A statement on how the world has turned identity into numbers and codes.... You're walking along the street, and you come across a street person... do you care who they are? Do you find out their name? Computers have become an integral part of our life... the whole idea of micro chipping humans is not far from possible, and the homeless person carrying a bar code is just a number, not a name, not a person... and mistreated by society quite often.
I think this photo definitely conveys your message very strongly. She does look cold and homeless, and the bar code is a great idea. Makes her appear to be one of the many who have fallen through the cracks of society and are just statistics.
What was her recompense for holding the sign for you (I can't imagine that was her pristine piece of paper, nor 'her' statement)? The standard $1 and sign the release? The look on her face makes it look like she's doing something she doesn't particularly want to do, but 'has' to. Did you also give her the beer for dramatic effect?
I have to be honest here, I'm all for making social statements via artwork, however doing so at the expense of one who's on the short end of the stick doesn't do anything for me. I'm not in the least saying that street photography nor images of the homeless inherently imply taking advantage of those who are less fortunate. Had the sign been taped to a piece of cardboard, tattered from the elements, and not been printed in greyscale to save ink (who's ever seen a grey bar code?) I'd be a bit more open to it.
This image says: "Here, hold this for me while I take your picture; I'll give you a buck..." I feel bad for her, but not for being homeless, and I don't think that was your message...
Maybe I've read into this too much, but it's just my impression of the image, and sorry if I've offended you in any way.
Not really a 'technique' though.... just removal of colour, and only fixing contrast and brightness. There were no real photoshop effects, brushes or anything else applied.
Jeff Warner wrote:
What was her recompense for holding the sign for you (I can't imagine that was her pristine piece of paper, nor 'her' statement)? The standard $1 and sign the release? The look on her face makes it look like she's doing something she doesn't particularly want to do, but 'has' to. Did you also give her the beer for dramatic effect?
I have to be honest here, I'm all for making social statements via artwork, however doing so at the expense of one who's on the short end of the stick doesn't do anything for me. I'm not in the least saying that street photography nor images of the homeless inherently imply taking advantage of those who are less fortunate. Had the sign been taped to a piece of cardboard, tattered from the elements, and not been printed in greyscale to save ink (who's ever seen a grey bar code?) I'd be a bit more open to it.
This image says: "Here, hold this for me while I take your picture; I'll give you a buck..." I feel bad for her, but not for being homeless, and I don't think that was your message...
Maybe I've read into this too much, but it's just my impression of the image, and sorry if I've offended you in any way....Show more →
No offence, everyone is entitled to their opinion.... incidently, the girl is not homeless, but rather a good friend of mine, and she was acting like that.. and I captured that look on her face.. and we laughed about it. We really enjoyed capturing this image, and both her and I like it. Due to time restraints, I photocopied and enlarged a bar code from a product - I think it was from a printer cartridge.
I have to say this seems a little off the topic to me. Even if, the beer ruins it for me. I don't like when street people bum money off me, then use it to buy alcoholic beverages.
Interesting work. Jeff's comment is a little tough. But so is the photo. What is the purpose of photography? That's one thing. What is the purpose of social commentary? That's another. What is the purpose of art? All together a whole 'nother thing again. Guess we have to wonder which this is.
Maybe the answer to all the above is what is it that makes us think? Is it those things? Or is it a catalyst (in the form of an image), regardless of how it was conceived) that allows us to grow. The most powerful images touch tender parts in our hearts, minds and souls. Anger, fear, guilt, all are colors on this "gray-scale" emotional palette. Interesting piece. Troublesomesome, but thought-provokingly interesting.
/\rt
I think the photo is successful if for no other reason it caused discussion on this forum. It raised emotion, good or bad, that to me is what photography is about.
The fact that this was indeed a staged photograph (as Rick Zimm suggested) simply makes my post moot. My thoughts may have been "a little tough", but that's what the image said to me. I think the statement that was trying to be made got lost in the apparent situational capture of the image. I'm not sure knowing that the image was staged helps or hinders. But then again:
