112 - Oxford Street Solstice
I'm still busy bizzeeee with work / life / work life, so I'm digging into the archives again tonight.
Oxford Street around midsummer, around 2011.
This week I read that Oxford Street is going to be pedestrianised It was such a luxury to live close enough to walk there from home and photograph people all day. Once I emerged from the underground station, to find none other than Bruce Gilden at work in the crowd. I glanced over, as his steely camera eye glanced over me.
This photo ^ is still in the HSCP pool (a tightly curated street photography collection on Flickr). It's got that candid feel of many things happening at once and coming together. I guess that's why they allowed it in. I'm glad it's still there and a little surprised. The admins (a group of die hard and honestly, very talented photographers) often cull the collection.
Here are some extracts from a crit discussion on this photo ^. The question was whether to ditch or keep.
Brown Smile
Frankie - How weird - This is the same shot as your last one...just a different set of players in a different place...
Chris Farling
^ I had the same sense of deja vu!
frankiesinclair
Yes I tend to keep on at something obsessively. Both shots are from a few months ago but this was a different day. And a different place on Oxford Street (it has roadworks all the way along). Both this one and the last one are favourites of mine out of all the stuff I've done. I think this one has cleaner light as it was earlier in the day.
Jason R.
I note the instruction (and I hate those whose critiques amount to "this is nothing but a guy on a bench" etc etc) but what I see here is a shot of a busy pavement. There are some matching colours (which may well have prompted the shot) and some flare. No disprespect intended Frankie, but I'm going to abstain here because I really want to see what others have to say about this. Its a style of SP that eludes me - which is a shame because in a busy city this kind of shot is everywhere for the taking.
frankiesinclair
Hi Jason, that's OK just be honest.
It's not really that much about the instruction, I would have taken the picture anyway. What I'm trying to show is the upbeat carnival feeling you get down this street. Everyone (well not everyone but a lot of people) goes along in their best clothes, and they go to see what's new. The shops have the biggest best displays... It's that market place buzz that goes back in time I think.
I like the way the guy seems to be like a star with crowds parting around him. The people all in white on the left and the girl in black. It's a bit like a procession. Well I see stuff in it so I like it.
But if you don't feel it, well you don't feel it and yes just be honest.
Jason R.
I meant to mention the "parting" effect which does stand out. Your post thread is probably not the place for a general discussion but I think its one of those styles/tastes that could be acquired over time - hence my eagerness to hear others views. Btw by "everywhere for the taking" I meant that the opportunities are there - not that these shots are three to the penny! ;-)
Thom Davies
Yes the urban catwalk that is public life in the city. You've caught a sense of that here I think. The flash assisted aesthetic is good, but I do not think this street shot totally works esp on lhs. I want to see more like this as I enjoy them, but this one is a ditch
alisong2
It doesnt look like a parting of the waves to me - maybe it would have more of an impact if there were more people behind him but as it is he just looks like he is behind a crowd not separating one ditch
Brown Smile
If you had been in closer, maybe the two faces on the right (and their wonderfully balanced hands) would have made this compelling. But the vantage point with all that uninteresting building-sky above robs the composition of power. I do like the notion of shooting into parting crowds...Ditch.
William Christiansen
Nothing interesting, maybe closer will be better, and the people distracting the main subject. Ditch
frankiesinclair
I'm killing a lot of my darlings by doing this grit and grain thing.
James William Thomas Mann IV
for me there is nothing interesting here. just some people walking toward you. Maybe a different perspective would help here.
ditch
Robert Painter
These sort of shots are pretty tough to pull off. What I (personally) look for is some unifying element that pulls all the people together - be that movement, rhythm, repitition, or a dramatic moment etc. The people need to seem to be interacting or linked. In this case the white and the sense of motion away from the central character is unifying ... to some degree - but not quite strongly enough. Though the guys confident smile is a good centre point. The crowd on the left seem more to be shuffling off stage rather than contributing to the drama and the woman on the right is dissenting by wearing black. Lively shot. Almost but not quite. Ditch.
Antonis Damolis
frankiesinclair :)) same here!
Frankie, i love this kind of shots, but this one i think it lacks some essential action. The gazing boy is nice, the girl too, but the overlapping people and the left side don't help. Sorry, but ditch.
H_A_L
Going for a ditch too for all the reasons laid out....the whites look good.
frankiesinclair
Robert Painter Hi there! How are you? I like your blue ones they're really getting somewhere.
Remember I told you I was working in the blue tunnel? I'll post some blue ones at some point too. Mine are kind of sickly blue as I used a filter as well as blue subjects so I'm expecting everyone to criticise that, but I like it.
ILPARM
Lady at the right is almost out of frame. Nothing of interest at the left to provide balance and order. Only the guy at the center seemed to be where you needed him to be to make this work. It cannot be said the same about the others.
ditch
ILPARM
Your photo got DITCHED by Grit and Grain.
Please add it to the Morgue.
frankiesinclair
I still like it.