Capture a stranger street style : Part 2

That's what I was trying to explain in my post. If someone knows why a photo, or a type of photography appeals to them, there's no real way of explaining that to other people. Whether it's me trying to explain street photography to a landscape photographer, or the landscape photographer trying to explain to me. You just 'know' that's the kind of photography you want, and in my case, have to do.

You're probably not the only person to have problems dealing with the new site. Not only have I missed seeing your posts, the guy who started the original 'Capture a stranger' thread, Javier, hasn't been around for some time now and I miss his LA street shots. He doesn't seem to have been on POTN either.

Anyway, I hope you and yours are enjoying a great Christmas.
 
garryknight said:
the guy who started the original 'Capture a stranger' thread, Javier, hasn't been around for some time now and I miss his LA street shots. He doesn't seem to have been on POTN either.
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His Flickr hasn't been updated since October and his blog since November :thinking:
 
lol, I had to ask for the shot, was lining it up and they spotted me. Made a comment about Manchesters most wanted and the guy with glasses at the end sy's " Something in that" eek. bet they were a right dodgy set in the day
 
Just a random from earlier this year
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A few from around Borough Market in London


London 15 Feb-11.jpg by widebloke, on Flickr


London 15 Feb-18.jpg by widebloke, on Flickr


London 15 Feb-27.jpg by widebloke, on Flickr


London 15 Feb-40.jpg by widebloke, on Flickr

Really interesting place, could (did!) spend hours round here.
Any feedback welcomed, and if anyone has any tips for fast accurate focusing I would love to hear them, I took loads of shots but I noticed that many of them had misfocused. I'm fine with landscapes or just general stuff but working quickly, sometimes I lift camera to eye, shoot, and go as I walk past, I often miss focus. Its most noticeable at night when you need the aperture wide open, so I need a more reliable method?
 
Depends on how much confidence you have tbh. What Byker28i describes is what I'd use to shoot from the hip if I didn't even want people to know I had a camera. It can really annoy people as they'll immediately assume you are upto no good because you are hiding the fact you are taking a photo of them in the first place. Best way of doing things is to set your camera up to use some settings you know work in that light (auto iso or aperture priority etc for FAST aim and shoot) and then just take photos as normal and smile at people when doing it. Theres a massive debate all the time on what approach to take to street photography, but my opinion is don't hide the fact you are taking photos, as it'll bite you in the *** one day.
 
Hum, not necessarily, although for my current project I'm following the work of Walker Evans which does involve taking from the hip. It works on the tube as you don't break the unwritten rule of don't look at people :)

James J said:
It can really annoy people as they'll immediately assume you are upto no good because you are hiding the fact you are taking a photo of them in the first place.
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To be honest they don't know. Manual focus, silent shutter, all sounds turned off. Not all cameras go beep to focus and clunk the shutter. Although I think one girl clocked what I was doing, but this is the first time in over 12 weekends of shooting on the tube and over 1000 images.

However with a wide lens it doesn't look like the camera is pointing at anyone. One of the exercises we did was this:
http://www.nineelmsphotography.com/blog/?p=1290

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Robert Capa "If your pictures aren't good, then you're not close enough"

Manual focus and a large depth of field does take out that need to focus. Sometimes things happen in an instant.
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And actually hidden camera has a long and varied history.
The Tate had an exhibition: Exposed: Voyeurism, Surveillance and the Camera, exhibition guide, The Unseen Photographer

http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tat...sm-surveillance-and-camera-exhibition-guide-0

...the exhibition considers ways in which photography can reveal the world unawares and show people caught with their guard down. This idea begins with the technologies that have allowed images to be made surreptitiously, from nineteenth-century cameras hidden in walking sticks, shoes or inside suit-jackets, to twentieth-century devices such as the lateral view-finder which allows the photographer to apparently face one direction while taking a picture in another.
 
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Outside the National Gallery?Quite like that. It's got something but I can't put my finger on it just yet
 
Byker28i said:
Hum, not necessarily, although for my current project I'm following the work of Walker Evans which does involve taking from the hip. It works on the tube as you don't break the unwritten rule of don't look at people :)


To be honest they don't know. Manual focus, silent shutter, all sounds turned off. Not all cameras go beep to focus and clunk the shutter. Although I think one girl clocked what I was doing, but this is the first time in over 12 weekends of shooting on the tube and over 1000 images.

However with a wide lens it doesn't look like the camera is pointing at anyone. One of the exercises we did was this:
http://www.nineelmsphotography.com/blog/?p=1290

151433691.jpg



Robert Capa "If your pictures aren't good, then you're not close enough"

Manual focus and a large depth of field does take out that need to focus. Sometimes things happen in an instant.
12691805964_d94c263250_c.jpg
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F11 in low light such as the tube? Iso must be ridiculously high!
 
jonneymendoza said:
F11 in low light such as the tube? Iso must be ridiculously high!
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Anywhere between ISO3200 and ISO12800 for 1/40sec shutter speed. Produces an ok result in monochrome. Well I hope so anyway, we'll see what my tutor thinks of my recently submitted assignment. The shot above was ISO8000, 1/50 sec
 
Byker28i said:
To be honest they don't know. Manual focus, silent shutter, all sounds turned off. Not all cameras go beep to focus and clunk the shutter. Although I think one girl clocked what I was doing, but this is the first time in over 12 weekends of shooting on the tube and over 1000 images.
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Though of course, just because you haven't noticed people noticing you - that doesn't mean they didn't notice you. ;) (Not that it matters).


Byker28i said:
Robert Capa "If your pictures aren't good, then you're not close enough"
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But don't take that to mean that your photos are good just because you're close.

Byker28i said:
Manual focus and a large depth of field does take out that need to focus. Sometimes things happen in an instant.
Click to expand...

For accurate focus, it doesn't, focus is focus regardless of depth of field - though you will probably get away with a lot more, especially if you don't plan on displaying the images at larger sizes.

James J said:
Best way of doing things is to set your camera up to use some settings you know work in that light (auto iso or aperture priority etc for FAST aim and shoot)
Click to expand...

Manual settings are the quickest around, as you don't have to change anything. Set it beforehand and you know exactly what you're going to get. Auto anything when shooting that quickly, particularly if you're not looking through the viewfinder - means you don't know what the camera is metering off, and therefore you have no control over the exposure.
 
Jayst84 said:
Though of course, just because you haven't noticed people noticing you - that doesn't mean they didn't notice you. ;) (Not that it matters).




But don't take that to mean that your photos are good just because you're close.



For accurate focus, it doesn't, focus is focus regardless of depth of field - though you will probably get away with a lot more, especially if you don't plan on displaying the images at larger sizes.



Manual settings are the quickest around, as you don't have to change anything. Set it beforehand and you know exactly what you're going to get. Auto anything when shooting that quickly, particularly if you're not looking through the viewfinder - means you don't know what the camera is metering off, and therefore you have no control over the exposure.
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No composition either. I don't like relying on cropping in post constantly.
 
Well results from my tutor are back and they've passed with flying colours. As for shooting remotely, part of my last assignment i quoted 4 other photographers over the last 90 years who have done similar.

But that's fine. I'm not saying that's the only way, or the right way, just a way. It worked for me for that project, it's also working for me currently. I'm mixing that way and 'normal' photography whilst photographing the protests in Bangkok.

I see it as no different to selecting the right lens, the right mode or settings. Sometimes different is good as it gives unusual results. I not sure I want to be the same as every other photographer ;)
 
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