People I Met Along The Way

[x-ray]

Those are some special photos of those kids. It's the kind of work I aspire to. I have been working to approach people more, and to create more opportunities to photograph them. The more I do it the easier it gets. I find that people respond to the fact that I'm using film.

I got lucky with Will in Regina. He makes it easy. I spent a night at his place this past trip. Experiencing life there is like stepping back in history. Monday morning I ate fresh eggs and drank raw milk from the cow Will milked earlier in the morning. I'll be spending more time there in the future, for sure.

Here's another from last weekend:
View attachment 4821242


- Greg -

Gregory Mogle’s albums | Flickr

www.flickr.com

That’s a really great image!

I love meeting and talking to people. I tell people I’ve never mar a person that didn’t have an interesting life. Everyone has dories and most love to talk to people that have a genuine interest in them. People can tell if you’re genuinely interested in them.

Besides getting to know people and learn from their experiences it creates great opportunities to record their lives. I’ve learned so much and met some great people.

You’ve shown in you photo and writing how important that personal connection is. IMO it’s far more important in the making of an excellent image than what camera and lens or film and f stop you used.

Keep up that great work!

 

[daveoo]

Here are photos of people I talked to last week at a county fair. They were all very friendly when they weren't engaging with customers. Some of them own the the game or games they staff. Last year I gave some of them printed portraits of themselves from the year before. This year they all knew me including some that I didn't visit with before.


Here was a great talker and he told me about game ownership.. I think he owned two games so he must have hired staffing.



Really friendly and cheerful, would have posed for me all day when he wasn't working, but he has a kind of young stiff pose so I captured a candid shot.



She was friendly also and when I mentioned that the background was too busy she grabbed two creatures and moved over to this location and gazed into the camera.



Not talkative but very cooperative, I feel humility and warmth here.



Not very expressive but he expressed great interest in having a portrait of himself.


Edited for commentary

 

[ddutchison2]

What a great thread. In so many "street" photographs the one thing missing is any sense of connection with the people in the frame. It's really good to see a collection from our community of pictures where that isn't the case.

 

[daveoo]

Here is a gent from Whales this year, I stopped to talk about his dog. I introduced myself and asked his name. He said "Pool" I think but I don't know if his name was like Paul or his dog named Poodle. Anyway, I mentioned I should buy a Flag of David here and he smiled wonderfully but the camera was not ready.



Garth was sitting at a gas station outdoor eating area and we talked about tourists. He was quite happy to have tourists in the area because it helps the Whales economy. With this and the above photo I asked to take the pictures of them.



Edit: spelling

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I met Sterling Hall Sr. after photographing another place near his house. I'd parked my car across the street from his house on High Street, just west of Runnion Avenue on Fort Wayne's west side.

As I was walking back to my car, his tiny white dog, Dot, began hysterically barking and snarling at me. I said to the dog; "My cat could eat you!" I used to have a 23lb cat who liked to terrorize dogs.

Mr. Hall was sitting in a wheelchair in the front doorway of his house, so I went up and started talking to him. He asked me why I was taking pictures, and I told him about my work documenting life in Fort Wayne. He asked me to take a picture of him.

While I was photographing him, he told me that he had recently had his right leg amputated.

I made this photograph on May 18, 2015. A couple weeks later, I made a print for him and took it to Sterling's house. His mother answered the door and told me that he was not feeling well and was sleeping. He had told her about me photographing him, and she told me she knew he would love the print. I left it with her. Sterling passed away on October 10, 2015. His daughter wrote to tell me of his death, adding that; "This was one of his favorite pictures, he loved showing it off. Thanks for adding a small piece of joy to his life."

 

[DownUnder]

Splendid imagery here, throughout.

Visual history, all the way.

And, if anyone has missed what makes all this so outstanding - the commentary. Filling in the loose 'missing bits' from the images. The words enhance what we see, to near-absolute perfection.

I've noted several threads in RFF of late, with images from the past. I for one (and I hope many others of you) am enjoying this. And I hope it will continue.

