Up Close and Personal

The more I get out with the purpose of photographing 'street scenes', the more I enjoy it. Even though, I really haven't had all that much time lately. It's usually 15 minutes here and 20 minutes there. I really can't wait to spend a good few hours just taking my time and really waiting for those moments. For now, the following photos are what I think are some of my 'good' ones from the past week or so. Below each photo, you will see the settings and also what camera I used. As it stands now, I have been either using my X-Pro2 or the Ricoh GRII. Both are very different cameras in a sense, and I shoot completely different depending on which one I use. 

The Ricoh is small and very discreet and truly looks like a point and shoot which I love. Therefore I am very unassuming and can usually get in a close without people caring, for some great candid photos. Whereas the Fuji, I find I am a bit more deliberate, in that I tend to really compose a bit more and take those 'far away' type photos. 

My goal for the last few times I went out was just to gain some more confidence in approaching people and also getting in really close. I'm not at the point yet where I am taking photos of people straight on in their face, instead I am just shooting from the hip or as I walk by. 

The first set of images below are all shot with the Ricoh from the hip as I am literally walking by. I'm actually amazed that some of them are turning out. Whether or not they are actually 'good' photos is another question, but I don't mind them at all.

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F7.1 | 1/3000

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F9.0 | 1/1000

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F7.1 | 1/1500

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F7.1 | 1/1000

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F7.1 | 1/1000

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F7.10 | 1/1000

Of course it's not just all about about smashing the shutter button and hoping for a good shot. I'm constantly looking for interesting looking people and unique angles. With my 'urban' photography where I mainly photograph still life I would almost always seek out cloudy days because of the even lighting. I find with street photography, I'm shooting in the mid day sun, embracing shadows and playing with them. I think that's why, for now, my street photos are all in black and white.

One of my favourite photos from the past week is the following photo. I saw this woman step out for a smoke break and I noticed the stop sign to the far right. There is something about the juxtaposition of her and the message of the sign that drew me in. There is a bit of flare from the sun in the photo but I think it adds to it. It's not the sharpest photo or highest quality one, but it speaks to me. 

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F5.0 | 1/750

There you have it. I'm continuing to evolve and really figure out what it is exactly that I want to photograph. Right now it's a bit of a mix, and I think that's ok. I think? Time will tell.

X-Pro2 | 35mm 1.4 | ISO 200 | F2.0 | 1/3000

X-Pro2 | 35mm 1.4 | ISO 400 | F2.5 | 1/2900

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F5.6 | 1/3000

X-Pro2 | 35mm 1.4 | ISO 400 | F4.0 | 1/3200

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F4.0 | 1/2000

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F7.1 | 1/1250

Explore, practice and experiment

In my continuing quest to develop my street photography skills I decided to venture out again with the sole purpose of catching people doing what they do. I tried my best to just take my time and have no real destination. I did have to catch myself a few times though as I started to pressure myself into finding a 'moment'. I am getting better and honing that in much more. So, with my Fuji X-Pro2 in hand I looked for interesting people within interesting compositions. 

My education background is Graphic Design and I think that has always leant itself well to photography. Even when I'm not taking photos I am constantly looking the way things are framed or how, with a bit of movement, I can frame things better. I don't always follow the rules of thirds but I do try to create a place for the viewers eye to go. 

Fuji X-Pro2 | 35mm |  ISO 200 | F3.2 | 1/1600

I'm not always successful at this with my photography, but I'm always looking to become better. In a usual hour of shooting I could easily come away with well over 100 photos, but I may only really like 10 of them. Out of those 10, I probably only really love one - if I'm lucky.

So with this particular walk I wanted to focus on candids of people, from a bit of a distance. In another article or perhaps a gallery, I will show some 'street portraits' I captured which I can't wait to share. But for this specific post, I'm only going share candids. The benefit of photographing people from further away, is obvious. You don't have to interact with them. Sure, they might 'catch you' taking a photo of them, but I always either just smile, or play it off like I was shooting something else. Most of the time people don't really care. 

Fuji X-Pro2 | 35mm |  ISO 400 | F1.4 | 1/400

I have yet to get to the point where I'm getting those close up candid shots where people know you are photographing them. And to be honest, I don't know if I even want to do that. As of now, I find the street portraits, where I interact with people after I get their permission. That way I get to learn more about them. But, that's for another article.

For those gear heads out there, I mentioned I used my Fuji X-Pro2 which I paired with my favourite lens, the 35mm 1.4. This meant that I was able to be further away which was perfect for this style. Plus, the Xpro-2 is such a fun street camera. I used auto focus for all of these shots I believe and for almost every one, Some of the photos I waited for to happen, and others, I had to react pretty fast. 

Fuji X-Pro2 | 35mm |  ISO 250 | F4 | 1/250

Fuji X-Pro2 | 35mm |  ISO 400 | F2.5 | 1/800

Fuji X-Pro2 | 35mm |  ISO 400 | F4.5 | 1/300

As you can see from the above image, there are no people. It took a lot of restraint to not include some good still life photos but I did want to include this one main because I feel it had a human element. Just like the one below. You knew there was once a homeless person sitting there, but what happened to them. 

