Gute digital tasks Photos:

Setting his saw


Bild von National Library of Scotland
The photographer has managed to capture a rather quiet moment in the otherwise busy confines of a sawmill. According to the original caption, this lumberman, possibly a member of the Canadian Forestry Corps, is preparing a saw for use. Engrossed in the task at hand, he appears to be blissfully unaware of the camera.

Numerous sawmills were set up behind the front line to maintain a constant source of timber throughout the war. Wood was a vital resource used by both sides for everything from the building of roads, railways, bridges and trenches to the construction of duckboards, dugouts and shelters.

[Original reads: 'OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE FRONT IN FRANCE. Forest Lumber Works - setting his saw.']

digital.nls.uk/74548456

Guy with cane


Bild von Ed Yourdon
This guy was walking from the Broadway side of 72nd Street to the Amsterdam Avenue side, right past the entrance to the 72nd Street subway station. He was giving me a slightly quizzical look, as if to say, "What kind of nut would want to take a picture of me?"

Note: this photo was published in an undated (late Oct 2010) blog titled "Helping You Ease Arthritis Pain." It was also published in an undated (Dec 2010) "Neck Arthritis" blog, with the same title and detailed notes that I had written on this Flickr page.

It was also published in a Jan 7, 2011 blog titled "Where can I find cura-heat liquid for arthritis pain relief?" And it was published in an undated (mid-Feb 2011) arthritis blog, with the same caption and detailed notes that I had written on this Flickr page. It was also published in an undated (late Mar 2011) blog titled "Make Everyday Tasks Easier With Aids for Arthritis." And it was published in an Apr 4, 2011 blog titled "http://www.pronexcervicaltractiondevice.com/how-does-your-doctor-treat-your-fibromyalgia-i-get-little-to-no-relief-headachesneckjawfacial-pain/" It was also published in a May 15, 2011 blog titled "treatment for fibromyalgia pain?" And it was published in a May 28, 2011 blog titled "Does Natural Arthritis Relief Really Work?" It was also published in an Aug 18, 2011 Alternative Pain Relief blog, with the same caption and detailed notes that I had written on this Flickr page. And it was published in a Nov 14, 2011 blog titled "Q&A: Rheumatoid arthritis at age 36?"

Moving into 2012, the photo was published in a Jan 1, 2012 blog titled "Q&A: What age did you get rheumatoid arthritis?" It was also published in an undated (early Jan 2012) blog titled "Muscle Relaxant and Pain Relief," and a Jan 8, 2012 blog titled "Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment." And it was published in a Jan 16,2012 blog titled "Rheumatoid Arthritis in Men Leads to Erectile Dysfunction."

**********************

This is part of an evolving photo-project, which will probably continue throughout the summer of 2008, and perhaps beyond: a random collection of "interesting" people in a broad stretch of the Upper West Side of Manhattan — between 72nd Street and 104th Street, especially along Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue.

I don’t like to intrude on people’s privacy, so I normally use a telephoto lens in order to photograph them while they’re still 50-100 feet away from me; but that means I have to continue focusing my attention on the people and activities half a block away, rather than on what’s right in front of me.

I’ve also learned that, in many cases, the opportunities for an interesting picture are very fleeting — literally a matter of a couple of seconds, before the person(s) in question move on, turn away, or stop doing whatever was interesting. So I’ve learned to keep the camera switched on (which contradicts my traditional urge to conserve battery power), and not worry so much about zooming in for a perfectly-framed picture … after all, once the digital image is uploaded to my computer, it’s pretty trivial to crop out the parts unrelated to the main subject.

For the most part, I’ve deliberately avoided photographing bums, drunks, drunks, and crazy people. There are a few of them around, and they would certainly create some dramatic pictures; but they generally don’t want to be photographed, and I don’t want to feel like I’m taking advantage of them. I’m still looking for opportunities to take some "sympathetic" pictures of such people, which might inspire others to reach out and help them. We’ll see how it goes …

The only other thing I’ve noticed, thus far, is that while there are lots of interesting people to photograph, there are far, far, far more people who are not so interesting. They’re probably fine people, and they might even be more interesting than the ones I’ve photographed … but there was just nothing memorable about them.