Drive-By Shootings
A chance discovery at Amazon turns out to become one of the most breathtaking and inspiring photographic books on my shelf.
A while ago when I was poking around Amazon, I stumbled upon Drive-By Shootings: Photographs by a New York Taxi Driver
David Bradford used to be an art director, but at a certain point in time, he
decided to quit his job to become a taxi driver. Yeah, you read that right, taxi
driver. Not the usual type of career, eh? Anyway, one day he started shooting
photos while driving around New York City, using a cheap 35mm camera and black
and white film. Ten years of driving and shooting later he assembled this book.
In short, the book is like New York itself: once you've opened the cover, you're
instantly swept away. The photos, shot from behind the the steering wheel (which
even appears in many shots), are hectic, often blurry, crooked, dynamic, and full
of movement. Just like the city itself. (I've never seen the city from behind
the wheel, but I bet it's pretty crazy) The book pulls you into a torrent, sweeps
you through the streets, around corners and along highways, until you are all
dizzy and begging for a stop. And then it shows you snowy scenes in Central Park
and New York's majestic bridges wrapped in fog. A short moment of solitude before
the next fare hops in and the crazy ride starts all over again. Sometimes you
actually see the passengers, there are a few portraits of them, then you see people
on the streets, people on billboards, people in front of people on billboards,
people in other cars, and finally at times – Bradford himself, as a shadow on a wall or
a reflection in the metal skin of a shiny bus next to the taxi.
Since I like my own photos to be clean and aligned, it took me a while to get
used to Bradford's style of shooting. But only in defying traditional approaches
to photography, he was able to portrait the city as it is: a chaotic place, full
of action and energy. And furthermore, you have to remember that he shot these photos
while being in the midst of New York traffic. I wouldn't dare trying this, not
even in Hamburg.
In the aftermath of “reading” this book, I grabbed my trusty analog
Canon A-1, inserted some 1600 ISO black & white film, and went outside –
and underground. Since my preferred mode of transportation is the subway, I currently
try to turn the inspiration that the book gave me into photos from my daily commute.
Though I am sure that my photos will not end up looking nearly as crazy as Bradford's,
I hope for some unique views on an everyday subject. The above-mentioned prime position that “Drive-By Shootings” holds
on my bookshelf is justified by this inspiration which the book gave me. And what more could one wish for?
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