Queen Elizabeth’s passing has been pretty much in the news here in the United States. Millions of people have come not only in London but across the UK and globally for the various services held in her honor. The coverage showed the respect and sincere affection that the people of the country had for her, but one notable highlight was the scale and spectacle of the event.
The Queen is a globally recognized figure so it is perhaps right that the article tells how many people have been affected by her passing and how much effort her country has put in to make the queens happy. Her last service became worthy of her status.
It should be noted that there is always more than one story to be told for any given event. Photographer from the UK James Parsons recently took to the streets to capture this moment in time from a different angle from that of the mainstream media. He talked to Fstoppers about how he would bring his country in mourning. “In my eyes, all the media focused a lot on the spectacle and costumes of the ceremony. This is completely understandable but I wanted to focus on the personal experiences of those affected by the passing of the Queen.”
James’s photos are personal, intimate, and viewers feel the subject’s emotions. James often shoots with a Fuji X100v but for this event he also uses Sony a7 III with GM 100-400mm . GM Lens. “I want to shoot people when they are coming out of the screen that is in a state and has a long distance to where the public can stand and where people exit the screen. I had to use a long lens for those shots. However, even at 400mm, I still get out of breath sometimes.”
He continued, “My usual choice for strep photography is my Fuji because the X100V seems to me like a toy that people on the street aren’t intimidated by because it’s so inconspicuous. This allows me to get closer to my subject. It is very small and it is always in my hand. As soon as I see signs that the scene in front of me might be a good photograph, I am ready to take it within half a second.”
If you are a photographer frustrated by not having access to press information, remember that there is always a story to tell if you care enough. “All you have to do is be curious about other people’s experiences. Suddenly, the world opens up to you stories that you can tell through your photography. I think that’s the magic of photography. It opened my eyes to the myriad of stories out there. ” Watch the video for an in-depth look at James’ creative process.
