Sometimes, It Is, Sometimes it Ain't...

Photo: © Stan Banos

A cigar, that is. Saw this from across the street. It was just a guy in a wheelchair nodding off on the street, but I liked the way he was "commanding" the space about him. So I took the chance, crossed the street, made the quick snap and decided to decide later on.

Balancing the side lighting with its extremes of shadows and highlights was a major pain in the post- one thing led to another, led to another, led to... Eventually got it to where I envisioned, and am pretty happy with the result. But I'm sure a lot of people would say- it's just a guy in a wheelchair.

A while back, some photo editor who didn't like my work in some way, shape or manner told me, "Ya know, photography is more than just pointing a camera and snapping the shutter." I don't even recall what the work was, but do remember thinking that if you're gonna impart any personal pearls of wisdom- they shouldn't be fraught with enough irony to undermine your own argument. OK, ya thought my work lacking in some respect- then at least come up with something insightful, instead of proving you have no better conception of what photography is, other than describing it at its most obvious...