THE PHOTOGRAPHIC EYE

chapter 15 Putting It All Together
P
hotographers may be divided
into two or more sides on
any number of issues:
manual vs. automatic cameras;
35mm vs. large format film; B&W vs.
color; darkroom manipulation vs.
"straight" prints. One of the most
divisive issues concerns the "ultimate
test" of a photographer's skill. Ansel
Adams, not surprisingly, believed
that landscapes deserved that title.
Others have argued that the ultimate
test is portraiture, photojournalism
or advertising. Still others have suggested
that plain old "street
photography" —any photography of
strangers in public spaces-tests a
photographer like nothing else.
After all, landscape photographers
can spend days taking a shot. Portrait
photographers are helped along by
their subjects. Photojournalists can
count on automatic viewer interest.
And advertising photographers have
crowds of assistants and a small fortune
in lighting equipment at their
disposal.
The street photographer must
make do with an instantaneous
response to an unpredictable opportunity,
must depend on subjects who
may be violently opposed to being
photographed, cannot assume any
viewer interest, and must work solo,
generally with inadequate equipment.
The exercises in this section are
essentially variations on "street
photography." They will require you
to apply aspects of all three previous
sets of exercises —things, places and
people —all at once. As you attempt
to do so, you may be dismayed at
your lack of control. People moving
this way and that, backgrounds that
only distract from your intended subject,
self-consciousness about
photographing strangers may all interfere
with your artistic vision. If so,
relax. Part of the fun of this kind of
photography is being out of control.
The trick is to remain alert and
watch for the "magic." Two people
interacting. Someone interacting with
Student photograph by Sheri
McHenry.
the environment or an object in it.
Some random grouping of people
and things that is aesthetically pleasing,
emotionally powerful or intellectually
interesting. The second trick is
to be ready to catch that magic on
film. There are two essential rules for
achieving that objective.
Rule #1: Adjust as many camera
settings in advance as possible. First,
decide on a shutter speed that will
produce the effect you want: stop action
or blur. Second, check out the
light with your meter before you
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