On the streets ..

That is better Phill, I like the first it seems to show a good overview of everyday street life many of us observe, the framing and composition are very nice. The last two show how millions spend the majority of there time in public, looking at the bloody phone:) and no I don't own one. The GF does though. A great set and I like the processing.
 
sbowler579 said:
That is better Phill, I like the first it seems to show a good overview of everyday street life many of us observe,
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So where's the interest? I see this every day.. people waiting at bus stops, people looking at phone, people sat on benches. All shot with long lenses to add just that little bit more isolation (and hence indifference) between myself and the subject. Why black and white? Because it's "street" photography? It's just another stage of remove between my self and anything of any interest.
They say nothing.

@phlodge

You say you're still practising. So what are you practising? If you're merely practising using the camera, fine.... but if you're practising street photography, how are you going about it? What are you doing to make sure that each time you go out shooting, you are coming back with images that are stronger than the last?
 
Been away from a PC for a few days hence the late reply.

Again thanks for the input.

I sort of agree with your comments David and thats why I put the images on this forum .. in a bid to see what works and what doesn't.

You have answered your own question, "What are you doing to make sure that each time you go out shooting, you are coming back with images that are stronger than the last?". I put some images on forums like this in an effort to solicit opinion, I am old enough and broad enough to take criticism in a positive way providing its constructive and thats the way I like to learn. I could of course just show my images to friends and family in an effort to get the likes of my Mother saying how good they are, but that achieves nothing.

Putting images into a wider audience opens up the doors to knowledge and hopefully a wealth of shared experiences that we can learn from.

Lets not forget that many people take photos for their own personal pleasure, possibly like you have done with some of your images showing the construction of a stage show. They may mean nothing to an outsider they are personal to you, but you thought they were good enough to share.

Appreciate your time.
 
phlodge said:
possibly like you have done with some of your images showing the construction of a stage show. They may mean nothing to an outsider they are personal to you, but you thought they were good enough to share.
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No. I was paid to take them, and they're without a doubt the least interesting images I've taken for a very long time as well.. They're only there because I've used them as examples of low light work in a few threads. While such things as "interest" could be personal, it would be hard to compare picture of people at a bus stop to images of a team of migrant Chinese artisans building the world's largest illuminations exhibit. They were a document of an event taken for press and PR use, whereas you are showing yours for an entirely different reason, so I'm not sure why you're comparing two very different types of work.

Technically, the images are what they are, and there's not much wrong with them... although you have cropped the feet off the people in the top image for no apparent reason that I can discern. There's just nothing going on. Quite literally it's people waiting for a bus, and they're not doing anything interesting.. no interesting interactions, looks, behaviour... There's nothing there. The whole long lens thing just removes any involvement too. If I were you, I'd spend far more time watching and looking for interesting interactions between people instead of thinking too much about cameras, lenses and other pointless stuff. These dreary black and white images of people waiting at bus stops and people gazing at phones are a dead end. Use shorter lenses and get closer too, make the viewer feel more involved. All these long lens shots that "snipe" at people from across the street give them a weird voyeuristic feel... I feel like I'm spying on people when I look at them.
 
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Ok, I see where your coming from.

I do find some street photo images as rather mundane and wonder why they been taken, I guess mine falls into that category.
In the first image I was trying to be clever, balancing the "eat" sign on the left with the chap on the right eating and the couple on the bench rummaging around for food in a bag .. Oh well.

Anyway you observations are most appreciated so onwards and upwards and time to get the wide angle out.

Thanks

Phil.
 
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