706 - Carry That Weight II



Yesterday, Thursday, was bicycle day again. First I found the one in the Image of the Day, standing on the street in the morning light, the plastic box on the baggage holder glowing against the sun, while its owner delivered newspapers. Remember when the monopolies of the public postal services in Europe fell? They were right!

Newspaper distribution is cheaper now. It is now done by swarms of Pakistani (at least I suppose, by their looks, sorry if I hurt anybodies feelings) on bicycles. Hmm … now, what exactly could be the reason for the cheaper services? Huh??

The second image is … strange. I suppose it’s kind of a joke, at least the bicycle was just hanging there in five feet height.

The final image, the snake, is part of a window grill of the basement windows of Vienna’s Palace of Justice. Looks dangerous, no?

The Song of the Day is again the Beatles classic “Carry That Weight”, originally from “Abbey Road”. We had it in “340 - Carry That Weight”, but today we look at the somewhat peculiar version on “Beatles Go Baroque” by Peter Breiner and His Chamber Orchestra. I love that album, and when you’ve heard into the sound samples at Classics Online, you will as well 🙂


There are 5 comments

Ted   (2008-09-21)

You have found a media in bicycles I cannot wait for the book in two or three years. But, mentioned something here which piques my curiosity. The brigades of paper deliverers surely deserve documenting. Are there laws against picturing people? Isn't there a documentarian or photojournalistic exception which will allow you to show us this intensly physical sort of labor in the streets?

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Andreas   (2008-09-21)

Well, I guess you have a point. It's time to go after the people. Guess most of them won't bite 🙂

Don't expect too much too soon though. It's not only shyness that keeps me from photographing people. As long as you don't care for the exact circumstances, people are just another subject. It gets damn hard when you want specific situations, e.g. such a paper deliverer, coming up to you on his bicycle, the photo taken in a certain composition, etc. Even if you knew him to come that way (which you don't), he would pass the point in less than a second, you'd have to pre-focus or have the camera in continuous focus mode, and even if all that worked your way, there still could be a car crossing in front of you.

No, it simply does not work that way. People photography is completely different business. I do it at times, not often, but I admit that I avoid the complications most of the time. As regards the deliverers, I'll try and we'll hopefully see 🙂

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Ted   (2008-09-22)

Do you think that just as I have an aversion to the tripod that is borderline spooky... that you have the reverse? The tripod, I will grant, give you a tremendous ability for reflection, even though I've watched you use is quite quickly. But it does deny you some of the spontaneity that your faster lenses can achieve.

I have the feeling that you would feel quite lost, like the amputee without his leg, without that thing to steady your machinery. On the other hand, I know I'd feel as if I'd grown another elbow if I carried one.

I sense in much of your work a large camera accomplishment. Your work has that sense of elegant presence that a big format provides... and that must be in part from your mastery of the tripod. Still except for elaborate pre-arrangement, or in portraiture, the tripod does kind of hinder street candids of people.

OTH you have a number of times used people as props in picturing some important city scene. And they have been reeeeeeely effective. Still it makes it difficult to force the unexpected moment to happen, no?

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Andreas   (2008-09-22)

Oh no, Ted, you got that wrong. I did use a tripod in Florence, but here in Vienna I don't use it at all. Would be rather stupid to carry it around to/from work. No, almost all of my work is shot handheld. The last images that I shot from the tripod were for my SoFoBoMo book, that was in May, and there I had to use it for my multi-seconds exposures.

No, it's not the tripod. It's the fact that I like to study my subjects for some seconds, try some shots, in other words, rely on them being immobile. As I said, photographing people is a different thing. You are much more dependent on luck.

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Ted   (2008-09-24)

Luck? Luck? Grph grgle beitre snrlke spdhskmn!!! #$%^%@! I Will take your procrastinating course slowing indecision as... as... Yeah.. Yeah.... Fortunately you are eventually able to figure out when to ... to... take a picture. and ... and grsh mntl shkly speeder sprndr squnt!!!! Sputter sputter sputter...

(slap!) Um, thanks, I needed that.

Seriously, I do see the advantage of care in determining POV, and pre processing precision. However, I tend to enter the field like a well prepped hunter ready to seize the unexpected moment. Now I realize the intensive care you also take .. and the small trunk of apparatus you carry in that clever parcel. But I've found that the indecision of too much technical dingies, whatzus, and froglemeirs result in opportunity-missing choice 🙂

Which I suppose does diminish the potential of carpe diem... or as you might put it... um.. luck?

Heh heh heh....


Just kidding... Given the general level of majesty in your images, your system works. But, well, .... luck is too often underestimated - especially when it is replicate-able 🙂

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