Streettogs Academy No. 19 “WIND” Results and Analysis

Michele Berlingeri
Photo by Michele Berlingeri (Community’s Choice for SA 19)

We can not control the winds but we can always adjust our sails. Lets see who made the best out of our 19th Assignment!

Michele Berlingeri
Photo by Michele Berlingeri

As always, we start we our community’s choice. Michele checks the list of what you pretty much have to do to get a good street image: Go wide, move in close, and make sure it is well lit. There is a sense of motion because the women are moving  towards the right side of the frame but the wind seems to be messing with them. There’s also a sense of urgency in their faces. I also like the fountain in the background and how it splashes water around. What I find funny is that the women are the only ones being affected by the wind! The guy on the right seems to be A-O.K. with everything.

Photo by Stefano Lista
Photo by Stefano Lista

This fits the theme very well. Quite timely for Rio 2016 Olympics also! What I like about this is that the frame just about contains all the necessary things we need to know. Call it juxtaposition of elements or contrast or whatever, the umbrella placed the clouds as if it were smoke make for a good story. This is also a reminder that Bokeh isn’t everything. It has the right amount of depth of field to preserve the details across the frame.

Photo by Jomel Bartolome
Photo by Jomel Bartolome

Here’s another example of sky, wind, and only having all the right things in the frame. This one has the added bonus of having the right color combinations. If my technical knowledge of color wheels are correct, the colors we have here complement each other. It gives a a sense of direction and the eye dances around the frame because of that combination. Having the right composition helped Jomel as well but it really was the colors that worked here for me.

Photo by Forrest Walker
Photo by Forrest Walker

Forrest also goes for a great color combination here. This is one of those images that makes me want to wish I can look at his contact sheet just to see how many times he attempted this, what was the adjustments he made in his composition, and overall why he did specifically chose this shot. I’m not saying it’s a bad shot but it’s one of those that makes you wonder. I personally think shots like these wouldn’t happen if you are not pre-visualizing the image. Yes, anyone can get lucky but what separates the lucky from the skilled is when you are being deliberate. Last note! I love the color tones!

Photo by Arnold Despi
Photo by Arnold Despi

This man has a very piercing look. I like the fact that the cigar is pointed right smack at the viewer as if you were a target from a smoking gun. Jarring is perhaps a better term. Do note Arnold’s use of using a longer exposure with his flash. Usually, the blurs of the lights can distract from the main subject but when done right, it can add extra depth to the information on the image. It’s not just a man smoking a cigar but it puts a sense of place: A gambling spot where the lights are hot and the smoke flows.

Daniel Avery
Photo by Daniel Avery

This photo of Daniel’s immediately remind me of the song the Blower’s Daughter by Damien Rice. Perhaps because it uses the same visuals as the music video but I feel the somber moodof the black and white gives it that. I don’t mind that the woman in the foreground  is out of focus. I think it makes the image moody and point of view is on the man on the middle ground. The woman’s hair perfectly frames the man as well. It’s not a photo that stands out but it calm and emotive.

Photo by Evandro Nunes Oliveira
Photo by Evandro Nunes Oliveira

Evandro’s photo here might be of a stereotypical subject in street photography but honestly, I don’t mind! I like the take on this one. The flight of the birds is the most attention grabbing part of this image but I’d like to point out the fence. I love how it separates the humans from the birds. The humans are just still even zombie like while the birds are so dynamic and yet there are still birds who aren’t even moving. The ones that do spread their wings look majestic. This is good timing that feels more about instinct rather than pinpoint razor sharp precision.

Photo by Alexander Seidler
Photo by Alexander Seidler

Always been a fan of frame within a frame because it instantly highlights the subject. It has been utilized here with great effect for Alexander but what the “cherry on top” for this image is of course the figures in the newspaper. The wind folded it in a way that it shows the men in the suit. It’s quite cheeky and an excellent capture of happenstance.

Photo by Robert Vartanov
Photo by Robert Vartanov

From one frame within a frame to another but this time, it’s more of a triangle. I like how the image is dominated by the golden fabric. The highlights give it a lot of texture giving you a sense of where it is being pushed by the wind. The hand is an excellent peek to the human element but what makes it complete for me is the silhouette reflection in the slab. The timing for those two work well to create a dynamic image.

Photo by Steffano Gennaro
Photo by Stefano Gennaro

Perhaps the most recognizable photo of the wind was made by Elliot Erwitt of outdoor chairs. This image by Stefano was a clear homage to that one. Our purposes here is single images of course and what Elliot Erwitt’s so funny was that it was two images. For Stefano’s take, the interesting point is the placement of the chairs. They are opposite facing and the last chair faces the sea, untouched by the wind. A fitting photo to close out our assignment.

Editor’s Choice

The tricky thing about the wind is that we don’t see it but we need it. Heck, human beings take air for granted by polluting it like nothing else. Photography wise, it is also tricky to make an image out. How can you show that which can not be seen? You need to show another element that is affected by the wind. The editor’s choice not only shows how special the wind is, it also shows how it makes an entire species look majestic:

Photo by Evandro Nunes Oliveira

Congratulations Evandro

Email me at contact@agdemesaphoto.com (or agdemesa@gmail.com if there is any problems with my other email) and let’s discuss the next assignment!

Honorable Mentions:

Daniel Avery

Forrest Walker

Arnold Despi

Closing Thoughts

Happy Anniversary! 2 years of SA and 4,000 members is such a blessing. I have not foreseen that this will happen when Eric first approached with his idea to let me moderate an assignment group. All I want to say is that it has been such an honor doing this. All I hope is that we all get better not just as photographers as good human beings as well! We’ll try to get better and try to find more ways to do this properly.

I can’t wait for the next assignment and to see more submissions in our informal peer reviews (keep them coming!).

In behalf of our moderator Fabricio Santos, thank you again for being part of the group.

Here’s to progress, to good light, and to making every moment count!

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