You see, these details actually take away from the value of the photograph. If you have a strong photo, it is better letting others interpret what it means. BTW - these are not 'street photography' - even though you prefer to call them that.
You are very right on that Robert. I answered his question just like I would yours, or Asher's or Maggies. I should have kept him wondering and thinking about the Shop. Just like the first in the two photos that you really like. And believe me anytime you compliment a photo I take it like I do my boss and the brothers that I fought fires with as a great compliment.
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About the last photo posted:
Unfortunately, you are 2 different photographers. The last image that you call New Years Eve Throw Down, bears no resemblance to the 2 images that I consider successful and falls back into what I have seen previously from you. It is cluttered and there is no focus and the photographer is not engaged in the process. As a result, there is no difference between the colour or black and white. It is useful to really analyze the 2 pics that work and figure out what it is that makes them work, and practice those methods.
Yes I am two different photographers. But the essence of Street Photography AS FAR AS I UNDERSTAND IT IS AS FOLLOWS:
It is the capturing of random scenes, people, chance encounters, random accidents, and it may or may not be on urban streets. It may or may not include people but may include objects, buildings (like your photos of doors and buildings etc. All of which I love.) and in with some maybe in or out of focus. This is my understanding of Street Photography.
When I am down on the Las Vegas Strip for the most part it is very Cluttered and trying to take one photo may take five or six attempts. Most of the time when I am down there taking photos of people and events on the strip I don't have the chance to stop and interact with people. The times that I do yes those are fantastic photos. But I don't always have a chance to stop and talk with people. The two ladies in costume that were talking with girls in Throw Down were asking for 20 dollar tips just to snap their photos.
Before I snapped this photo I watched another photographer talk to them and walk away shaking his head. You have been doing this for 30 plus years, I have only been doing this seriously for the last six months and am still very much in the learning stage. And as was posted earlier one member made the following comment:
I have this deep understanding and feeling that Dave is beginning his birthing process and it can be very tough. Dave you have the Passion and that will drive you forward into yourself. As developing your unique expression/genre. Just keep on going! Best advice I can give. I do see so much energy in your work and it is really very moving.
Charlotte-
I am very much in the Birthing process as far as my style and ability and skill. I am still in the stage of doing a lot of Ambush Photography. And believe it or not the two photos that you liked earlier were Ambush I just took their photo. And Megan the Housekeeper would kill me if she knew I took her photo yet it was a fantastic photo. My passion is Street Photography and Photo Journalism, have I perfected them yet HELL NO. Am I able to consistently shoot photos the way and quality that you do no. Am I working on it, yes. Every time I go out and shot the streets I strive to find that one out of a thousand photos that will make a difference. I read Asher Comments that I have on my wall and I think how would Robert and Eric and a few others do it and then I do my best.
Please Keep working with me and keep pointing me in the right direction even though like Asher has said in other places about being stubborn. And then please remember I am from Missouri and I am your typical Southern Redneck Missouri boy STUBBORN AS A MISSOURI MULE. But I do listen and I do learn. One article on Street Photography said do not be upset if only one out of a 1000 photos gets positive comments.
A SUGGESTION:
You have suggested previously that you are about correcting social awareness of veterans, firefighters and others. You won't do that with street photography. Your agenda has not really been noticeable in the photographs you have posted so far.
You are a very good mentor and a fantastic photographer and I am working on expanding and fine tuning my style and my works. But you have to remember I am in Las Vegas and you are in a beautiful country. I am in a city filled with drug, guns, violence, racial tensions, and a very high threat of terrorism. Most of the time I am leery of getting to know even briefly most of the people on the street here.
Some Good news and Feedback:
However, what you showed us in the 2 successful pictures of the old woman in nursing home and the uncharacteristic female worker taking a break in a masculine workshop (don't worry that that isn't was they are) ------- take those exact same concepts and reach out to veterans, firefighters and underpriviledged and put them into such locations and tell a story about each one. Go to shelters, soup kitchens, veterans affair offices, veteran hospital waiting rooms. Now that could be powerful. But it would take work and commitment and engagement on your part. And you must create the story and plan and execute the result. That is how great photographs are made.
I am working on this already Robert. I have been getting to know the subjects of one my photos. The Motorcycle Club called BACA (BIKERS AGAINST CHILD ABUSE) and I am talking with a resident of the complex that I work at who is a Veteran and I am planning on going down to a couple of areas that have a lot of homeless and talking with them and getting their photos. The Las Vegas Sun recently ran a story on the homeless and the photos that they posted all looked very stages that is what I want to stay away from. And just to let you know the photos and blog story I wrote about the BACA has been sent to their International Council and my photos have been featured on their Facebook page, which might not be much to a lot of people but to me it has been a great shot in the arm for what I am trying to do. As far as trying to get up close and personnel with the brothers in the fire service here that is something I am working on but in a City and County that is very much on high alert all the time it is very hard as most of the departments here give you a sideways glance if you want to shoot photos about them. It just takes time to develop these types of rapor here in Las Vegas.
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