ONE is the Loneliest Number Photo

Photographer’s Note

For those members who've been around TE for awhile, you will surely recognize the influence of both Isabel Abreu and Torben Linde in this photo taken randomly and spontaneously as I milled about with the crowd at the San Anselmo Community Parade and Fair last Sunday. The Canon 20D is certainly not a camera that can be easily concealed, but holding it chest high and pushing the button while peering in another direction usually works... until the shutter slaps with its distinctive LOUD noise. Of course, when surrounded by crowds with music blaring in the vicinity it is a bit easier. A few heads turned but finding my face averted they dismissed me as the culprit.

Clearly, photos taken like this are a bit of a crap shoot since I can't take the time to verify focus. I simply press the button halfway down to permit some form of focusing, then press the button the rest of the way to capture the shot. It is only later when I download images to the computer that I discover whether I've gotten anything worth using. Needless to say, I was happy with this photo of a masked girl holding an American dollar bill across her face. What was she thinking? I guess its simply the reality that kids will be kids, regardless of age... ;-)

Hope you enjoy this little experiment, my homage to Isabel and Torben.

Jazator, Rinie_Hoff, SophieL, Isabelle, torben has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Rinie_Hoff (9334) 2005-10-05 3:27

She's probably sniffing glue, although you wouldn't expect that in you area, and not by this girl ;-) Tilting again?
I have tried shooting this way as well, you need some practise, usually I shot too low, but sometimes the effects are rather nice, and as you say, with a 'gun' as isabel calls DSRLs, you never go unnoticed.
She's nicely framed, beautiful blue colors in the sweater on the left. I like your grain, ithe grain is so small. If I ever try to add grian, the dots are so big somehow. May I should experiment more.
Hope you are well.

coco (28318) 2005-10-05 3:37

Hi Curtis.
Is clear the influence of Isabel and Torben in your photo. And your "experiment" is so interesting as good.
Regards.

SophieL (6030) 2005-10-05 3:54

Well, as we say in French, luck smiles to daring people! :^)
I like the result of your experiment Curtis, both the attitude of the girl (hard to know what she was thinking, but we could probably write pages about all the symbols behind the dollar bill in today's America, and the fact that she's hiding her face behind it... This would take us way too far!). I like also the tilt, the colors and the grain.

Interesting, although I'm always a bit bothered by this type of "stolen" images, even if I'm doing it myself from time to time (with the same kind of unease). However, don't stop experimenting!

Furachan (0) 2005-10-05 6:24

Th TILT come with the territory when you shoot like this, you know...blind But real gems come out of this to, like you say, and this is one. Yes, there is an Isabelish feel about this, and that's all good as far as I'm cncerned, eh? i like the deep blues here and the bright blond hair of the girl on the right.
A very fine capture and great note too!
Cheers,
Francis

Isabelle (9020) 2005-10-05 19:43

Curtis, querido, thanks a lot for this image. I need to praise you for this fabulous image. Shooting the way we (Torben and I) do, it´s SOOO rare to capture something worth sharing, and you had an incredible timming shooting that moment. Also, you have an image absolutely open to interpretations, and I like it a lot :D
Thanks also for your reference to our (Torben´s and mine) random-without-looking-to-the-viewfinder attempts :D and, of course, for the grain, the strong contrasts and this delightful blue.
I´ll try monochromatic grain too. I´ve been using only texture>grain>soft (usually something around 17/57).
Beijinho
Isabel

torben (3084) 2005-10-06 17:29

I'm flattered that my modest attempts has helped inspiring you to take this very nice photo.
It has both a cramped and a floating side to it.
The girl is caught in between large looming bodies of faceless people, her gesture with the dollar bill is strange and certainly not a sign of joy and relaxation.

But there is a quality to the soft focus, the blue colours and the bright sky - the grains almost makes it looks like the light is drizzling down through the image - that lift the spirit some and gives the image more depth.
My only little niggle is that the shoulder of the woman on the right is in focus, a slight problem ;-)

I recognise your experiences of shooting from the hip, although I must say that it is not random shooting, even if I don't look through the viewfinder, I do know what it is that I want to photograph. But of course the failure rate is high.