Out
Maintaining anonymity can be a kindness
OK - a little bit of background on this shot...
This was from last August when Ben was in town and we spent a lot of
nights shooting Kabukicho after midnight. We had been talking about
ethics and photography and shooting subjects with sympathy and
understanding. Not sympathy as in "pity," but an
understanding of feeling. The conversation had been more about
photographs of the homeless, but as we talked and walked, we
eventually turned a corner and came across this gentleman, happily
passed out, probably after too many beers on a hot summer night with
coworkers.
Ben and I stopped and looked at the scene. After all of our talk of
dignity and ethics, I was tempted to walk away with no picture, but
here he was, laid out so beautifully on the ground, with the most
peaceful expression on his face.
"So how do we shoot this, Ben, without being exploitive and
cheap?"
First we focus on composition, since his spread-eagle pose was what
drew us to the scene. After all, he hadn't been here long and
wouldn't stay long either, as that street gets too much car traffic,
so we only had a few moments.
As wonderful an expression as he had, it really wasn't mine to take,
not this close, not with him unconscious. Legalities aside, I would
lose respect for myself if I took a shot that was purely a cheap shot
when someone is down. By getting in low from the feet, I could remove
the face from the scene yet still, the viewer can get a sense of who
the man is.
I paused here as I noticed the cruciform element emerge, formed by the
white of his shirt and the line of the street.
I just scanned this yesterday for the first time. A few weeks ago I printed it in the darkroom in postcard size and I have it with my other cards in a leather folder notebook I carry. When I stop for my morning coffee at Volcan (a café near my apartment) I look through my cards, studying them, editing them and eventually writing a note on the back and mailing them to friends. Because of this process, I eventually returned to the darkroom to print this large and now it's one of ten photos in a small exhibition I am doing.
Comments and faves
pokiholic, my.name.is.stacy, this is markb, yakotta, and 131 other people added this photo to their favorites.
mjd-s (76 months ago | reply)
OH MY GOODNESS!
Great catch!
The Library Guy (76 months ago | reply)
He seems to have lost his head.
migrant (76 months ago | reply)
I like this one.
RebeccaMacK (76 months ago | reply)
ouch! brings back memories.
eamonlane [deleted] (76 months ago | reply)
Ha
I feel like that by the time I get to work !!!
Seen in my contacts's photos.
Cassie FX (76 months ago | reply)
Great catch - I love the all the movement and detail around him, while he lies there, motionless.
Briggate.com (76 months ago | reply)
He should have tried to match you pint for pint
Laubscher [deleted] (76 months ago | reply)
Brilliant, brilliant.
Wingdingo (76 months ago | reply)
Spot on.
Alex JD Smith (76 months ago | reply)
Great. Just great.
yeled (76 months ago | reply)
thanks for the insight. nice process.
villany (76 months ago | reply)
ditto yeled.
Jeff's photography (76 months ago | reply)
what's up? excellant tone, I like it.
jenbrea (76 months ago | reply)
I have ethical questions all the time, which is the #1 reason there are so many great photographs I just didn't take. I like your approach to the problem.
(Hey RMacK!)
benjamin> (76 months ago | reply)
This really is a good shot, the white in the shirt is fantastic.
!!wat_dat!! (76 months ago | reply)
ethical dilemma aside, this picture tells a story that is volumes long…you are the master…thank you for your continuous inspirations!
Franks Wild (76 months ago | reply)
I think not putting his face in the shot makes for a better composition anyway, great capture. Hope it wasn't me! (joke.) ..... achem.
Ben O`Connell (76 months ago | reply)
funny that you post this now, i just came across the negitive of this guy the other day. i havent printed it yet, and probably wont, mostly for the reasons you talked about. looking back at that night, i probably didnt approach that shot with nearly as much respect as i should have. i'm glad to hear your doing a show, let me know how it goes.
-ben
Hughes Léglise-Bataille (76 months ago | reply)
Great story (and photo). Your "moral" / ethical impact on how to take the shot is very interesting. I think the background story, however, is really important here: the guy could have been shot or punched, and there's no way to tell. I guess there's a trade-off: showing his smiling face (as you describe it) would have given us more information, and a different feel for the shot, but he would be recognizeable. Not showing his face, you respect his "intimacy", but the picture by itself could be misleading.
