Now, I didn’t only photograph in black and white. After my intro to photography class ended I decided to take a color class as well. Which was a way more complicated method of processing and developing that I don’t want to get into here.
Unfortunately I dropped the class. I moved from where I lived, which was near the school, to about an hours drive away. But the distance wasn’t the only thing that caused me to drop the class.
What I was shooting my professor didn’t like. I wish I could show you what it was but the negatives are long gone. I was shooting these great murals that littered the streets on mid town Miami. From the Design district to Wynwood, all the walls were covered in beautiful graffiti. It wasn’t simple graffiti either, it was increasingly complex designs that boggled the mind. One quick googlesearch and you can see for yourself what is out there. The reason my professor didn’t like it was because there wasn’t anything exciting about it, sure it was beautiful and the colors were vibrant and amazing, but there was no “subject”. So I set out to add the subject. I asked around to meet these artists of the murals. The problem was that back then they were still done in secrecy and at night when no one was around. Now a days the “taggers” are revered as artists and are welcomed at every empty wall in those districts.
So I went away from shooting those murals, and I went way from being in the class room. That is when I started to shoot photos for myself. I was taking pictures of friends and of random things on my way to my other classes. But every now and then I shot something that really stood out to me and here is an example of that.
Full disclosure, this is not the picture I intended to share, not the security guard, but this is the closest I can find.
I always shot at 1/60 speed. I also used 200 Kodak Gold film. Nothing fancy, I didn’t even develop the film myself. I think I would drop it off at a local pharmacy and they would do it in house. Thats right, back in the day when they actually developed film in house.
This guy was totally happy, and when I pointed that camera he gave me a shot into his life. A loafer wearing, bike riding, security guard probably on his way back home after a long night of warding off the criminals that lurk in the shadows. I went way too far with that one. Anyways.
I was happy taking the photo as well. I mean, it was clean and simple, and gritty and even full of motion blur, but you know what? It is a darn good photograph. One that I am very proud of.
-Franco Pisano
P.S. Next time I will post something more recent.