100 Strangers Fleeting Moments

The personal project that always inspires me to pick up my camera is the 100 Strangers Project. The idea of the project is to learn not only about portrait photography but also to improve social skills by interacting with complete strangers. The flickr group is heavily moderated and there are a number of rules to guide participating photographers through the challenge.

I always have my camera with me as you never know when something or someone interesting might appear. The three images below were taken very quickly in three very random locations including the beach.

71/100 "100 Strangers" view the image on flickr image here. © Anthony Dorman

 71/100 "100 Strangers" view the image on flickr image here. © Anthony Dorman

79/100 "100 Strangers" view the image on flickr here. © Anthony Dorman

I'm always on the lookout for different types of people for my project. You can see my set so far by clicking this link; http://www.flickr.com/photos/16059306@N08/sets/72157624767974686/with/7184948775/

I tweet; https://twitter.com/#!/AnthonyDorman

I tumble; http://digitaldorman.tumblr.com/

Homeless Man Newcastle (Revisited)

On April 2010 I took the following candid photograph of a well known homeless man in Newcastle upon Tyne. Read my original post here;

 http://www.anthonydormanphotography.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Homeless%20in%20Newcastle

                                        View this image on flickr here © Anthony Dorman

Whilst walking in Newcastle last week I saw him again. This time I wanted to ask him if I could take his photo. I was expecting him to say no as he generally avoids people - you never see him begging or being a bother. He stopped in his tracks and quietly said yes. I took about five quick shots aware that this was a rare  and special privilege. I did not want to hassle or embarrass him so this all took about 90 seconds. At the end of the encounter I thanked him and gave him a few quid to help him out.

View this image on flickr here © Anthony Dorman

View this image on flickr here  © Anthony Dorman

View this image on flickr here  © Anthony Dorman

I have been contacted about this man via the first image I took and posted on flickr a number of times. Thankfully I can say that the emails I have received have been great with people telling me how they have helped him out with a bit of money or food. Hopefully these new images may inspire the same results.

I have been interviewed for a new photography website called Worth The Shot recently about my approach to street portraits and other stuff. This is a new page that will feature photographer interviews, tutorials and all things photography related.

Check the site out here: http://worththeshot.co.uk/

check out my flickr page here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/16059306@N08/

I also tweet here: http://twitter.com/anthonydorman

The Many faces of James

As part of my 100 Strangers Project I am often found wandering the streets of Newcastle for someone interesting to photograph. Often as in this case it can take hours to find someone of real interest. I was about to give up shooting and head home when I saw James swaying from side to side saying hello to passers by. Most people would have gone out of their way (everyone else was) to avoid James but not me. I asked him if I could take his photo and was treated to 10 minutes of surreal emotional entertainment. This guy had so many expressions it was amazing, as we talked II just kept shooting and got the following images (and more).

James is one of those characters destined to be on the fringe of society, he was erratic and unstable in his dealings with me, one minute happy, the next intimidating. Above all he was a dream subject because he played to the camera and offered a human insight that you rarely observe from the general public. If James ever sees these photographs I would like to thank him again and wish him luck in life. 

See my photos of James on my flickr page here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/16059306@N08/

Strangers In The Night

I have been shooting more strangers for my 100 Strangers Project recently. Due to the weather, boredom and lack of inspiration I was in some kind of hibernation mode. One night recently I thought sod it go out and see what wonderful strangers would be on the streets of Newcastle at 10PM. I took a few that night but these were my favourite images. Both were taken with the available ambient light, no flash was used.

 View this image on flickr here

View this image on flickr here

Don't Look Back In Anger

Nearly three years ago I was lucky enough to go to Thailand (Koh Tao) for a holiday. I decided to buy a camera to document my holiday so I picked up a fuji finepix and off I went on my travels. Two weeks later I had taken nearly 2000 images and realised that I had it on me at all times. On my return to the UK I decided that I needed something more versatile and bought myself a Canon 450D with a couple of kit lenses. It was around this time that I realised that photography was becoming such a big part of my life and offered me a freedom of expression that was missing in my life.

See this image in my flickr photostream

I loved my 450D but as with most things in life I soon wanted an even better camera and had my eye on a Canon 5D MKII. Nearly every photographer I know always wants a better more sophisticated camera, for me I knew I needed something that could handle low light conditions. I prefer shooting with natural light and naturally low light as a rule so eventually I got my 5DMKII which I love.

Last year I stumbled across the work of Vivian Maier, a street photographer of breathtaking brilliance, with an eye not just for light and composition but for humour and and an understanding of the human condition. In her life hardly anyone knew she took photos and her extensive body of work is only now coming to light after her death. The thing that strikes me about her story is that she never sought fame and used a camera that by today's standards was very basic. This contrasts with not only my circumstances but those of most of the photographers I know who are passionate about their craft.

