Occupy Congress J17 protest

[Robchaos]

Here are a few shots I took while observing the almost completely peaceful Occupy Congress Protests that took place on January 17th, coinciding with the first session of the house for the new year. c&c welcome.

1.

oc2012 by Robchaos, on Flickr

2. Protesting isn't just for teenagers!

occo2012-5 by Robchaos, on Flickr

3. Capital Park = Occupied

occo2012-3 by Robchaos, on Flickr

4.

occo2012-4 by Robchaos, on Flickr

5.

occo2012-7 by Robchaos, on Flickr

6.

occo2012-6 by Robchaos, on Flickr

7. Rise up!!!

occo2012 by Robchaos, on Flickr

8.

occo2012-9 by Robchaos, on Flickr


The rest of the set can be found here. Thanks for looking!

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[ZapoTeX]

I like them a lot! Few comments:
1) I believe the composition would have been better if the White House had been slightly on the left or on the right and, on the opposite side, a closer element (a pole in the fence, etc...)
2) Moment captured is awesome! Everyone is doing something, so dynamic! Too bad for the shoes, that are partially visible for some protesters, but cut
4) My favorite. Says how tidy things are. Expresses the freedom of a country where you can protest without getting shot at (which we kind of take for granted, but is not the case in many countries)

[Robchaos]

Thank you! I felt that framing was my main challenge due to the packed crowd and tight conditions out front of the Congressional offices.

[CMfromIL]

I like them a lot! Few comments:
1) I believe the composition would have been better if the White House had been slightly on the left or on the right and, on the opposite side, a closer element (a pole in the fence, etc...)

Just a correction, it's the US Capital Building in the pictures, not the White House.

[The_Traveler]

I'm sorry I don't agree with the earlier comment.

These are exposed and in focus but there is little focus in the images. There's little to guide the viewer about what the photographer sees as important or what the photographer wants the viewer to look at.
Yes, you can point to 'important' or 'interesting' things in a couple of the images but there is no hint what is really going on and there's lots of unimportant stuff included that diffuses all attention.

I have shot a lot of demonstrations in DC and to get something that is not just a picture you have to figure out exactly what will characterize the situation and make that important in your image.

I think the one with the most potential is this one. Framing in or cropping on these three people provides an interesting comment on how people were behaving and crops out stuff that draws interest away and brings up other non-contributory points.
(focusing on the person in front and shooting more wide open will isolate them more)

It is the responsibility of the photographer to pick out these scenes within the situation and capture them. Otherwise you might as well be a security camera scanning the crowd and catching everything.

[cgipson1]

I agree with the Traveler... you have to look for the story... not just the crowd. I shot the Occupy here in Denver.. and it got VERY TENSE. Got some fun shots though...

[Robchaos]

That is actually some very useful advice traveler, this was my first real protest shot. I will go back and check all the photos to see if I can make some of them more focused.

[The_Traveler]

Shooting this kind of stuff is difficult and I probably discard 98% of my shots.That being said it is you that has to have a clear idea of what you want to catch. It is very difficult to be prepared, be in position and then get that shot.Once you have the money shot for any occasion, less dramatic or important shots can fill out the shoot - but always be looking for that one shot that will make the day.

Lew

[Robchaos]

see post #1

[The_Traveler]

I think #2 is really striking.
The face and sign in the foreground, the people above sort of resonate with the words on the sign.
Even the lack of definition in the clothes of the figure in the foreground that don't attract the eye and make the person more like a symbol - all good.
That's the kind of shot that can lead off a picture story and really make a point.

[Robchaos]

Thank you
Now that I am home from work I have revisited the photos I have taken, I am cleaning up this thread and editing the first post to include some content I had not had a chance to process previously.