Mobility

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Dave
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I'm not sure whether this will go anywhere as I'm undecided as to which way to take it and if it's even worthwhile, but it's what I've been trying to get to grips with lately. On my wanderings around towns I've been photographing mobility scooters for a few years without any real plan. This seems to be the way most of my projects develop. I was initially struck by their ubiquity but came to realise their importance to their owners and their symbolism of an ageing population.

So far the only thing I have decided on is to use square format shot from a lowish angle. Which means my existing shots are no use to me save as notes. To make shooting square simpler I've chosen to use micro four thirds because it can show a square crop on the screen or viewfinder and the body I'm using has a flippy screen which lets me use it easily at low level. Making a series of photos of mobility scooters would be a bit like what a photographic friend of mine terms 'stamp collecting'. Typologies shot to a consistent framing are OK (although they can be tedious) but I'm to indisciplined for that anyway. That's my excuse for being inconsistent!

As well as the scooters themselves I want to find a way to make photos of the people who use the scooters. I suppose an underlying theme of this idea is how the less mobile can retain their independence. So far I've been taking candid shots. I'm not out to make fun of people, although there are ironies and humour to be seen. I like the way that you can see the determination on people's faces and catch incongruous moments. But, as with photographing the homeless or buskers as 'street photography', it can feel a bit like shooting fish in a barrel and mildly exploitative. My rationalisation is that my pictures are taken to a plan to form a larger body of pictures that makes a sort of social comment. Stopping people and asking to take their portraits would remove those doubts, but also take away the liveliness. A series of posed pictures could easily be as dull as a set of pictures of empty scooters. Overall I'm tending towards the idea of using all three approaches.

I'd welcome thoughts on this.

Here are a few pics to give a flavour of what I've taken so far.

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Pubs and betting shops are prime locations to spot parked scooters!

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The candid approach can get some unexpected pictures.

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The semi-candid approach can be okay.

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Great piece of social commentary and a real symbol of our time, I think it's a good idea for a project/collection, perhaps better with the people than without
 
Thanks Chris. I'm coming round to thinking that most photos are better with people in them.

Maybe I should start lurking when I find a parked scooter and approach its owner. Those in motion tend to move pretty quickly!
 
most photos are better with people in them.


Yes, but not absolutely. Some may have no driver
but more symbolic graphic and / or meaning. It is
all in the story telling. #2 would fit in that tab.

I dig #4 for something going on but there is no con-
tact or relation between the people in the take.

Good project idea! (y)
 
Thanks Kodiak. I'll carry on and see where things lead.
 
I am a scooter user and think that this is a good start to something that might be illustrative of how older and handicapped people try to keep some independence. There are photographs to be found in supermarkets which would illustrate how we shop, for example.
 
Thanks for the scooter user's view, Norman. Much appreciated as I have been wondering how this might be seen from that perspective. It's given me more to think about.
 
So far the only thing I have decided on is to use square format shot from a lowish angle. Which means my existing shots are no use to me save as notes. To make shooting square simpler I've chosen to use micro four thirds because it can show a square crop on the screen or viewfinder and the body I'm using has a flippy screen which lets me use it easily at low level.

This probably says more about me than you, but reading this makes me think there should be room somewhere for a sly reference in one of your images to William Eggleston's Memphis Tricycle* :)

* though rather annoyingly it's not a square format shot
 
Excellent idea and these are good images right off. Personally the last one is my fave and this sort of image is much more worthwhile than worrying about being explotative. It's a real commentary on how we are changing socially. Good luck!
 
Thanks chaps.

This probably says more about me than you, but reading this makes me think there should be room somewhere for a sly reference in one of your images to William Eggleston's Memphis Tricycle* :)

* though rather annoyingly it's not a square format shot

Mmm. There's a thought!

Excellent idea and these are good images right off. Personally the last one is my fave and this sort of image is much more worthwhile than worrying about being explotative. It's a real commentary on how we are changing socially. Good luck!

Oddly enough the last one didn't feel exploitative because I saw the woman looking at me. I like it too.

The square format might not stick for everything as I've been having a bit of a rethink on how to approach the whole project and might try a few different approaches. I've got some ideas I want to work through next time I can get out.
 
I think I'm going to knock this on the head as a 'project' and just carry on taking random pictures of mobility scooters and people using them rather than try to do it as a serious comment on society. There's a place for that, but I'm not the person to do it. I've also got sidetracked by a something else that I have got into.

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That last one made me smile, the juxtaposition of the rather clunky scooter in front of the stylised Apple poster is a good find.
 
TBH I didn't notice it was phone at the time, I just noticed the graphic shapes. :oops: :$
 
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