This week saw Kodak file for bankruptcy protection. Having failed to move forward into the digital world of photography. The once huge company is now struggling as less and less photographers actually print anymore. I love the look of film and the aesthetics of vintage cameras like the one above which is a 1A Pocket Kodak Series II from around 1920. This is not the camera used so expertly by Vivian Maier but the basic workings are very similar. So here is the paradox for me; without digital I would never have discovered my love of photography and the type of imagery produced by Vivian Maier. Years ago I picked up a film camera at college, I hated the experience, I felt cheated. Not one part of the camera worked properly and no one offered me any guidance as to how to get round these issues. Film wasted, time wasted, no fun at all. 

I now have an urge to go and get a working film camera and re-learn everything and enjoy the magic of the unknown image hidden within. If there was a camera that could take high quality digital images and film images combined I would sell my soul for it. Maybe that's the way to save kodak a company who provided nearly all of us with the images in our family photo albums. So why not look back and look forward at the same time?

www.anthonydorman.com

http://twitter.com/anthonydorman

Self Portrait

I rarely let anyone take my photograph, I never like how look and i always feel uncomfortable in front of a camera. As soon as I know my photo is going to be taken I freeze up and become someone else, I become uncomfortable in my own skin. Since picking up a camera it has become almost a physical part of who I am, it feels right holding a camera. I decided to try and capture this feeling with this image.

I felt it was important to create an image that was raw without being rude but was stripped down to the basic elements of man and machine. I am sure that I will receive some humorous comments from people who know me but I don't mind, this is me and who I am. This is an image of me I can live with.

www.anthonydorman.com

https://twitter.com/#!/AnthonyDorman

Small Man, Big Dreams

In childhood, we press our nose to the pane, looking out. In memories of childhood, we press our nose to the pane, looking in. ~Robert Brault,

View the image here on flickr

Baltic (Baby It's Cold Outside)

It's that time of year again when you need to wrap up warm to brace the wind, rain and cold of winter. I took these images a few weeks ago whilst out hunting strangers for my 100 Strangers Project. It was freezing cold and damp and there was silly me with my camera practically in a puddle to get the shot of the Baltic entrance and the watery reflection - I must be mad! Due to the weather I decided to pop in and see this years Turner Prize which was on display. This is only the second time the prize has been held outside of London and is somewhat of a big deal regionally. Maybe it's me being a cynic but yet again the only thing worth seeing in my opinion was the building itself!

The building is extremely photogenic with its masses of glass and clean lines. It has some extreme lighting conditions and is great for contrast and shadows. When I first started using a camera I used to take more shots like these, I think its great sometimes to re-visit old places, objects and ideas to refresh and re-learn.

www.anthonydorman.com

https://twitter.com/#!/AnthonyDorman

ExVivo

I have had a week off to chill, and my God I have needed it. After a few days of boring daytime TV, lie-ins and half a swimming pool of tea I decided to get my lazy bones into Newcastle. I have been shooting street portraits for over 12 months now for my 100 Strangers Project however lately I have been very slow in adding new people. After a few hours and two great strangers that I will post later I saw this lady.

View the image here on flickr

I knew I had to get her in my project as she simply looked amazing, very alternative but very beautiful and photogenic. I saw her about to cross the road on a busy roundabout in Newcastle city centre and raced after her. I told her about my project and she happily agreed to be part of it - result. This was my first shot, at the time I thought the glaring green and red traffic lights where too harsh and moved her to another nearby location. When I got home and reviewed the images I realised the original lighting was just too good not to use. It turns out that this amazing looking lady is an alternative model called ExVivo. I am now thinking of various photoshoot ideas for ExVivo as I really think I could get some great images with her.

And randomly this music is also banging around my head with regards to this image. But they say music and photography go hand in hand.

Radiohead 'Everything In It's Right Place'

www.anthonydorman.com

https://twitter.com/#!/AnthonyDorman

Withnail & I

I have recently lost all my mirth.... Well not actualy but I have been photographing without fun or adventure. I have been shooting some commercial imagery with mixed results, both good and bad. I have been forcing my work and had forgotten why I picked up a camera - to show the world as I see it.

The reason for calling this post 'Withnal and I' (one of my alltime favourite films) is because I feel empathy and simlarities to both main characters. I hope that I am more 'I' than 'Withnail'! The scene below (spoiler alert - final scene) sees Withnail quoting from Hamlet, summing up his feelngs of dispair. Still one of the greatest final scenes in cinema.

On a happier note, I have recently recieved the creative kick in the arse that I have long needed and also have some interesting shoots lined up to kickstart the next phase in my practice. Watch this space.

www.anthonydorman.com

https://twitter.com/#!/AnthonyDorman