honorable mention
Adrian Schaub switzerland
title
Should I stay or should I go
This resulted in a series of pictures, which I titled “Should I stay or should I go”. Borrowed from a song by the Clash, I found this title quite appropriate for the body language of the young people on the diving tower. Some of them climbed up the first steps in good spirits, their chests swollen out, only to remain standing on the first level of the diving platform in a nonchalant manner, undecided as to whether or not they would dare to jump from the top platform into the sea under the peer pressure.
The overarching theme of my photography is the children’s game “I see something you don’t see”, as I try to capture the special in the everyday. I like regular shapes and structures of any kind. I further have a weakness for the ephemeral as well as for animals and plants. In my street photography people are interchangeable anonymous actors, hence you typically don’t recognise their faces. Animals are part of the city life and their irregular activity contrasts with the regular forms of streets and buildings, whose leading lines ideally aim for a corner of the picture.
Initially I photographed with Canon and Pentax cameras in 35mm format. In 2004 I switched to medium format and have been using Hasselblad ever since, first analog and from 2021 digital. My preference for the Hasselblad system is based on the compatibility of the cameras and lenses since 1957 until today.
Paradigms
“Reduce to the Max” by adhering to
Simplicity: topics, patterns and lines are clear and straightforward
Black and white: no distraction by colours
Square format: allows the most balanced image composition
Authenticity: there is nothing in my pictures that was not already on the analogue or digital negative
I enjoy shooting with my fully mechanical CM 501 and the digital back CFV II 50C, which is a wonderful symbiosis of the analogue and digital worlds. However, for everyday use and travel, I usually prefer the X2D for ergonomic and practical reasons.
back to gallery
entry description
The picture was taken in Saint Malo (France) in the summer of 2022. On the beach, there is a walled-off swimming area with a picturesque diving tower. When we passed by in the morning, the diving tower was deserted. Together with the islands in the background, this still made a nice holiday photo. On the way back in the afternoon, the tide began to rise. As the water level rose, so did the number of local youngsters who threw themselves off the tower into the Channel.This resulted in a series of pictures, which I titled “Should I stay or should I go”. Borrowed from a song by the Clash, I found this title quite appropriate for the body language of the young people on the diving tower. Some of them climbed up the first steps in good spirits, their chests swollen out, only to remain standing on the first level of the diving platform in a nonchalant manner, undecided as to whether or not they would dare to jump from the top platform into the sea under the peer pressure.
about the photographer
Born in Basel (Switzerland) in 1968, I started taking pictures in my youth with various cameras of my father and grandfather, who were both enthusiastic amateur photographers. Around 1997 I discovered my passion for black and white photography and started to develop my pictures in my own darkroom. Today I take photos mainly digitally.The overarching theme of my photography is the children’s game “I see something you don’t see”, as I try to capture the special in the everyday. I like regular shapes and structures of any kind. I further have a weakness for the ephemeral as well as for animals and plants. In my street photography people are interchangeable anonymous actors, hence you typically don’t recognise their faces. Animals are part of the city life and their irregular activity contrasts with the regular forms of streets and buildings, whose leading lines ideally aim for a corner of the picture.
Initially I photographed with Canon and Pentax cameras in 35mm format. In 2004 I switched to medium format and have been using Hasselblad ever since, first analog and from 2021 digital. My preference for the Hasselblad system is based on the compatibility of the cameras and lenses since 1957 until today.
Paradigms
“Reduce to the Max” by adhering to
Simplicity: topics, patterns and lines are clear and straightforward
Black and white: no distraction by colours
Square format: allows the most balanced image composition
Authenticity: there is nothing in my pictures that was not already on the analogue or digital negative
I enjoy shooting with my fully mechanical CM 501 and the digital back CFV II 50C, which is a wonderful symbiosis of the analogue and digital worlds. However, for everyday use and travel, I usually prefer the X2D for ergonomic and practical reasons.
back to gallery