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I have a personal favorite photograph and it hangs on my office wall. It’s this black and white photo of the young girl and her little red wagon (Radio Flyer). The photo was taken nearly twenty years ago.

I lived in an ethnic neighborhood in Chicago at the time, and would often go out into the street and try to document my surroundings. My focus at the time was to document the heavily populated Latin American residents and their incorporation into the U. S. culture. The majority of these Latinos didn’t speak English and had only lived in the States for several months. I saw them as outsiders until I photographed the girl and her little red wagon.

I knew the moment I turned the corner and saw this girl I had to take the phototograph. As Cartier-Bresson would say, it was the “decisive moment”. There was more than just an image here, there was story. And that has always been a goal to strive for when I take a photo. In this image the story was the wagon, the girl, and when juxtaposed together, the creation of a metaphysical bridge between two cultures. I had a red wagon when I was a child and I’m sure a great many of you had one too. I was able to identify with her. This photo in so many ways tells me how much alike we all are.

I should note here, and this is stating the obvious, that this is a black and white print. This image lent itself to black and white film. I don’t think color would have given it quite the impact that the starkness of black and white accomplishes. I mention this not to discourage anyone from using color, however, to point out the effect one medium might have versus the other. One of my current interests is photographing horse races. I love the pagentry and the presence of color. Black and white might have a role at the races but color is almost always my first choice.

To this day I try to continue to capture images like I did of the girl and Radio Flyer wagon. I look for images that are narrative in nature. They capture a story and drama. Today I often find myself at events for clients where I’m asked to do just this. One of my little tricks is to put myself in a specific frame of mind. I literally tell myself to “capture the drama”. It becomes my mantra for the event. I try to follow the ebb and flow of the proceedings. There are highs and lows at these events, which means that not every moment is meant to be photographed. This is how I watch and wait for drama to unfold.

If you’re planning on photographing an event either as a serious professional or a weekend enthusiast I might suggest several tips that will lend to more fullfilling picture taking. Approach the event, party or ballgame as if you are making a film, which you actually are, just not at the usual 24 to 30 frames per second. Consider the linear aspect of time and what will take place, a beginning, a middle and an end. Then throughout the event say to yourself…”capture the drama” as you look through the lens.

About The Author

Bill Bales has been in and around photography for over 20 years. He attended Columbia College in Chicago, Illinois, where he received his bachelor of arts, and invaluable experience from working professionals in photography, film and television broadcasting. It was there that he honed his documentary/photojournalistic approach towards picture taking. Currently, he resides in Tampa/St. Petersburg, FL where he finds himself photographing events such as weddings, doing portraiture, as well as freelancing for various print publications. You can visit his web site and see his work at www.balesphotography.com or e-mail him at info@balesphotography.com

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