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09-08-2015, 07:56 PM   #16
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Location: So California
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Not too many have a real story. The one I will bore you with is...

Part 1)
I was on a travel vacation and I was staying over in in Las Vegas October 2012, mostly to see Elton John at the Coliseum at Caesars Palace. I'm a long-time fan, and once saw him, from the back of the grass section, at Dodger stadium.

So, I spent $500 for a 5th row seat sort of middle right. The ticket website said, not surprisingly, absolutely no photography. So I was stuck in traffic on the Strip, where it takes 3 rotations to get through a traffic signal. I thought I would go in the "side entrance", of which there is none. Had to go up and back down the freeway to get back in line. Miraculously got a parking spot right up front next to the door. Purposely left my cell phone et al in the car and hurried through the building. The usher guided a couple of us (separately) to our seats and said..."photography is fine, just no flash or video". I could have strangled someone.

I probably could have made it back to my car, gotten the cellphone (an old 3GS) and made it back in time, but I did not want to risk it. To make it worse, as I was looking over the other way at the 2 cellos or something during a lull near the end, everyone in the expensive section (except old slow SpecialK) whooshed onto the stage and surrounded the piano. I sort of thought, "gee, what's going on?" - but it was too late. I eventually walked to the left front and watched from about 10 feet way - at least I could see his hands from this vantage spot. It was Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting. After that everyone got back to their seats, and Circle Of Life was the finale.

Part 2)
Did a southern Arizona vacation in 2014, which culminated in another another $500 EJ concert at the Coliseum. This time I was 3rd row left side, essentially 20 feet from the piano. I had visions that the stage would be laid out differently, but all was well. I was prepared with my Canon P&S and 4 batteries (it eats them). I even was ready to storm the stage.

So, it worked out - the second time.

Here is one from my seat. The security guy's bald head is up front.


Here is an on-stage shot.


Technically video was not allowed, so while while I was in fact doing that for the rest of the song, at first I was a bit nervous. When no one yanked me off stage, I relaxed

I have a compressed video (and it starts a bit late as I fumbled with the camera) of Saturday Night, here. He gets going pretty good.

8 Elton John by SpecialK

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Thanks for reading :-)


Last edited by SpecialK; 09-08-2015 at 09:40 PM.
09-08-2015, 09:16 PM   #17
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Location: Salisbury, NC
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For a recent gallery exhibit of photos by students in a photo workshop I co-taught, I included four of mine. I decided for the first time to include a "story" for each. Artists are familiar with the idea of providing an audience with a narrative to help the audience confront or interpret the art. While in the past, I would have shied from this task, this time I forced myself to do it. Not only was I pleased with how they came out, so was the gallery audience. Three of the four photos now hang in my favorite coffee shop in town along with their "stories", and people tell me how much they enjoy the stories. I submitted two of them to a local juried art show, and one of them won first place. The judge of the photography explicitly said that he was looking for photos that told a story.

Here are the four "stories". Maybe they'll encourage you....
------------------------------------------------

Joining the Crowd (2015) 6”x10” $115.00 Seth Holtzman Photography
At sunset a growing line of Laughing Gulls forms on a restaurant roof in Southport, NC. One more gull is ready to land at the next spot on the line. Each bird faces the same direction, preening and settling in; yet, each bird is acting differently. There are other contrasts: the warm light on the birds versus the cool blue light of sky and roof; the living line of gulls versus the mechanical line of roof and shingles; the birds now stationary versus the bird now in motion; and the stark contrast of plumage, with deep black, bright white, and middle gray.

Technical data: Pentax K-5iis, Pentax FA* 28-70mm f2.8 lens, at 70mm, f8, 1/60, ISO 400

-----------------------------------------------

Far from the Center (2015) 20”x16” $145.00 Seth Holtzman Photography
From a dark spot on Caswell Beach, NC, the Milky Way was visible. Seeing our relative location in the galaxy is both exhilarating and humbling. Along with bright stars and bright clouds of dust and gas, note the extensive dark dust clouds that block some galactic light. A 15 second exposure captured an image of the center of the galaxy near the constellations of Sagittarius and Scorpio. Here photography shows us something we cannot see with our eyes: the galaxy looks this bright only when a long exposure multiplies the amount of the light available to our eyes.

Technical data: Pentax K-5iis, Pentax FA 20mm f2.8 lens, at f2.8, for 15 seconds, ISO 800

-----------------------------------------------

Saving Grace (2015) 12”x12” $205.00 Seth Holtzman Photography
This stall keeper at a Parisian street market was comforting an injured pigeon until he could find someone to bring it to a vet. I was touched by his loving relationship with it. He showed it to us, noting that it had more beautiful markings than the usual city pigeon. The lighting was dim, with odd color casts from the top and sides of the stall, but a flash would have scared the pigeon and ruined the mood. The title “Saving Grace” plays on the ambiguity of the phrase. Who or what is being “saved”, and in which sense of “saved”? How is grace manifest in this scene?

