Created November 2023 for the Macfilos web site
www.macfilos.com/2023/11/27/conservations/
More about my twin philosophies describing my approach to Street Photography.
Created November 2023 for the Macfilos web site www.macfilos.com/2023/11/27/conservations/
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There are many ways to approach photography, one that is popular for obvious reasons is having a systematic project-based methodology. Then there is coincidence and its close cousin, chance. After a career full to the brim with planning, deadlines, repetition and the like, I now prefer the haphazard and let what Carl Jung described as 'synchronicity' play its part. An Austrian colleague called me ‘the coincidence man’ because of the most unlikely chance encounters that happened when we were working both in London and Vienna. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with projects and plans it’s just that for the moment I’m giving them bit of a swerve. Coincidences of the photographic kind seem to fall into place more often than one would suppose, perhaps I could describe one that is pretty recent? After one of my recent Zoom talks, a member of the audience described her reaction to some of the imagery as follows: “I particularly like your approach to women (it’s possible I could phrase that a little better!). I mean, they’re the antithesis of the old “male gaze” stuff; they’re always strong, self-confident women, and that is so good to see.” A couple of weeks later, I came across a web site featuring the work of the wonderful, London-based photographer, Agenda Brown. One of Agenda’s projects is ‘The New Chieftains’ https://thenewchieftains.com. So far there are four chapters, all are interesting but what really drew my attention is the one about Nordic Females. He writes: “Determined, focused and tenacious, the Nordic Female is a powerful being, but without the aggression or competitiveness normally associated with such qualities”. That seems to chime with (a) my correspondent’s view on the depiction of women described above, (b) Agenda's description of Nordic women and (c) the book ‘An Equal Difference’ published by another of my favourite photographers, Gabrielle Motola which describes gender equality and the prominent role of women in Iceland. You may consider the link between these separate statements is pretty tenuous and I’d agree except that for me, the links fell into place last week when I met someone who drew the various threads together. Her name is Alma, she’s from Reykjavik. Taken at the sadly missed Nomadic Community Gardens - Brick Lane Recently, I received an inspirational newsletter from Zoe Wishaw, a mentor to professional photographers who has compiled a list of meaningful tasks for us to do during lockdown. One thought struck a chord, it relates to what we reveal about our photography, the narrative that we hope will interest visitors to our web sites. Here it is; “Is your ‘About’ text really saying something about WHY you do what you do, not just WHAT you do?” I believe that I’ve understood my own ‘why’ for a while and I'd like to share what motivates my approach and perhaps what may encourage you to visit and photograph people and locations where significant events in your family’s history have taken place. A number of things can happen. (A) Unforeseen and unexpected photo opportunities may arise – in other words, serendipity – trust your luck. (B) A sense of connection and an understanding of place may stir and enhance your creativity, I’d be surprised if it didn’t. (C) Knowing from whom and whence you have come may be combined with understanding your place on the roadmap of photography when drawing on the legacy of the great masters who have inspired and informed. Fuse the two and when normality returns you can have something really powerful. For what it’s worth, here is my WHY. Islington, where I grew up does not qualify as part of the East End of London, yet in my formative years, I felt an affinity with the area that persists today. In my teens, the purchase of my first electric razor (second-hand) was from a stall on Club Row Market, I remember the occasion well. My bike was propped up against a wall when a man picked it up, bounced it to see if the tyres were OK and started to wheel it away. He didn’t get far and with a nod, acknowledged his transgression and disappeared. A gentle, aspiring tea-leaf. It took too long to renew my acquaintance with the area, that happened when I started looking into my family background. I discovered a great, great grandfather, born in Yorkshire about 1827 who enlisted in the Grenadier Guards at the age of nineteen. George Duncan served for 21 years in the Grenadiers, a period that included a spell in what was then British North America. An incident at sea, the so-called ‘Trent Affair’ brought Britain and the United States to the brink of war. Ten thousand troops were quickly mobilised to defend the colony coveted by Yankees who had hopes of northern expansion after the end of the Civil War. Cool heads prevailed, peace broke out. In places like Montreal, British troops and especially the officers, enjoyed a period of leisure, exploration, rifle shooting competitions and holding soirees and balls. George left the army as a Colour Sergeant with a good record and at over six feet tall with a military bearing, found employment as a rent supervisor at Columbia Buildings in Bethnal Green for the then famous philanthropist, Baroness Angela Burdett-Coutts. Having survived the rigours of army life, George succumbed to pneumonia in the gate house of The Buildings at the tender age of