people and bum

[The_Traveler]

Could you point out the point of focus. The entire picture seems very soft to me.

 

[molested_cow]

Instead of turning everything to black and white, you can try turning just the subject into black and white. Play around with it, it has a lot of potential.

 

[WimFoto]

Could you point out the point of focus.

the guy sleeping on the street.

The entire picture seems very soft to me

it was an overcast cool morning, could that have something to do with it ?

 

[The_Traveler]

Could you point out the point of focus.

the guy sleeping on the street.

The entire picture seems very soft to me

it was an overcast cool morning, could that have something to do with it ?

perhaps but something should be sharp somewhere.

 

[WimFoto]

i figure i post this picture here too. i know it's not sharp, sorry for the blur but this shot was rushed, this guy moves quite fast!

i see him biking often, he always bikes to the city to go to a shelter but i know he has his own cottage or something where he stays in summers.

 

[WimFoto]

no comments on the bike guy?

i would be interested to see your photos of homeless people, you got any?
thanks,
wim

 

[iolair]

You shot the bike guy at 1/100s ... to freeze the action and avoid the blurring try something like 1/400 - leave the aperture at f8 but increase the ISO to 400. Try to plan a shot like this in advance - manual focus on a point on the ground the same distance away as the cyclist will be and wait for him to go through the point where he'll be that distance. If you're not big on timing, use the continuous shooting mode on your camera.

 

[WimFoto]

thanks iolair.

as i said it was a rushed shot, i saw him, turned and shot. i couldn't plan for it.

this photo was more for the novelty of finally documenting this guy whom i've seen for years biking this stretch of highway.

 

[Gene1219]

If that woman in white was not walking through the scene, to me, it would have been a very powerful image. The old man looks very free. Free from debt, free from work and free from bills. Whilst the young beautiful people are trapped behind the fence, in debt up to their ears just to have the latest fashion or overpriced java.

Cool capture.

 

[chip]

in this slow economy it can happen to anybody. I wouldn't judge him as a bum as yet. many folks are trying to find jobs but unable to. after a while they just give up and become homeless. all I can say is if it weren't for the grace of God there go I. just having a job to pay the bills and having a roof over my head is something I am thankful for.

 

[WimFoto]

If that woman in white was not walking through the scene, to me, it would have been a very powerful image.

i agree gene1219, she was not supposed to be there. but she ads to the contrast of rich and poor, i think she is carrying a designer handbag.

Whilst the young beautiful people are trapped behind the fence, in debt up to their ears just to have the latest fashion or overpriced java.

well said, who's really 'poor' now eh?

just having a job to pay the bills and having a roof over my head is something I am thankful for.

here here.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

Appearances can be deceiving. I've seen a lot of dumpster diving...

You are right that appearances can be deceiving. I've been dumpster diving for quite a few years and I'm neither unemployed nor homeless. Just part of my recycling lifestyle. There is a huge amount of perfectly good and safe food being thrown out everyday in the US and I imagine it is the same in Canada

These days I take two neighbors along who are unemployed with no more benefits and they can't believe they used to make fun of me. We do eat quite well.

I've also started both of them selling on ebay with some non-food stuff we find in the dumpsters.

Besides my art work, I teach people how to live simpler lives...

Very nice photo. It is true that the Starbuck customers look like they are in a jail of their own making but if the woman in white wasn't there it would leave the middle ground too empty, imho. I do like the B&W better but probably because I think that street photography looks better in B&W. Color street photography just doesn't do anything for me.

As for your bicycle guy, he definitely isn't sharp, lol. You could try and talk to him at some point and it could lead to a nice portrait. Most of those people appreciate the fact that you do not treat them like vermin. You can make their day just by talking to them and some of them have amazing stories to tell.

Thanks for posting this.

While on this subject, here's something some of you may want to get involved with. I know this one is tomorrow but there will be more and you can do it anytime you want anyway.

Help-Portrait

 

[The_Traveler]

The old man looks very free. Free from debt, free from work and free from bills. Whilst the young beautiful people are trapped behind the fence, in debt up to their ears just to have the latest fashion or overpriced java.

Having worked with homeless people, I can say that what the majority of homeless are really free from is happiness, health, security, decent food, clean clothes a warm place to sleep and some measure of dignity or certainty that tomorrow will be ok.

There have been lots of discussions on the web about the ethics of photographing the homeless but I hesitated to bring that up until people here try to minimize their tragedy by painting being homeless as some free-from-worry paradise that one enters in by choice.

 

[DScience]

If the bum was in focus I think the shot would be amazing!

 

[DScience]

The old man looks very free. Free from debt, free from work and free from bills. Whilst the young beautiful people are trapped behind the fence, in debt up to their ears just to have the latest fashion or overpriced java.

Having worked with homeless people, I can say that what the majority of homeless are really free from is happiness, health, security, decent food, clean clothes a warm place to sleep and some measure of dignity or certainty that tomorrow will be ok.

There have been lots of discussions on the web about the ethics of photographing the homeless but I hesitated to bring that up until people here try to minimize their tragedy by painting being homeless as some free-from-worry paradise that one enters in by choice.

I agree with much of what you say. However I feel the last sentence is sort of misleading in itself. Although I don't feel that ALL homeless people choose to live such a lifestyle, I do believe many CHOOSE their life's path. Hence it's not like they grew up wishing to be bums. But we are making choices every second of our lives, and often times homelessness is a self destructing pattern of addiction that ultimately leads to one living on the street. You can't deny that there is some sort of individual responsibility in certain cases. I would bet though that the majority have serious psychological disease which is the main problem.