Pixel-peeping life in a free society
A creative lifeline
I took this photo on a weekend in November in the middle of a hectic autumn term at university. I was buried under emails and deadlines, rushing between meetings and lectures, site visits and field trips. Amid this whirlwind, this photo became a sort of lifeline to me; a reminder of my creative self and a glimpse of less stressful times. I saved a super high-resolution copy on my phone and just looked for any break in middle of my meetings and field trips to zoom in on the photo, pan over its details, and savour the joy of pixel-peeping my kind of street life. I considered it a simple, somewhat spontaneous street photo, yet I was pleased with myself for being intentional in the few seconds I had to capture it, and this added to my technical satisfaction with the photo.
Tools and settings
From a technical perspective, this photo marked my return to the kind of photography gear that I realised suited me better. It had taken me a few months to bite the bullet and sell my highly hyped Fujifilm rangefinder, which proved disappointing for fast-paced photography with moving subjects. As I encountered these groups of women and men, I was testing the focus tracking of a new mirrorless full-frame Canon paired with a 28-70mm f/2.8 lens; a heavier setup I had returned to for a more deliberate approach to street photography. The day in London wasn’t particularly bright, and with my favourite camera in hand, I could set a rather optimal exposure setting in the heat of the moment to freeze the runners and have a good depth of field without too much noise (f/4.0, 1/800 sec, and ISO 1600). The f/4 aperture gave me enough depth of field to keep the male runners in focus while rendering the women sharpest. The landscape retained sufficient detail, and the ISO 1600 added a slight granularity, which, on reflection, enhances the photo’s texture and fleeting quality.
Elements and denotations
But for all that, I wonder whether, beyond my pleasure in taking the photo, there is anything to this photographic image more than an ordinary random snapshot. Taken in Hampstead Heath, North London, the photo shows a group of running men along with a group of women standing apart, seemingly waiting to cheer on their male partners or friends as they pass this point on the trail. Whether this impression comes from the photo itself or my memory of the preceding and following moments, I can’t say for certain. What is clear is that the women are also dressed in running gear, suggesting they planned to run alongside this seemingly male-dominated event. Compositionally, I think the simplicity of the scene – the separation of the two groups and their similar outfits within a clutter-free urban natural setting – creates space for more of an abstract interpretation. That is , the photo seems to invite exploring the subjects’ gestures, expressions, and relationships on an archetypal level. Also, I believe, this specific moment of waiting, before the women cheer the passing runners, captures a unique authenticity; both in the faces we see and those left unseen. In my view, the photo also subtly challenges the stereotype of strong, competitive men proving their power to the observing women. These women might be just as athletic, quietly defying traditional notions of strength and competition.
Contextual layers
From a contextual view, the photo admittedly captures a very specific slice of society. It depicts Londoners of a particular colour, culture, and societal class, which by today’s standards seems biased in representation. Yet, I believe the photo holds some documentary value within its context, reflecting specific cultural characteristics. In many cultures, for instance, women might not be welcomed – or even allowed – to join their male counterparts in such events, let alone dressed in similarly revealing and functional athletic attire. In other contexts, all genders might run together without clear divisions. This image prompts me to ponder these varied possibilities while documenting a relatively free, well-off society that enables such reflections, and taking such a candid photo to start with. After all, it’s a bittersweet truth that sustained welfare and cultural progress are often prerequisites for delving into fundamental and diverse human desires and experiences beyond the basic necessities.
Echoes of a master
Later, in December, as I finally concluded my busy term at university, I had the chance to see works of the renowned photographer Jeff Wall in person at the White Cube in London, and it struck me that this snapshot echoes some of the qualities that I admire in Jeff Wall’s photography. While my image lacks the meticulous construction of Wall’s scenes, it holds, in my view, a similar narrative potential. Perhaps it’s the kind of scene I could revisit and recreate more deliberately someday, adopting Wall’s approach. For now, though, I treasure the photo as it is; a fleeting moment in Hampstead Heath, hinting at stories of humans and their relationships in a free society.