forty-four in 1870. Proximity to the notorious nearby slum, The Old Nicol with its miserably low life expectancy rates may have been a factor. Good woman that she was, Angela Coutts supported the family and later, many of his children returned to the East End on the passing of his wife had moved to Shepherds Bush after George’s death. My next connection is courtesy of my grandparents who arrived separately from Ukraine in the early 1900’s. A furrier with ‘differences’ with the Czar, my grandfather married my grandmother in Whitechapel in 1911, my father was born two years later. They settled in the area just south of Aldgate East station where their house was subsequently destroyed by a WWII bomb. Fortunately, the family was not at home. I trust my earlier rationale makes sense and hopefully it conveys my relationship with a very special place coming together with a real sense of belonging. I hope the work on this site conveys that association. Much writing about photography is prescriptive and for gear-heads. Buy this camera, acquire this lens, do this and your photography will improve in leaps and bounds. I’ve tried not to follow that path here, These are only suggestions, just describing what works for me. What's your's? Stay safe David A couple of years ago, I had a brief conversation with a fellow photographer, I can't remember how it started, no matter. My friend stated with a great deal of conviction that he never took portraits. My internal reaction at the time was ‘so what’, each to his/her own but it did seem odd to exclude the opportunity of taking photographs of an inexhaustible supply of subjects. These days, I too have narrowed my repertoire, just like my friend. Asked if I take portraits, I would probably also say no, but I believe that there’s a difference. I photograph people, the portrait is the outcome. Mostly, I approach complete strangers and ask if they would spare a few moments and allow me to take their photograph. Sometimes I get a passable image, almost invariably I experience a connection that is valuable, interesting and insightful. People from all over the world have subjected themselves to my camera with occupations that range from none to tattoo artists to shop assistants, influencers and buskers.
Sometimes I meet a person more than once, now that is a true bonus. Like the tall young man outside the Old Truman Brewery draped in blanket pins and ear-chains, wearing a head scarf and pink makeup. The next encounter was a few weeks later just a short distance from the first when I asked if I could photograph the character in huge black boots, red glasses, leather jacket and a slip. Recognition didn’t happen. On the third occasion, in a shop on Brick Lane, the penny dropped and now I had a name - Samy Chabani. Since then our paths have crossed many times and now I have a much fuller understanding of my subject who grew up in western France and came to the East End of London to start a new life. Samy is very photogenic and has an innate talent for striking an interesting pose. It seemed a given that I should enter my photo in the ‘Portrait of Humanity’ competition organised by the British Journal of Photography. Mid-February, I got the good news that my photo had reached the cut of 200 images to be included in a book. Seven weeks ago, more good news, my photograph of Samy had reached the top 50 images and would feature in exhibitions in USA, Australia, Croatia and Nigeria. The launch party for ‘Portrait of Humanity’ was held last week and it was exciting to learn my image and the other forty nine were chosen from about 28,000 submissions from 108 countries. Samy came along to the launch and it was a wonderful opportunity to meet some of the other successful photographers. The Guardian newspaper liked the portrait too, choosing it as one of their favourites third one down Now, I’m not about to try and persuade my pal or anyone else to take up photographing strangers, but if you’re reading this, it’s very rewarding. Bye for now David Have you noticed? Photographers who write are sometimes a pretty prolific bunch and negotiating through much of contemporary work about photography is about picking one’s way through the over-use of other photographers’ quotes. There’s one book on my shelf where the first quote arrives on the front inside cover flap, another is full of quotations annotated with some pretty good photographs. One reference is to another writer of things photographic whose own book - you’ve got it - is stuffed to the gunnels with yet more quotes. If I remember correctly, Susan Sonntag’s book ’On Photography’ devotes a whole chapter to quotations. Perhaps it’s a case of ‘if you haven’t got anything original to say’, quote someone who does. And yet, - occasionally, you come across a quote that really resonates. It’s a case of yes! That’s what I think, but expressed so much better than I ever could. One such quote for me is from Alex Webb, renowned Magnum photographer. Here it is:
