Mysore Elderly Man Smoking Black and White Portrait Photography
White Hair And Direct Eyes Above The Diamond Railing
A cigarette rests between his lips as he looks directly into my camera. I photographed this older man in Mysore, India, leaving room beside him for the repeating diamond pattern of the railing. His white hair and loosely draped cloth stand out against the softer street background in this black and white portrait.
The encounter was close. Working with a fixed wide-angle lens meant moving toward a person when I wanted a larger presence in the frame. That physical approach was part of how I made these street portraits, and here the direct eye contact keeps the distance between subject and viewer short.
His face holds the strongest detail, from the brows and eyes to the lighter beard and small cigarette. The pale cloth creates a broader, softer shape around his shoulders. Behind him, the wall and railing provide clear horizontal and diagonal lines, contrasting with the irregular textures of hair, skin and fabric.
I like that the surroundings remain visible without taking over. They give the portrait a place and a graphic rhythm, while the man’s gaze keeps drawing attention back to the left side of the frame. The photograph reads clearly from a distance, then offers finer detail when viewed nearby. For me, it preserves the immediacy of a face-to-face moment on the streets of Mysore.
© Dan Kosmayer, 2010
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About My Fine Art Photography
Every photograph in my collection comes from my own travels, explorations, and years behind the camera.
I create my work as photographic art rather than mass-produced decoration. From street portraits and abandoned places to landscapes, architecture, and the unusual subjects I discover along the way, each image begins with something that made me stop and look.
My photographs are available in multiple sizes so the same image can work in anything from an intimate wall space to a large statement installation.
