Thursday 23 October 2014

"Be quick and catch it as you would a fly" - Rene Burri

I came across a short 10 minute film where Rene Burri speaks about 6 iconic images he had captured during his career as a photographer:

http://vimeo.com/68146128

He starts is story as a child learning with quick hands how to capture flies and ends it saying that his quick hands and reactions enable him to capture images that could be quickly missed.

He discusses the stories and backgrounds to 6 particular images he had taken:

 - Che Guevara, 1963
 - Pablo Picasso, Cannes 1957
 - American GI's in Seoul, 1961
 - Men on a Rooftop, Sao Paulo 1960
 - San Christo Stables, Mexico City 1961
 - Re-Opening of the Suez Canal 1974


In terms of portrait photography it was interesting how described taking images of Guevara in a darkened room "dancing" around him for 3 hours yet never once did Guevara look into the lens. Dedication by Burri to capture one iconic image in a "sitting" of 3 hours.

My favourite of his 6 images is Men on a Rooftop, Sao Paulo 1960 and he describes his fortuity in being higher and capturing them, not knowing who these were:

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Men+on+a+Rooftop,+Sao+Paulo+1960&espv=2&biw=1530&bih=1046&tbm=isch&imgil=SUH3UVjrW-e8HM%253A%253B7CAepcSVI8kU2M%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.phaidon.com%25252Fagenda%25252Fphotography%25252Farticles%25252F2012%25252Fmay%25252F14%25252Fthe-rene-burri-interviews-1-men-on-a-rooftop%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=SUH3UVjrW-e8HM%253A%252C7CAepcSVI8kU2M%252C_&usg=__uLUcem3GLYkipnjIjXo-fczGCno%3D&ved=0CDUQyjc&ei=qclIVNKOA4bW7QbIioCADg#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=Cvu1XRyN2xp5MM%253A%3Bx1I7PKudRUwTvM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fp2.la-img.com%252F131%252F9643%252F2110781_1_l.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.liveauctioneers.com%252Fitem%252F2110781%3B600%3B386


Two things strike me in this image:

1 - Burri himself mentions the contrast between the men's lofty position and the drop back to ground level and their apparent desire for a fleeting look at =what was going on below
2 - The four men are back-lit by very low light casting long shadows back toward the lens,  the exposure putting the men into silhouette, Their anonymity in shadow, the largeness compared to the small vehicles below suggests they are powerful characters - the truth is not known.

He ends with the image of Re-Opening of the Suez Canal 1974, a tank and its commander in the foreground and in the background 15 helicopters. He jokes that it was 3 helicopters really and that he Photoshopped the rest in!

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Re-Opening+of+the+Suez+Canal+1974+burri&espv=2&biw=1530&bih=1046&tbm=isch&imgil=OsSzFldzIZf-NM%253A%253BaRot852Bp5N_-M%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.magnumphotos.com%25252FC.aspx%25253FVP3%2525253DSearchResult%25252526STID%2525253D2S5RYD1DWGTU&source=iu&pf=m&fir=OsSzFldzIZf-NM%253A%252CaRot852Bp5N_-M%252C_&usg=__SzEUCqJmGJ5xBR3QPt2r3XVXP_Y%3D&ved=0CEUQyjc&ei=7spIVIjIHO2M7Aa_w4DADw#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=OsSzFldzIZf-NM%253A%3BaRot852Bp5N_-M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fmediastore2.magnumphotos.com%252FCoreXDoc%252FMAG%252FMedia%252FTR7%252F4%252F7%252F6%252Fa%252FPAR366959.jpg%3Bhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.magnumphotos.com%252FC.aspx%253FVP3%253DSearchResult%2526STID%253D2S5RYD1DWGTU%3B256%3B173


Of course he didn't but it would be believable in the current digital world.

He ends pondering that the next generation needs to be shown the truth of the world, both his misery and its happiness, perhaps a dig also at digital manipulation distorting the truth.

