Another Guest Challenge Awaits
Reverence
So, the last time Paula Borkovic allowed me to post a guest challenge on Lost in Translation I covered how to tell a story through full colour photography by connecting emotively with your subject matter. It was a fun exercise, and I really enjoyed seeing everyone’s effort and feedback to each other. Sometimes, that’s very important. Paula has me back again, and this time I’ve explained a few steps that we can take in our aims to express ideas illustratively.
The drive is to tell a story through one or more black and white pictures by staying emotionally connected but also by utilizing illustrative techniques. This is to help pull the artist out of each of us. It doesn’t matter if you’re engaging in sports photography, wildlife photography, fine art nudes or a real tuffy like still life. It doesn’t mater if the subject matter is something that appeals to you or irritates you. There’s a story to be told.
Are you up for this self-challenge? Jump to Lost in Translation, take a look at this approach, take your time, take your best shot and have fun with this. Take on the challenge, and leave links to your pictures there or here.
Thank you again Paula for this opportunity.
I love how you expressed the theme through a street photography essay. Everyone recognizes that you are pushing yourself, and succeeding!
Loaded Web
Modes of Flight Blog 
You did a great favour to me and our readers, Allan. I should give thanks to you for both occasions you challenged us.
This must be the entrance to a church or a convent? Madonna sheltering a child that is reading? I guess it is the Madonna? The human figure looks like a teenage boy with something in his right hand? There is peace in the sculpture, but movement in his pose that can be reverence, despair.. I am not sure what he is feeling, but he is reaching out. Thank you for showing with your example again, Allan.
I’m actually afraid to describe the scene as I hope most will recognize the true story or conceive an imaginary one all on their own.
The statue is in front of St. Ann’s RC Church in Hamilton, ON. I shot the statue of Mary and young Jesus another time to create the image at the following link:
https://hammerhomestreetphotography.wordpress.com/2015/06/11/unborrowed-symbol/
The figure before the statue with his arms outstretched is a man who appeared to be in his middle ages. Pretty rough-looking, he may have been homeless — I’m not actually sure, but as he was walking past the church on Barton Street East he suddenly stopped, took off his backpack, took up that position, raised his hands so dramatically and spent some time there paying penance before moving on.
I had to shoot this. It was an incredible thing to see. It’s a tough, cynical town in a tough cynical world and I just don’t see this sort of thing every day. I didn’t expect it at all.
I had to work feverishly fast to pull out my camera and select the lens and manual settings I did to capture this moment. I rapid fired a number of frames but this is the composition I liked the best.
Impressive that you managed to do all that in such a short time. What was he holding in his right hand?
Good eye for detail!
His hat. He took it off out of respect.
You have a gift, Allan. This is wonderful.
Thank you so much, Jessica.
As one group exhibition is about to close in July, I have just been approved to enter another in August. With your family background in the visual arts, I wish that you and your daughter could make it.
I could not zoom on it, so I mistook it for a rope ;). I thought he was a teenager cause of his clothes, but now I can see that his hair is not just messy but thin on the forehead.
It is a funny picture, thanks to the sign that fall between him and Madonna. 🙂
The signage actually did obstruct my view of the figure initially. I had to step to my left a bit in order to shoot him clearly.
Many times the signs very annoying if you want to take a picture, but here it was a fun effect anyway. 🙂
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Thta’s a funny street scene to capture. Great street shot Allan!
Thanks, Cardinal.
Excellent capture. And reading your responses to Paula, very spontaneous. That man certainly has hope within him. Whatever will be, will be. Hope he will find his way.
I hope so too.
nicely spotted 🙂
Thanks, Joshi. It’s interesting how the act of photographing life reflects the fabric of life itself. There’s luck involved. We witness and experience things partly because we just happen to be at a particular place at a particular time.
very good photo..specially in these days when you think about the pain of so many losing their all.
I was quite moved seeing this guy in the act. I fully expect to see this sort of thing inside a church, mosque, synagogue, temple or a tented outdoor prayer mass in a park. I don’t expect to see people walk up to a statue of Jesus on a Canadian street and conduct their own self-stylized worship or repentance.
Where has this man been in his life? What has he experienced that brought him to this place in this specific way? Where will he go next? What will happen to him? To us?
Another great black and white photo. I love how you always play more elements up against each other.
Thank you so much, Otto.
I keep coming back to this photography Allan! I love the moment you captured here.
very much appreciated, Lisa.
So much strong emotion on this shot … be it faith, the fact that he’s not afraid of judgment from people around him, or the hiding feelings he’s keeping inside that made him get in from of there. Excellent, excellent shot! You fellas really impresses me.
Thank you, Rommel. It was really something to watch unfold.
Superb shot here Allan, one in a million. Well done
Thank you very much.
What a wonderful capture… It speaks out loud… Sending best wishes. Aquileana 🐉☀️
Thank you, Aquileana.
I’m very much enjoying your coverage of the classical Greek myths on your blog.