A Warm Smile

            When photographing people that I meet on the streets and in other public places I confess to a certain unease. When does photographing people from within the well established traditions of the genres encompassing street photography, environmental portraiture, social documentation, and, for that matter, editorial, cross over to voyeurism? This is and has been a genuine concern of mine. I have resolved this conflict, for the moment at least, with a personal understanding that, so long as the dignity of the subjects of the photographs is respected, and the photograph is somehow compelling and evokes human emotion, there is value in the sharing.

            Often it is not possible for me to capture a candid image. The subjects will notice that they are being framed into a photograph and react. In these situations I will, through word or gesture, request their permission to take the photograph. Whenever this happens the image that I wanted to capture initially is lost forever. This is often unfortunate, but, it is not always a bad thing. The resulting photograph is typically closer to an environmental portrait than a street photograph. Nevertheless, it can still be compelling in evoking human emotion. Whether candid or not, I am comfortable with sharing the photograph so long as the dignity of the subject feels to me as if it is being respected. I do admit to having some photographs that, given this requirement, I have no intention of sharing.

            A Warm Smile (click on the photograph title and click on the plus sign in the upper right corner for a large view of the photograph) is not candid in that it is apparent that the subject is aware the he is being photographed. This photograph is from a project that involved photographing the food trucks and trailers that inhabit parking spaces in downtown Portland, Oregon. I may occasionally be wrong about this, but I like to think that, so long as I am respecting the dignity of the subjects that I am photographing in the public places, most of them will react like this subject ... warmly! There have been some exceptions, but, in general, this line of thinking has served me well.

            What do you think? Where do you stand on the concept of photographing people in public places?      

Waiting for Work

               I immediately found this street scene in Wuhan, China, to be compelling, and wanted to make a photograph of it without attracting too much attention to myself in the process, lest a subject of the photograph might object. As a result, I spent quite a bit of time at this intersection before I trained my camera on this particular scene. By the time I made this photograph the men in the scene had lost interest in me. As a result they had returned to their waiting ... Waiting for Work. One man is a bike messenger and another is a messenger on a motorcycle. Most, however, have simple, old fashioned by U. S. standards, bow saws. These saws are used for cutting the bamboo poles that are widely used for scaffolding on construction projects in China. One man is wiping his brow and others have pant legs or shirts rolled up ... a testament to the heat and humidity of the day. Still another man is revealing a bit of personality as he hikes his pants up. With modern China rising all around these men, they are doing what they must to get by from day-to-day ... which, thereby, adds a social documentation element to this street photograph.

               This is another entry in my long term, ongoing, With People project. I'd love to hear your thoughts about photographing people in public places.   

Melon Sellers, Shanghai, 2008

               This is my second blog post on the topic of my With People project.

               During an early morning walk, in an older neighborhood in Shanghai, I passed these two ladies. Using gestures, I asked if I could take a photograph of them. They blushed and seemed flattered, but they indicated with gestures of their own that they did not want their photograph taken. My practice is to always honor such requests. Later that morning, on my way back through the neighborhood, I saw the ladies again. We recognized one another. I again indicated that I would like to take their photograph. This time, they hesitated briefly, then they agreed. They posed for this photograph behind their baskets of melons. The lady on the right held up her hand and asked me to wait before I took the photograph. She then buttoned the top button on her blouse. They were as dignified as they were gracious.

               I place this photograph within the genre of environmental portraiture. Nevertheless, as is often the case when it comes to photographs "with people", the lines between the genres involving the photographing of people get blurred. The people that I encountered in these older neighborhoods mostly were people who were working hard to get by from day-to-day. The baskets full of melons represented the way that these ladies were getting by. Where were they going with them? Perhaps they planned to sell them from where they were. What will they do if they don't sell them? Modern China was just around the corner. Some people were clearly doing well in modern China, but, for many of the people that I encountered in the older neighborhoods ... getting by did not seem to be so easy. Thus, the line was blurred, the photograph is an example of an environmental portrait, however, there is also a element of social documentation present. This is another example of why I have decided to call this long term project of mine With People.

