Sunday, February 19, 2012

Sometimes You Get Lucky




I went into New York City the other day specifically to visit a photo gallery to see the work of Vivian Maier (street photographer). There has been quite a stir this past year about the discovery of her work, so I was curious to see what it was all about. I'll save that for another post. The reason I mention it is because usually when I go with something specific in mind to do, and plan time afterwards (or before) to walk around and do some shooting, I rarely get anything good. I need to be totally focused on shooting to really be in the groove, and even then I sometimes come home with nothing worth investing time in. When I'm focused, most of the time I get a few good shots, rarely a whole bunch.

I was walking across 14th Street and passed through a crowd of people. When I got through them I  walked past a character doing crazy stuff. Nothing unusual about that. New York is full of them. But my mind was half a block ahead (bad boy!). I registered his face in the back of my mind, then stopped dead in my tracks - I thought I had photographed him before, didn't know where or when, but he was doing the same crazy stuff with his hands. So I doubled back and grabbed some shots. I'm glad I did. I got the money shot for the day.

When I got home I dug through my archives and found the first shot I took. It was on July 4th, 2009, on the pedestrian walk of Hudson River Park. When I look at the shots side by side, I'm not 100% sure it's the same guy, but they're sooooo close. Same eyes, ears, mouth, cheeks, hat position, and hand motion. The only difference I can see is the nose. You tell me ......

You can click on each photo to see it full size.









15 comments:

  1. I am sure that this is one and the same person. I have no doubt. The ring, ears, eyebrows, nasolabial folds.

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  2. Well, sure does look like the same guy. The nose is questionable (could just be angle of view) but everything else looks the same including the ring on his right pinky.

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  3. They definitely look to be the same guy... But that's that!! What I'm more concerned about here is the photography... And that is brilliant for both the pics... Though I seem to relate and get a better story from the 2nd (bottom) pic... Excellent job!

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  4. Interesting works, well done!

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  5. Hey Gene...is he also at 500px..maybe the controller... Johann

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  6. Gene,

    It looks like the same guy. Amazingly so. You mentioned Vivian Maier... I just bought the new book and her photos are indeed spectacular. Her story is so sad though... all that talent and the world would have to wait. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in photography and especially street photography.

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  7. The same person can see it. Splendid capture.

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    1. Yeah, I sometimes notice that I've shot a person twice until I get home. Good story!

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  8. This is a great and very expressive shot! It realy looks like the same guy... look at the ring he waers on the same finger!!!

    guy opdorp (obusleidum: http://500px.com/obusleidum)

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