For the first time since I joined RFF< I am now feeling motivated to go thru my film archives, and scan and post some of my own 'blasts' (well, maybe not quite) from the past. Which goes back a long, long way. Through several avatars, in fact. I feel like an alien who has lived in many planets, and finally ended up here, on Planet E, which for all its imperfections, is still for me the best of the lot in the universe. (Not that we know what all the others out there may be, but for now let's not go there, okay?)

To repeat myself, I hope this thread will go on growing, and grow, and continue. Moderators, why not a separate thread place for them?

To look at such good images, so well commented, while not having to wade through the gazillions of digicrap in Flickr and other such quick-post sites, is for me, such a blessing...

 

[neal3k]

I'm really enjoying this thread so I'll post two more:

Cuba Even shy people like me have a field day in Cuba.

Havana Street by Neal Wellons, on Flickr

Egypt (Kodachrome) I lived on his boat for a week going from Aswan to Luxor.

Felucca Captain on Kodachrome by Neal Wellons, on Flickr

 

[p.giannakis]

Last Easter I met these two ladies. I met them in different parts of the city but they were workingfor the same charity (providing clothes for kids from Ukraine). They both approached me and asked for a donation and I took the opportunity to ask if I could take a picture of them.




The lady in the first picture ended up following me on Instagram. The lady on the second picture took some interest in listening to how long I have been photographing Poznan and I showed her some older pictures i had on my blog.

Both pictures are taken on HP5+ and the camera was a Pentax ME and a Pentax-M 50f/1.4

 

[Zuiko-logist]

Fantastic thread. Thank you for sharing.

 

[x-ray]

Everyone, thank you for your great images and posts and I hope others will contribute as well. Keep up the excellent work!

 

[x-ray]

I met Sterling Hall Sr. after photographing another place near his house. I'd parked my car across the street from his house on High Street, just west of Runnion Avenue on Fort Wayne's west side.

As I was walking back to my car, his tiny white dog, Dot, began hysterically barking and snarling at me. I said to the dog; "My cat could eat you!" I used to have a 23lb cat who liked to terrorize dogs.

Mr. Hall was sitting in a wheelchair in the front doorway of his house, so I went up and started talking to him. He asked me why I was taking pictures, and I told him about my work documenting life in Fort Wayne. He asked me to take a picture of him.

While I was photographing him, he told me that he had recently had his right leg amputated.

I made this photograph on May 18, 2015. A couple weeks later, I made a print for him and took it to Sterling's house. His mother answered the door and told me that he was not feeling well and was sleeping. He had told her about me photographing him, and she told me she knew he would love the print. I left it with her. Sterling passed away on October 10, 2015. His daughter wrote to tell me of his death, adding that; "This was one of his favorite pictures, he loved showing it off. Thanks for adding a small piece of joy to his life."

Wonderful image and story Chris!

 

[daveoo]

David is from the Czech Republic and I met him in Scotland getting ready to brusk. He was next in line for a good location and I asked him what he does for act. He said "Scary Music". His name was not Matt. We talked about the performer working at the moment as I said she was a good guitarist. I pulled out some money from my wallet and intended to support David as I already gave to Sarah, the guitarist performing. David then said the donation hat near him was not for Sarah and pointed to the guitarist's donation hat in front of her. I thought that was nice honesty and grace from David and I persisted in my donation to David with explanation that it was for him, even before he performed. I wanted to move on soon.

He eventually set up his music box and wooden costume and did some dancing for people passing by. Actually he lunged at one lady passing in front and got a scare out of her.

 

[gb hill]

Like many of you I love street photography but street photography is more than making an image of a person then moving on and making another. Sort of what I call hit and run. Half of the fun of street photography is talking to people I photograph and finding out something about their lives. I tell people I don’t think I’ve ever met a person that wasn’t interesting in one way or another.

Let’s see images of people on the street you’ve met and taken the time to talk with and learn a little about their lives.

The first image is Lawt Gudger I photographed around 1969 on Monteagle Mtn in middle Tn. He’s sitting along the road waiting to deliver a gallon of moonshine to one of his customers.


Second and third are Benny who lived in Petros Tn. Petros was the site of the Tn maximum security prison. Benny learned how to do his own tattoos from locals that were guards in the prison. They’re known as jailhouse tattoos and done with a needle and ballpoint pin cartridge. I shot these in 1973.