His finally words were that without his quick hands and eye developed capturing flies he may not have captured the images he did.

A very charismatic man with a clear devotion to his art. Well travelled with some interesting stories and interestingly also with his small Leica camera.

A quote he made to the Guardian in 2010 is so very true "A photograph is a moment when you press the button, it will never come back.”

Saturday 4 October 2014

P & P - Part One People Aware - Exercise 5 - Eye Contact and Expression

This exercise requires a portrait session where the face is prominent and the subject should at times look toward and away from the camera. Eye contact can be important for the images where the subject is looking toward the lens.

I've been experimenting when taking images to always try to capture the subject whole, sometimes some cropping is needed in post processing to tidy the image but these type of images can prove more interesting for the viewer. The key element with your subject is try build some rapport so that they can relax and an element of the character can be shared with the viewer, or perhaps the photographer can create a character using the subject. Sometimes this can be because the subject has created this, sometimes the photographer when we see some captured candid moments of celebs captured coming out of night clubs by the paparazzi

Image 1



I've learnt not to frame or crop the very ends of arms or legs, if you need to crop an arm or leg avoid doing this below the elbow or knee as the result can appear more like an amputation


Image 2



The the first image perhaps creates a connection between viewer and subjects eyes, in this second image the eyes are less visible but instead the connection is with the happy subject because of his smile.

Exercise Learning's

1. Some subjects are more natural in front of the camera, a combination of confidence, ease with the photographer and perhaps at times an element of showmanship

2. When cropping arms and legs do so above the elbow and knee for limbs

3. Consider who the image may be viewed, what feeling do you want the subject to create in the viewer

4. Sometimes "chimping" / showing the image on the camera screen to the subject can create confidence from the subject to the viewer and also that the images are looking OK and they are happy for you to continue you shooting

5. A focus toward the eyes can create a connection between the subject and the viewers of the image

P & P - Part One People Aware - Exercise 4 - An active portrait

This exercise asks for the subject to be captured whilst engaging in an activity, capturing the subject in the context of what they do.

I had a quick read of what Wiki regards a portrait to be, "artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant". However the exercise mentions that these type of images are often used editorially often accompanying an interview or an article focused on that person's life.

In a series of images not each image would need to show the person's face. The person could be implied because they are specifically mentioned or perhaps because the editorial is accompanied by a set of images, variation of the images and style could be important to the article.

An editorial could be accompanied by images reflecting what that person does, or perhaps a high flyer, media icon, actor etc it could be considered important to show them performing an everyday activity for something that you would not associate that person doing.

I feel now in my photography whilst I develop, improve basics and learn new things that I should also be challenging the normal.  a portrait where the face of the subject is missing. This then also facilitates the image being sold as a stock library image and not requiring a model release

In this particular instance I've taken a picture of the subject doing what for most could be an everyday thing, making a cup of tea. 



Michael Freeman mentions that an image is sometimes better if elements within an image are there to be discovered and not seen at first glance. So in the image below I've used 3 cups. One cup suggests a cup of tea is being made for one person, the photographer is almost observational and not part of the scene. Two cups could include the photographer, or perhaps an unseen person, 3 cups suggests more people, where are they, is this person part of a group or family?

The light is behind the camera allowing light to reach the person and elements in the image and to be captured in the image. Taking an image on the opposite side then results in the camera struggling with bright light from the window and the options are a subject in shade / dark exposure compared to the window light correctly exposed, or the subject correctly exposed and the window over exposed. The camera position is lower allowing the subject and the activity to be more central to the image, the individual placed on a right hand vertical third, the cups and intersection of third lines, a zing point. Milk being poured indicates an activity being performed and not a static position captured. The diagonal lines of the work top direct the eye to the cups which stand out against a dark worktop. You cannot see the subject's face but it is concentrating on focused to ensure the correct amount of milk is poured.

A lot can be read into an image, and simple at first is not always simple. Interestingly though no kettle is seen, and only milk is being poured, most people would assume cups of tea are being made.