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Seen on your photo stream. (?)
Donnatella G (76 months ago | reply)
I appreciate hearing about your decision-making process about taking this photo...I still don't end up taking many photos of people currently...oh, and the photo is enjoyable, too.
Sue, Toronto (76 months ago | reply)
Wonderful story and really, really great image!
benroberts (76 months ago | reply)
you did well keeping his right hand in view. without it this shot wouldn't work.
Jim O'Connell (76 months ago | reply)
thanks.
orandajin (76 months ago | reply)
Amazing shot, and interesting topic indeed, thanks for the insight. I have come along a lot of passed out drunks or sleeping homeless in Tokyo, and somehow I am always hesitant to shoot a picture.
Rainer Jacob (75 months ago | reply)
I have to agree with Hugo and I think that question of "morals" is not helping. We have an exhibition of WeeGee's work right now. His shots are extremely direct (without morals?) Time will tell. It is a stunning document of these hard times. I actually see that question about morals as a sign of our "political correctness". You don't have to justify what you do...the ones looking at the shots you did will give you their personal interpretations anyway. If you would have exposed him and have some people passing by, you would have a political statement. Yes, people look and do not care. The question I have is more about: Do people care. Did you leave him there? Why didn't you...? I think you can discuss morals but what does it change. People do look at life in their own way and you can not control it. I like storytelling pictures. Without your comment this one would be open to a lot of speculations. What is wrong with that?
FluidImage (75 months ago | reply)
Super shot and cool story... The temptation is always there to be cheap... I think that I walk away more often than not, but on occasion it is irresistible!
Zebrio (75 months ago | reply)
Now this is what you call street...Very Jim,...Jim. Its a keeper...Hang it over the fireplace...
Trevor Paul _Bigwood (75 months ago | reply)
Maybe he died with a smile on his face. did he have a pulse? Great shot!
stellalee523 (74 months ago | reply)
What a moment!
local man (74 months ago | reply)
really great shot
tempura (hit by lightning) (72 months ago | reply)
hello I'm an admin for the group b&w street, a selection would appreciate if you added this photo to
www.flickr.com/groups/street_selection/
Azli Jamil Photography (71 months ago | reply)
Read the caption :-)
omalingue (70 months ago | reply)
It's a great photo congratulations.
naugastyle (70 months ago | reply)
Great story, great composition. I like that it almost looks like a grab shot but you put so much thought into it. Beautiful result.
Liak's (70 months ago | reply)
Fantastic concept and execution!
Straws pulled at random (70 months ago | reply)
Really nice perspective...Your photostream has some outstanding photos!
iwishmynamewasmarsha (69 months ago | reply)
Interesting story, and interesting picture!
✁☄ KAIRUUINZURO ✁☄ (63 months ago | reply)
i had a few of those nights in shinjuku
charlie hey (62 months ago | reply)
brilliant, i reckon you did the right thing here no doubt. great atmosphere, great story...
LightPainter80 [deleted] (60 months ago | reply)
nice image
Mark_H (57 months ago | reply)
Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Street Noir, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
wittaman1 (57 months ago | reply)
great shot
Rejetto (57 months ago | reply)
great street.
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Seen in a discussion of Hardcore Street Photography (HCSP). (?)
Grub Lubbor (57 months ago | reply)
Incredible capture, and obviously very salient point. I'm still trying to learn to walk a line that you've clearly mastered. It's been a joy to look through your photos.
Melponeme_k (57 months ago | reply)
Great photo
Kate Kirkwood (57 months ago | reply)
Your angle offers a good sense of his vulnerability - that hand in the path of oncoming traffic especially. Interesting considerations in your text.
StudioCB (57 months ago | reply)
Really excellent shot. I like the composition and angle. Your background info and thought processes, as mentoned, above are interesting.
i didn't mean to go to Stoke (57 months ago | reply)
nobody is checking on him to see if he is still alive
SISTA_TRISHA [deleted] (57 months ago | reply)
sometimes the misfortunes of someone else is the art of others...
SunSara (57 months ago | reply)
It's really great!!!!!!!!!!!!! You're just LUCKYman=D!!!!!!!!!!