Tag: street

Seattle Viaduct

Posted on by devtank in Uncategorized
Last day of public access to the Alaskan Way Viaduct in Seattle
The Alaskan Way Viaduct is a defunct elevated freeway in Seattle, Washington, United States, that carried a section of State Route 99 (SR 99). The double-decked freeway ran north–south along the city’s waterfront for 2.2 miles (3.5 km), east of Alaskan Way and Elliott Bay, and traveled between the West Seattle Freeway in SoDo and the Battery Street Tunnel in Belltown. The viaduct was built in three phases from 1949 through 1959, with the first section opening on April 4, 1953. It was the smaller of the two major north–south traffic corridors through Seattle (the other being Interstate 5), carrying up to 91,000 vehicles per day in 2016.[1] The viaduct ran above Alaskan Way, a surface street, from S. Nevada Street in the south to the entrance of Belltown’s Battery Street Tunnel in the north, following previously existing railroad lines. The viaduct had long been viewed as a barrier between downtown and the city’s waterfront, with proposals to replace it as early as the 1960s. Questions of the structure’s seismic vulnerability were raised after several earthquakes damaged similar freeways in other cities, including some with the same design as the viaduct. During the 2001 Nisqually earthquake, the Alaskan Way Viaduct suffered minor damage but later inspections found it to be vulnerable to total collapse in the event of another major earthquake, necessitating its replacement. from- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaskan_Way_Viaduct

On street photography and behavior.

Posted on by devtank in Personal Stories, Photography, Responsibility, Social Issues

I also live and shoot in Seattle and have done for 12 years. Seattle is possibly one of the most photographer friendly cities outside of NYC. It is also one of the best places I’ve worked for the most incredible light which lasts for 5 months of the year, and is peaking July to October.

Seattleites are pretty reserved and have become used to photographers, when I first started here there was about 3 or 4 regular downtown street photographers and two more who were both mail delivery people. By about 2010 there was about 15 regulars and now I don’t know.

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My behavior on the street is that I walk to my spots with my gear on full view, and I’ll typically scan the scene for a few minutes and then as things appear I will shoot. I’ve recently been doing a lot more video work which involves a tripod and two lenses. I’ve had 2 people this summer stop and ask what I’m doing.

I basically go into a scene with an intent and respectful command, and I will just start working like there was nobody there at all. I’m an exceptionally shy person who has to bring up my reserves of confidence to actually do this at all, and it is even harder when someone stops to ask, but I can do that now and I do it very well. I made my introductions with beat cops, and explained what Im doing by making a half page flyer and handing it out after an introduction, along with my ID. Now they know that I’m there doing my thing, and if I ever get grief from anyone they already have a little background on me upfront.

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Very very rarely will someone get huffy about having their picture taken (and usually people get upset if they think they have been singled out) and if so Ill stop, if Im wearing sunglasses, Ill take them off make eye contact and offer to shake their hand and explain that Im an artist and invite them to see what I’m doing. I’ll offer them a business card, a nice high quality card that says, yes I’m serious about this work.

I believe that if I’m going to ‘use’ people as my characters models whatever, then they have a right to know what I’m doing and invite them to be involved with viewing the work. I offer them cards most take them and I very very rarely hear from anyone afterwards, however, I do make a big deal about them going to the sites and looking at the work, to educate them on my ‘vision’ and what I’m trying to achieve.

8186d-13129286_1678364745757239_1961994206_nBasically if you treat everyone that you are shooting, like they are gods, and that you wouldnt, or couldnt, be there, to do what you do, if it wasn’t for them, and you tell them that, then they will have a radically different attitude towards you next time. And it gets passed on to their friends also.
I always give my name first, if there’s a particularly warm vibe at the end of a conversation then you ask their name and offer to shake hands, and the next time they see you, you will get a nice smile or an amazing photograph.

A man climbed up to the top of the city center ornamental Sequoia, flanked by a small army of medics, police and fire services, some streets were blocked off for the 25 hour period.
A man climbed up to the top of the city center ornamental Sequoia, flanked by a small army of medics, police and fire services, some streets were blocked off for the 25 hour period.

 

At the end of the day nobody wants to feel as though they are being abused or exploited, and ultimately we as street photographers are exploiting them because they are there. But our job is to be emissaries and educators for our art.

Darklife Series.

