Kelby Training, 2013
Arias quotes Capa on the need for photographers to get close to their subjects and says he prefers wide to long lenses when street shooting. He says shooting with a long lens feels someone voyeuristic, the implication being that shooting wide and close means being part of the experience being captured. His appearance and his practice, though, seem to belie his intention.
The photographer wears a black t-shirt with the word Minimalist printed in white, but even a glance reveals a personality not particularly modest or restrained: large belly, long goatee, earrings, exposed pale flesh of the arms and legs, tattoos. His approach to street shooting requires being able to remain somewhat anonymous and unobserved. He wears sunglasses to keep from making eye contact and tries to disguise himself with a baseball cap sporting the local team logo. Were he going to a tattoo convention or a rock concert he would not be particularly notable. He seems to fit in after dark in Times Square, for example, but when he’s out on the Coney Island beach he can’t help but stand out. He notes everyone at the beach is walking around in the equivalent of underwear, but he doesn't even bother to take off his shirt. He feels equally out of place in China Town, but never considers it might be because of his own appearance. Long sleeves and trousers might be less conspicuous. As for getting tight, I don’t recall any examples of him talking to, let alone getting close to, a subject.
His outing here had no real photographic objective beyond capturing a few good images of whatever came his way, and he admits as much himself. He offers a couple of suggestions that most anyone who does street photography has heard before, or learned by doing, such as staking out backgrounds for a suitable subject, or shooting from the hip so as not to attract a subject’s attention (that might otherwise be diverted by raising a camera to the face). One technique I hadn't considered is using a cell phone in one hand to create a moment of misdirection (from the camera in the other). When not shooting from the hip, he seems to use the viewfinder exclusively and never addresses composing with the LCD. He says he shoots exclusively with a mirrorless camera on AP, with auto ISO and auto WB.
One point he makes early on, but doesn't develop, is the need to go slow. He feels like he’s rushing the shoot, probably because he’s got a camera following him and he’s supposed to be recording teachable moments. In my personal practice I have found that this kind of anxiousness to produce results in less satisfying images. The better ones come from being able to calmly and quietly observe, to patiently wait for a subject to make an appearance. He also seems to assume that people are the preferred subject matter of street photography and doesn’t at all address urban landscape, found objects, or design (though the film presents a few examples of such).
Altogether this is not a terribly informative or inspiring film. I know Zack knows quite a lot about photography and has a head full of teachable material. In all fairness, he admits to having come to street photography rather recently, and that his strength lies in the opposite direction of studios and controlled lighting.
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