“Street Photography is 99.9% about failure”. Webb goes on to state that you have to keep plugging away and that somehow at the end of the day, when you are tired and hungry, something magical often presents itself. It is as if you have to go through the failure and frustration in order to get to the good stuff. I know what he means. Recently, my wife and I spent three days in Bristol and I had the chance to tramp the streets for the whole period and just concentrate on what I love - ‘street photography’. Somehow, I managed to achieve not only Webb’s 99.9% failure rate but succeeded in notching up the extra 0.1%. A couple of weeks later, in one day I bumped into Road Runner Top the subject of my last blog, a party of lads dressed as fairies on a bender, an artist who suggested that I visit his studio to look at his etchings (I didn’t) and Enric, a Catalan vegan hairdresser who kindly fitted coloured extensions in his hair so that I could photograph him. Plus, there was the young lady who was dressed up for a Halloween party and an Israeli tourist who was wearing multiple pairs of glasses and had goggles on her forehead. But, the highlight of my day was undoubtedly coming across a video photo-shoot featuring the sensational Gizelle Smith. On a piece of wasteland just off Brick Lane, this slight young woman had me entranced with the magical words of her song and the virtuosity of her performance. It is called ‘Sweet Memories’ and you can watch her here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkG0lBKUZB8 Sweet Memories indeed. Alex Webb is right, you can quote me on that. David It’s not very often that you see street entertainers on Brick Lane but a week or so ago, I met Derek, aka Roadrunner Top. Under the railway arch, he was performing with an amp and giving a wonderful rendition of his poetry. He beckoned me over and we had a long and very interesting chat. He had just been performing one of his works, ‘Kisses on the Sea Shore”, great stuff. Derek hires himself out for parties and events and has just uploaded a few examples of his work on YouTube under the pseudonym ROADRUNNER TOP. Here are the words to ‘Kisses on the Sea Shore’ but for best results, click on the link below. Better still, sing along – get the wife and kids together and belt it out. I guarantee that that the infectious rhythm and enthusiasm will brighten your day. She got your number but she won't give you a call. What is wrong? She got you hanging on 'til you sing a song. Treat her like a Baroness because if she's worth her weight, then she's worth her weight in gold. Are you sure she's free, she might be waiting for Lee. I don't care, Lee can't do nothing to me. He has not got the heart of gold, he sold it for two p. I have still got my heart. "Wow, you look smart in your shirt and the thanks. Do you fancy a coffee? Sure, why not? There's a nice coffee shop in Mayfair, who's paying the fare and for the coffee too? You see, it's not all about me, it's about us, me and you together. Do you fancy going for a 'Roller Coaster'? No, I fancy you tho'. Why? Because you got a good head on your shoulder. Who told ya? No one, I told myself that. I want to go to the library. Why? I want to use my imagination not go home and play PlayStation. You see, you are so captivating and so desirable Darling, you are my rose bud. What could possibly be more prestigious? If we have to, we are blessed. The bond of perfection. ‘Kisses on the Sea Shore” by Roadrunner Top https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5mxxqBtp6w Back Soon David Imagine, working in a building that survived the Great Fire of London in 1666. That is what I did for nearly five years after leaving school. On the ground floor was a restaurant called ‘The Wig and Pen Club’ which was frequented by lawyers, the building is opposite the Law Courts and journalists who worked in nearby Fleet Street. The stair cases were one-person wide and to be frank, it was a pretty miserable and dingy place to work. So, what has this got to do with photography? Well, if truth be told, not much but there is a connection. Much of my photography happens in and around Brick Lane, an ancient thoroughfare with more than its fair share of history. After the Great Fire destroyed many of the wooden houses in the City of London, the demand for bricks increased substantially and where better to meet that demand than the nearby clay fields around our now appropriately named street? In the past, photographers were drawn to the area by the character of the surroundings and that of the people. Horace Warner a Quaker, portrayed the lives of children who spent a great deal of their time on the streets and around the alleys that abounded around Brick Lane more than 100 years ago. Since Warner’s time there has been a constant procession of photographers, the likes of Marketa Luscakova, John Claridge, Steven Berkoff, Colin O’Brien, Phil Maxwell and many, many more. Renowned for its scope for colourful imagery, Brick Lane is still a magnet for photographers, I often see them. Groups of young students who have been wound up by their tutors to capture the magic and easy-to -spot, white, middle-aged photographers, cameras slung around their neck, looking for that decisive moment. It isn’t easy, gentrification has already taken its toll and the pace is quickening with the arrival of big brand names such as Subway and the large coffee bar chains. New characters attracted by the buzz that still exists, are more transient than in the past and one has to work harder to find them. The answer it appears to me is to get under the skin of the place, talk to people, go back and say hello. If your paths cross, don’t take a picture, have a conversation, the next time around maybe the best opportunity. I don't know if I will meet the young man pictured here again, he is a tattoo artist so it’s possible. It was a pleasure meeting him and his lovely girlfriend – On Brick Lane. Back soon David Odd title for a post? Agreed but I haven't posted for yonks so am probably very rusty. This week will see the number of unique visitors to the web site in the last year pass 5,000. As I write this, the site has been visited by 4,988 people. So, I have promised myself to be more proactive in the coming months with perhaps a re-design.
