Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/08/13

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Shipley's Donuts
From: Ted Grant <tedgrant@shaw.ca>
Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2002 07:51:54 -0700
References: <001901c242cc$4dbd2c00$7f938eac@nsula.edu>

Sonny Carter wrote:

> One of the hardest things for photographers is to take pictures of the
> familiar things around us .<<<<

Hi Sonny,
I've always had the toughest time shooting in the "home town."  Everything
is in your face day after day and one becomes immune to it visually.

I'd get mad when a magazine photo editor I did assignments for sent a
shooter to my city, as I saw it as work being assigned to another guy when I
needed the income and lived there. I asked him why he did that and he
responded..." It's simple, you live there and don't see it with fresh eyes.
And that's why I hire you to come here to shoot and send him to your city.
You both see each other's territory with fresh eyes. Therefore I win in both
cases."

And if you think about it, he was right. Your ability to see familiar
surroundings in a new and magical way is usually lessened due to
familiarity. If you go to a different country or city  it's like, "wow! Look
at all the neat stuff here!" and you're gung ho to shoot. Get the same
assignment at home and it's "What the hell are they talking about there's no
neat stuff here!"

And that's even if the story is identical in both locations.

The way to over come this to some degree at home is, go out at a time of the
day that isn't your normal time to be out and about the city.  Dawn for
example, when you're normally still in the sack warm and cozy. The city is
waking-up, the light is different, the traffic is different and it goes on
and on. Or go on a Sunday morning when the city is still in the sack! Now
you're seeing everything in a "different light" and it becomes interesting
and neat!   You get the picture.

Your donuts are mouth watering and an interesting subject even if it's been
a once a week event. I'd swap them a bunch of pictures for a box of donuts!
;-) The on going assignment idea of the "donut eating / reading the paper /
drinking coffee" crowd should make for interesting photography.... in B&W!
;-)

Watching or them.
ted




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Replies: Reply from "Greg J. Lorenzo" <gregj.lorenzo@shaw.ca> (Re: [Leica] Shipley's Donuts)
Reply from Marc James Small <msmall@infi.net> (Re: [Leica] Shipley's Donuts)
Reply from Mark Rabiner <mark@markrabiner.com> (Re: [Leica] Shipley's Donuts)
In reply to: Message from "SonC \(Sonny Carter\)" <sonc@sonc.com> ([Leica] Shipley's Donuts)