This series is the result of an an assignment for our photography course: shooting interesting street scenes, without looking through the viewfinder. These little girls were playing a game: hiding in a doorway and suddenly jumping out of it to scare unsuspecting passers-by. But because we were taking images, we were very much aware of our environment so we spotted them way before they noticed us :) I think I pressed the shutter at the right moment... Still I believe that they did not notice that I photographed them! As always, your comments are appreciated.
I think this is the first of this series, where this assignment reaches to becoming very successful.
The fact that you are forced to shoot without taking aesthetical elements (composition, what to include, and what not, and so on) into consideration (making the shot itself unforced!) fits beautifully with the childish expression and joy of those two kids. The old christmas tree adds to the story, as it creates a timeframe. Again, there's a slight tilt in the image, but even that one fits rather well (off topic, I shot alot from the hip too, see my Iranian shopkeepers' series, and after a while I got the hang of how the camera would have to feel in my hand to make the image come out well aligned, but that does introduce the element of consideration into the approach, which wouldn't fit with your assignment, I believe)
The only thing I wonder about, is why I find this shot so successful, and I worry a bit that that "Successfulness" originates at the proximity of this shot to a well planned one, thus thinking "inside the box" again.
The timing in this photo is, obviously, spot on, and I believe that in a more representative forum, a crop, consising the view to a bit more than the lower left quadrant would be in order. I realise though, that that would be conflicting with the assignment, and I appreciate that you used the full frame (in most images I uploaded here, which where also shot from the hip, I did apply a crop)
Excellent and inspirational style, and thanks for keeping me thinking. Much appreciated!
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