I Are PhotoJournalist!

[Bitter Jeweler]

While walking around St. Louis, I came across an "Occupy" demonstration/protest. This was my first go at photojournalism, I guess.

Feel free to comment.
Oh, and these were edited on my CrapTop, so, while they looked good to me while editing, they are potentially horrible!


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6.
Yes, I went there.:lmao:

7.

8.
One of my favorites...

9.

 

[Derrel]

"Ahemmmm...WHAT did your mother and I tell you about selective coloring!?!?!?!? That chit will make you go blind! Stop it! Stop it NOW!"

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

"Ahemmmm...WHAT did your mother and I tell you about selective coloring!?!?!?!? That chit will make you go blind! Stop it! Stop it NOW!"

I know, I know. But I just had too!


Aside from that, what do you think.

 

[Derrel]

Well, honestly, I've seen these same photos about a zillion times before. Calm, peaceful protesters, holding up nicely-crafted signs, in a peaceful-looking American city, in sunny weather. They all appear a teeny bit dark to me, but again, laptop editing....that's always tough...your rendering of the strong sidelighting is good--good exposures, good processing with detail held in the highlights, and shadows that LOOK LIKE SHADOWS--none of that awful HDR-looking shadow rendering we see so often. But to me, the images are simply not compelling. I am not tuned into the protest cause being shown to me; honestly, I am out of it WRT to whatever it is these young people are advocating,and so to me there is virtually no real connection; if it were a subject or cause I were familiar with, or attuned to, I'd probably be more interested. ALso, and this is not a knock, just an observation, but these all appear to have been shot from "across the street" using a medium-telephoto focal length that's kind of boring, and similar on almost all the photos...and even though I kind of do not like wide-angle shots, I've always felt that for social and social-documentary photography, there is a MUCH stronger feeling of connectedness when the camera is physically CLOSE to the subject, such as when using say a 20mm, 24mm,or 28mm, or even a 35mm lens on FF. I'm not sure why that is, whether that is purely cultural, purely psychological, or some blend of the two, but when I cannot, "see the whites of their eyes" in photos such as these, there just is not much of a feeling of engagement with the subjects...these telephoto-syle shots make me feel less-connected to the people, and more like a distant bystander...now...had these been shot with a 300mm, maybe I'd have felt like an interested voyeur...but this medium telephoto "look" is just,well...I dunno....it's like a pot metal pocket watch case, you know what I mean???

Anyway...those are my feelings about these pics. I hope you're having a great time on your vacation!!!

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Thanks Derrel!

Seeing them on my iPad, i see they, are a little dark. Stupid craptop!
Yes these were shot somewhere between 100-400mm. I was across the street, or in the street. And sadly, there really wasn't much more going on than these sign holders. I was there, by chance, early in the day, and circled back later. There were no "masses" of people either time. I'll keep in mind your tips for future encounters. So, yeah, I see what you mean.

Thanks again.

Indeed, I am having a great time.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Oh, to give you an idea of how little was going on...here's a shot of some security guys:

 

[tevo]

Well, Jeweler used selective coloring. Execute Code Red (with black and white background), we've lost control.

 

[Netskimmer]

Knew it couldn't have been a tea-party protest cuz I don't see any swastikas, KKK hoods or Obama dolls being burned and/or hung. :roll:

Nice shots though. I really like the rent-a-cops playing on the Iphone.

 

[Derrel]

Okay, now the two security guys--I like that picture. Why? because they are relating to ONE ANOTHER, albeit via a cellular phone, but hey, that's the way people share information, songs, photos, and video clips these days...with those two guys, sitting there in the shade, we see two people, co-workers, sharing something with one another...we see a big pot-bellied guy with a pistol on his hip, and his younger-looking, much more physically imposing partner wearing a muscle shirt look...this is a photo depicting person-to-person interaction in a very "real" and genuine way!! The protester shots....eh...they'e just standing around, holding signs...they appear to have almost no emotional connection with one another, and each and every protester appears to be MUTE...in this shot, the hefty security guard is SPEAKING to his partner...the protesters...just standing around, with no hint of speaking, or yelling, or talking in any way...

The security guards together make a "picture"...I can easily envision any one of a dozen or more things they are looking at on that phone screen...the protesters...ehhhh...I don't have a clue....and they do not seem to be very emotionally invested in the protest they are putting on.

 

[bruce282]

In #4 I was trying to figure out what you "blurred" on the redhead on the left. Then I realized it was just her sign and the angle.

Bruce

 

[molested_cow]

And i thought America isn't socialist?

Ohhhhhh..... so makes me wanna rent a Ferrari, drive up and HONK!!!

 

[Robin Usagani]

Were you sitting down?

 

[imagemaker46]

They may have been done a buuch of times before but they still would work for the papers along with a written story. I like them, love the one with the security guys, sometimes they just take their jobs too seriously, nice to see them doing nothing and enjoying it. I like the selective colour shot as well.

 

[spacefuzz]

haha I like the security guys

 

[Trever1t]

exciting time? It's not like I remember the late 60's. Socialist? No freaking way, this country founded on protest.

Love the shot of the security officers, obviously looking at riske' photos on the smartphone....or it that just me