               What are your thoughts about photographing people that you meet on the street? Have you ever done it? Perhaps it has never occurred to you to do such a thing. My interest in this type of photography was influenced by the art of painters like Edward Hopper and photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson and Willy Ronis.  

Custom Ride, Florence, Italy

               There are 3 genres of photography that I'm drawn to which have one thing in common, specifically, they all involve photographs "with people". One genre is street photography. Recently a treasure trove of compelling street photographs by an unknown and deceased photographer came to light. The photographers name is Vivian Maier. She began photographing in the 1950s and continued into the 1990s. Street photographs tend to be candid. The subjects most often are not aware of the photographer. Other masters of this genre whose work I've admired include Henri Cartier-Bresson and Willy Ronis.

               A second genre that often involves photographing people is social documentary photography. This typically involves photographs from projects which depict social conditions of unempowered people. These projects are often driven by a desire to motivate sociopolitical changes in society that will result in improved conditions for the afflicted subjects of the photographs. The photographs of Dorothea Lange and Jacob Riis provide well known exemplars of social documentary photography.

               A third genre of photography "with people" is environmental portraiture. The subjects of photographs in this genre are people encountered in their natural environment. Often the background of the photograph is intended to communicate something about the essence of the person who is the subject of the photograph. The photograph's subjects are often posed. Phil Borges and Suzi Moore McGregor are contemporary photographers who make compelling environmental portraits. 

               I'm currently turning my attention to a project that I've titled, With People. This title reflects the blurring of the line between the three genres. Some photographs in the project belong clearly to one or another of these genres. For others, however, the particular genre is less clear.

               Upon viewing Custom Ride, Florence, a viewer might conclude that it is an example of a candid scene characteristic of street photography. In reality, however, it is more of an environmental portrait. The man on the bike saw that I wanted a photograph. He performed a U-turn to allow me to make this photograph. His U-turn attracted the attention of the onlookers. The photograph is not candid, which is a characteristic of most street photographs, but it does have a subject and, of course, his dog, in their natural environment, which, of course, is the style of environmental portraiture. There is much more to be said about With People going forward.
  

                  
               The With People project will be revealed gradually in the months and years ahead.

           Your reflections about and/or preferences for these three genres of photography, and about the photographers who were mentioned, are invited here. I'd like to know what you think!

A colleague, who is well known and widely respected in his field for a lifetime of accomplishments, once told me that he experienced a strong emotional response when he was in the presence of Michelangelo's David in Florence, Italy. It was, he said, the closest he had ever been to human created perfection. Alas, perfection is perhaps something that is more approachable than achievable by mortals. 

The pursuit of technical perfection in photography is indeed a worthy endeavor. Some photographers demand near technical perfection in a photograph before they will consider sharing it with others. Most would agree, however, that near technical perfection in a photograph is but one characteristic among many that will ultimately determine whether or not a particular viewer will find the photograph to be somehow compelling. It has been important for me to have a conceptual understanding of what I consider to be technical perfection in a photograph. My conceptual understanding of technical perfection may differ from that of other photographers. Nevertheless, my conceptual understanding gave me a target. Striving to approach this target was important to my development as a photographer. I've come to understand that approaching technical perfection in photography is not an end, rather, it is but a jumping off place. I'll have more to say about this in future blog postings.

Under what conditions do you find that approaching technical perfection in photographs is or is  not important? 

My decision to seriously pursue fine art photography gave a sense of purpose to my photography. Considering that I was compelled to make photographs, having this purpose focused my creative effort and ambition. Furthermore, at about the same time that I committed to the pursuit of fine art photography, I also experienced an increased opportunity to travel both domestically and internationally. For this I feel truly fortunate. Because photography, it turns out, gave an added purpose to my travels.

It is difficult for me to imagine a more fertile creative influence for photography than the emotions associated with finding myself in an unfamiliar culture in the midst of a city surrounded by natural wonders where I was in the minority and did not speak the language. Everything from social and political influences, to the architecture and art inspired by the national park-like landscapes, to the economic conditions of ordinary people in the cities and the countryside was outside of my previous personal experience. I found myself both moved and inspired by the emotions associated with these experiences.

