scenic beach. The golden glow of the sun makes the image a treat.

Nena utilized reflections and multiple layerings with the proper timing of having the woman with the sunglasses serving as a main subject against a very dynamic background. It is a unique take.

Strong light used to emphasize the place they are in.  An excellent way to show off how people interact with the space.

Sun reflecting off buildings is always a great technique to utilize. Aaron showed it here by having a giant source of light on the building on the left. The light on the man is also excellent. The scene here is very dynamic despite the fact of only having one person but the light and the architectural backdrop makes it work.

If Aaron’s was architectural background, Florin’s here utilized the beautiful cloud formation. The goal posts with the do in it makes it such a beautiful looking image. The choice of using black and white also adds to the charm.

Igor’s photo here speaks so much of summer! The nice rim light on the surfer plus the light passing through the shower takes me back to the warm sun of the beach.

Street People and Portraits

Edchelle got the most likes for this photo. The kid walking like a boss as he enters the light. Despite his strong stature, his facial expression tells otherwise. The light help tell a great story for this one.

Here’s a creative use of exposure by Teresa. Others might dismiss this as an overexposed photograph but I found the blown out highlights minimized the details of the scene to the bare essentials. It still works.

I found this image funny. The person is not in his most pleasing look but I do find it funny. It is a bit of a mystery.

Enamul’s colors here is just great. The harsh colors and the bright contrasty light made for a great shadow. The lines also complement the workers. The shadows of the workers just wraps everything together.

Here’s another example of a creative exposure by Brandon. The inspiration for this assignment was Alex Webb’s style but Brandon channeled Trent Parke for this one. Good thing that the person has black sunglasses, black cap, and black backpack. Those things make it stand out from his washed out body. I do hope the person wasn’t blinded after the flash though :D Either way, good work from Brandon.

This is one of those images that you have to look closely. I was trying to spot where was the “Strong Light” in this image by Chris. Then I looked at the sunglasses of the lady. There it was! In studio/fashion work, catch lights coming from the studio strobes add an extra pop. Chris here used it to Make the image by using the sun over the horizon as his catch light. Very creative execution of our theme.

Peter used excellent back lighting to have a mood in this scene. It looks like a scene from a movie. They are lit in such a way that there is expression towards each other. A very interesting take by Peter.

When I first saw this photo by Daniel, it made me go ‘Murica! But kidding aside, it’s as if the cowboy was lit with a beauty dish with an attached honeycomb. The background painting and the unique well lit character makes this such a good street portrait and very American.

Fabricio captured a quirky portrait here but when you look at the shadow figure lurking on the lower right of the image, it takes a turn for the mysterious. Without the figure on the lower right, this would have been a plain image. Good on Fabricio for this shot.

 

Silhouettes and Shadows

Helio  captured a well composed silhouette of the man in the foreground.  The colors are also very nice. Everything is just well placed.

Here’s another photo that uses reflection. There’s a lot of things happening in the image and for photographs like these, you have to look at every inch of the frame. As much as I want to point it out, that kills the mystery so I’ll just give a clue. Look at the left side of the image :)

Payam used the shadow to show someone in a state of solitude. It is simple and well composed. You can feel that the person needed time to be alone.

Another cinematic looking shot from John Jade. It feels like a scene from a cyber punk movie. The strong light did not come from one light source but all the lights of the city combined. Exposing for those lights will also show the planes and the city in the background thus creating this wonderful silhouette.

José got something quirky in here. It looks as if one of the lady has one leg and the shadow they created looks like one person. It is an overall funny and interesting image that was well timed as well.

The smoke is the anchor in this image. Kocha got something that looks like something from noir movie. The man centered in the frame balances the entire scene. Having his face covered gives a sense of secrecy. An over all excellent image from Kocha.

Madhusudanan employed a classic technique of shooting towards a tunnel. It is simple to execute but it can get busy not given the right people or situation crossing through the light. Madhusudanan picked the right subject to cross the frame with the kid. It’s not busy and tells something hopeful for the future.

You have to double take with this shot from Josu. It took me sometime to figure out that it was sausage links. The shadow it made on the man gives an interesting shape. A black color on white is always great but here the red sausage links against a black background make them stand out.

