Thomas Cole took spontaneous, candid photographs in New Orleans without the participation or awareness of subjects. He sourced quotes to provide context and encourage thoughtful consideration of the images. Cole shoots in black and white to focus attention on subject matter without color distraction. Composition decisions like cropping and omitting eyes maintain subject anonymity while accentuating elements like bone structure, dress patterns, and lighting. Cole's photos capture fleeting moments that transcend typical street photography.

1. Thomas Cole Photography Notes
Fred Mushkat
April 8, 2020
NEW ORLEANS IN FOCUS

2. There are quotes from a wide range of
sources attached to the photos. Tell us about
why you chose this format and how you
sourced the quotes.
Sourcing the quotes was easy, using the
Internet. Identifying themes in photographs
and matching the quotes in an effort to allow
them to be more accessible was more
challenging. I wanted people to understand
that photography IS art, urging the viewer to
think about each image, perhaps in a
different light, than what a knee-jerk initial
response might entail.
Nowadays, everyone is a photographer or
thinks they are, visiting tourist spots in any
given city with an iPhone in hand, taking
pictures. It is not that easy if one aspires to
something more than a mere snapshot.

3. How did you go about the
work? Were these random
images you came upon or did
the subjects participate in any
way.
ALL the photographs I’ve
taken in New Orleans are
completely random,
spontaneous shots, taken
without the subject (if there is
a person) ever noticing or
aware of my presence. That
particular shot to which you
refer is an odd one as I was
walking quickly through the
French Quarter making my
way home at the end of a day
and noticed this person from
the back and thought nothing
of him. After passing, I glanced
back, noticed his pose, quickly
turned and shot it. Upon
reviewing the image later, I
realized the synchronicity of his
necktie and tattoos. Not
everything I shoot is something
I am conscious of at the time,
relying upon instincts and the
unerring ability to shoot
without thinking too much.
Overthinking can ruin the
spontaneity of the moment.

4. How did you go about the work? Were
these random images you came upon or
did the subjects participate in any way.
ALL the photographs I’ve taken in New
Orleans are completely random,
spontaneous shots, taken without the
subject (if there is a person) ever noticing
or aware of my presence. That particular
shot to which you refer is an odd one as I
was walking quickly through the French
Quarter making my way home at the end
of a day and noticed this person from the
back and thought nothing of him. After
passing, I glanced back, noticed his pose,
quickly turned and shot it. Upon reviewing
the image later, I realized the synchronicity
of his necktie and tattoos. Not everything I
shoot is something I am conscious of at the
time, relying upon instincts and the
unerring ability to shoot without thinking
too much. Overthinking can ruin the
spontaneity of the moment.

5. Why did you choose to shoot in B&W?
What is it about us that makes B&W so
captivating? Do we focus on the subject
matter with greater intensity when we
are not distracted with colors?
I shoot with a digital camera and all the
images are initially color. Upon reviewing
them, some shots seem devoid of color
anyway, but the graphics are compelling
enough, so I desaturate the image and
voilà… a B&W image appears that I find
appealing. It has happened that I’ve
miscalculated some shots and reverted to
the color image but only very
occasionally, not often at all. Black and
white photography provides an
understanding of the subject matter
without the distraction of color. Robert
Frank is often quoted re: this
phenomenon and Ted Grant’s
observations, too, are relevant here, as
this woman’s jacket was multi-colored
but she is the focal point of the
photograph, not the color of her clothing.

6. Let’s look at the woman in the photo.
You purposely left her eyes out of the
image. Can you discuss your approach
to the composition of this image?
There is a protocol re: taking
photographs of people – if you use it and
they are recognizable without asking first
for permission - legally they should sign a
waiver. Therefore, it can become
important to maintain the subject’s
anonymity. Which is why many of the
‘people’ shots are cropped as such. But
with that said, cutting out her eyes
accentuates the elegant bone structure of
her face in the fading light and shadows.
It somehow worked in my mind’s eye and
leaves the rest to the imagination. I think
it is important to allow the viewer to use
their imagination – an engaging exercise.
It was taken on the St Charles Ave
streetcar at the end of the day, and the
fading light of a late afternoon was
barely sufficient. With that said, I liked
her dress and the heart shaped pendant
hanging from her neck and the large
earrings. I had NO idea how the photo
would turn out.

7. This photo captures a brief moment of kinetic energy. Was
this a chance photo? How did you decide about cropping the
image?
This image was the result of fleeting moment in time; the word
you used – ‘brief’ – hardly describes it. I spotted these two
people from afar, perhaps more than 120 feet away from
across a wide intersection. I quickly lifted the camera and shot
it, instinctively realizing this embrace would not last. Lowering
the camera to quickly check the result, I glanced up and they
had already parted ways… GONE.
The exposure used to shoot it (I shoot in manual mode at all
times) was not correct (I had no time to make an adjustment)
and the quick motion to raise the camera was hardly complete
when the shutter clicked. It is not as ‘sharp’ an image as one
could hope for and yes.. it is cropped as I was so far away. The
street was non descript, two children lingered nearby (hers, I
presume) but the synchronicity of patterning between the
straps on her dress and the hand bag strung on her shoulder
led me to believe it was worth considering as one to print in
spite of the technical difficulties.
In 2016, I was asked to exhibit photographs taken in India (SF
Tribal Show, “Don’t Miss India”) with antique textiles from the
subcontinent in the entryway of the Festival Pavilion at Fort
Mason. There I met an older gentleman who had donated his
entire photography collection to the Museum of Modern Art in
SF. He introduced himself, we started to chat, after which I
grabbed my iPad to show him some of the New Orleans
images. He lingered over this one, saying he was primarily
attracted to architectural shots, but thought this one
transcended the genre of street photography, i.e. Vivian Maier
among others.
It may be one of the very best shots I’ve ever taken anywhere
at anytime, but knowing how difficult it was to capture
inevitably influences my thoughts.