” Street Photography ” has a few requirements to be successful. You need awareness of your surroundings, an understanding of a situation, quick reactions… and a lot of balls.
Of course, you also need a good street and those happen in active cities. This one is in Paris, but that’s not the point of this, it could be anywhere. It’s a slice of life taken from your point of view and presented to others asking for theirs, and the best part is hearing what theirs is.
I was taken by this homeless man who fell asleep on a very busy corner in his makeshift shelter and he passing crowds, who walked by carried along their way. I had to stop and shoot the scene. My view was on the man who made for me an interesting shot, but it wasn’t until later in post that I noticed the girl who was as struck by his presence as I was.
In my review I saw a different scene… the homeless man was no longer the point of interest but it became the girl’s reaction to this situation. Now my image took on a different meaning, and a life of its own changing my original viewpoint.
I started to look back on the many other images done by others that became Icons for an era, a movement, used to support some other cause, and wondered if originally did its photographer intend something different than how it had been interpreted ? Do some images take on a life of its own, one far from its original intention?
Could this image become a statement by her surprised stare, an awareness of those who have and those who have not… the difference of one generation to another……
Without diving too deep into this image,
What do you see?
#miamiphotographer#streetphotography#B&W
MattPacePhoto 
Did you speak to the man in the image?
Right now he is objectified as a homeless man. I think the image would be strong if you had spoken to him for some time, present him to us as a person, not an object. People are human beings, even on the worst days of their lives, he deserves a chance to present himself to us as such.
Thanks for your valid comment. Were I doing a reportage on the homeless this would be certainly been my intent. But for this blog my intention is to point out how a picture can change direction of attention and become something with a different meaning from the one intended
I see a very good B&W image that can have endless interpretations, depending upon who is viewing it. The little girl and her reaction are priceless. I must say the man does look well fed. I do love that he has the dog for a companion.
Without the little girl, as well as the older girl also seemingly equally curious about the man under the umbrellas, the picture would really lack impact. Since you didn’t foresee the reaction of the girls’ when you framed the photo, you probably owe them a debt of gratitude for making the picture “work.” One of those spontaneous moments in the life of a street photographer when the Photography Gods bless you.
yes that is often the case for all photographers