The shadow that the tree casts on the pastel colored wall tells an interesting story. The wire that cuts in the middle adds something a little interesting. This illustrates that there can be a lot more interesting shadows aside from what we humans cast. Always be on the lookout for those just like what Cristobal did here.

Jonny presents us with a romantic photograph here. I don’t know where they are and who they are but you can see the love in the image. This can also be an example of the wise use of black and white. Devoid of colors, we only see the action of the couple. Minimalist and dramatic. Good job to Jonny.

Maurizio photographed an interesting repetition here. The soldiers in near perfect sync creates such a great symmetry across the frame.

Luis got an interesting character crossing the frame. The plastic covering he has over his head looks like a cape as the strong light of the sun hits him. The lines on the left side of the frame also add an extra texture to the image.

Ted and Jomel employed a classic technique here. Advertising and silhouettes. They made sure that the silhouettes create a distinct shape and not just random mish-mash. Nice job by Jomel and Ted.

Patches of Light

How many people are in this photo by Rodrigo? The mix of light patches and shadows adds to the puzzle in this image.

Bubba Jay got an interesting scene here with colors of the women in the foreground, the shadows hitting the pillar, and the book hitting the tote bag. Despite the lack of light on the scene, there are so many things happening.

Arnold got a funny scene here. A pirate and some sharks ;) The two businessman counting their money not noticing a man dressed as a pirate beside them. Funny and a nice juxtaposition.

Another classic the lines of the roof’s edge, the stairs, and the shadow of the man perfectly frame the girl on the phone. Frame within a frame need not be square as Rafael shows us here.

Sometimes, all we need is a patch of light. Campa only had a small snippet here and he was able to catch it. Also take note of the funky shadow the runner casts.

I personally think Dan got a decent accident here. The lightleak from his camera balances the man and glimmer on his face. Also notice the multiple layers in the scene and how each one is lit especially Dan right there who is present in the frame.

The subtlety of showing just three colors makes this simple shot by JD special. Simple and it works.

The light crafted by the shadows across the building was an excellent spot by Jim. Note the pedestrian light. Same as the subject. Just the right timing and moment captured.

Andrea has an excellent background here.The intricate details of the door is very intricate as if they were also made from shadows. The person on the phone is not fully enveloped in darkness and shows what he is doing.

Gian got another kid looking like a boss. The way he is turned against the light gives a menacing feel as opposed to the man silhouetted against him. I like the fact that the detail of the shoe is visible in the lit area.

I like this image by Brad. It reminds me of the grunge days of the 90’s. The stoic look of the kids gives a deadpan feel to their stance while the adult is the  one hounding them. Seems like he is trying to sell the teen spirit ;) Kidding aside, stripes is also prominent in the entire image. Good capture here by Brad.

I like this subtle moment by Chris. I’m not sure about the circumstances why they are in an alley but I see a certain romance in the lone patch of light they are in. A nice spot by Chris.

 

Editor’s Choice

Everyone here showed mastery of utilizing the strong light by using shadows, silhouettes, or even artificial light. Inner Alex Webb’s were channeled and I hope everyone learned a thing or two with this one.

With that in mind, the editor’s choice will be awarded to:

Florin Ghebosu

Here’s one more look at his photograph:

There’s something great about the simplicity of the image made by Florin here. The placement of the dog inside the goal posts, the dynamic shape of the clouds, and the great black and white tones all lit by the strong power of the sun. Just an over all great image!

Florin, please email me at contact@agdemesaphoto.com and let’s talk about the theme you want for assignment no. 5!

Here are our honorable mentions:

Kocha Worapon

Daniel Pego

Luis Eduardo Sanchez

Jonny Mancinelli

Brad Baranowski

Closing Thoughts

I’d like to thank everyone for participating. As usual, I do hope you learned a thing or two with our assignments. I do appreciate all the images shared with us in our streettogs academy group.

If you want to see the rest of the entries or join in the assignments, just go to the Streettogs Academy Facebook Group! (or read my introduction here)

Looking forward to our next assignment!

Cheers!

• A.g.