Photography: 6 months of A’s, B’s and some C’s

Posted on by devtank in As Far as the Eye Can See, City, Indigenous Cerebral Identity, Memories, Photography, Seattle

Sometimes I just dont have other places to put my work, but the work continues regardless.

Darklife Series.
Darklife Series.
Darklife Series.
Darklife Series.
Darklife Series.
Darklife Series. 20160419.USA.©JO.SS.00124
Darklife Series.
Darklife Series.
Darklife Series.
Darklife Series.
Darklife Series.
Darklife Series.
Darklife Series.
Darklife Series.
Darklife Series.
Leprechaun.
Man, in the city.
Just before the Spring.
Political Event, Safeco Field Seattle
Political Event, Safeco Field Seattle George, is anticipating large crowds.
Sakuracon, Seattle.
A man in a tree is throwing apples at police.
Under discussion.
He said his name was Mario Andretti “not the race car driver”.
He said his name was Mario Andretti “not the race car driver”.
He said his name was Mario Andretti “not the race car driver”.
He said his name was Mario Andretti “not the race car driver”.
He said his name was Mario Andretti “not the race car driver”.
He said his name was Mario Andretti “not the race car driver”.
He said his name was Mario Andretti “not the race car driver”.
He said his name was Mario Andretti “not the race car driver”.

Inner Strength On the Streets.

Posted on by devtank in As Far as the Eye Can See, Awake & Aware, Awareness, City, Civil Rights, Communities, Conviction, Core Values, Discovery, Documentary, Eye of the Mind, Global Awareness, Identity, In My Head, inspiration, opportunity, Personal Stories, Photography, Responsibility, Seattle, Social Issues, Society, Soul of the Eye, Synaptic Connections, The System, Uncategorized, USA

I love and respect all of the people I photograph on the streets. I see you, and I see you in the fragmented moments when you are off guard, unaware, and existing in the space between consciousness and biology.
To my heroes, my street loves; my respect, always.

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I simply cannot get over how robust and powerful this man is. So young and so beaten by life. He lost his leg, something to do with rotting bone from an infected wound.

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A man climbed up to the top of the city center ornamental Sequoia, flanked by a small army of medics, police and fire services, some streets were blocked off for the 25 hour period.

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Ive seen this gentleman, on a daily basis since I have been living here, 12 years. I have watched him slow down and degenerate from a feisty outspoken veteran in full military fatigues, to a feisty challenger of old age. He is the personification of defiance. I dont know him, but I love him for his strength.

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I love the parallel of primal mothering in a modern civic environment.

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She came up to me on the street and showed me the pictures she had taken with her phone. Quite astounding actually. A real sense of aesthetic, indicating a book far larger then its cover conveys.

Dublin

Posted on by devtank in As Far as the Eye Can See, Awareness, Belief, City, Civil Rights, Communities, Conviction, COPYRIGHT, Core Values, Culture, Diary, Documentary, Dreams, Eye of the Mind, Grumpy Old Men, Identity, inspiration, Ireland, Journal, Light, Memories, Personal Stories, River, Sights Sounds Senses, Social Issues, Society, Soul of the Eye, Soul of the Mind, Synaptic Connections, The Past, Tradition, Train, Transit, Travel

Marriage Equality Dublin, Ireland
May 22, sees the first referendum for marriage equality in Ireland. While most of the positivity towards it shows in the main cities of Cork and Dublin, opinion is divided in the regional cities and towns.

Family roots
My Aunt Eileen and my father discuss family roots. Skerries north Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Family roots.
My Aunt Eileen and my father discuss family roots. Skerries north Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Family Roots.
My Aunt Eileen and my father discuss family roots. Skerries north Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Family roots.
My Aunt Eileen and my father discuss family roots. Skerries north Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Intercity views, north Co. Dublin
North Co. Dublin from the Dublin to Dundalk train.

Generation Gap.
Generation gaps prevail, Dublin City, Ireland. While Ireland awakens from stern austerity measures put in place by preceding governments the generation gaps appear as many of the immigrants from ireland came back in the mid 2000’s left again during the economic downturn, the economic migrants, many from former eastern bloc states the up the slack.

Cafe Doggy
The dog is part of the family.

Cafe Doggy
Im having a Latte, what would you like?

Yellow man
Retake on an old classic.

