Challenge: Skilled Workman collection: for show and brief comment.

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Antonio,

I like the shot. The boat is blurred so this is really a portrait of the man. Maybe we should see it larger and in B&W as the face is in focus and we need to see his face and expression more intimately. I hope you have more from the shoot. Where was it taken and what lens?

Asher

 

[Antonio Correia]

Hello Asher.
I have not any black and white picture. I was using the 5D with the 70-200 to get the shallower possible DOF.
Manual mode, f/2.8 and two flashes bounced against white cards, at each side of the guy.
Thank you for commenting.
May be the photo is a little too dark... I don't know... How do you see it ? Too dense ?

​

 

[Antonio Correia]

Time passes... I have been away but I am trying to get back. I hope you will be able to accept the fact.
I have evolved somehow in photography and I am doing better images (I think).

Here is another one from the same occasion but... re-worked.

 

[Antonio Correia]

I am sorry if some of my pictures are gone.
I keep a folder on the web with all of them but I moved to another site and I can't say how I lost them.
Besides, I can't edit the posts any more, so...
I begin again if you don't mind.

 

[Ruben Alfu]

Hi Antonio,

Thanks for bringing this thread to surface, wonderful theme and photos!

Regards,

Ruben

 

[Antonio Correia]

 

[Antonio Correia]

 

[Antonio Correia]

 

[Ian kydd'Miller]

Builders at Work, Five stories up

 

[Asher Kelman]

Rare for me to take both the Nikon and the traditional 8X10 Kodak at the same time. I knew Nevada magazine would want Nikon color. Easily done.

Adam Skiles, forge​

But for myself I took the 8X10 camera with a Gundlach Achromatic Meniscus 18" Portrait lens.

Adam Skiles, forge, Gundlach ii​

Adam hammers out life size steel statues. Exposure at f6 in this cave was 1 second but I just let the hammer swing. After a bit I had him pose;

Adam Skiles, forge, Gundlach i​

Yes, it's normal for the Gundlach to be that diffuse at that aperture.

This Jim, is a treasure of a thread that is worthy of visiting again and again. The work of Antonio is the anchor but Robert Watcher, James Newman, Ivan Garcia, Nicolas Claris, Cem Usakligil, Jack Flesher and you have and taken Antonio's initiative to new ground. As you know I love the old lenses with soft focus effects to the image.

Thanks everyone. Now lets have more! It's 2012 already!

Asher

 

[fahim mohammed]

Ian, this capture speaks volumes to me. About many things. I can only imagine the courage and the necessity that is needed to perform under such circumstances.

Thanks for sharing this part of the world with us.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Ian,

Fahim has it right! These fellows are amazing how they work in such conditions. I'm always impressed by the some of the local Mexican workers who, lacking steel scaffolding, make do with ladders, branches and planks and seem to do the work with great skill and accuracy.

Ian kydd'Miller: Builders at Work, 5 Stories Up!​

This is a great addition to our collection on artisans!

Asher

 

[Antonio Correia]

I would like to say that I suppose some images of mines are missing because I was not, at the time, collecting them in a specific unlisted gallery as I do these days.

Probably or most probably I have erased the gallery and all the links with them.

These days, I have a special reserved unlisted/private gallery which makes the job in Flickr.

Cheers !

 

[Michael Nagel]

Great idea for a series, but I did not manage to notice the thread until now.

Antonio - this is a wonderful series of portraits of people with connection to their work.

Large objects in glass still require skilled workers.

Stiel gesetzt​

Best regards,
Michael

 

[Antonio Correia]

Allow me to make a fresh start after being for a long time - perhaps too long - away.
I am going to try to come back here as much as I can.
From the previous images to this day I have taken a new direction in my photography.
-
Images are supposed to show people working under the most different situations doing any kind of work.
Images show the reality and are not - with few exceptions - staged where people act spontaneously doing their work.
After all, this activity is essencial to Man kind and is the pilar of societies. Work is in the base of any activity or product and now that labour is moving to the Asia it takes an even bigger importance in European, American, African or Australasian societies.
Work is in the essence itself of revolutions, inventions, craft ...
-
Sorry my poor English

​

 

[Robert Watcher]

Street tradesmen in Nicaragua : (http://www.openphotographyforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=16460)

Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #109

Robert Watcher: Nicaragua #112

​

As well today as I walked along a street looking into dark buildings and houses, I came across a man scraping leather hide with the most archaic of tools in his small tannery - - - I have a mental note of where to return when I am able to.

