Better late than never as they say. The “ber” months have been tough on your admin balancing a busy schedule, the flu, and paying the bills. That said, I want to say that this assignment was a great treat. The entries are very creative and I’m happy with the continous participation of everyone despite my shortcomings. So here we go with some of the selections for the assignment and of course our editor’s choice!
Much of contemporary is about smart juxtapositions. These can be achieved through timing for the right moment and waiting for the right person to appear. I am not suprised that the community likes this photo of Youngjae. Also like the fact that the only man in the photo is the one “holding” the hand. The rest of folks in the image are females. It tells a very interesting story. Well done!
Not all juxtapositions are made with billboards and advertising. Play with the light which is what Stefano made with this image. The theme comes through with this image because of the careful placement of the people and the shadows. It’s as if the hand was composited in the middle of the frame and the person in the middle has an over grown hand and glasses. I like the wit of the image and even the inclusion of the right side of the frame. Breaks the entire rhythm and makes it grounded in reality. A nice surreal image from Stefano.
You know that photo quote that goes “What’s not included in the frame is as important as what inside the image”? This is a perfect example of that. Had Marc included the edge of the glove making it obvious that it was a glove, I don’t think it would have worked. So next time you are lining up a shot, try not to make things every obvious. Try and leave something out of the frame and at the same time, look for what would go best. For this case, the hand and cigarette butt.
Paul is channelling his inner Elliot Erwitt with this photo. I like the fact that the entire frame has all the info you need. He played with the flat 2D plane to create the illusion of length of the dog. It’s nice when you give one look at a photo and know what makes it good.
Photo by Okke Ornstein
Okke fit his work to our assignment with the over all look of the image. It feels not of this world but calm. Although I do feel this could be a part of a bigger narrative. The lack of anything else in the frame is what makes it great but left me wanting for something more with regard to the context. Still, it is a great execution of our theme.
It’s easy to create something not of this world in black and white but it’s nice when you can make something nice in color. I personally can’t decipher whether it is a person, print ad, or a standee. Either way what matters is the the over all image and all the elements in it. The colors are really nice and in contrast with the darkness on the left side of the frame adds to what our theme is. A very nice capture from Enamul.
What’s more outlandish than life beyond this earth. I don’t know what the circumstances as to how Jota got this image but how packed the entire frame is of nice little details. I love the expression of the face on the person on the left and the hand. The use of color makes the image seem all to real. The crosses on the background completes the entire scene. The texture of the walls on the left adds a nice touch on the image.
On an aside, when you encounter a scene like this one, never forget your humanity. I’m not saying Jota did not give respect. Again, I do not know the context of the image and how he was able to get access to a scene like this and make a great image out of it but never forget to give respect to other people on the streets as well. Just reminding everyone that when we are out and about, have compassion for others.
Harry is showing us his inner tinkerbell on this one! Alright kidding aside, the thing about shadow on the ground shots is that it can get to plain or regular. Try to mix it up and look at ways to make it unique based on the things we have learned regarding street photography.
I like how Giuseppe used a peephole to focus our attention to the scene but what I liked better is how he is tricking our eyes with depth perception. I’m pretty sure the height of the girl on the left is not the same as an NBA center but the lines and probably her distance from the camera can get the trick done.
I always encounter the word outlandish to describe the look of a person. Well these merry folks that Jc captured seem to encapsulate that word. What’s interesting in the photo is the different types of reaction for each individual. From apathy to actually posing for the camera. This halloween snap fits our theme perfectly.
Editor’s choice
Outlandish can easily be tied to the surreal or eccentric. For the case of our editor’s choice, he showed that outlandish can mean something that transcends. I also applaud this month’s choice for the nice use of color and just being there at the scene. Whether photographing the streets or your life, even if you are photographing something outlandish, what you have to be is present in the moment.
Congratulations to Jota Barros!
Email me at contact@agdemesaphoto.com and let’s discuss the next assignment!
Honorable Mentions
Closing Thoughts
I’d like to apologize to the community because this assignment was extremely late. I’ll try to make the turn around faster in the next assignments. Also, I have a few ideas i’d like to pitch to the group. I’ll just organize my ideas and discuss them with Eric. For the mean time, we are thankful for your participation!
Let’s keep shooting!
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If you want to join in, just go to the Streettogs Academy Facebook Group! (or read my introduction here)
In behalf of your moderator, Fabricio Santos, we would like to thank you for participating in this’s assignment and hope you will join again in the next one!
May the light shine bright wherever you are!