A photo of Main Street, Rosedale, Mississippi inspired by Stephen Shore, the acclaimed American photographer. Shore's work has been widely exhibited and published. A particular favourite photography book for me is his Uncommon Places- a volume of predominantly American streetscapes shot with a view camera. Through Shore's lens common places become special or uncommon places.
My photo is a pale imitation of Shore's work. He would definitely have waited until there was no traffic on Main Street probably by taking the shot early morning.
Shore carefully plans and frames his photos. Using a large format view camera is slow photography. Setting up the camera cannot be rushed. It has to be used on a tripod and the sheet film is expensive so every shot costs. It's very different to digital photography and even more different to smartphone photography.
This difference was bought home to me yesterday morning .There was another spectacular sunrise. I saw a young woman walker pull her smartphone out, hold it in the general direction of the sunrise, press the camera button and tuck the phone into the top of her lycra tights again all within about 5 seconds. It was fast photography or perhaps it was speed photography. If she had just spent even a few more seconds she could have considered what she was taking and made some effort at framing. It was photography devalued.
Looking at my Main Street photo now -three years after I took it-I realise that with just a little effort I could have framed it so much better but I did make some effort and it did take longer than 5 seconds.
I love Shore's photography and you are correct: photography needs time I think sopecially when the subject is "simple" and a few details can change it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe without ther car on the left side your photo could be better...but it is easy to say after...