Behind the picture: technical description (Mar. 21/14)

Mark Poblete photo
A technical breakdown of this photograph reveals it was taken at a distance, which implies
no permission and a some decontextualization may have resulted.

There is always cause for concern when a photographer goes out and takes pictures of homeless people. In my mind it could be similar to people going out on safari in Kenya and taking pictures of local people. Then there are the professional photographers who seek this kind of content on purpose -- you know, they'll go and take photographs of heroin addicts or starving children in the Middle East or what not. Many of these types of photographs happen while professional and trained photographers are out on assignment. 

Then there are photographs such as the one above, where seeming amateurs go out and take pictures on their own steam. I admire this photographer's initiative to take a series of photographs about the homeless. Of course, I ask myself what for? And I wonder what nationality, or what class status, the photographer is, and where they were born, and raised.

While there is no doubt this photograph requires more context, the shot itself, when decontextualized, stands out because of the interaction between the photographer and subject. The picture, however, was taken at a great distance, which indicates the photographer didn't get close to the subject. Aside from that, a slower f-stop allowed the photographer to place emphasis on the homeless man by acquiring good depth-of-field.

The technical aspects of the photo are as follows:

Model: Nikon D3200
Date-Time: 12/03/2014 - 8: 47 a.m.
Shutter speed: 1/500 sec
f-stop: 5.6
ISO: 500
Lens: Nikon D3200 70-300mm

What is photo gazetteer?

The story behind the photograph is just as important as the photograph itself. This is a blog that will look at the stories behind the photographs shaping our world, everything from the small and mundane, to the big and spectacular. Feel free to comment on photos and share your own.