question - sort of

I am taking a class, not photography but publishing and it involves photography. Assignment was "Research one of the photographers from the timeline below that seems interesting to you. Take a photograph that is inspired by their work and that illustrates your understanding of good photographic composition as explained in the textbook"... I choose Jacob Riis whose work includes "How the Other Half Lives" link provided... http://www.authentichistory.com/1865-1897/progressive/riis/chap21.html
scroll down about half way at the site and the picture I used as inspiration is "Blind Beggar".

I was inspired to submit this photo below and the instructor wasn't at all impressed (photo as mimic, she didn't even address my photographic composition))... I wrote back to her a pretty harsh letter, not accepting her dismissal of my photo... what do you think??
am I too sensitive? :)

his handicap is... I don't think this does that

The blind beggar looks out of place and the men kind of looking at him only reinforce that. Plus even thought he beggar is looking straight toward the camera there is no eye contact. (of course) There is some real eye contact between the guy in yours and you. Hard to control I know. It also took me really looking to see the man in yours was selling something. Your is a great environmental portrait of the man in the wheel chair. The blind beggar is as much if not more a portrait of the environment. Did the instructor give you any detail on why she was not impressed? Seems an explanation of what she sees is missing and wrong about it is the least you should get. :shrug: Why wouldn't you be sensitive. It is your photo and well there is a connection there that I (and the instructor) am missing.



I hate trying to critique since in the end it is an opinion and we know how opinions are.

interesting, didn't think about men gawking at the blind beggar and in the other, the people are walking away, dismissing the paraplegic beggar... the reason there is genuine eye contact is because I had just sat with the "candy man" and had established a relationship... true... that is a much different feel

my outrage at the instructor is that I felt she didn't allow for my interpretation... she claimed my photo wasn't of a 'real' beggar and Jacob Riis' was... :shrug:

(on edit I want to say that I was completely put off by my instructor's concept of "beggar" ...it is a term that offends me and probably more than anything I was upset by that. My idea was to present a social statement about a person having to sit in a metro station in one of the wealthiest parts of the United States and sell candy bars to make money... this is what Jacob Riis said about his photo; "The blind beggar alone is winked at in New York's streets, because the authorities do not know what else to do with him. There is no provision for him anywhere after he is old enough to strike out for himself. The annual pittance of thirty or forty dollars which he receives from the city serves to keep his landlord in good humor; for the rest his misfortune and his thin disguise of selling pencils on the street corners must provide...")

or liking the term beggar. Then again the original was called Blind Beggar. You might be better off to find some one pan handling, someone holding a "Will Work for?" sign. (About all I can think that might fit her idea of beggar.) Though they aren't selling anything it might be a better fit. Do you have a long lens? Something you could get a few shots with first then talk if you want second? Then get a few more. You might capture the feel better if the person doesn't know you are taking their photo. You wouldn't have to say anything but I would because because, well hell it is the polite thing to do. (couldn't think of a better word that polite.or nice.) So many down on their luck feel invisible as it is, why would I want to add to that.
Riis' photo looks more documentary/essay. Catching what is there with the photographer becoming almost invisible. Two ways for you to do that, long lens or time. If you hang around a spot long enough with a camera the people that usually populate the place will start feeling like you are a part of everyday life and you become part of the background.


Your subject actually looks well cared for. I'm thinking that is another difference your instructor picked up and on. I would hope the safety nets for the disabled aren't completely gone/ruined yet. Part of what we are fighting to keep from being dismantled.

If you re-shoot, some how you have to find someone that despite circumstance exudes a bit of dignity. Went and looked at blind beggar again. There is a dignity coming from him that the observers lack. You know you picked a hard one to try to emulate.

lol

I think it is the close view and the interaction with the photographer that does that. In my opinion, the photograph could be improved by backing off a bit and getting more of the pedestrian (non)interaction. Maybe a sightly different angle, and I think black and white would enhance the image. I realize you are limited by space and available light and those things may not be possible.

inspired crosses the line into derivative, the approach is way too literal and is missing all of the pathos of the Riis photo.

Honestly, instead of looking like a sympathetic character telling a story of poverty in America, he looks like he's about to tell you to pony up a buck for a candy bar if you want to take his picture.

My take on your image is it's a snapshot, period. Everything on the left diagonal top takes away from what you may have been trying for, people walking away distracts from what you may have wanted. The angle of the shot wasn't executed well, you could have moved away from the subject and up to the left, that way you could have had the whole wheelchair and subject in your image.

You also could have had an image of the subject selling his candy, more of a candid image. One last thought B&W works good sometimes, red tag, green blue wrappers, and the gold and red emblem on his sign is distracting also try not to have the subject look you in the eye.

Keep shooting and try different things

it is mostly a snapshot, I acknowledge that... and it wasn't candid as I had been hanging out and chatting with the guy. I have no illusions about the quality of my photographic composition... :-) it could have been taken from further away

It would have been much better had I gotten a candid shot, but I think the people walking away is significant... we generally tend to just ignore and walk away from those that may need help

I remeber reading about, look for shadows!! Light is everything. I think that was the last I read, The 1/3 works but not all the time, back light works but not all the time..
Things have changed in the last couple years.
Taking a picture has become a hard and brutale art form....