To a large degree it is the emotions associated with travel that motives me to continue to seek out travel experiences on regular basis. Whether domestic or international, travel always carries with it the sense that this is a place to which I may never return. Were this to be true, what visual images of the place can I capture that may convey some essence of the emotions associated with the experience of being there? This is a question that, for me, spurs a creative photographic process.

My photograph, Rainy Day, Li River, was made in 2006 and processed in 2010. I was in the thick of the kind of emotions that I associate with travel when I made the photograph. This was an early international travel experience for me. I was half-way around the world on the top of a boat on a dark and rainy day floating past enclaves of peasants, accompanied by their water buffalo and pet dogs, hanging out on sandbars under makeshift shelters of tarps and umbrellas waiting for the rain to pass. It was then that I made this photograph.

Tell us about your emotions associated with travel. Beyond that, if you find that travel inspires a creative process that influences your production of artwork, please share the experience with us.

 
The photograph that accompanies this blog post was selected by juror Sandra Chen Weinstein for the on-line gallery annex exhibition and publication by the PhotoPlace Gallery in Middlebury, Vermont, for the book On the Road: Travel Photography (January, 2012). Sandra Chen Weinstein is an award winning travel photographer who has curated Magnum photographers in international photography exhibitions in Asia.

"I came across an Egret Rookery in a park in the center of New Orleans. Large numbers of these prehistoric looking birds were nesting predominantly in a single tree along a small waterway with a running path nearby. As park goers largely came and went without so much as taking notice, I was mesmerized by the spectacle taking place before me. Egrets nesting and perched in the tree just a short distance away would spread their large wings and leave the nesting tree.  It seemed as if, for each bird that was leaving the tree, another was returning. Some would go to feed in the water way while others would return with twigs for the nest. Those perched in the tree along-side of their nests would often have tail feather fluttering in the breeze. The scene was hypnotic and I found myself lost in the moment watching the scene and making photographs of this special time and place. How far removed I was, just a short trolley ride away, from the infamous, never ending party on Bourbon Street."

This artist statement and 12 photographs from my Egret Rookery portfolio will appear in the book Portfolio Showcase Volume 5, a book that was juried by Chris Pichler, the founder and publisher of Nazraeli Press, which "publishes books specializing in contemporary photography."

The experience of photographing at this rookery got me thinking about the experience of being mesmerized. In the sense of the experience being expressed here, being mesmerized was a positive experience of being lost in the moment while taking in the dreamlike grace of such interesting birds interacting with each other as they came and went and engaged in the activities associated with nesting.

Have you had a positive experience of being mesmerized while engaged in a photographic session? If so, tell us about it.

 

A Smoke & A Text, San Francisco

For me, artistic influences have as likely as not revealed themselves after the fact ... upon further reflection as it were. Since becoming serious about fine art photography I've come to appreciate street photography in the tradition of Willy Ronis and  Henri Cartier-Bresson. For a long time I've been a fan of the paintings of Edward Hopper, perhaps even before I knew his name. If I stop and think about it for a while there are certain photographs that I have made that will bear some, however thin, resemblance to the works of these artists. It should come as a surprise to no one that the art that an artist appreciates somehow influences the art that an artist produces.

Seeing a certain Hopper like influence in this particular photograph does not seem to be too much of a stretch. Beyond that, this photograph brings to mind film noir, the highly stylistic and atmospheric black and white films of the 40's and 50's with their fog and cigarette smoke and jazz playing in the background. Is the shadowy figure on the stairwell smoking a cigarette and texting a private eye, an undercover cop, or perhaps an innocent victim of circumstance who was duped into some form of intrigue by the wiles of a scheming beauty? This particular noir photograph was taken from the seat of a cable car on Powell Street in San Francisco at night without a tripod.

 What are your thoughts about artistic influences? What are some of the things that have influenced your art?