Technical data: Pentax K-5iis, Pentax FA* 28-70mm f2.8 lens, at 28mm, f8, 1/80, ISO 400

------------------------------------------------

Brief Encounter (2015) 8”x10” $155.00 Seth Holtzman Photography
In an open area beside Rue Mouffetard in Paris, musicians performed while a large group of people listened, drank, and watched. Some danced, and these two seemed both comfortable and awkward with each other. Their colored clothes together formed a patriotic French badge, and they appeared almost spot lit among the crowd. They danced together briefly and then separated, but while together there was something compelling about them.

Technical data: Pentax K-5iis, Sigma EX APO 70-200mm f2.8 lens, at 103mm, f5.6, 1/200, ISO 160
09-09-2015, 02:28 AM   #18
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I believe that a good photo is worth a thousand words. If someone 'needs' a story to come with it, I failed to convey anything whatsoever. Stories have their place in photojournalism or any sort of reportage/documenting. Other than that - I want a photo to tell me a story silently; to evoke emotions; just like a painting. Sometimes I read the descriptions and they do indeed compliment the visual; but more often than not, they are poorly conveyed and the photo would be better without them.

So to summarize, unless you truly have something to say, don't say it and spoil the effect the photograph will have. We don't all speak the same language, we're not all equally eloquent. Not every photographer is a competent writer. Some may have trouble coming up with just a couple of sentences. That does not make them less attention worthy. They are still capable of delivering stunning images. Images that don't need words.

There are of course those that have a way with both words and images - people that will, in fact, deliver a complete, captivating package; be it because they are capable of creating a story, or there actually is one worthy of telling. I'd go as far as to say we're than entering a different type of 'art'.

Trouble with commentary on photographs is it can change the way one perceives the image. I find that that's not always good. It also, somewhat, takes away from your own interpretation. It's a bit like a teacher in school telling you how you should 'understand' a poem; what the 'correct' analysis of it is. That only works if you are documenting facts/events. If we are talking about photography as an art form, I find it's best left without comments unless you are willing to discuss technique.
09-09-2015, 07:46 AM   #19
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QuoteOriginally posted by Murfy Quote
I saw a bee on a flower, it was pretty, I took a photo. end of story.
Am I missing what they are asking for?
Very funny. I would say it just like that. I imagine some photos have deep meaning and a story behind them and some don't. If they are forcing the issue for the photos that have no story, I guess you have to make one up!

09-09-2015, 11:47 AM   #20
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QuoteOriginally posted by Murfy Quote
A little background: I enter juried art shows, for fun, sometimes I win a little something, but I like doing it even if I don't get accepted.

Recently I have come across a few that have asked for a story behind the photo I have entered. I can see that for photojournalism, or maybe a unique landscape, but for a local show that has a theme? not sure what to say....do you shot with a story in mind? I saw a bee on a flower, it was pretty, I took a photo. end of story.
Am I missing what they are asking for?
A photo with a story line carries some weight and usually conveys the thinking that photographer has in mind when the photo was snapped. I worked with some of folks who are involved in judging and critiquing photos; they require a 'storyline' for the photos submitted before they are accepted. Although it does not mean that you have a write a long story on why you take the photo.
09-09-2015, 12:32 PM   #21
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QuoteOriginally posted by Murfy Quote
I saw a bee on a flower, it was pretty, I took a photo. end of story.
Am I missing what they are asking for?
If all you're submitting is pretty flowers and insects, "I saw this and it looked cool so I took a picture of it" is pretty much the story. But even for photos that are good on their own, it can be interesting to learn the context of the photo, to see what the artist was thinking or what was going on behind the scenes.

Take this:

Little boy with a teddy bear crouched beside a window. End of story?
If you click through and see the images I took before and after, you get more of the story. But you can't do that on the gallery wall. So I might give a lengthy explanation like "this little boy and his dad were playing on the gridiron of the college football hall of fame. They'd made up a sort of game where the boy crouch down beside the window, then run as fast as he could to dad, who would catch him and throw him into the air and catch him, laying him onto the ground, grabbing the teddy bear as he set the child down. Then he'd throw the teddy bear into the air and let the little boy catch it. The little boy then ran to the window and repeated the process again." or a shorter version that left out most of the game, like "little boy was about to sprint to his dad, who would lift him and his teddy bear up into the air"

Or this, from the same day:

Little girl reading in a hula hoop. End of story?
At a First Friday event in downtown South Bend, Indiana, a local group brought several dozen hula hoops to the gridiron of the College Football Hall of Fame, for anyone who came by to play with. Another group was handing out free children books to promote literacy. This little girl wore herself out playing hula hoops with her brother, and her mom brought her a book. She didn't want to give up the hula hoop that she'd had so much fun with, so she sat down in the middle of it to read.

Is the photo better with or without the background? I don't know. I think that's up to the individual viewer.

For me, I think I'd prefer them both without reading the background story... but that's me. I've had people ask me what the background was after seeing both those shots.
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