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02/23/2003 07:16:17 PM · #1 |
Photography is a wonderful thing. It allows us to capture snippets of life and preserve them for all eternity. To learn this better I've hooked up with a group of similar minded folks on the Net that have a weekly photography challenge. By participating I learn.
This week's challenge is "despair".
When living in a big city the first thing that comes to mind for this subject is indigent, homeless, transient bums that clutter city park benches and empty doorways.
So with visions of sepia tones dancing in my brain I merrily trek off downtown to capture the perfect image of "despair" and become the greatest photographer in the known universe.
The problem with the homeless is that they are animated subjects with short-circuited brains driven by alcohol and/or drugs; many of who have criminal backgrounds and don't necessarily support me becoming the greatest photographer in the known universe.
I innocently discovered this when taking pictures of a gathering at a bus stop. After taking a few solarized, sepia tone and negative art images an agitated guy rushes up and confronts me; "Hey you!", "What are you doin' ?", "Why are you takin' my picture?", "I don't want nobody takin' my picture".
I clutched my camera tightly. It suddenly dawned on me that he might be a hatchet murderer being sought by law enforcement in more than one state. I thought NOT to tell him I was seeking him as the perfect image of pathetic despair to make me the greatest photographer in the known universe.
Instead, I lied. "I'm a photographer. I'm trying to capture and understand the human condition at every level". He wasn't impressed. He inched closer and appeared more agitated. I clutched my camera tighter.
I quickly said, "Listen, I don't want to take pictures of anyone without their permission. Look, let me show you, I can delete your picture this way." I showed him how I could display the images I had taken and pretended to delete them as I went along.
He turns and walks away. I vacate the area immediately.
In a city park I discovered that for 50 cents most indigents will let you take as many pictures as you want. Others just mutter.
Then there was a downtown car crash. Like an ambulance chasing lawyer I rush over and take pictures of the smashed up car as police rifle through the trunk searching for drugs while the nervous driver stands nearby.
Gawd, I love the big city!
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02/23/2003 08:01:19 PM · #2 |
Steve, you are du man!Very funny story and I don't believe I would have the guts to do that. The homeless in our town live in a shelter and have to improve their ways of living. Seeing someone sleeping on a park bench would be a real shocker to me. Did you submit one?
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02/23/2003 08:09:18 PM · #3 |
I have a bit of a problem with the stereotyping here:
"The problem with the homeless is that they are animated subjects with short-circuited brains driven by alcohol and/or drugs; many of who have criminal backgrounds... "
(having done some research on homelessness)
but your story is funny.
Martin |
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02/23/2003 09:15:00 PM · #4 |
| I really hope this is a fictitious story. It's weird though, because when I think of despair; arrogant, self-righteous, starbuck's drinking, small-minded windbags, that take up other people's time, space and energy come to mind. |
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02/23/2003 09:15:32 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by stdavidson:
I quickly said, "Listen, I don't want to take pictures of anyone without their permission. Look, let me show you, I can delete your picture this way." I showed him how I could display the images I had taken and pretended to delete them as I went along.
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Nothing like intentional dishonesty and deception to further photographic excellence. Remember kids, the end justifies the means.
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02/23/2003 09:31:53 PM · #6 |
| Hey Toast, do you like Heywood Banks or what? Never heard of him you say? He has a whole song about Toast. Just was wondering, I'll go back to my park bench and cover up with my newspaper. |
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02/23/2003 09:41:09 PM · #7 |
| Hi Gekker, haha, I'm not sure who he is, but I got the name from the kids show Blue's Clues, I think it was that one. Two of my nieces love that show and I think it was called "The Toaster Song". Or something like that, so the phrase kinda got stuck in my head, I'm glad at least I'm not forced to view teletubbies with them. |
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02/23/2003 10:11:38 PM · #8 |
| Maybe I'm just over thinking this, but I'm not sure how well you're conveying despair by paying off bums to take their picture, or taking pictures of smashed cars like someone in a J.G. Ballard novel. I guess it doesn't matter too much, since no one will know the back story when they vote. |
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02/23/2003 10:27:54 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by Gren:
Maybe I'm just over thinking this, but I'm not sure how well you're conveying despair by paying off bums to take their picture, or taking pictures of smashed cars like someone in a J.G. Ballard novel. I guess it doesn't matter too much, since no one will know the back story when they vote. |
well if you have any doubts about how one can find despair by paying off the homeless, take a look at this website. Seems to be plenty of despair to go around... and humor too!
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02/23/2003 10:32:08 PM · #10 |
LOL!!!! Steve, you're a hoot!!
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02/24/2003 03:56:10 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by Gren:
or taking pictures of smashed cars like someone in a J.G. Ballard novel. |
You could of course smash up a nice beamer yourself, and hope that the police shows up in time for your 10-second timed exposure. If not, keep trying, and when they finally DO show up, put up a good fight.
The only problem is asking them nicely enough to let you go get your cam after you've had the shit beaten out of you by zealous police officers.
YMMV.
HJ |
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02/27/2003 07:21:25 AM · #12 |
Methinks that some of of you misunderstood the story.
I was demeaning the photographer - ME - not the homeless. I was making fun of me and my naive methodologies and goals.
After reviewing all the faked despair, suicide and sad flower pictures submitted last week some of you might consider turning the magnifying glass on yourselves.
But then again, how is staging a shot in the getto any different than staging it in a studio?
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02/27/2003 08:03:46 AM · #13 |
| Just be careful about making generalized statements like "the problem with the homeless is...". A large number of the homeless are actually mentally ill, and the fact that they are going untreated is one of society's problems. |
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