P5: eye-lines

Yesterday was the annual; Christopher Street Day parade through Munich, an event that brings incredible  colour and noise to the city center.  Sadly as I am doing this course in B&W, I cannot portray the full impact of the costumes, however, such an event is a golden opportunity for a little people watching.

I used the parade as my material for this project and the next.  With this project in mind my primary goal was to observe the spectators, but I was open to any interactivity that would serve to illustrate the impact that eye lines can have on an image.

The first photo catches a juxtaposition between authority and anarchy, the parade goers interacting strongly whilst the police almost seem to try and look anywhere but at the parade.

The crowd offered a chance to get in close to groups of people, here the lady on the right is clearly emphatically making her point to her two companions. The man at the back adds an extra eye line, probably looking at me taking his photo.

Couldn't resist it, rare these days to see a large format camera, especially one operated by a man in lederhosen.  The key eye line here is the loving look that the man on the right is giving to his companion as their photograph is taken.

A fairly standard photo of two people in conversation, waiting for the parade to go by.

These three guys led the parade and I think must have had some kind of official role, perhaps to liaise with the police.  Here the eye lines are emphasized by the fist holding the rolled up paper.

Well, obvious what has drawn these eye-line...

This is a modern take on the conversation, although all were talking together, their attention is almost totally consumed by the smart phones they are using.  Once upon a time we looked at each other to have a conversation, now we glare at a tiny screen, our relationships driven by technology rather than companionship.

The couple on the left argue whilst the man in the middle stares into space.  Here the eye lines are divergent and the photograph lacks a focal point - still like the composition though.

My final image has an implied eye line, this seller of Biss (a German magazine sold by the unemployed or homeles, similar to the Big Issue) reads a book hidden behind the magazine she is advertising.