Balance

On August 21, 2024 By themichaellamcollectionIn PhotographyLeave a comment

In a post-pandemic world, just surviving feels like a balancing act that is doomed to failure, with cost of many goods more than double what they were in 2019, but salaries and income maybe a percentage point or two more than back then. But, that has little to do with photography, unless you do photography for a living, which, thankfully, I don’t.

Supermarkets are nice to shop in, if you can afford the added cost that usually accompanies many of the goods there, especially fresh produce, so many still visit the various public Market places, and if you’ve followed my Street Photography, you probably know I frequent Mon Repos market, and it usually makes for some good Street Photography. Fresh produce abounds along with many other stalls, and the variety in people and activity makes for a good walk with a camera almost any Saturday.

Market – 24-1170 | Mon Repos Market, East Coast Demerara

There are times when I come upon a scene, and while I can draw my own conclusions about what’s going on, its much more fun to elicit the views of others from the same image. While much of my Street Photography tends to be in black and white, some scenes demand to be left in colour, and I think this was one of them, this next photo was taken on a walk down Quamina Street (formerly Murray Street) in the Cummingsburg ward of Georgetown.

Quamina – 24-1177 | Quamina Street, Cummingsburg, Georgetown, Guyana

On the corner of Quamina Street and Waterloo Street, there’s an old house, right downstairs at that house is “Battery Man”, who purchases old, used batteries for their “lead” content. I got quite a suspicious look out of him when I walked by casing the place for a good photo. After taking the photo, I smiled and said “Good Day” and went on my merry way.

Battery Man – 24-1178 | Waterloo Street, Cummingsburg, Georgetown, Guyana.

I think its just this type of variety of subjects that draws me to Street Photography when I’m not indulging in Landscape / Seascape photography. There’s life in the images, as well as stories that seem obvious, but also stories that others can infer for us.

As usual, click on the images to see them in the Gallery along with other images in the collection.

The Mask

On March 24, 2020 By themichaellamcollectionIn PhotographyLeave a comment

Depending on where you source your information from, some places are saying that wearing masks will help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 disease, some are saying the masks won’t help prevent you getting it, but if you have symptoms, then you should wear a mask in public… regardless, in some places in Guyana, masks are starting to appear with more frequency.

Before I myself am sent into lockdown, I think I’ll keep trying to capture street scenes.

Many supermarkets, staying open to supply us with our necessities, are mandating that their staff be masked, some are assisting with sanitisers as you enter, one I went into even gave me a mask to wear while in their store.

Taking no chances, this Chinese man masks up in the market, probably getting some fresh produce for his restaurant. Some Chinese restaurants have taken to doing Take-Away only, through a window, helping to limit exposure while still serving their customers

At a shopping “mall” – even though this isn’t the sharpest image, I’ve always found that for Street Photography, the story matters more than the technical perfection of the image.

Take every precaution possible. Be informed, beware of fake “cures and remedies”.

Tech giant Google has created a COVID-19 Information and Resource page.

And the World Health Organisation (WHO) is a trusted source of anything health related, including COVID-19, Keep checking their page for Updated information and guidance; here’s a link to their COVID-19 Advice page.

Please desist from spreading via social media (especially WhatsApp, unconfirmed data or things you’ve heard; be informed, be safe, be responsible.

Click on the images to see them in the Gallery, along with other images “In the Streets”

Five for the weekend

On February 29, 2020 By themichaellamcollectionIn Photography2 Comments

The powers that be decided to declare Elections Day in Guyana a national holiday, so we have a long weekend.

I decided to share five photos from my last month’s walking about, whether you see anything in them that appeals, or shows diversity, I can say that these show people, the quintessential “man in the street”, or if we’re going to be politically correct, “person in the street”, the people who will be affected by the outcome of Monday’s vote, and any events that may occur because of the elections, the parties and the electorate’s response. These are the people for whom “life goes on”, regardless of what happens.