Isn’t it amazing how you can come across an image months (maybe even years) after a previous one and it reminds you of an early image. I’ve had that recently with these two images below, both of which were photographed at protests in Poland. But that’s where the similarities end.
In one photo I was at a pro-government protest in Warsaw (that was also against immigration), there were lots of religious symbols around and I saw a woman in black with her rosary. I got up close and snapped. She smiled and carried on walking away. There are some interesting figures in the background that I found interesting too. I felt truly scared at moments in this protests, the skin heads and occasional black flags, plus the almost silent marching was deeply unsettling.
The second photo was at a protest in Krakow against a proposed tougher anti abortion law (that also featured many anti-government groups). This time, almost everyone in the crowd was in black and yet I found a group wearing white. The protest felt a lot safer and was mostly made up of women, centered around a few speakers. The when I saw the people in white, I rushed ahead to find some clearer space and set up. I got pretty close and shot. I don’t think the guy realised I shot his photo here.
Afterwards I couldn’t help but thing of the differences.
- Pro-government – Anti-government
- woman – man
- in black – in white
- Warsaw – Krakow
- part of the protest – against the protest
And more. I feel like the first image is stronger, but I love it much more with the second.
Have any of your images improved like this?
Have you seen something like this? Where a second photo compliments and contrasts an early photo? Let me know in the comments. I’d love to see an example.
Yuri says
Interesting find Chris. I don’t think I had a similar experience when looking back at old photos but usually if I see a similar image in my gallery to the one I have just taken, I pick the strongest and delete the weakest. Then again, its all about the content and story…
Chris Wilson says
How do you store your photos? I imagine using a tool like Google photos (or the more limited version in Apple photos) where you can see similar items could be cool for this. Or lightroom with good tagging. I totally agree that the content and the story make it.
David Barrett says
Hi Chris, All photographers revisit shots they have taken before, sometimes consciously & sometimes within their subconscious despite the locations and people changing.
I have framed up shots that have this deja-vue quality and chosen not to shoot on the basis that the one I already have is better than the one in my viewfinder. When I shot commercially clients would often demand shots like the ones I had created before, things we do for a bucket of fish ?
Chris Wilson says
Interesting David. I don’t think I’ve had a feeling that “oh why bother” yet but I guess if the fella in this image had been a woman in black, I might have questioned whether to take the shot or not.
That’s a really interesting point about commercial clients. I suspect they have a “better the devil you know” type mindset. Why risk something different when you can ask for something “alright”. Just like how I always go for a short back and sides at the hair dresser!
David Barrett says
We tend to like what we know and know what we like, it not the best creative manifesto !