(Note. This photograph and Old Faithful Greets A New Day were selected for 12 12 Gallery International Juried Photography Exhibition 2011 in Richmond, VA) 

 

Old Faithful Greets A New Day
 

The human experience of beauty is at once both universal and personal. The experience of beauty can vary from subtle and rather ordinary to dramatic and intense. When the experience is dramatic and intense, words like “it took my breath away” are called upon to describe the experience but, in reality, such words are inadequate. Photography, for me, has always been about a quest for visual beauty and the emotion that it can evoke ... whether subtle or dramatic I'm compelled by the desire to share the experience with others.

Dawn comes early near to the summer solstice. Dawn is a favorite time of mine since few others are out and about. Near dawn one June morning I found myself alone in a field with my camera on the start of a morning walk through the Geyser Basin. I was not really expecting it, but neither was I surprised, when Old Faithful Geyser began erupting. It seemed at the time that I was the only witness. The experience was both dramatic and intense. During the course of the day that followed this iconic natural wonder would be watched and photographed by visitors from all over the world as it is on most days throughout the year. I realized at the time that I had been presented with a rare opportunity and with it I made this photograph.

Tell us about an experience of beauty of yours ... or, tell us about your thinking about the human experience of beauty! 

 

When thinking about what to photograph I’ve come to think in terms of projects. In fact, ”project thinking” helped me take my photography to a new level. Project thinking has been very important to me as I worked to build a body of work. I tend not to look for isolated interesting subjects to photograph. Sometimes a scene or potential photographic subject will catch my attention and I will do my best to make an interesting photograph. Occasionally, such photographs become the start of a project. 

         

(This was first posted on mflicekphotoblog on October 28, 2010)

When I first came upon the tree and palm in the photograph that accompanies this blog posting I noticed it but did not see in it much potential for creating a work of art from a photograph of the scene.  Although I had my camera along I was not moved to look at the scene through the view finder.  Several hours later we returned to the outdoor seating area at the restaurant in the small Tuscan town on a hill overlooking Florence which afforded a nice view of the countryside off in the distance and the tree and palm in the foreground.  While we were having a snack and a drink, we were mostly just taking advantage of an opportunity to slow down and rest for a while.  My camera was resting in the chair beside me.  After about 20 minutes I was moved to pick up the camera and take the Tree And Palm photograph.  This was clearly a time when slowing down spurred a creative process within me.  I find that this happens to me often.  If I have my camera and I’m waiting someone who is attending to things that are of little interest to me I often begin to notice things that I would easily have overlooked had I been walking along.  There is, it seems, a fine line between boredom and a quiet mind.  Perhaps it is because quieting one’s mind is not such as easy thing to accomplish that boredom stimulates within us an impulse to find something to occupy our mind, and time, and attention. 

The next time that you are looking for something to photograph and are feeling especially uninspired try to find a comfortable place to sit for 10 minutes or so.  While sitting, focus on trying to slow your breathing and quiet your mind.  Soon you are likely to find that you are seeing your immediate surroundings somewhat differently.  Perhaps by slowing down you will spur within you a creative process.  Give this method a try.  If you do, let me know how it worked out. 

(This posting first appeared on mflicekphotoblog on October 13, 2010)

My sister-in-law, Melinda Camber Porter, lived the most creative life of anyone I have known.  She was a painter, poet, novelist, play-writer, & filmmaker.  As a journalist for the London Times she interviewed some of the 20th century’s most influential intellectuals and artists living in France.  When I last spent time with her, before she succumbed to cancer, I had occasion to comment on the usefulness of letting the unconscious work on problems for a while.  The solution often reveals itself, I commented.  “Yes, that’s right”, Melinda responded, in her Oxford influenced English accent.  That affirmation from Melinda meant a lot!

That is the way it was with my Li River Impressions project.  In 2006 my camera and lenses could have been better.  That combined with poor air quality, a dark, dreary, and rainy day with photography taking place from the roof of a boat moving down a river resulted in grainy photographs of a special and, to me, exotic place.  Initially, I attempted to deal with the photographs by removing the grain.  This resulted in photographs with much of the detail removed.  It just didn’t work.  During the next few years I would try from time-to-time to find another approach that worked.  I was never satisfied. 

