Critique Welcomed Restaurant Valet Drivers, Louisville

[Brian Moore]

I was standing a few metres away from these two lads and I was lining up a shot of the Old Seelbach Hotel. As I was framing the image I heard "Hey come take our picture, man," and such like heckling. I never let on initially, preferring to frame and snap my picture. But then I glanced over and saw these two,...evidently bored out of their skulls for lack of work to do. Much to their surprise--alarm at first--I marched promptly toward them and obliged their request. "What do you want us to do?" one of them stammered, a little wide eyed. I told them "I don't know, it was you that wanted your picture taken and I'm going to take it." They recovered their composure and settled into the pose you see here.

I snapped two images. There is one aspect of this image I don't like, but the apparition in the background--of whom I was quite conscious at the time--makes this image for me.

Olympus OM2n and Olympus Zuiko 35/2.8 shift lens with Fomapan 400 film processed in Cinestill D96 Monobath and scanned on an Epson V500.

 

[Dave Farnes]

The apparition does make the picture. Without it, it is just an obviously posed pic, could even be an advert for shirts. But that adds a mystery, who is he? Why is he so interested?

 

[Rob MacKillop]

The apparition looks like a 1950s English saxophone player, Tubby Hayes...well, it does to me.

I like the shot. Interesting they wanted to be photographed, knowing they would never see it.

 

[Brian Moore]

The apparition does make the picture. Without it, it is just an obviously posed pic, could even be an advert for shirts. But that adds a mystery, who is he? Why is he so interested?

Thanks Dave. Yeah, I actually was aware of him as I was lining up the shot, and hurried it up a little to be sure to capture him before he vanished. Normally I don't see things like that.

The apparition looks like a 1950s English saxophone player, Tubby Hayes...well, it does to me.

I like the shot. Interesting they wanted to be photographed, knowing they would never see it.

Thanks Rob. I'm not at all sure they wanted to be photographed,...I think they were just playfully heckling me with no expectation that I would comply with their request. As I said they were surprised. Indeed, as I was marching toward them with a sense of purpose I saw a look of alarm come over the black lad's face. So I smiled and it broke the ice.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Your smile breaks ice?!

 

[Brian Moore]

Your smile breaks ice?!

Apparently it does when it follows my lack of smile.

 

[Pete Askew]

The more I look at this the more I like it. A great opportunity translated into a fabulous image. You should print it and take one to them!

 

[Brian Moore]

The more I look at this the more I like it. A great opportunity translated into a fabulous image. You should print it and take one to them!

Thanks Pete. Much appreciated.