[Lots of pretty photos if you scroll down. If you fancy some ranting on photography, read on...!]
As I write this it’s 4am… so, again, excuse any mistakes I might make. I feel fairly coherent, but it’s just the silence before the storm. The sleep deprivation will catch up with me in a moment and I’ll start jibber-jabbering about useless bollocks. Oh, I might start writing chiefly in British-English too, but that won’t be a problem, a’ight? It actually takes quite conscious effort to write in universal English that everyone can understand! I don’t think I’ve written ‘bloody’ even once in the last year of blogging — that’s how dedicated I am to making my blog accessible…!
The photos this week come from the last four days — I was at a LAN party, if you didn’t already know. I had a go at photo journalism. Or simply ‘people photography’ I guess.
I’ll just come out and say it: I find it so, so hard for me to point a camera at someone. Perhaps because I hate people pointing cameras at me, and I’m a deeply sympathetic person. I’m quiet, because I hate noisy people. I don’t waste other people’s time, because I hate it when people waste mine.
So… to circumvent this… I usually try to ‘work my way into’ someone’s presence. If I want to take a photo of someone, I’ll simply hang out with them for a while. And then slowly… I’ll just fade into the background. Once people are comfortable with my presence it’s much easier to take photos. This can take some work, as I’m rather foreboding — I am very much a ‘foreground’ person, as opposed to the background-occupying grey-clothing types. It’s not through choice either. I’m just 6’5″ (197cm!!), hairy and stick out like a sore thumb.
There’s probably some ‘knack’ to taking photos of people. Getting people comfortable with you pointing a camera at them must be a large part of the trick. Me being comfortable at doing the pointing is probably the other major factor… but hey, I’ll get there. I just need to take more photos of people! Easy!
These photos should give you a rough idea of what a LAN party’s like. They tell a story, I guess.
I have some other ‘bonus’ photos (of me!!) that I will throw up later today, as I want to keep this post purely LAN-oriented.
Now time to rest the ol’ noggin so that I can write legibly tomorrow…
Love ‘n bubbles, dunked and dolloped,
-S
P.S. You can hover your mouse over each photo for my notes/observations.
(Is that a boy or girl? I am still undecided…)
Tina Mammoser
Nov 17, 2009
The one with the long hair? Boy. You can just make out a bit of adam’s apple. (unless you mean the one in back in the black top with white shoulder stripe – that’s a girl,
) Looks like a group “DUUUDE? What was THAT?!?” moment.
Abi
Nov 17, 2009
I thought the same thing when you showed me this last night, but was too polite to ask. I have attempted the “look for the Adams Apple” approach before.. and it went badly, badly wrong so I would hate to cast aspersions. But I have just spotted the one in black (thanks Tina).
I said “World Press Photo” I meant “The Guardian week in pictures”. A couple of these definitely have that feel to them.
I feel a bit embarrassed pointing the camera at someone, I usually disarm them with a huge grin if they spot me. I am getting better though and think you chose a good situation, as pictures taken of people who are absorbed in something are far easier than disrupting a mixed gathering with your 6’5ishness.
Unless you blunder sideways into a bank of screens, that is. Next step. THE ACTUAL STREET!. I’ll be your bodyguard, In grey.
sebastian
Nov 17, 2009
As I said, I’m quite dextrous…! I hate people that bump the back of my chair when they walk behind me. HATE. Clumsy fools. I never do that.
But yeah, I figured LANs would be easy to photograph… it’s like a sport after all… they’re not going to be looking at the photographer.
Actual street next eh? We shall see… maybe do some winter-time stuff. You know, of hobos around trash cans and shit. Only we don’t have any hobos around these parts.
OK, it’s a boy! I actually have one of a really pretty girl, but if I put it up, I’d probably be accused of ‘sexism’ or… something like that.
Sara Strand
Nov 17, 2009
No, it wouldn’t be sexism- but she might think you a bit odd. That is, if she found her way to your blog. :)Cool pics- my hubs was pretty excited about it because he’s one of these freaks. He doesn’t go to LAN parties because that means I’m alone with 2 screaming kids for multiple days. He apparently values his life, which I suppose is a good thing.
sebastian
Nov 17, 2009
Ah! I’m glad he can live vicariously through me in that case! You should let him go. Or… better yet… tell him to invade the living room with a bunch of his friends and set up there!
We had a few LAN parties at university in a friend’s living room. Computers on coffee tables, people on sofas… I think we got about 10 people into a living room once
One of the photos has her looking at me and smiling, so I think I’d be OK…!
Nyx
Nov 17, 2009
Huh..you mean you don’t blend into the background at 6’5″? Shocking.
I have issues with pointing the camera at people too. Usually I’m ok with kids (they don’t seem to care very much…then again, they’re usually in their own world), but anyone over the age of 10 is tough. Usually when I’m trying to take actual “photographer” photos (as opposed to candids), I’ve got my D70 with me…and I find it’s a bit intimidating to the subjects. For whatever reason, they don’t seem to be as scared of my little tiny pocket camera…which is conveniant at times because it’s the one I always carry, but I can’t get the same depth of field as I do with the D70.
And usually I’ve got to deal with those pesky ‘release’ forms if I want to show anyone my photos of people…blergh.
And I think it’s a boy. Maybe. Although, I also have gotten in trouble trying to differentiate between the two….
sebastian
Nov 17, 2009
(Sounds like a story that needs to be told…! I have one too — but you should go first…)
I’ve done a few ‘shoots’, where it’s implied that I’ll be pointing my camera at them. That’s OK. (But controlling people/telling them how to be and act is another thing too… that comes with experience I guess?)
I don’t think we worry so much about release forms here in the UK… what with us being not such a litigious state… but I wouldn’t go around sharing bad photos of people anyway!
Art
Nov 17, 2009
Do you all play in the dark for a reason?
sebastian
Nov 17, 2009
Hah. Funny you mention that.
Most of the windows are usually blacked out, to stop sun coming in.
But NOT for that reason — basically, it gets REALLY REALLY hot with that many computers in a room, especially on the second floor. I believe a few years ago we hit 60C in the summer… which is kind of illegal and dangerous…
So there are huge fans that keep the place cool’ish (but last summer there were some guys that were LANing in just their underwear… pretty funny…)
Lights go out to simulate the day/night cycle. They are on during the middle of the day, basically
Art
Nov 17, 2009
Wow that is way too intense
sebastian
Nov 17, 2009
You should check out the gamers with catheters.
I kid, I kid…
Jaime
Nov 17, 2009
I don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl, but I LOVE those shirts.
Also: I see Call of Duty!
You had fun. I know you did. I r jealous.