The forth is a man I met and don’t know the name but claimed his dummy sat up from his bed one day on its own power and God spoke to him through the dummy telling him to spread the word. I shot this in the mid 90’s.

The street preacher, and his name fails me at the moment, travels around East Tn spreading the word. He’s been arrested several times and just prior to this photo was arrested for hitting a police officer in the face with his Bible. Bible Belt? He told me that he cares for his wife who’s disabled and unable to get out of bed. He has a tiny block church on his property and hold Sunday services for a small group each Sunday. He’s a very kind gentleman ready to share a prayer for a stranger.

The man on the street was in San Francisco and lives where ever he finds a place to crash. I talked with him the next day and decided he had some serious mental and alcohol issues like so many people on the street. He was very scattered and very difficult to talk with but had quite a sense of humor. Shot around 2004.

The woman with the group of men were very interesting. Betty was 44 years old, lived on the street anywhere she could. She made her living by standing on a street corner flashing her breasts to people she thought might buy her liquor, food or clothing and shack up with her in a cheap motel for a few days. Betty had been raped, beaten and thrown off a bridge twice breaking her back. When I made this image she was living on a mattress with 7 guys under a bridge. Shot in the early 90’s.

Eben is the whiskery old guy sitting on the curb. Eben had a great smile with his one tooth and had a great sense of humor. He’d been with the railroad and lived on the street. Shot in 1969.

The two men were a sad couple. J C King, the prominent figure, was a newspaper writer that couldn’t handle life. He just gave up but didn’t say why. He and his friend were starving and I fed them hoping to help. Unfortunate a couple of weeks later Mr King passed away. shot in 1973.

The little girl was one sassy kid. I can’t remember the name but she lived in a shack on a rural road in middle Tn. She was playing with several pigs and an old rubber hose. Shot in 1969.

The man in high bibs leaning on the truck is Abe Nickel. He was a grave digger and dug them by hand. He said he lived alone in a shack that had cracks in the walls that the wind blew through and slept on the floor in his clothes. Very nice old guy. Shot around 2004.

The next gentleman is Billy Lemming a serpent handling preacher near Rome Ga. He talked of handling deadly serpents and getting bitten many times and how he lost a finger to a copperhead bite. And he didn’t hesitate to talk in depth about drinking strychnine and red devil lye drain cleaner to confirm his faith. Billy was a wealth of information and knowledge and a kind soul. Shot around 2006.

The lady with her back turned lived in a shack under a water tower in a depressed forgotten town. She wasn’t that old but looked very weathered and worn out. She turned her back so not to show how she looked. You can see the legs of the water tank and her clothes line strung across them. At the time I made the photo I though it was a bit ironic, a wishing well in her yard. I thought if that well actually worked what would she wish for.

last photo, I always thought his name was Oral but it turns out
Oral is the community where his shop was. Mr X sold car parts, elegant junk and built a few dirt track racers. Interesting and resourceful man.

Let’s have your people images from the journey.

That street preacher holding up his Bible reminds me of myself. That’s what I do in my town & I also take care of my wife. She’s disabled.

 

[gb hill]

This is Coney. He loved to sit in front of this former resale record store playing and singing the blues. He recently got out of prison but just a short while later was sent back for a parole violation. Haven’t seen him since.

 

[daveoo]

Here is a street preacher from Dublin 2023. I could not engage with him and he did not acknowledge me. He was using a mic and a loud speaker around his waist and could be heard for a couple blocks. His message was scary and he did not use a message of attraction. And he seemed to be in a kind of zone or bubble that just included himself.





This policeman was looking at the preacher and also writing a report or ticket from about 50m feet away from the subject.

Edit: I should add my wife talked with the police man and said my husband likes to take pictures on the street. He told her that was "Ok".

 

[x-ray]

That street preacher holding up his Bible reminds me of myself. That’s what I do in my town & I also take care of my wife. She’s disabled.

Excellent GB! We need more people like you.

 

[x-ray]

Shot in 2005.

He made his collecting aluminum cans and selling them for scrap.