Increased Contrast to Increase Emphasis -- Photos from Austria and Maryland

A friend who saw my last posting from Jerome, AZ, wondered why the contrast was high in the two photos I posted.(https://liveingray.blogspot.com/2021/05/street-photography-is-back-visit-to.html)

It is always a challenge to print on paper using an enlarger in the darkroom and then scan them to be able to post on the internet. Sometimes digitalization  changes the tonal range of film photography. 

But that is not a bad thing if the message of the photograph, especially when street photography is looking for a story as the main goal (at least mine) of street photography is photojournalism not the technical quality of the photo.

So, I looked for photos I had taken where high contrast does give a certain flavor by enhancing the story. I chose four photos from Vienna, Austria and one from Baltimore, USA.

A. The "surprised wife" look, Vienna. This was a night shot with ASA 100 film and a Minolta Autocord TLR camera. The husband is enjoying the lingerie vitrine as his wife seems to thinking "Really?" Given the light reflections on the glass, the high contrast brings forth the surprised look of the woman as she is the only one in focus.

B. Street parade, Vienna. This photo follows the side looks of the previous one. It was early evening and the light was dim. Still, the looks of the man with the sword and the young soldier behind him "contrast" nicely with the cool indifference of the woman next to them.

C. Christmas Market, Vienna. This is a busy picture, so I wanted to make the man in the white coat stand out. Higher contrast brought up some shadows. He seems to wonder how that tree got to be so tall!

D. Bridge over the Danube, Vienna. I like this over exposed photo as I had no time to adjust aperture or speed. I wanted to get the dark silhouette of the man under the bridge. Of course a runner moved in the frame as i clicked and an overdressed woman's slow walk created a great contrast between the three of them. The street art on the side of the bridge makes the Danube calmer than usual.

E. Post wedding gathering, Baltimore Inner Harbor, Maryland. Here the two bare feet women attracted my attention as they seem relaxed after the ceremony. But when I developed the film and printed this frame, I realized that there is a juxtaposition of the two man on the right. Actually one of them looks a bit "devilish" with his posture, shiny shoes and ears that stick out! That juxtaposition would not have stood out without the high contrast I gave to it.

Clearly, what I saw in my viewfinder was not exactly what these photos ended up emphasizing. but street photography is not like taking landscape photos when you have time to adjust all the parameters to capture what you planed. I see a potential for a story, and I click. 

What ends up on film is what I discover when I print a frame. It is that discovery that makes film photography and darkroom room even more exciting.

May 20, 2021

© Vahé A. Kazandjian, 2021