*MY 3rd PHOTO, MY THOUGHTS*

No 3. Ozora, Hungary, November 1st 2023

Hello everyone 😀

I asked myself the question…

How do I describe Street Photography:

*A genre of photography that records everyday life and events in a public place.*

The very publicness of the setting enables the photographer to take candid pictures of strangers, often without their knowledge.

What I think makes a good street photograph.

A good street photographer focuses on capturing the lives and emotions of people at a particular moment in everyday life. The subjects of the photos are clearly defined, tell a story, and evoke emotions.

*The photographer makes the viewer pause and ask questions, provoking a deeper thought or emotional response.*

I hope my work incorporates these ideals.

I named this photograph “How Much?”

On the banks of the River Sió, on the northwestern border of Tolna County lies Ozora, Hungary which has a significant Gypsy population and a Hungarian minority.

In the centre of Ozora, situated off the main square, stands the former famous “Dukes Inn”. Within those walls, two famous Hungarian poets/actors visited and performed many years ago. Today it is a tourist information centre, hall and theatre. These boys were sitting on its famous steps!

I was looking around the empty square with my camera eye, searching for something interesting to photograph. I had come to the right village. Several groups of young people stood around chatting, their bikes dumped unceremoniously on the ground none of them taking any notice of me. After all, I looked like any other tourist with my camera slung around my neck.

I spotted this group of boys casually sitting with each other on the steps of this building. The framing was good and there was lots of interest in the shot. The leaves on the ground said it was Autumn, the clothes the boys wore suggested it was relatively warm. A splash of red sweatshirt leads the eye to the edge of the frame. I was happy with the composition.

It wasn’t until I got the photo on the screen at home that I realised what was being suggested right before my eyes. It appeared that the older boy was holding a pair of snazzy looking trainers out to the enthusiastic younger boy, perhaps for sale??? I am just guessing. As “wheeling and dealing” is a common way of life for the gypsy communities in Hungary this is probably not very unusual. It just gave me a bit of a reality check! Street photography certainly throws up some interesting thought provoking shots. Do you agree with my thoughts and observations about this photograph, I would be interested to hear in the comments? Thanks for reading. 😁