Mobile Photography – StreetWise – Fourth Challenge Results – ‘Connecting’
Welcome to our fourth StreetWise Challenge Showcase ‘Connecting’ We are thrilled to share it with you!
The reason we chose this theme was to inspire images from and of people around the world ‘connecting’ illustrating ways in which we connect to each other. We thought this would be powerful and uplifting, and foster that feeling of community in our group.
Thank you so much for participating and sharing your beautiful photographs of how you see people connecting where you live. We were moved by all of the wonderful, inspiring ways this group rose to this challenge — and it was also nice to see some new faces, too, adding ever more dimension to this creative group. As always, Lee and I hope you enjoy this showcase as much as we enjoyed putting it together.
Many congratulations to the following artists for being featured in this showcase including:
Ocean Morriset, Ilovetodigoo44, Roy Savoy, Donna Donato, Gergely Hando, Ankit Girotra, Karen Axelrad, Luison, Susan Rennie, Nick Kenrick, Kate Zari Roberts, Joy Coyle, Robi Gallardo, Gina Costa, dinalfs, Michaela Meerkatz, Connie Gardiner Rosenthal, Julia Nathanson, Heather McAlister, Paul Yan, Maurizio Zanetti, Liliana Schwitter and RK.
A reminder to everyone that the deadline for the August StreetWise Showcase is August 15th. Please post your photographs to the StreetWise Flickr site to be considered for the showcase.
‘Handsome’ – Michaela Meerkatz
Michaela’s moving photograph captures a truly lovely moment. It is of something we can all relate to. Love expressed through a mother’s gentle touch. It is also beautifully composed.
In the foreground stands the main subjects. A woman, who we may assume is the mother, brightly dressed in flowing robes and a boy who appears to be her small son intent upon playing with her purse. We are drawn in by the warmth of the colors; the vibrant pink headdress and orange dress, the subtle tones of the stone of the station and the bright yellow lines that transverse the floor. In the distance, and closer to the main subjects there are other people waiting for trains so we have a sense this is a busy place not normally associated with tenderness.
What I love about this image beyond the beauty of the woman’s gesture, the co-mingling of soft and bright colors, is the strong perspective. First, created by the train tracks which cuts a swath through the space, is a dark line that runs from the background to the foreground. Second, the platforms on either side accentuates the same perspective lines. However, it is the white light from above that I find most striking. While it adds to the already powerful sense of perspective, from a distance it appears simply as a commonplace neon light, but as one’s eye is drawn forward to the main subjects the light seems to spill over in a luminous glow lending this tender moment something quite ethereal, even magical.
In this beautiful photograph, we are witness to a simple, yet ultimately important act of connecting, we are witness to love — what a life affirming image. Well done, Michaela!
‘No fear Purim’ – dinalfs
This is a very strong street photography portrait. Dina has captured a moment many children of the Jewish religion look forward to yearly dressing up for Purim. The composition is powerful. A full half of this image is dedicated to the simple dark lines of a man’s coat. All we see of the man, whom we assume is the father, is his hand holding that of a girl’s hand who appears to be his daughter. This simplicity allows one’s eyes to be entirely focused on the main subject, the little girl in the foreground. We are enraptured by her cuteness and take in all the details, to the large bow at her back, (that seem like angel wings), the flowing tulle of her gown to her striking red hair pulled up and adorned by a crown. There is a cityscape in the distance, a person, a motorbike so we get a sense of the urban setting. The lines on the street moving into the distance create a nice perspective, but it is the main subject we are drawn to. A very sweet capture, Dina!
‘West Village NYC’ – Roy Savoy
The cinematic quality and beautiful black and white tones of Roy’s photo is completely captivating. At first viewing it almost appears as though it is a scene from the 1961 classic film ‘West Side Story’ with Maria in her vintage dress standing on the wonderfully timeless stoop of a New York walkup with Tony and friends.
The quadrants in the composition with the bike chained to the fence at an angle, draws you towards the focal point in the center.
There is a strong element of storytelling as we see the two young men connecting with their mobile devices and the woman (and small white dog behind her) who is looking the other direction. What adds even more intrigue to the photo is the man peering out his window towards the woman, and on closer viewing, it almost looks like there is someone else’s fingers opening the curtain in the upper left quadrant, adding to the mystery.
A fabulous moment captured, Roy – well done!
‘Connecting’ – Susan Rennie
Susan’s photo is a timeless gem and it looks as though it could have been taken in the 1950’s – not only with the clothing of the elderly women connecting, but with the editing, also.
Everything the two women are wearing seems vintage – from the paisley shopping bag, to their hats, their dresses and even their shoes – it feels like stepping back in time.
The woman on the right looks quite reminiscent of Queen Elizabeth ll – as if she might have dressed ‘down’ and taken some time ‘out’ to spend with a friend in the park – although not looking too enchanted with the conversation.
It is such a beautifully balanced composition with the women themselves becoming the frame – even the angle of the woman’s ankle on the right draws you into the scene.
Well seen, Susan – what a treasure!
StreetWise – Connecting Showcase
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Ilana Buch-Akoundi and Lee Atwell
Ilana Buch-Akoundi is an Interior Designer with a background in fine arts, and a passion for mobile photography. Influenced by classical art and literature, she views mobile photography as not simply capturing moments as they happen, but as a marriage of dreams and visions from inner life and reality. Street photography, as a composite emerging from the speed of life, and what’s resonating within. Born in New York City where she still resides with her husband and two children, Buch-Akoundi recently founded hipstaNYC dedicated to Hipstamatic images of New York City, where people from all over the world can showcase their photographs of NYC. She has had photographs featured in mobile photography websites and web-magazines as well as international shows. Lee Atwell has been passionate about the art, science and magic of photography since the time she was a child – at which time her father had converted a small bathroom into a darkroom. For the past few years, she been captivated by the versatility, convenience, and creative potential of mobile photography. In street photography, she enjoys the challenge of capturing the unexpected and also the necessity of being present moment to moment with the surrounding environment – whether it is the continual shifting of light and shadows or the instantaneous and fleeting expressions and postures of people on the street. She has received several international photography awards and has had photographs featured in publication, mobile photography websites and web-magazines. She has also had photos exhibited in several cities – in the USA, Canada, Italy, France, Hungary, Belgium and Portugal. Atwell also teaches yoga and owns a yoga studio in Seattle with her husband.