 

[Antonio Correia]

Photograph made in Portugal

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[Antonio Correia]

This is perhaps one of the most successful images I have made under this theme.
The light is natural, very disperse, soft coming from a window just in front of them.
That very light was already filtered by the patio in front and softened by some trees.

Printed it is very pleasant

 

[Antonio Correia]

​

 

[Asher Kelman]

Antonio,

You have two distinct styles here. One in which you try to freeze a moment in the workers routine and other times that are concentrating on you, the photographer. Is it your mood of the day or what that makes you choose one or the other style.

Aser

 

[Chris Calohan II]

I know this is just my own prejudice toward looking at life, but I so much like the images where there is no or much less camera awareness from the subjects shot. Catching a person at work in their natural environs doing what they do best, to me that's all about the vibrancy of the workplace.

Your first two to me are just outstanding, especially the second one.

 

[Antonio Correia]

... Antonio, You have two distinct styles here. One in which you try to freeze a moment in the workers routine and other times that are concentrating on you, the photographer. Is it your mood of the day or what that makes you choose one or the other style. Asher

Thank you Asher for pointing that to me.
All last four photographs have been taken some time ago. Then, I was not aware of aspects like the one you mention and just keep shooting people at work.

With time I decided to make themes/projects which are supposed to have some kind of consistency in several aspects like crop factor, caption, orientation (vertical versus horizontal), idea, treatment, concept and so forth. I am now and definitively in that direction/trend.

I know this is just my own prejudice toward looking at life, but I so much like the images where there is no or much less camera awareness from the subjects shot. Catching a person at work in their natural environs doing what they do best, to me that's all about the vibrancy of the workplace.
Your first two to me are just outstanding, especially the second one.

I agree with Chris regarding the involvement people have with the photographer when they are working.
Chris likes the locksmith. I ask: would there be any sparks if he stopped the action to look at me ? Of course not.
The sparks add much more drama to the portrait as he is caught in the action itself.

The young fellow who was sculpting just had to stop his work to look at me when I asked him to.

This is something I have to correct and soon. However, I am not going to [throw] away all images I have done so far.

Thank you both for the excellent comments and for expressing your point of view.
-
There are however, situations when the sight is important. Look how sad this man looks !

​

 

[James Newman]

Antonio, the tone and feeling from this man does seem to be one of sadness. Either that or he is just lost in his thoughts at that moment. Being a spoiled American I might feel sad too if I had to sell chestnuts for my living. I really enjoy looking at all of your photos as they show a very distinct and unique style that is quite pleasing.

I am curious on this one thing...why do you think the lettering on the front of his cart runs backwards when on the side it does not?

I look forward to seeing more of your fabulous work.
James

 

[Chris Calohan II]

I'll be cruising on through Tucson in about two weeks on my way to So Cal. Hope the weather is good.

 

[James Newman]

It's pretty perfect right now and I don't really expect much change in that time. Sunny and in the 80's for the next ten days anyway.

 

[Antonio Correia]

Antonio, the tone and feeling from this man does seem to be one of sadness. Either that or he is just lost in his thoughts at that moment. Being a spoiled American I might feel sad too if I had to sell chestnuts for my living. I really enjoy looking at all of your photos as they show a very distinct and unique style that is quite pleasing. I am curious on this one thing...why do you think the lettering on the front of his cart runs backwards when on the side it does not? I look forward to seeing more of your fabulous work. James

James, he was sad back then. His nephew, whom I met some time later, told me he was ill and passed away.
"Chestnuts sellers" are everywhere in this World. They can be in this poor Portugal as they can be in USA, France, Germany and so forth. The World is in crisis as you know and nobody is apart from this depression.
Lucky us to be able to be here in this forum !

I really do not know why the letters are written backwards... If ever I have an opportunity - they only sell chestnuts once a year and their appearance is rarer and rarer - to see his nephew again I will ask why.
Perhaps he had dyslexia or some other kind of problem...

Certain ambulances use backwards writing to be seen correctly in the mirror of car drivers.

I remember that at the time I was able to offer him a photo like this one but in colour. he was happy then.

Thank you for your kind comment James.
have a nice week end

 

[Jarmo Juntunen]

Antonio, this set is simply marvelous! I like them all but the chestnut seller makes a great impact.

 

[Antonio Correia]

Antonio, this set is simply marvelous! I like them all but the chestnut seller makes a great impact.

Thank you Jarmo