The Other Story in Street Photography - Nashville 10/24/20
So last Saturday was, apparently, “wear a pastel colored wig day” in downtown Nashville. Now maybe there are always a lot of colored wigs and I just have never noticed, or captured in a photo. I have to wonder, is there some social media site for trends that everyone but me knows about? I was pretty pumped about the opportunity for color, but I soon realized it was going to be generally way too much in a photo.
There is usually one interesting character per trip. I used all of that capital while walking the side street on the way to Broadway. When I find my interesting person, I never quite get the picture I want. Perhaps I never will, because what I want is a picture that explains to me what is probably unexplainable. What I encountered with this lady and her granddaughter, and her daughter who is not in the picture, could be a cheeky bit of Happy Halloween. It certainly took some planning on the part of the Halloween revelers. But there was no happy or reveling that I saw. I do not know exactly what to make of that.
Fortunately, you do not have to always have a unique character or even transaction, for a street photography subject. A gesture or a facial expression will go a long way toward making an interesting street photo. In fact, in can be argued that viewers will notice gestures first. Human experience tells us that what is said may not be true, but as John Suler observes in his blog, Body Language in Photography, “The body does not know how to lie.” Gestures and expression can be the Emotion part of the, Design, Information, Emotion and Timing model.
So it is fortunate that if there is anything that I can count on each Saturday in Nashville, it is repeated opportunities to photograph grand gestures. People are celebrating life transitions like turning 21 or getting married. They are generally happy. And they most likely have been drinking. Groups of young women are particularly good candidates for expressive gestures. I am on high alert when I see a bride and her tribe. What I realized this week is that I am missing the very different gestures of the guys. Grooms are celebrating with their tribes, also. That is something to work on another day.
On this Saturday I observed and photographed the people waiting in line to get into a bar. That is new with Covid. These bars are big, but they have to operate at partial capacity. You can dance a little, romance a little or be annoyed as you wait.
The one that “got away” this week was a guy ranting at a patron on the top floor of Honky Tonk Central. I was across the street taking pictures of the building because of the political signage. I am a stranger in my own strange land. He was right beside me ranting. He kind of looked like one of the biker guys I sometimes see. He did not seem to be acting out of mental illness, but something was making him crazy. At one point he tried to enlist me to take a picture of his nemesis. Sure, why not? It never even occurred to me to turn and take his picture. He was clearly gesturing, complete with explicative sound effects.
Do Not Turn To the Right.
I wrapped it up and went back to my car around 5:00. The parking lot attendant takes time off for dinner from 5:00-5:30, so there is no one to pay when you leave. It is a small victory at the end of the day.