rlketcham.comThis was one of those short series of images that I couldn’t get out of my head. It took 3 days of driving into town and retrying to get everything lined up to get it right. Timing the bus runs, weather, and getting the camera settings right to get what I thought I saw in my head.
No not an earth shattering set of images but they are something I wanted and it ended up with a little bit of added story to go with it in the image. Point is I failed the first few times I tried it and kept at it til I got what I wanted, bonus was I learned a lot in the process I wouldn’t have learned if it went right the first time.
Click the image and then go thru the rest while it is on screen. It was fun to shoot, I like being in that zone that you get to when you are going for something in your head. We have a hell of a bus system for a rural area and I have more ideas for them that I’ll publish as I get the images.
I don’t plan what I am going to post about very often it all just seems to happen when it does. Lately I have been reading a lot of blogs where the consensus is that text needs to go with a photo to add context and meaning. I feel that if it needs words it has failed. Universal ‘truths’ or stories shouldn’t need an explanation to prop them up. Photojournalism was cited as one example however all to often I see poor writing held up by great photos or poor photos held up by the writing.
We only get better if we reach for that one image that says everything so clear it doesn’t need anything else. I would like to believe that the Steve McCurry photo Afghan Girl would have the impact it does without the back story. I still don’t know the story behind the image but I feel every time I see it.
On another note there is some new stuff over on my flickr acct that some of you may like to see and there is another photographer I have been talking to that does work I wish I could. Please take a look at http://whilestandingstill.com/ beautiful subtle work.
Not to mention that Jeff Lynch still has some openings for his Spring Safari in Tx. Jeff is a must read for those of you Canon shooters and for doing landscape work. And as long as you are cruising the photo web check in on K-man’s trip to Japan and part east, fantastic images coming out of this world jaunt and he is calling it work.
Go look there is a lot of inspiration out there and a lot of folks that are shooting everyday.
That is one brave bird! I like the series. Very nice.
I love the fact that the birds head has turned from the first shot to the last one, watching the bus — I guess he’ll catch the next one. Keep mining ideas from your head and letting us enjoy the results.
On your point about photos and text. Agree, a good photo should be able to stand alone and deliver a powerful message or story and this should be the photographers goal for each shot.
But, I’m not opposed to text accompanying a photo. There are stories and then there are stories — sometimes the story behind a photo can have as much impact as the photo itself. So, if there are “Universal Truths,” I don’t believe they come in only one flavor or medium.
Earl I am not opposed to text accompanying an image I am opposed to using either one to prop up the other and thinking that creates a stronger story. It is a slippery slope that leads to poor work. Sculpture and painting don’t get better because you add a little paragraph to go with it to give it ‘context’ and I don’t believe photos do either. If the image doesn’t grab me and make me feel something then I generally don’t go on to read the text, unless the image is used as a record of something and that isn’t the same as making an image that ‘speaks’.
I make a distinction between images that are recordings and ones that are photographs.
Realy cool article
And great story within pictures.
Man, these images just rock. The color palette is just gorgeous as well. Is this color right out of the camera or did you push it in a certain direction?
The first that hit me were the bicycles, I’m totally screwed up. Next that came to me was that bird, seemingly wanting to cross the busy street, probably quite screwed, it too.
I’ll have to come back reading and viewing this post again. My eyes see in cross now, it’s late.
Chris
Pretty much that is downtown PT for color I did bump the tonal contrast in Color Efex a very little and dropped the saturation a touch, just a touch.
Ove
I am working on a series of bicycle images with you in mind from PT there are 3 bicycle shops within a 4 block radius of where this image was shot. Lots of folks riding early in the morning as well. I even saw a ‘cargo’ bike this morning that was delivering fresh fish to restaurants.
Cargo bikes, really cool vehicles…. I thought of you the other day when I passed one of the many bicycle stores we have here in Lund, it had a really cool bike on display. A shopper, with a authentic long fork and all. As made for Ray, was my though. I’ll have to get a snap of it to show you.
To the subject of your post, or there were at least two of them, the image vs. story subject to b specific: It’s really tricky this with combining images with words, as you write, the one may very well be covering up for the other. There is a blog (http://www.personism.com/) that I frequently revisit, where the author combines a picture she hasn’t taken herself, with a poem or similar that also is written by someone else. She does a wonderful job in selecting images and text that as I say in Swedish, forms the perfect marriage. I which I could be that good in my work.
Many uses pure image blogs like Pixelpost since the images are what should be displayed, one at time. We who have decided to use for instance WordPress, quite probably have a need to chit chat about ditt & datt, to say the least.
I’d like to have a hybrid, where I have both a blog and a more portfolio/gallery kind of page. Then I may also display images that are created to be photographies that stands on there own or as an series.
Hey Ray,
I want to tell you that I really like these three images. The bird caught my attention first, then the bike, then the bird again. It was as if the bus were not even part of the image…yet is was the largest of the subject matter. How many images in all did you have to take to achieve your goal? I’m glad you captured what you were after, and especially for sharing.
I would like to thank you for the mention of my site in this post. I have toyed around with this thought for a good while now. I do agree that an image should be the speaker if, and when, there is a story to be told. I guess the question remains, how many people taking pictures even think of telling a story. We are each in our own little “world” of ideas and phases. I’m slowly learning that not all with a camera see things the same way. If I had to choose, I totally agree with you on this matter. Balance is good. I don’t like the words telling the ‘complete’ story.
For me, a story needs to be there in each and every image. I find myself being drawn to images wherever I find an atmosphere that speaks of memory, or has a timeless, haunting sense of place. I especially love, raw emotion. A title is needed by me. Strange, but it actually gives me the feeling of connection to the image. Almost like giving a newborn child a name. I hope with my titles, as well as my images, I can carry the imagination of the viewer into a world not only seen by me, but into a world that their own imagination can be taken.
Thank you again for the honor of being mentioned on your talented space.
Hugs,
Tammy
Like the series, Ray! Interesting to see a bike shop has moved in where the jeweler held forth. And as always, thanks for all the good links you include in your observations.