 The unconscious kept working on the problem.  This past summer the unconscious revealed a solution that led to a result that finally met with my approval.  Instead of trying to remove the grain, I should embrace and exaggerate it.  The impressionistic photographs that resulted appropriately captured my mood and feelings at the time and place where the photographs were initially made.  Much of the Li River Project can now be viewed as a gallery on my website.  I welcome your comments about the role of the unconscious in your problem solving and creative endeavors.  For me, my unconscious does a lot of good work when I’m trail running.  What about you … when does your unconscious deliver?

(This post first appeared August 30, 2010 on mflicekphotoblog)

At around 9:30 pm on an April evening in downtown Chicago I returned to my hotel from a solo night photography session with tripod and camera.  I was thirsty so I went into a hallway that led to some shops and a Starbucks to get a bottle of water.  A short way down the hall it was dark and it became evident that all of the shops, including Starbucks, were closed.  As I turned to exit the hallway I noticed a man who clearly seemed to be following me.  When I exited the hall way I walked through the hotel bar and went to the elevator.  I got in and pushed the number for my floor.  The same man then entered the elevator and did not push any buttons for a floor.  Some other people entered the elevator after this man and pushed a button for the floor below mine.   

When we arrived at my floor I gestured for the man to exit first.  He did so and he turned down the hallway in the opposite direction from my room.  I exited and turned in the direction of my room.  When I arrived at my door I turned around and the man was quietly approaching me from behind.  He stopped when I turned, at which time he stood less than two feet from me.  He was apparently surprised that I had turned in his direction.  I had a folded tripod in one hand and was prepared to use it as a club when I said to the man, “what are you doing?”  He froze in place and stared at me.  He had one hand in his jacket pocket.  I said again, “what are you doing?”  He just stood there and did not move and did not say a word in response to my question.  I kept watching him while I opened my door with my other hand and entered my room.   

I’m certain this man had noticed and marked me for some purpose while I was busy with my photography.  He had followed me into the hotel from the street.  I was completely unaware that I was being followed until I turned to exit the Starbuck’s hallway.     

Photographing at night with a tripod requires considerable attention to the technical process and details necessary to make photographs.  As such, the normal vigilance that one is accustomed to in a large city at night is challenging to maintain, particularly if the photographer is alone. 

If you are a night photographer, have you had a similar experience?  How do you deal with the issue of appropriate vigilance and precaution while photographing with or without a tripod in large cities at night?  Do your precautions differ in lonely and isolated circumstances versus bustling and crowded circumstances?

This is Michael Flicek’s first ever blog posting!       

(First Posted Aug. 10, 2010 on mflicekphotoblog)

Wandering the streets of Manhattan this past April I came across this architectural structure which, thanks to Alfred Stieglitz, has been assured a prominent place in the history of fine art photography.  Stieglitz was an early advocate for photography as an art form.  Note the date on the following quote.
        
“There are many schools of painting. Why should there not be many schools of photographic art? There is hardly a right and a wrong in these matters, but there is truth, and that should form the basis of all works of art.”        Alfred Stieglitz, American Amateur Photographer, 1893        

Stieglitz repeatedly photographed this building and he made an iconic photograph of the building in 1903.  On the day that Stieglitz made the photograph he recounted that he saw the building as he’d never seen it before, ”… as if it were moving toward me like the bow of a monster ocean steamer …”   
        
To see Stieglitz’s Flatiron photograph click on this link:   
 
Flatiron Photograph  

Stieglitz went on to marry Georgia O’Keeffe and become a very influential figure in the New York art scene in the early twentieth century.        

My photograph of the Flatiron building was made on the day that I first saw the building more than a century after Stieglitz made his photograph.         

Attempting to imitate a master would be derivative.  Just as Stieglitz saw the flatiron building in a new way on that day in 1903, photographers frequently encounter scenes from iconic photographs and are challenged to find a fresh interpretation.  To me, this is a worthy challenge.  What do you think?  How do you approach these situations? 

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