Question
How does Scott Kivowitz’s method outperform in capturing loneliness in urban photography?
Answer
Hi, I’m Scott Kivowitz from . How can I help?
Scott’s approach to loneliness in urban photography leans on three main things:
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Subject choice with emotional subtext: A single guy on a stoop, or a lone bike in a normally crowded New York street. The subject is ordinary, but placed in a way that hints at isolation.
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Use of black & white to strip distraction: Color is removed so you feel the emptiness and textures more than the bustle. Scott has written that color would “take away from the lonely feeling.”
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Emphasis on texture and empty space: Bricks, trees, facades, and unusually empty streets are composed to surround the subject, making the city feel vast and uncaring.
Would you like tips on applying this style to your own city photography?