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Mitch Alland's "An Approach To Street Photography" Article
- Thread starter Sean Reid
- Start date
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Hi Mitch,
Welcome back! I was waiting to see more of your large project. This works by presenting the view with an incessant series of still images through which one builds in one's brain a virtual city, throbbing with motion. Although there are individual images which are impressive, each on their own merit, not all have the same power. It's the presence and sequence of the changing scenes that make us feel we are there as observers.
Now I have gone through every one of your photographs on your website. There's a lot, but I am an addict I guess. I can see the book is getting closer. The form and quality of the book is going to be critical. If that is presented well, the experience is going to be really satisfying.
You're fortunate to speak the local languages and be embedded in the city. That way you are not reporting on what tourists think of BK, but rather how that endless stream of people walks, works, buys, sells, eats and makes the city function. Mostly they appear to be unaware of you.
This is not the colored tourist vacation snapbook to show the well known sites and hospitality of the city. Rather it's one person's perspective from the other side of all that. This is the harder to admit part of the photographic possibilities of BK. Your photography may therefore seem somewhat harsh. That would be a misinterpretation.
More specific comments will follow. For now, commendations!
Asher
Welcome back! I was waiting to see more of your large project. This works by presenting the view with an incessant series of still images through which one builds in one's brain a virtual city, throbbing with motion. Although there are individual images which are impressive, each on their own merit, not all have the same power. It's the presence and sequence of the changing scenes that make us feel we are there as observers.
Now I have gone through every one of your photographs on your website. There's a lot, but I am an addict I guess. I can see the book is getting closer. The form and quality of the book is going to be critical. If that is presented well, the experience is going to be really satisfying.
You're fortunate to speak the local languages and be embedded in the city. That way you are not reporting on what tourists think of BK, but rather how that endless stream of people walks, works, buys, sells, eats and makes the city function. Mostly they appear to be unaware of you.
This is not the colored tourist vacation snapbook to show the well known sites and hospitality of the city. Rather it's one person's perspective from the other side of all that. This is the harder to admit part of the photographic possibilities of BK. Your photography may therefore seem somewhat harsh. That would be a misinterpretation.
More specific comments will follow. For now, commendations!
Asher
Hi Mitch,
I have just finished going through all of your wonderful images (which is quite a task for someone who's ADHD!). Prior to that I had read the previous 6 pages of discussions (I'm on a role today! LOL).
Thankfully I saved the pictures for the end. Any strong emotions I had reading and following the discussion or the replies that were formulating in my head, simply vanished as I went through your collection of work.
While I have never physically been to Bangkok, or even anywhere else in Asia, I now feel that I have experienced it. Even if it was only briefly.
I heard the chaotic sounds of the street as I opened up my door in the morning. I felt the newsprint between my fingers as I grabbed the local paper from the stall at the corner. I tasted the exotic flavours as I grabbed my lunch from the street vendors and felt the wind caused by the wake of people as they zoomed past me on the sidewalk. I smelled the fish rotting as they sat, unsold in the afternoon sun. I even felt my blood alcohol levels rise as I joined some friends for a few evening drinks followed by the inevitable regrets of lowered inhibitions later at night.
To me that is what this type of photography is all about. It isn't always glamorous (although beauty can be found throughout) or joyous (yet we can still find happiness)......it simply is. I did not so much feel as if I was there with you, but rather as you. Classify it as you will, to me it is 'life photography'. While there are some standout images that require further study, the real power is in the collection. Life has its defining moments, but greatness is only achieved when we gather them all together.
Thank you for sharing them with us.
Cheers,
David
I have just finished going through all of your wonderful images (which is quite a task for someone who's ADHD!). Prior to that I had read the previous 6 pages of discussions (I'm on a role today! LOL).
Thankfully I saved the pictures for the end. Any strong emotions I had reading and following the discussion or the replies that were formulating in my head, simply vanished as I went through your collection of work.
While I have never physically been to Bangkok, or even anywhere else in Asia, I now feel that I have experienced it. Even if it was only briefly.
I heard the chaotic sounds of the street as I opened up my door in the morning. I felt the newsprint between my fingers as I grabbed the local paper from the stall at the corner. I tasted the exotic flavours as I grabbed my lunch from the street vendors and felt the wind caused by the wake of people as they zoomed past me on the sidewalk. I smelled the fish rotting as they sat, unsold in the afternoon sun. I even felt my blood alcohol levels rise as I joined some friends for a few evening drinks followed by the inevitable regrets of lowered inhibitions later at night.
To me that is what this type of photography is all about. It isn't always glamorous (although beauty can be found throughout) or joyous (yet we can still find happiness)......it simply is. I did not so much feel as if I was there with you, but rather as you. Classify it as you will, to me it is 'life photography'. While there are some standout images that require further study, the real power is in the collection. Life has its defining moments, but greatness is only achieved when we gather them all together.
Thank you for sharing them with us.
Cheers,
David
Mitch Alland
Moderator
Thank you for the kind words David. of course, I'm happy that you feel that you felt that you were there with me, or that you became me in looking at the pictures. This is an interesting thought and is related to the discussion that has developed on the dpreview Ricoh Talk forum on the difference between "depicting" and "documenting". I feel that what I have been doing is to depict the reality underneath the surface, or at least the reality that I feel — and I would call, and like to think of this as, "expressionist" photography.
Again, I'm glad you liked the series.
—Mitch/Huahin
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10268776@N00/
Again, I'm glad you liked the series.
—Mitch/Huahin
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10268776@N00/