Fuji X-Pro2 | 35mm |  ISO 500 | F4 | 1/250

Fuji X-Pro2 | 35mm |  ISO 200 | F3.6 | 1/750

I'm not much of a selfie kind of guy, but when you see a huge convex mirror like that, you gotta lean in and take a photo. I'm sure I looked odd doing so, but who cares. I think it's every photographers' responsibility to do so. 

This next photo was probably my most patient one. I saw the woman walking and I was hoping she would go into the parkade. She did! So I tried to time it where she was at least up a couple flights and viola. Wether or not it's actually an interesting photo is subjective, but I kind of liked it so there.

Fuji X-Pro2 | 35mm |  ISO 200 | F3.6 | 1/750

The next photo of the sign I just took because I honestly just loved the sign. I'm sure I waited around longer, I could have worked the scene a bit more, but I kind of liked how the lady was walking off into the distance. I think she thought I was stalking here because I kept stopping and then I eventually passed her. 

Fuji X-Pro2 | 35mm |  ISO 400 | F1.4 | 1/7500

Fuji X-Pro2 | 35mm |  ISO 200 | F3.6 | 1/900

The last image is probably one of my favourites from the entire day, along with the photo at the top. I stood in that one spot looking around, and I saw they guy on his bike just down the side walk a bit. So I quickly focused on the side walk where he would eventually be and snapped the photo as came in front of the doors. I just took the one photo and that was it. Not to bad huh. 

So there you have it. For anyone just starting out with this type of photography, just get out and explore and practice and experiment. Follow the rules, break them, who cares, in the end, create photos you truly like and learn in the process. It's 1:00am so I apologize for the deep thoughts here at the end. Good day.

My venture into street photography

This is my first post in a new genre of photography I decided take up, street photography. Full disclosure, I'm not a street photographer, nor do I claim to be. I do look forward to becoming better at it, and perhaps one day, feeling comfortable labeling what I do as street photography. For now, let's just say that I capture moments, some candid, some with permission, of people on the street. 

For those of you who don't know me, I am a professional wedding and portrait photographer. When I'm not taking photos for a living I am always walking around, mostly without a clue as to where I'm going, with a camera in hand photographing whatever I see. If you look at my 'urban exploration' collection, I do indeed photograph a lot still life, if that's what you call it. I'm drawn to colour, juxtaposition, the finer details and simply whatever catches my eye. 

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F2.8 | 1/750

As fun as that is, and I still do it, I'm looking to get out of my comfort zone more and start including people into my walk around photography. Before, I got into photography, especially wedding and portrait, I was very shy and really didn't like talking to people all that much, aside from close friends. Photography, at least my paid work, left me know choice but to interact with people and make them feel comfortable. 

Now with street photography, I'm trying to push even further by truly interacting with completely random people. As I'm starting out, I'm getting more and more confident actually asking people if I could take their photograph. Some say yes, same say no, who cares either way. The worse that could happen is that they do indeed say no and you move on. 

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F4.0 | 1/1250 

My goal in the coming months is to come up with a few projects, some sort of goal. Right now I'm just practicing and getting more and more comfortable and I'm loving it. When shooting people on the street, whether it be in secret or asking permission, it can be quite difficult work up the courage sometimes. 

With that being said, here are a few of my initial favourites from the past week. All of these photos were taken with my new Ricoh GR II. The main reason why I got this camera was to have something a little bit more pocketable yet very capable of capturing everyday photos, including family and pretty everything else I'm not getting paid for. I will be writing a short review of my experience with this awesome little camera in the coming week but for now, please feel free to have a look. All photos were processed in Lightroom and Silver Efex Pro 2, to give them a bit more contrast. 

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F8.0 | 1/400

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F8.0 | 1/250

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F5.6 | 1/2000

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F5.6 | 1/3000

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F4.5 | 1/1600

Ricoh GR II | ISO 800 | F8.0 | 1/2000

For almost all of these shots I simply used snap focus for the GR II, set the ISO to either 400 or 800, a higher aperture and snapped away. I also composed a lot of the 'people walking' shots and let them enter the frame. Some times though, it was a split second moment as they entered quickly. I find I am working more with shadows then I normally do and it's invigorating and challenging. 

Ricoh GR II | ISO 800 | F9.0 | 1/1000

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F5.6 | 1/750

Ricoh GR II | ISO 800 | F2.8 | 1/1000

Ricoh GR II | ISO 400 | F2.8 | 1/2000

I will definitely be doing more and more street portraits as well where I ask for permission. I truly don't think street photography has to be all candid and not directed to some degree. I leave with one of my favourite portraits to date, Ronald McDonald. Yes, that's his actual name. At least according to his license which he showed me. 

Ricoh GR II | ISO 800 | F4.0 | 1/40 | Flash