Photographers are the most important part of the photographic process. Hence this series eliminates the camera, or at least relegates the camera to a background element, for it is still present - very much so. But as a portrait of the photographer goes, the camera tends to get in the way of seeing the actual photographer. At least so my thinking goes. But at the same time I am really drawn to the body language of photographers, particularly their hands. Hands are an underrated tool of ours. How we hold our cameras, if we are able to, speaks volumes. Maybe it is shades of Elliott Erwitt's Handbook (an excellent book by the way if you have never perused it) working its influence on me. But I have been fascinated to a point by how photographers stand and pose in the act of image-making.
But really, these are portraits of photographers and I wanted to place the emphasis on them, not their cameras.
This in a minor way is also a counterpoint to all the photographer portraits out there where the subject is posed with their biggest lens or most expensive camera. Those miss the point... or rather, they make the wrong point.
Anyway, some loosely strung together thoughts that have evolved as I have worked on this idea.
Gabe is an aspiring photojournalist. I think elements of that show up here. Mostly it is the stance, camera ready but not up blocking the face, gaze looking down the street sizing up potential scenes and stories.
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