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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Sixteen: Story-telling street photography > Cyclist, Guanajuato, Mexico, 2005
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24-OCT-2005

Cyclist, Guanajuato, Mexico, 2005

This young man is catching a breather beneath the arches supporting Guanajuato’s Church of Valenciana. I made this picture from relatively close range, my zoom set at a normal 50mm range. He was so preoccupied with whatever he was thinking about that he never saw me. If he were looking at the camera, it would no longer be street photography. I had time for one quick shot and reacted instinctively, shooting from the waist. The image is a slice of street life. His hands are poised in the air, about to grab the handles of his bike and pedal away. This gesture creates tension, and energizes the image. I place him off to one side to stress the strange drawing on the wall, and leave plenty of room for the cobblestone street below his feet. Detail tells part of the story as well – the bright yellow bike frame draws the eye, while his hat placement, jauntily skewed to one side, tells us more about his self-image and lifestyle choices.

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Phil Douglis24-Jan-2006 04:40
Jen, I also want to comment on your observation that this picture is so perfect that it looks staged. It wasn't staged. The guy never saw me. He was too busy looking elsewhere. I was walking along and saw it all in front of me. Just like this. Really!
Phil Douglis24-Jan-2006 00:27
Thanks, Jen, for suggesting that this image reminds you of that HCB shot. Both images present a subject unaware of the camera, and of the graffiti in the background. There is indeed, hauntingly similar themes running through both of these images. Both subjects wear hats. Both walls feature wall drawings on them that mimic the oblivious subjects. HCB's wall drawing has its mouth open, just like its subject. And the drawing on the wall of my image holds its arms in the same position that my subject does.
Jennifer Zhou19-Jan-2006 02:37
When I saw the following picture of HCB today, I was reminded of this picture of yours!http://www.magnumphotos.com/c/htm/CDocZ_MAG.aspx?Stat=DocThumb_DocZoom&o=&DT=ALB&E=2TYRYD1D518O&Pass=&Total=125&Pic=16&SubE=2S5RYDW48L31
Jennifer Zhou08-Jan-2006 13:40
This is a street photograph, but the interesting thing is I got an impression that this is a staged portrait photo, because everything works perfectly together to define the boy's character as if they have been carefully chosen : the color and the drawing on the wall, the bike, the boy's body gesture---his separate arms, and he is on the bike but seems perfectly standing on the ground with his own feet, and the bike comes a prop for the scene. I guess it is true that sometimes we don't have to arranage things, the moment of truth will reveal itself.
Phil Douglis12-Nov-2005 19:23
You are right, Kal. Both the drawing on the wall and the strange movement and costume of the man seem to relate, now that you mention it. Both are somewhat whimsical and amusing, and there certainly is a touch of the caricature in his appearance.
Kal Khogali12-Nov-2005 12:52
He is a caracteture Phil, like the one on the wall, both equally amuzing, but each without the other, a lesser thing....
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