This damn dirty ape.
I was browsing the work of Dennis Stock when I came across it. Stock was most famous for his atmospheric portraits of James Dean, Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn, but he also did a series of behind-the-scenes photos from Planet of the Apes, mainly the actors hanging out and going about their daily business dressed in costume. I love everything about this one - the donut shop in the background, the mod building and sign across the street, the fact that the bench at the bus stop is advertising a funeral home. But most of all, I love the expression on (I believe) Dr. Zauis's, aka Maurice Evans, face. It's looks completely candid, like he's just a regular Joe waiting for his bus who happened to look up as Stock snapped the shutter. Check out how he composed so that bench leads your eye to the middle of the frame, right to old Dr. Z. I'd really like to see a high res version of it.
Here's another - very different subject matter, but ridiculously brilliant. Hippie girl enjoying herself (most likely to excess) at the Venice Beach Music Festival in 1968. If this was me (taking the photo, not dancing with wild abandon), I probably would have composed her to the right, which is why I'm not a celebrated photo journalist. Placed in the center, it's as if she's holding court over her subjects (But maybe that's just my impression - others may just see a hippie on an acid trip). Ooo, there's a high res version of this one.
Someday I hope I find my own Dr. Zauis or hippie girl...
ETA - I just found this link where Stock describes this photo in his own words. It's short and so worth a listen.
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