25 Oct 2012

Three ladies and a dog!

I've been thinking a lot in the past few days about what sort of photographs I really want to be taking. This is partly due to a book I'm reading - Within the Frame by David duChemin - and partly because I want to up my game a bit a lot. It lead me to think about how I love taking candid shots of people (although I still feel very self-conscious about it) and about how much I love black and white photography and how the two things go so well together. I'm inspired by the photographs of people like Henri Cartier Bresson, Elliot Erwitt and Rui Palha. And I've been watching some video tutorials on the Scott Kelby site where he goes on a photo walk in Paris with Jay Maisel.

This is a photograph I took on holiday recently which comes nearest to what I want to do. Jay Maisel talks about the need for 'gesture' in photographs which is that moment when the person or people you're framing do something special or unusual that connects with the viewer. In the case of this photograph I think it's the dog and its appearance of boredom with the chatting women. I hope it goes in some small way to approach what he means.

4 comments:

  1. This made me smile. Lovely black and white.

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  2. Great shot. I take my hat off to you. I love the idea of taking candid shots but I am such a chicken when it comes to the doing part! My only real attempts were part of kat's workshop - the whole 'safety in numbers' thing. I hadn't thought about the gesture part, but it makes perfect sense and I think you've captured it beautifully through the dog and his 'seriously guys' expression. Love the b&w too.

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  3. how funny, that is exactly what I am thinking about too having spent a week away. I love this shot, great composition and love the way the dog is looking the other way,

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  4. Wow - so cool to hear more about the creative process and what drew you to the photo.

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