I was invited to the Jubilee Celerbrations at St Marys Community Centre in Leyland.
All images shot with the Fuji Film X100F using Classic Chrome
documentary
Perfect Strangers.
It's a strange time for the creative, especially the street photographer who thrives off the busy streets. The lunchtime rush is no longer there, and the race to get home has all but disappeared.
We have a city in slow motion, and it can be difficult to find that creative thread.
For me, photo books are a great source of inspiration, and my latest addition is.
Melissa O'Shaughnessy – Perfect Strangers.
This book has been like a breath of fresh air, especially in these uncertain times.
Melissa is our modern-day Helen Levitt, as both are beautiful humanists. I know that is high praise, but I would like to think if Levitt were alive today, she would be taking these kinds of images.
The framing of the subjects on a moving street is a testament to the hard work and dedication needed to produce good quality work on the street. And I, for one, admire that dedication.
Look closely enough, and you start to feel the sensation of the hustle and bustle of the city street.
We are there in the crowds, being pushed along and seeing what she is seeing. We witness kindness and, at times, tenderness, but there is also this movement that only adds to the narrative.
With each turn of the page, you can feel the rhythm of New York.
I have never had the privilege of watching Melissa work the street. I imagine she is so stealth-like that the subject only sees her for a fleeting second, and then she is gone looking for the next stranger.
Joel Meyerowitz wrote that this book would become a historical document in 20 -30 years. These images show us what the world looked like before Covid.
If you are looking for inspiration, I suggest adding this to your collection.
Thank you, Melissa, for giving us your Perfect Strangers.
Keep the Faith.
KV
Shooting the Bride and Groom.
One of our friends asked me if I could photograph their wedding, and they got a swift thanks but no thanks. When I was focused on my street work, and to be honest, I thought wedding photography was beneath me. Talk about being narrow-minded.
It was a decision that I soon regretted, and I would like to say sorry to my friends for that swift and final no. The wedding went ahead. We all had a great time but looking back, that was probably the push my photography needed. But hey, we live and learn.
Since turning down my friend’s offer, I have gone on to photograph numerous weddings either independently or as a 2nd photographer. So why the change of heart? It became noticeably clear that if I were to progress, I needed to challenge myself and see what I could do.
Once I broke through my own ignorance barriers, I started to open my mind to other photography work offers. All have had there own learning curves, and I have gained some valuable experience on the way.
There is something about the energy of the wedding day that gives me this buzz of excitement. Everything from the bridal prep to the first dance is pure energy, and we all get swept along on this wave of emotion, and I am there in the middle of it, trying my best to stay sharp and keep focused.
My coping mechanism for all this nervous energy is to stay tuned in to my environment, practice some mindfulness, and treat the day as one long street photography walk.
Like I have said before in my previous blogs, why be something I am not when its easier to be me.
In October, I will be shooting the wedding of Abbie and Matt. They are a wonderful couple, and I have known Matt for many years and regard him as a good friend. It will be an absolute pleasure to photograph their wedding, especially after everything that has gone on this year.
The wedding photography industry is a tough nut to crack, and there are thousands of photographers out there all chasing the same clients, breaking into the industry takes time and balls of steel.
Is Wedding Photography something I want to pursue as a full-time business? Maybe in the future, but I am simply happy being the street photographer who enjoys shooting the bride and groom.
Keep the Faith
KV
Under the Influence #3
Kevin Cummins.
Kevin Cummins has documented British music culture for the last 40 years. From the Punk scene in the ’70s to the Madchester era of the late ’80s to the Cool Britannia days of the mid-1990s and everything in between.
As NME’s chief photographer for much of the ’80s and ’90s, he provided us with some of the most iconic images of that time, and I was an avid reader of the NME in them halcyon days.
The images of Shaun Ryder hanging off the E on the Hotel sign and the paint-splattered Stone Roses, which both graced the cover, are now defining moments from that era. And let us not forget his work with Joy Division that will seal their legacy forever.
Kevin Cummins's contribution to British culture's historical documentation is something that we will probably never see again. That is why is he regarded as an icon of documentary photography.
For further reading and prints, go to his website - http://www.kevincummins.co.uk/
Recommended Book – Looking for the light through the pouring rain.
Cummins has raised the status of his work to the level of art. - John Peel
Keep the Faith
KV