Twirl/Run on the street
My head is firmly rooted to street photography at present, possibly due to a project idea I am mulling over, so I was intrigued to find a new book by one of the best street photographers out there, Jeff Mermelstein.
Twirl/Run, not the most obvious words to combine, but Jeff has done just that. This collection of pictures from the street show people twirling their hair, or running, just as the title suggests.
Weird, well yes it is, but he's captured some fascinating moments. Physically those pictured may well be in a crowded space, but mentally they are miles away.
The pictures are intriguing, and the beauty is in the details of the absent minded poses, or the imagined stories of the runners striving to make that appointment, or catch that bus or whatever.
It's enhanced by the presentation, each page has a series of three images placed together with no text, no attempt is made to explain what is going on.
I asked Jeff where he likes to work and if he ever encountered any problems with those photographed:
Jeff said:
"I have been walking the streets and sidewalks of New York City for nearly 30 years with camera in hand, this is where I am most comfortable and it remains fertile. I search for something that comes from beyond the corner of my eye, always at work to be ready for surprise. Resistance does at times happen but is not something I like to dwell on."
From a photographers perspective it's also a good lesson in the way a project can come together, Jeff said:
"Both the Twirl and Run themes began unknowingly, but as time went on I began to see what was building. The span of the two bodies of work in the book is 1995 - 2008 and I still continue today."
This is a long term project, and one that didn't start out as anything more than a few shots on similar themes, but over time the realisation that there was something going, something worth exploring led to this book.
It's worth bearing in mind when you decide whether to take a picture or not, you never know where it might lead.
or view a three part video of him at work on the street photographers site, .
Photos with kind permission from Twirl/Run by Jeff Mermelstein, published by .
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