African american woman with red dress - Harlem
This picture has been taken back in September 2007 on a rainy day. Well, it was a rainy day, and we had been wandering for a good shot all the afternoon long in Harlem, waiting most of the time the end of the multiple rain showers to output our gear. Suddenly, when all hopes to get a beautiful picture had disappeared, a bright sun pointed its rays and shed it’s light on 125th avenue in Harlem. And it was the golden hour, when the sun is low and light gets some warmer tones. It lasted only half an hour, during which we shot frenetically people in front of this red wall.
First I tried to capture people passing by in front of the wall, then I chose to sneak a little bit. I was crouched down along the wall, when this marvelous red feary came from behind, offering her red and white back to my 18-200mm lens. My heart suddenly pounded very fast, and the shutter was pressed…3 or 4 times. Eventually at the end of the day, among the couple of hundreds pictures taken, this one only deserved a star to me. Well, it deserved a star for a lot of reasons :
1) because it is significantly caracteristic of this “capture the moment” described by Cartier-Bresson - one of these opportunistic exiting few moments captured all street photographer may feel at some point,
2) This picture is very representative of Harlem, with the bright, colourful african-style dresses and people, immerged in a totally modern urban background
3) The light at golden hour,
4) This was my first Street Photography session with a pro (and very talented) photographer friend (who said Fanikanawati in one word?)
So much I could say on it for so many reasons…I hope you will enjoy as well.