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Day 26 On the fringe of the madding crowd
Day 26 On the fringe of the madding crowd
jonfrommk


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Camera: Vivitar 4345
Location: Euston Station, London
Date: Jul 26, 2007
Date Uploaded: Jul 26, 2007

Viewed: 313
Comments: 16
Favorites: 0

 OK first things first, this is another picture taken with that 'quality' camera that is the Vivitar...which as alicia pointed out yesterday i am possibly the only person in the world to own ;-) ...Yeah I bet all you rebel owners out there are wishing you were me right now

The Vivitar was my fourth point and click...I got a nice coolpix when I was in Singapore then somehow managed to lose it (I think it fell out of my pocket when I was getting out of my car one day), that was replaced by another coolpix which I discovered didnt bounce on concrete and that was replaced by a nikon point and click which also didnt bounce on concrete! Clumbsy is my middle name!!! (Well actually its Peter but you get my point)

Anyway I got the Vivitar just before I went to Egypt for a few days last year (basically it was all I could afford and I thought at least I wouldnt dry to much if it got broken). ANyway it has proved quite sturdy. I now also have the Powershot S3iS and one day will buy myself a dSLR. However the vivitar is quite fun in some ways and is easy to just slip in a pocket and carry around.

OK so this is Euston Station at 7 something this morning. Just in off the train and as usual the army of worker ants were clumping up the platform (the roof is covered and the sound of the feet stomping is very Orwellian) Nobody smiles, nobody talks they just trundle off to their offices with their i-pods on avoiding eye contact and tutting if people dont go fast enough.

I go to London about 3 or 4 times a week depending on what project I am working on. I dont know why but even though the commuting is a pain in the butt there is always something magical about stepping off the train onto the platform, well there is to me but I would suggest not to these people

I would like to say the noisiness of the picture was a statement, but sadly thats just the way the shot came out. The B&W conversion was deliberate as it conveys (to be) the greyness of some peoples existance. For sport i sometimes smile at people and wish them a good morning ahahahaha It always causes consternation to them and they scuttle off as if they have just encountered a madman

And that is how my working day begins

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AuthorThread
 08/01/2007 02:47:39 PM
This captures the feeling of the workaday world perfectly! Love the B&W, doesn't look overly grainy to me. I like how the crowd is fanned out at the bottom of the shot then gradually squeeze together to go up the narrow stairway. Great sense of rhythm in this shot as well with the repeating pillars and hanging lights, love your choice of crop.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/30/2007 04:57:35 AM
I love this shot, and I know exactly what you mean about the feeling of stepping off a train, like you've just accomplished something.

People over here aren't quite so grumpy after a commute, but I do know what you mean about Euston, I've been through there a couple of times, and if you're smiling at people I'm surprised they haven't reported you to the station staff yet :P
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/29/2007 06:14:30 AM
This may be my favorite of your 50 day photos. I love the black and white and how it seems to erase all cheerfulness from the commuter crowd. This photo sums up so many peoples lives, and reminds the rest of us to cherish our days. Well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/27/2007 08:04:01 PM
Originally posted by jonfrommk :
...and they scuttle off as if they have just encountered a madman

Maybe they have, Jon. Maybe they have.

Just kidding, of course. I love your descriptiveness. Once again you really made me smile.

Cool b&w photo. NOT a criticism, but am I the only one to notice the lens flare? It's like a big bubble. I have expect Glenda the Witch of the North to appear!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/27/2007 10:17:58 AM
Thats a lot of people! Your story made me laugh, I can just picture you "good morning!" and getting glares, haha. The B&W definetly works here, conveying all the people with no emotion :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/27/2007 09:10:16 AM
great capture of teh monotony of the day job. all the traffic heading in the same direction, up the ramp, toward the paycheck. i LOVE the sign reading "way out" with the arrow. its a sign of hope, to me! thanks for the glimpse into your day!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/27/2007 07:40:02 AM
This is fantastic, Jon. Nobody is facing the camera. The single-mindedness of the herd is frighteningly evident. And the sign "Way Out" is superb.

Love your writeup. I'm assuming you have concluded that the Vivitar is sturdy because you have actually thrown it to the ground a few times? Glad it's holding up.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/27/2007 06:49:04 AM
Shall we call you JP (Jon Peter) or JC (Jon Clumbsy) or a combo of the two now? (oooh JPC - you could be almost like a twin to DPC).

I hope for your sake you will soon learn that not many things bounce on concrete - especially if you some day get a DSLR. That would be an expensive lesson to learn.

Are my eyes going bad? Because I do not see a lot of noise or graininess. I think your choice of black and white fits the mood that most people probably feel at 7 AM as they head off to work. Nice capture of the hustle and bustle of the morning life. That crowd does not look like a fun one headed up that ramp. I, too, like the "Way Out" sign. It would be more fun tho if one day it just said "Do Not Enter".

I can see you smiling at the grumps just for the hell of it. Troublemaker.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/26/2007 10:23:51 PM
Neat B&W. I think the camera noise adds to the feel of this picture -- like something out of an old movie.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/26/2007 09:06:53 PM
Hey Jon Peter Frommk, Next time you step out on to the platform look someone right in the eye and give them a really sincere and boisterous 'Howdy' and see what kind of response you get. It could work...

Some say it ain't the equipment but the operator. You do get a lot of mileage from your Vivitar. Keep going man!

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/26/2007 07:58:21 PM
Your analogy of worker ants fits this perfectly. I like the B&W and story behind the ants. I wish more people had your attitude.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/26/2007 07:00:19 PM
4 megapixels .. must say you get a great result from that camera .. it would have a lot to recommend it .. size and weight for one and two !!!!! ... i carry my canon 400D EVERYWHERE i go .. my handbag is actually a small backpack .. it weighs a ton ..
i love this shot for the darkness ... it makes a great street shot ...
"Nobody smiles, nobody talks they just trundle off to their offices with their i-pods on avoiding eye contact and tutting if people dont go fast enough. " and there you are in everyone's faces taking their photograph .. way to go jon !!!!!! ....... altho 'faces' may not be the right terminology, and for fear of offending some viewers i wont say the word that comes to mind .. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/26/2007 06:56:02 PM
Wonderful shot Jon, the sign in the middle stating "way out" just makes this for me for some reason!! I LOVE it! great slice of life and great B&W!!

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/26/2007 06:32:04 PM
This would have been so good re the current street challenge.....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/26/2007 04:05:23 PM
Oh my goodness, your description and this picture made me think of the first verse of "Mad World", recorded (in its current incarnation -- I think it was originally a Tears for Fears song) by Gary Jules. Are you familiar with it? The verse and chorus are as follows:

All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces
Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere
Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression
Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow

And I find it kinda funny
I find it kinda sad
The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had
I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles
It's a very, very mad world

The funny thing is, I thought of the song just looking at the picture (how symbolic is that "Way Out" sign? wow), before I even read your description. It's a fabulous image, really really evocative and atmospheric, and I think it would be great for the street photography challenge. I promise not to friend-vote if you enter it. :)

Keep on telling those people Good Morning -- maybe you'll start a cheeriness revolution.

Message edited by author 2007-07-26 20:08:05.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 07/26/2007 01:44:08 PM
I really like the graininess of the image and the lens flare also. Now, I don't know much about the Vivitar, but dslr's aren't all they're cracked up to be. Take a look at some of my images ;)

One more thing, you being friendly to the people reminds me of Will Ferrell in "Elf" when he got to Manhattan.

Great street photography... now go back and get something for the challenge. And just to BE a rebel, use the vivitar and submit the photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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