This just in..."The Center for Fine Art Photography is pleased to announce the juror's selections for the 2008 Street Photography Exhibition. This was a very popular call for entry with near 575 photographers entering their work. You can imagine what a difficult time Michelle Dunn Marsh had selecting the accepted images. After viewing over 2,300 images she has made her final selections of 65 artists from five countries, and the results have been posted on the Center's website. Michelle is the Deputy Director of Aperture Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to communicating with photographers and creative people everywhere."
I entered several candidates 2 weeks ago and bingo, this one was accepted. See http://www.c4fap.org/exhibition.asp under 2008 Street Photography Exhibition.
Here is my artist's statement for the shot: You! was part of a collection of street photographs in Charleston, SC in the Spring of 2007. This image was taken on a harbor tour when the passengers were boarding. As I was peering over the rail watching the people, I noticed that the crew was grouped together on one side. As the situation unfolded, I was fortunate enough to be positioned for the shot.
Street photography is difficult for me, as I become very self-conscious of my presence with my camera. There is a well know theory in physics which states that the observed is changed by the presence of the observer. Nothing could be truer than in the photography of living subjects. Sometimes you want the interaction, but I prefer to remain invisible to capture the essence of a moment.
You! frames a dynamic action within a static framework of the men at attention. It evokes an emotional response we all can relate to, that of being singled out for good or bad, posing a question without an answer to the observer.
I took this shot with the Maine Workshop shooters group when we were in Charleston. Now I have to print this up and get it out.