Daily Inspiration #322 by Michael Blomberg

Daily Inspiration #322 by Michael Blomberg

Hey Steve,

First of all, congrats to the development of your site – the success is no surprise as it’s always a pleasure to visit! Keep being informed about latest mirrorless techs and trends by reading your page is much more pleasing than by sites that are all about specs and theory. You’re not being too serious all the time and that’s what I like about you (not to mention your fantastic work).

A little about me and the following pics:

I’m in my mid twenties and I photograph for about 3 years now. Taking my camera out, have an eye on my surroundings, capture moments and perfect the image on the computer later on is a compensation for my all day life as a student in mechanical engineering, which doesn’t offer much space for creativity.

Normally I photograph on the “street” (yeah, that word is stretched nowadays!), but more like in capturing scenes with including the environment, creating a mood or telling a little story instead of photographing the reaction of random people to my camera (but no disrespect). About a year ago I found the perfect camera for that in the M9, which I use with the 50 Summilux ASPH as an only lens, I did have other lenses but sold all to get that 50! But let’s not make this about gear.

It’s always a pleasure for me to visit New York, as I really love the feel, smell, charm of that city! In November 2011 I came strictly for photography. Of course I did visit Occupy Wall St but I didn’t find it all that interesting (for photographing however). Two or three days later I was strolling through the lower east side, when a fellow of my age came along and told me there was a lot of tension at Zuccotti Park and I should go there with my camera and capture it. So I went downtown and shot the best series of my 5 day trip.

NYPD had evicted the park the day before and the protesters did a march which, again, ended at the park. That march arrived a few minutes after I arrived it was opened and filled up again quickly (I suppose the police had them rather there than on like Brooklyn Bridge).

The young man from the lower east side was right, there was a lot of tension – but overall it was peaceful protesting with huge media and police presence.

But see and feel for yourself.

Keep up shooting you all,

Michael Blomberg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/insomnia09/

 

31 Comments

  1. 3 years of experience, mid 20s, and own an m9 +50 lux, almost doesn’t seem fair, lol

  2. Michael, I think you have nailed those photograhs. Well done.
    I prefer the street photography you depict in these photos rather than the ‘in your face’ of random people.

  3. I like these pictures. Good use of color, good sense of movement, good storytelling. It is also a reminder that some protests still have energy.
    The Occupy movement in our city is no longer protesting banks, but just sleeping in tents in a local park. It has devolved from a protest into into a performance art. I would post pictures, but my technique doesn’t capture “sad” all that well.

    • I know what you mean, I’ve had one for a month but its on another continent, won’t get it for 5 more weeks when I collect…..frustrating but exciting.

  4. Excellent ones specially the 1st one and 3rd ones !! M9+50 LA is also my combo! sometimes feel the needs for wider but 1 lens +1 camera is all about nothing to worry about !

    Vadim

  5. Nice colour saturation and compositions, Michael.

    And nice to see this front movement now consigned to oblivion..

  6. Nice start. Many young photographers feel they have to tilt the horizon. If you stop tilting your horizon, you will quickly realize that the most compelling thing about your photographs is the content within (in other words, you have good content), not in the way a tilted photograph falsely makes the photos immediately ‘dynamic.’ You are taking good pictures, so there really is no need (other than not knowing any better) to tilt your horizon. Look at some of the work of Eugene Richards (who used to shoot often for “Life” magazine when it was still around. He does tilt his horizon occasionally, but he does it for a specific reason. Like fitting all of his subject matter in when he couldn’t get any wider, etc. At first, you will be offended by my comments, but as you grow, you will realize that I am right 😉 Keep shooting!

    • The shoots are very good, but I tend to agree with Craig, that there may be too much tilting without a purpose on some of these shoots, but what the heck this is just one opinion.

    • Many thanks for your input Craig, I get what you mean and I agree with you. I noticed at home what happened with these shots: I took about half of them tilted without having thought about it (it’s not something I normally do and definitely not 4 out of 5 times like the one’s shown), maybe it’s because that “genre” is absolutely new to me, maybe I was only concentrating about how the content is arranged. Despite that I’m happy with the results, but I’ll have an eye on that tilting from now on. Regards, Michael

      • I don’t agree. Tilting, like any other tool, is a viable option of expression. Why doesn’t painting have this so-called tilting rule? Given the subject matter, I think it is totally appropriate here. For instance, with the first photo, the downward diagonal of flag anchors the counter-diagonal of the photo as a whole. Furthermore, the diagonal of the flag, when continued, lines up with the clown. This photo is cemented in place.

  7. Enjoyed the read, there have been many photographs of the protests and I have to admit I was thinking “Here we go again”…….absolutely not the case!!! Beautifully captured images, creative angles and a real dynamism to your shots, very well done.

    All the best,

    Jason

  8. Love the cause. I feel as though your photographs represent how I feel about the situation and I applaude you for taking the images and getting them out in front of people and creating more awareness!!!!!!

  9. Your photographs are very beautiful. The compositions and subject matter are interesting. The camera angles are creative. The colors are saturated. The bokeh is gorgeous and the details are sharp. Your post-processing is keenly sensitive too. I love this series of photographs.

  10. Really nice shots. They really capture the atmosphere and momentum of the protest.

    • Totally agree – nice close-ups and in-your-face style. A large number of pro news reporters might take a few tips from this guy!

  11. Truly inspiring work Michael.

    The last B&W frame personally hits the spot for me.
    It also has that Leica touch that you can spot a mile away.

  12. I’m not a big fan of “Street” photography, but I think you really captured the moment in this short series.I live in NY, and would never go near this occupy wall street stuff. I simply was not interested. Traveling helps to put a fresh perspective on creativity I see.

    Good job!

  13. Thanks for sharing these Michael. Great pictures. I couldn’t stop looking at them.

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