Covid, Economics, and Your way of 'Seeing'...

helen.HH

helen.HH

A smile & a wink…
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Joined
May 31, 2008
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Don't know about You
This New World Order
Covid, Downturn in Economics, Crazy Political Atmosphere
has. certainly had it's effect on Me

So the question:
How has your Photography changed because of this ?

shooting more, shooting less
shedding gear due to economics or just not using it much
Buying new Gear in hope of Inspiration or using in a new project
One's vision has changed from People to landscape
or
delving into more abstract: Seeing Life more in Shadows , Light, linear horizontal
or >> ?
 
All I can tell for sure, Helen, is that I am taking fewer photos these days. We had Hurricane Sally hit our city, and then we had a double wham COVID19-Sally effect on us.
I think of my family and their future. I contact more often my sister and brother (each living in a different continent), This is Life.
 
Working more, shooting less. Just not as inspired as per usual. Also, less likely to carry expensive gear into certain areas these days as the police have largely stood down. Depressing times really. Hopeful that 2021 brings some better times.
 
At candle light immediately after Sally; we lost power in our home for a few days,


storm-Lux75-home%20%282%20of%2014%29-X3.jpg


Using iPhones with Personal Hotspot to get some WiFi:


storm-Lux75-home%20%281%20of%2014%29-X3.jpg
 
helenhill said:
So the question:
How has your Photography changed because of this ?
Click to expand...

During the mandatory quarantine here in Chile, I photographed in and from the terrace of my apartment. It was really limiting, but eventually I got into it and made a series from it. During this time, my Son was born as well. So, from March through September 2020, this was my photography world (other than really editing down the entirety of my work, making a website, writing about my work for a few different magazines / websites and really looking at my photo book collection).

Now, I've moved to a new neighborhood that is a little better street photography / urban landscape without having to go on trains and buses, which I'm still not doing due to my son. I only go out at night and photograph within walking distance from my apartment. It's been challenging again, but really great. I actually really like it. This is what I'll be pursuing until things get better. I'm still using the same equipment, but I rely on IBIS and fast lenses right now. Also, I've been starting to think more conceptually about projects... I'm not really interested in straight forward street / documentary photography anymore.
 
I too Chris worry about carrying gear...
Crime on the rise, people more tense and I am never sure who is a friend or foe
with our masked faces sometimes hidden with a hat and dark glasses...crazy !
 
I took photos of damages from the hurricane.

Summilux75mm--%20%2819%20of%2027%29-X3.jpg



I also worry about increased crime rates.
 
Raid:
Love the varying degrees of Blues mixed with the strong lighting coming thru with the POP of red makes a simple photo turns Atmospheric and into 'Eye Candy' the wave of colors and of course Your beautiful daughter
Miss M10 ?
 
oh my Goodness John, You have been Blessed !
A new country to Explore, A Wife, Fatherhood, A Son, a new home
Editing one's work, Books, A Website, a new of seeing

Dang, some of it done in crazy, stressful times,You are AMAZING !
 
bullterrier said:
hi there,my images got less people in them now.my wife have home office I don't go with her in the citys but stay at home in the country sides.

you can see the changes here

https://www.rangefinderforum.com/rffgallery/standardgallery.php?puid=77574&showall=1

the black and whites was just before covid and the colour after the covid
Click to expand...

Interesting Covid has brought to You, the world of Color
Your work in color and black and white stays singular in it's vision:
up close, personal be it to people or object and a very tight perspective

so any chance of going wider ?
 
I wish that it wasn't necessary to photograph so many things that we are losing (JC Pennys, a complete local mall, various nice restaurants - both local and big chains, favorite cruise ships, etc). Many locals have lost jobs and, like your great city, ours will be a long time recovering. And. I've become more cautious about carrying my old Leicas where FSUs will do the job.
 
Franko said:
I wish that it wasn't necessary to photograph so many things that we are losing (JC Pennys, a complete local mall, various nice restaurants - both local and big chains, favorite cruise ships, etc). Many locals have lost jobs and, like your great city, ours will be a long time recovering. And. I've become more cautious about carrying my old Leicas where FSUs will do the job.
Click to expand...

Wow Franko,
Great Creative and constructive way of shedding good light on a bad situation
Documenting all those places we indulged in that are or soon to be no more

For the local papers or for national press , A great photo story to read and view
 
helenhill said:
Interesting Covid has brought to You, the world of Color
Your work in color and black and white stays singular in it's vision:
up close, personal be it to people or object and a very tight perspective

so any chance of going wider ?
Click to expand...

thanks Helen,actually I just went the opposite way from wide,hasselblad,leica bla bla bla too longer lens bla bla bla bla..
 
I got new RP and old Nikon SLRs and lenses. Also IIIf and CV CS 21/4P.
Mostly by selling some photo gear I decided to sell.
But I can't get close to people on streets and local events are lot less.
We were switched to work from home around two weeks per month.
Instead of four hours commute I run on bicycle and walk with dog.
I'm taking pictures daily around neighborhood or just by work building.
Was back on train to/from work only once and got something I like to get.
I have film to develop, sitting in tanks for weeks now. No interest. I'd rather tune and fit my SS/FG bicycle.

Politics and mass media bias stinks.
We are getting hammered by mass media about bad Trump. While our crime minister prorogued parliament over his family getting paid hundreds of thousands dollars tax money investigation request. It is mother Russia indeed, they are barking on Ukraine instead of USA. Where is so much work in USA for my industry even now. I was asked to apply to position in my dream to live place Portland, Oregon. But I wasn't qualified enough for it. While it is next to none in Canada.
 
I was just telling my wife the other day that I might be enjoying photography more now than an at any other point in my life. When I was young I was passionate about cameras and photography both. In high school I was a photographer for our newspaper and I contributed to the yearbooks as well. While in college I had a job selling cameras and later worked as a darkroom tech for a photographer. I took a few photography classes during that time as well. Despite all that, later on in life I eventually lost all of my enthusiasm for photography.

Then I discovered this forum three years ago. My interest in photography and my enthusiasm for it both have been on the rise ever since. The pandemic has been a speed bump of sorts, yet I am now shooting as much as ever simply because I am enjoying doing so. In addition I am viewing most anything that gets me away from screens as a good thing these days. (In fact, I have gone so far as to purchase my 1st ever typewriter this past week.) If we are able to move past all of this then I think that this will be an important time in our history to capture in photographs. Even if this does indeed become our new normal, a good photograph is a good photograph and I’m grateful for every one that I am fortunate enough to capture, with or without the presence of COVID-19.
 
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