Strong geometric shapes frame the swimming pool and the odd angle of its lone inhabitant is mirrored by the discarded paddle board. Closer examination reveals a prosthetic leg waiting in the shadows and the story plays out with a whimsical sense of discovery in Dan_W8’s brilliantly simple image. Hit the jump for more.
Dan_W8 Street Pool Photography
I discovered Daniel’s image in the HCSP image critique thread on Flickr and was initially drawn to the strong graphic elements surrounding the lonely swimmer. But it wasn’t until I looked a little closer and saw the prosthetic leg sitting by the chair that I realized the swimmer doing laps only had one leg!
It’s difficult to capture a moment like this without it feeling staged or gimicky but there’s an unforced elegance to Daniel’s vision that allows the story to play out naturally. It’s a delicate moment frozen in time that goes beyond cliches and describes the world in a new way. That’s street photography gold in my books!
I asked Dan_W8 about his relationship to street photography:
My name is Daniel and I have been shooting for around 15 years but have only recently started posting my images publicly. I live in London and I am an architect by profession – this influences my work in terms of composition and colour. However, for me, an image should also provoke a feeling or emotion in the viewer. It is the layering of these two elements, the aesthetic and the emotional that I try to combine. The art of storytelling.
My biggest influences are Bob Mazzer, Alex Webb, Bruce Davidson and Martin Parr. Each of these has capurted the human soul in the most beautiful ways possible.
What’s your take on Dan_W8’s image? Is a single subject on a large field of color enough to hold your attention? Or does the wry storytelling capture your imagination? Post your ideas in the comments below and keep the conversation going!