Crossing Guard

In Taiwan Panorama magazine's "In Search of Photos" column, Chang Chao-tang discussed Hsu Yuan-fu's "no finder" technique. The idea is to compose and shoot the photo by bypassing the viewfinder, using the aperture and focal length "blind test" to aim at the subject, estimating the approximate range of the composition. By spontaneously choosing an angle, the photographer increases the photo's chance and visual effects. Hu's Crossing Guard is a good example of the above. The slogan "Life above all; safety first" on the "No trespassing" sign, written in large characters, fills half the picture's left side. The high-angled "no finder" blind test technique and the wide-angle lens, which produces a nearly misshapen effect, gives the cigarette-smoking crossing guard's figure an abrupt, jarring quality, increasing the photo's feeling of instability and disharmony. This shows that Hsu Yuan-fu was constantly honing his art. In addition to his darkroom techniques, he was constantly exploring new possibilities, constantly experimenting, always seeking to reach the highest level of his art.