The young man here is called Khalid and although he doesn't know it yet, he is connected to my new project for 2017. I met Khalid with a group of mates, they were chilling out on some old sofas, passing the time and what looked like a bottle of v**ka. Relaxed doesn't begin to describe it. Anyhow, I was invited to partake and why not? Looking at some of my photos of these very friendly guys from last year, gave me an idea for that project. The plan is to go back on a regular basis and just see how it develops. One of the outcomes could be a small exhibition (with a difference) to tie in with East London Photo Month later this year. It's been an exciting nine months. First, the selection of one of my images for a poster campaign by Tower Hamlets to promote their programme for Black History Month and swiftly followed by the same image chosen for the Taylor Wessing Portrait Prize 2016. It's now hanging in the National Portrait Gallery and later this month, the whole exhibition moves north to Sunderland and then back south to Canterbury. The best part has been hearing from complete strangers saying how much they have enjoyed the photograph. Doesn't get much better than that. Back Soon David In his wonderful book ‘On Street Photography and the Poetic Image’, Alex Webb recounts that he was on a subway with the renowned photographer Josef Koudelka. “I had not seen him for some years, sitting with my legs crossed. Suddenly Josef reached over and grabbed my shoe, turning it so that could inspect the sole. In his own, direct Czech way, he wanted to see if I had been walking enough- and hence photographing enough.”
We can learn about technique, camera function, composition, lighting, etc. However, none of this is of much value unless we wear use up some shoe leather and press the shutter. Sometimes, one gets lucky and can come across characters like ‘Dillan – the Singer Man’, I wrote about in my last post. Then one can get luckier still - through a set of circumstances arising from good fortune and initiative. October brings an annual, national event, ‘Black History Month’ which celebrates African, Caribbean and Black Arts, Culture and History. The London Borough of Tower Hamlets decided to use my photo of Dillan for the cover of their BHM brochure and for a big poster campaign in 40 prime locations throughout the borough. At 4ft wide and 6ft tall, the posters are unmissable. To say that I am thrilled that one of my images was used and will receive such coverage is an understatement. I suppose that it comes down to a quote often attributed to Gary Player, “it’s funny, the more I practice, the luckier I get”. East Enders often say goodbye with, “be lucky”. I think that sums it up nicely. Back soon David Meet Dillan – The Singer Man
The first time that our paths crossed, our conversation was broad and fascinating. We talked about this and that including immigration. Dillan told me that he embarked on a Kunte Kinte (Alex Haley – Roots) project to try to discover his heritage in the Caribbean and Africa. His quest was unsuccessful, in both places he had been dismissed as being ‘English’ and I guess that means unauthentic. Well, Dillan has a very good voice and the pair of us somehow embarked an impromptu duet of ‘My Way’ outside Beigel Bake on Brick Lane. None of the passers-by thought it was odd, that’s Brick Lane for you, The second time our paths crossed, I didn’t recognise the colourful character coming towards me looking very unhappy, Dillan however, recognised me straight away “you’re the photographer”. We talked about why he looked so miserable and together, we found a solution to his problem. Transformation was immediate and Dillan did what Dillan does - that’s breaking into song. This time, it was a wonderful rendering of Bob Marley’s ‘every things gonna be alright’ – my own personal cabaret by the Old Truman Brewery. Well, Dillan is a charismatic character and has a great voice, I turned down the chance to be his agent – what a bad decision! You can hear the original version at www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaGUr6wzyT8 Back soon David |
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April 2022
AuthorDavid Cantor, Street Photographer. Categories |