The Gull Boy
“They come down from the Pheno” Referring to the Phoenix Park, at one stage Europe’s largest city park. Seagulls plane on the strong winds which funnel up the river Liffey. Dan Kavanagh stands on the Millennium Footbridge linking Temple Bar to Ormond Quay, commanding a flock of majestic gulls, with chunks of biscuit, like a scene from Irish mythology.

The Gull Boy
“They come down from the Pheno” Referring to the Phoenix Park, at one stage Europe’s largest city park. Seagulls plane on the strong winds which funnel up the river Liffey. Dan Kavanagh stands on the Millennium Footbridge linking Temple Bar to Ormond Quay, commanding a flock of majestic gulls, with chunks of biscuit, like a scene from Irish mythology.

To each their own.
To each their own..

Wha..?
Wha…?

Ireland
Henry Street, Dublin, Ireland

Got it at Guineys!
Guiney’s Dublin’s favorite everything store.

After School fun at blackrock baths. Dublin Ireland.
After School fun at blackrock baths. Dublin Ireland.

After School fun at blackrock baths. Dublin Ireland.
After School fun at blackrock baths. Dublin Ireland.

Old town Dún Laoghaire.
Old town Dún Laoghaire.

Old town Dún Laoghaire.
Old town Dún Laoghaire.

Bauler
Takin’ the Bauler for a walk. Old town Dún Laoghaire.

 

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Some Images from the last few months.

Posted on by devtank in As Far as the Eye Can See, Choice, City, Communities, Consumerism, Conviction, Culture, Diary, Discovery, Documentary, Dreams, Eye of the Mind, Identity, In My Head, inspiration, Journal, Photography, Seattle, Social Issues, Society, The System, Uncategorized

20140729.USA.JO©.SS.00003 20140807.USA.JO©.SS.00047 20140807.USA.JO©.SS.00068 Pantaloons Constructor Laid Off Seattle Street, Streetshooter Seattle Street, Streetshooter Am I beautiful Seattle Street, Streetshooter 20141018.USA.JO©.SSG.00041 20141022.USA.JO©.HANK.00079 20141026.USA.JO©.JRNL.00033

Amazing Environmental Audio from Maha Kumbh Mela

Posted on by devtank in Allahabad, Ancient, As Far as the Eye Can See, Awareness, Baba, Belief, Communities, Conviction, COPYRIGHT, Culture, Discovery, Documentary, Dreams, Dust, Education, Eye of the Mind, Field Recordings, Ganges, Global Awareness, Grumpy Old Men, Hindu, Identity, India, inspiration, Journal, Krishna, Location Audio, Location Sound, Maha Kumbh Mela, Massive, Media, Medieval, opportunity, Personal Stories, Pilgrim, River, Sacred, Sangam, Sights Sounds Senses, Social Issues, Society, Soul of the Eye, Soul of the Mind, Synaptic Connections, Tradition, Travel

I’ve been back from India just over a year now, back living in the US and in that time its been a real struggle, both on a personal level and financially.
Looking back on that time, a half-year spent in India, thinking about it and thinking about how much I miss it, and yearn for the Utopian chaos to run through my veins once more.
I have edited my photography over and over trying to extract the essence of the experience. However the personal journey that India was to me, has obscured my objectivity, something that only time can distill.
I have started once again on the editing process, going back over the audio recordings I made, and in doing so, had an epiphany about the work. I realize that I have no choice but to go back to India, and capture more audio, this time with an expanded kit. And to dedicate much more time and effort into making quality environmental recordings.
Audio recordings offer a taste of reality that video and photography simply cannot touch. Where video has to be constructed to make a compelling presentation, and photography provides specificity, and depth, that depth is within just that contextual intimacy.
Audio offers a living reality of time based exploration. Audio treats the consciousness to a wide layered mental vision, one that the mind is intrinsically connected to, there is no learning to listen, whereas there is learning to read photographs.

This Location Sound during the Anup Jalota concert at Pilot Baba’s Ashram camp 2013 Maha Kumbh Mela, Sangam Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh India. I had decided to walk around the sector 9 area where the ashram was located, about 7 miles from the actual main bathing area.
You can hear all of the local sounds, and the far distant sounds of the millions (130,000,000 to be more accurate) of pilgrims who existed at the ‘city’. Headphones highly recommended. Sit back and enjoy the Mela as I did for thirteen minutes.