I find markets difficult to photograph. There’s just too much going on between the whirl of people and confusing jumble of produce, meat, bread and Genuine Home-Made Knick Knacks™. Finding a subject to focus the viewers eye on within the mad mess of people can be frustrating.
It’s particularly frustrating considering I’m also absolutely certain there are great photos to be taken at markets in general.
This has led me down another path. Maybe the churning of crowd and commerce itself should be the focus of the photo. Every landscape photographer since the beginning of photography has smoothed out a river by slowing down their shutter speed, maybe the same concept could apply to Edmonton’s crowded downtown market. And nothing says slow like a pinhole camera. Also, the everything not quite in focus look can help impart the feeling of distraction one feels when wandering amongst the booths.
These are the first couple of photos of what may turn into a project.
