Too real, not real enough? Pointless?

Cinka · Mar 10, 2008

My sister didn't hate this, but said I didn't quite convey the message. Said it looked too real, like a random snap shot.

Notes: I used a model, this is not a real homeless person. I set up the scene myself with items from my own home.

I'd love to hear your comments. I feel sort of bad if I didn't pull it off. It supposed to be ironic and make a statement about government, homelessness, and society in general. Your thoughts?

Big Mike · Mar 10, 2008

It looks too bright. The exposure is adaquate...but I just think that this type of shot should have a darker feel to be more impact full.

The props & wardrobe look OK...but not dirty or gritty enough.

I think that to really pull this off, it would require a bit more context....like in a real, dirty looking location.

Cinka · Mar 10, 2008

Big Mike said:
It looks too bright. The exposure is adaquate...but I just think that this type of shot should have a darker feel to be more impact full.

The props & wardrobe look OK...but not dirty or gritty enough.

I think that to really pull this off, it would require a bit more context....like in a real, dirty looking location.

I guess I could mess around with the darkness levels in photoshop to see what happens. Yeah, the props could have been dirtier. I thought of that later. This was shot in Downtown Los Angeles.

Emerana · Mar 10, 2008

He just doesnt look homeless at all. His skin is all young and pink and he is isnt slightly gaunt or traveled. Get your model to come with you (as your body gaurd), pick a homeless guy and pay him $5 to hold the sign and let you take photos.

And bend up the sign about 1800 times and make the viewer work a little for the point.

Thats just my thoughts on it.

Sarah23 · Mar 10, 2008

it looks a bit set up....the guy doenst look homeless.

Big Mike · Mar 10, 2008

I did a quick edit, just to see if it would convey the mode a little better.

Cinka · Mar 10, 2008

I guess if you have to explain something, it defeats the purpose. I suppose I was going for "realism not realism", but 98% of downtown homeless people are scary. I know that's a bit bourgeois, but true nonetheless. I'd prefer NOT to have my camera stolen. I also think I didn't want it to look TOO real either. Perhaps I need to work on my motives.

Tiberius47 · Mar 10, 2008

Here's my go at it. I duplicated the layer and ran the high pass filter on it, then set the blend mode to overlay. I also created another layer to partially desaturate the image, and did a bit of burning in to create the mood. And another layer to make it grainy.

A picture like this should be dirtied up, i think.

photogmatt · Mar 10, 2008

Maybe just burn it a bit in photoshop to grime up the face and background. Personally I don't care for any of the edits that were posted. They looked too processed, but to each their own.

D-50 · Mar 10, 2008

At first glance he appears homeles then you realize that all his stuff is so clean and new looking a dead gibeaway something is up. I do not think a homeless person is gong to steal your camera in the iddle of the day in a public area, do not approach a person in an alley but yuor average homeless person on the street would gladly hold a sign and let you take a shot for 5 bucks. Homeless people on the whole are not all crazy, some are but others are not.

ir0n_ma1den · Mar 10, 2008

Cinka said:
I guess if you have to explain something, it defeats the purpose. I suppose I was going for "realism not realism", but 98% of downtown homeless people are scary. I know that's a bit bourgeois, but true nonetheless. I'd prefer NOT to have my camera stolen. I also think I didn't want it to look TOO real either. Perhaps I need to work on my motives.

Aww come on, homeless people arent that bad... maybe some really sketchy ones, but you should be able to spot 'em out. The model and props are so clean. The model also seems to young to really portray 'homeless'. Find somebody (preferrably a real homeless person) with missing teeth, defined skin creases, etc. Also, this shot needs to be alot darker to portray the feeling.

A good photographer is not afraid to take risks, i.e. take a shot of a real homeless person.

Fally · Mar 10, 2008

Go to your local army surplus store and buy some army fatigues. If you had access to a wheelchair, that would be good and if you could somehow photoshop out his leg, that would be really good.

Having someone in army fatigues homeless would be impactful to me, and speak volumes about how once the soldiers come home and are discharged, they are also discarded.

Granted, this is a Canadian's view of the US government's handling of their war vets.

Fallys

ps. if you win awards or anything from this photograph or accolades, I'll take my slice of the pie in Canadian dollars lol

Emerana · Mar 10, 2008

Fally said:
Go to your local army surplus store and buy some army fatigues. If you had access to a wheelchair, that would be good and if you could somehow photoshop out his leg, that would be really good.

I'm sorry but this sounds like a bad idea. You can spot a faker a million miles away. It isnt just photoshopping out a leg...people who have missing limbs sit differently, so shopping just wouldnt fly.

I say get 3 of your biggest guy friends and head downtown with a worn sign. You will find someone ... maybe even someone super awesome. I am female, so I wouldnt just go myself, and it would be a little scary. So I understand that. But if you really want to land this photo, I think its the way to go.

Rusty_Tripod · Mar 10, 2008

The contrasts are to apparent and transparent: a fairly well-off fellow in a homeless pose using a hand-made placard to promote a high morality based idea that in no way replicates the daily struggles of the homeless and serves to mock them instead. What were you thinking? as Dr. Phil would say.

noescape · Mar 10, 2008

Yea... While I love the idea, it just isn't realistic enough. You look way too clean to be on the streets... aka white shoes... haha

Better luck next time... Like I said- I love the idea.