Wednesday, May 6, 2009

A Robert Frank moment.


Hi Folks,

Many of you that know me understand that I'm a bit old school. I love old Black and white Images .One of my favorite photographers is Robert Frank .You can look at his work over and over and see something different each time. Photographers like Frank did there work with film,old cameras and bad light meters. Alot of their exposures were guesses,I mean experience. They knew their equipment ,their film and the results before it was ever printed.Unlike most photographers today who without a TV on the camera could not function as professionals.
To me Robert Frank's pictures were stories within single images.When you look at a Roberts work you wonder about the subjects and the situations. You can feel the mood ,emotion and his take on life. You wonder what people are thinking and in some cases you relate .
For me photography is telling a story with one image. I have always tried to do that. When ever I was at any event or moment in my life when my camera was in my hand the goal was to come away with that one image,that one perfect image. Sometimes I come close .
When I was editing my work from a recent wedding( Jillian & Jon @ Riverdale in Lancaster PA)I came across this image. I remember when I made it that I was kind of excited but I thought it was too dark . I knew it was a great moment but did I get it. These are the kind of images and situations you can't put your camera on automatic and expect to get results.I mean the lighting is from inside the car light and sparklers. You kind of need to have the experience to pull this off,old school.
Jon was not the most expressive person I ever met. I would descibe him as a proper British gentlemen and a very nice fellow. His beautiful bride Jillian is a typical American girl full of life and lots of fun,they are a great couple and very much in love.
I realize in this photo you can not see the brides face but to me Jon's expression tells you all you need to know about this couple. To me this is as close as I get to a Robert Frank moment .