Think about photographs that have stayed in your mind. Describe them. What do they have in common?

I think about the photojournalist shots of the Vietnam war or the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Mapplethorpe’s gripping photos of human bodies. The stunning landscapes of Ansel Adams. Annie Leibowitz and her celebrity photos, always with an edge.

” Taking pictures is savouring life intensely, every hundredth of a second.” Marc Riboud.

One of my friends, Greg Collins, recently took a photography short course and  told me about a photo narrative he was working on. A story in only 8 frames. I was intrigued when he described it and overjoyed when some weeks later he sent me the result. It’s SO good and I had to share it with you on Viva70!  Thanks for your generosity Greg! I’ve left the photos at full size so you can appreciate the detail.

Follow the story in the photos below. What story does it tell?

 

“There is one thing a photograph must contain, the humanity of the moment.” Robert Frank

I felt so sad for the little boy standing there with his balloons and present.. and who ever he was waiting for failed to arrive on the train. So simple, so perfect. A picture is worth a thousand words.

“What makes a photograph a strange invention is that its primary raw materials are light and time. Photography is the story I fail to put into words.” Destin Sparks.

 

Greg Collins is recently retired and living the country idyll in Central Victoria and all that entails- cultivating an extensive garden, volunteering in the local community and exploring new passions such as photography.