Paul Contino | Photographs - Photoletter 39

Paul Contino | Photographs

Photoletter Issue No. 39 | September 2024

HEAVENLY BODIES

Mid-August brought peak Perseid viewing in the northern latitudes so I took advantage for a trip out to see what stars I could fall from the sky.


None of the handful of meteors viewed were captured on camera, but there were a couple of very bright and off-color objects in the sky that caught my attention.


The god of the sky and the god of war were commiserating up in the heavens at the falling of stellar objects towards the Earth.


-


In this photoletter we have a couple of collections of professional and personal cycling imagery, a story of eavesdropping at a coffee shop, and one way to motivate yourself to head out and take some photos.


Hope all took advantage of the summer and are enjoying a last long weekend before the arrival of autumn.


-Paul

CYCLING IMAGERY

I missed this year’s broadcast of the Tour de France, with its mesmerizing amalgamation of athleticism, educational commentary, and bucolic landscapes.


Fortunately, there was a follow-up: the Olympics.


(There are actually many televised prominent cycling events throughout the year. It’s just that the Tour de France happens to be the most prominent and well-recognized.)


An almost six hour broadcast with the unceasing familiar voice of the Tour de France - the unflappable Bob Roll - articulating countryside histoire behind the chateaus, cathedrals, estates, and abbeys lining the race route.

Every once in a while a thrill in the actual race itself will draw my attention: a crash (cringe with empathy), a swift attack of riders at the front, a daunting climb shedding weaker riders off the back …


But what is most impressive is the constant commentator dialogue, hour after hour, day after day.


It’s an education in European history through the unveiling of notable buildings and the lives of those that once inhabited them.


View an old Tour de France gallery here

I’ve always enjoyed the juxtaposition of sport and scenery, such as time trialists rounding the Altare della Patria during the 100th anniversary of the Giro d’Italia.


The aesthetic of old Europe - the weathered architecture, the labyrinthian street layouts and tiled rooftops, the unfamiliar street signage and sidewalk cafe life - as a backdrop to modern cycling.


Cobblestones pulse under the vibration of spinning wheels and the palpitation of the competing riders.


The event of cycling with its athletic speed and fanatic support adds a vibrance to a stoic and antiquated backdrop.

Another enjoyable cycling event not only to photograph, but more intimately to be a part of, was Phil’s Oregon Outback which took place back in 2018.


364 miles trekking from the southern border of Oregon up to where the Columbia river marks the boundary with Washington state.


At the time it was too daunting of a bike ride for yours truly so I decided to act as sag (read: support) for the more ambitious group of riders, carrying their gear, photographing their adventure along the way.


View the full gallery here

I’ll leave you with one last image of quotidian cycling and a little something to concentrate on next you are out taking photographs.


Consider not just the main subject of what you are trying to capture, but the entirety of the scene in which your subject exists (I am sure I’ve mentioned this before).


Take an extra moment to create a sense of place and feeling by determining how to best incorporate the background and appropriately frame your subject in the scene itself.


It’ll help capture a more complete picture and tell a stronger story when you reflect back on your experience through a single image.

A SHOT OF COFFEE

This could become a photoletter ritual: shots of coffee (like what I did there?)


As I frequently find myself in cafes and taking photos within them I should be able to share some on a monthly or so basis.


Char & Stave is a recent addition to the bustling uppity Philly neighborhood of Chestnut Hill, proffering coffee by day and whiskey by night.


Being a corner spot along the Avenue allows for large open windows, permitting illumination for easy reading and adequate spots for passersby gazing.


Eavesdropping, too, is an inevitable part of planting oneself in a cafe (an historically important part of coffeeshops, as detailed below in the “What I am Reading” mention).


Not that it is intentional … it’s just inevitable.


For example …


You have a gentleman donning an aloha shirt and a local map open to touristic sites, and a residential woman passes by and invites her unsolicited self over to act as knowledgeable local guide.


She is welcomed by a tolerant foreign accent - aotearoan (New Zealand) if I remember - accepting her words of encouragement to visit this place or that.


Upon finding he is a lover of birds and is traveling through the U.S. to view species unfamiliar to his homeland, she exposes that she also happens to be an aficionado of ornithology (what are the chances…).


They have a polite interchange until she, seemingly fulfilled in her obligation as a regional know-it-all, continues on her way out the door and on with the remainder of her daily routine.


No … no … I think it was nice ... I appreciate the momentary interactions such as the one described above.


His shirt did scream (in living color) “I’m not from around here” and his interloper did provide sage advice on where to go to observe the subject for which he had journeyed an ocean and a continent over.


It made the stop for a cup of a joe all the more memorable.

MOTIVATION

In case you are looking for inspiration to go out and take photographs, contests are a good place to start.


Most offer a structured assignment - subject, purpose, timeline - to focus on when taking a photograph.


Lensculture has become a prominent resource in the photography world that offers multiple contests throughout the year - free of charge.


There are many other opportunities - local, national, and international - encompassing all styles and subjects one can find with a quick search online.


I encourage you to seek some out and go take some photos!

WHAT I AM…

Watching: Probably one of many movies made in 1999

Reading: A History of the World in Six Glasses

Listening to: Anything apolitical

Be well and go out and take some photos

-Paul

See something you like? Most images can be made into artwork - paper prints, metal prints, canvas - for display in home or office or as a gift. Send me an email and we can discuss!


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