Toronto G20 Police Gas Masks Black and White Documentary Photography
A Sharp Masked Officer Beyond The Blurred Foreground Helmet
I photographed these officers while walking Toronto on the final day of the G20 summit in 2010. My purpose was to document the event as I saw it. In this black and white frame, a masked officer becomes the clearest figure beyond a large, blurred helmet in the foreground.
I like the three layers of the composition. The nearer helmet partly blocks the view, the central officer carries the sharpest detail, and another masked figure stands behind. That arrangement gives the photograph a sense of proximity, as though the viewer is looking through one part of the gathering toward another.
The central equipment has many smaller surfaces to discover. A scratched helmet, mask eyepieces, circular filter, cables and protective vest each contribute detail. The Toronto Police and ETF sleeve patches remain visible, locating the figure within the scene I encountered.
Black and white brings the repeated masks and helmet shapes together without competing colour. The contrast in sharpness helps separate the officers, while the foreground obstruction stays important to the view. I wanted to preserve both the physical equipment and the way the scene appeared from where I stood. For me, the photograph records a close observation during a public event, with its documentary character coming from the layers of people and gear held within that particular frame.
© 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.
