It is a blustery day, the wind whips at me, lashes out at me, pushes me as if to say ‘get out, you don’t belong here.’ The clouds hover ominously over the ocean. Gray and forbidding. Just like the people. Gray and forbidding. I want to leave, to turn back and run away and return on a different day. But instead I remain where I am. I take out my camera and begin to shoot.
It feels awkward at first; people don’t want an amateur photographer following them, taking their picture, invading their privacy. Or so I think. But I am wrong. Some smile their acquiescence, others shrug indifference. Many are willing to pose. And what of the rest? Well, they’ll never know. And so I begin to freeze individual moments in time.
A veteran’s vision The old man sits alone on the bench, seemingly lost in thought. I approach hesitantly; it doesn’t seem right to invade his privacy. The man is lonely, he wants to converse. He tells me that he is a 94 year old veteran who is now blind and partially deaf. He says that I may take any photo of him that I wish, and asks how he should pose. When I am finished he asks disappointed, “That’s it? No more pictures?” I assure him we’ll make a model of him yet.
The Walker’s Club I passed this elderly group of women on the boardwalk and snuck a shot of them. I couldn’t help but wonder what brought these women together? Was it merely their infirmity? Or perhaps they were lifelong friends who had grown old together? I was reminded of an old Jewish saying by the celebrated Rabbi Akiva: “Don’t walk in front of me I may not follow, don’t want behind me, I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend.”
Army of One This woman walked right past me, but the look on her face made me stop. It was a look of determination. Her lips were pulled tightly together, her eyes set firmly ahead. Her very existence seemed to be a struggle. She appeared to be fighting the world. Her walk held in it a certain resolve as though she was saying, I made it this far, and I’ll continue going.
Uninvited Guest- I snuck my head in an open restaurant doorway, and quickly took a picture of diners in the midst of their meal. How thrilling it was- to just steal a moment.
The Present of the Past- There is something very nostalgic about this image. The boardwalk which spans from Brighton Beach to Coney Island is a relic of the past. In sepia, the image seems to be lifted out of a history book. It’s almost as though nothing has changed from a century ago.
Rachel, I really like your writing.
Your post was very organized as shown by the way you explained each picture. You pictures that are also very good my favorite is the one done of the boardwalk in sepia.
Rachel,
I really liked you images.
All the images are good however my favorite one is the one of the boardwalk done is sepia. This was very effective, it makes the image evocative of a bygone era.
Your captions really captured a deeper sense of the people and place you documented.
Great writing all around, including field notes.
The picture of the boardwalk done in sepia was a great idea. I think you could continue to use that for your final presentation for taking photos of historical areas.
The picture of the veteran was fantastic as well. I think if you meet someone again with similar worn features, you should try to get a closer shot. This could allow viewers to canvas both his/her worn face and possible life story.
I know I am going to repeat many others, but I have to say that I loved your writing. It definitely brought me there with you.
And I have to say that my favorite image is probably “the army of one”, specifically with that title. I feel like I know exactly what you were thinking, those ladies have attracted my attention time and again and I am glad that you put them in your project.
I also love the “walker’s club”. It is a picture that you often see on Brighton, so it was interesting to see your personal point of view on it.
Hey Rachel,
The picture i like the most is the one that doesn’t have any people! The perspective from which you shoot that boardwalk really manages to suggest an entire life style. My favorite.
I have discovered some points through your website post. One other point I would like to state is that there are plenty of games available and which are designed mainly for toddler age little ones. They include things like pattern identification, colors, family pets, and patterns. These often focus on familiarization as opposed to memorization. This keeps children occupied without experiencing like they are learning jskfsgi.