OK, the only reason I could call this photograph the Drummer and 4 Dementors is the distance to the “Dementors” and the fact they are not recognisable in the photograph.
In stark contrast to the drummer, who is crossing the road with his head high up, energised, caring his drum with a clearly visible purpose the four youths in the background are, like the Dementors, lifeless. All dressed in black, heads down and drugging their feet they seem to lack a purpose and direction. Sadly, an image too many young people seem to project.
This photograph of a Japanese drummer and a cyclist is all about perspective. Since this photograph contains very few elements there is no point of reference for scale. The flat wall and a bit of pedestrian walkway create only a “view box”. Now, I had a wide angle lens on the camera which tends to exaggerate the proportions. The difference in distance between the drummer and the cyclist is only about 2 meters but because of the low viewpoint the cyclist looks disproportionally tall. This technique is frequently used for landscape photography to emphasise clouds and thus create an impression of expanded space.
I have watched today a group of Brazilian drummers at Sydney’s Martin Place performing in support of a tourist promotion. There was no good angle to photograph them courtesy of bad light and considerable crowd. However, one of the drummers was in my clear view with a stylised Inca statue in the background. I think it created a good motive for this photograph.
Charismatic Cherisse Osei – Mika’s drummer performing at Channel 7 studios
