2015 Project 52; 1st Quarter by Andrew McDermott (AndrewMcD)

[AndrewMcD]

I have decided to challenge myself to have a go at taking pictures of people on the street. Despite having once been told by a supervisor that he felt I like machines better than people, I do, in fact, find people fascinating. I'm not much interested at this juncture in formal portraiture but I think street portraits and candid shots will be an interesting way of pushing my photography skills to a new level.

I'm not satisfied with my mastery of the basic tool of photography; the camera. I make far too many errors with camera settings. Some aspects of the camera, such as continuous focus, I've never used effectively. More often than not, after the fact, I realize I could have made better choices in exposure settings. The pressure of taking photographs of people in the street (something I'm not at all comfortable with) is going to require that I master the use of the camera. As part of this challenge I hope to concentrate on making all of the functions and capabilities of the camera I'm using completely second nature to me so that I might eventually concentrate on optimizing the aesthetic aspects of the photograph. For the majority of this street work I will be using a SonyNEX6 mirrorless camera body with a Sigma 30mm f/2.8 lens. The camera is a 1.5 crop factor resulting in a 45mm full frame equivalency.

A third goal in this project is to learn Black & White conversion. While Lightroom has B&W presets I'm not happy just clicking a button and using a preset that I don't quite understand. Having read some of the threads about B&W conversion I may consider acquiring and learning some new software for B&W.

To summarize my ideas for my Project 52:
1. Push myself into a new area of photography where I am uncomfortable and have no experience; street photography.
2. Master the camera so its use is second nature.
3. Learn Black and White conversion.

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This first image is one I took about 6 weeks ago and is partially responsible for my becoming interested in street photography. As an aside, I realize that the term "street photography" is interpreted by people in various ways. In my context it means taking pictures of people and events in public places. This image is a street protest that I happened to come across while out walking around town one afternoon. I stopped to take pictures and was rudely confronted by a young man that told me in an intimidating manner that "it's illegal to take pictures of people without their permission." His statement in the context of photography in a public place (in the United States) is of course ridiculous. I found his behavior ironic given the subject of their demonstration. The point of sharing this one is that it provides a reference for myself; this was the point when I became interested in street photography.




The next two images were taken this past Saturday and officially kick off my Project 52 - Week 1

I used spot metering on this one thinking that it would give me the best exposure for the people walking in the shaded area beneath the scaffold. The spot metering probably resulted in the background being a bit bright but by reducing highlights it seems acceptable and I hope conveys the mist and fog of the wet afternoon.



The second image I again used spot metering and center focus; poor choice. The result was an excessively dark image with the main subject out of focus.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Andrew, good luck to you on your project #3 doesn't look dark, it is a rainy day and the image conveys it. It is a pity that your main subject is out of focus , but I like the colors and composition except for the cropped umbrella (but these things happen in street photography, don't they ).

I like #1 . #2 is a nice image too , the BG is a bit bright though as you mentioned already.

[AndrewMcD]

Thank you Binnur. I thought the umbrella was what made #3 interesting and was disappointed that it was cropped as a result of straightening the image. I had to do a considerable amount of post processing to get the light levels and contrast to acceptable levels in #3. I hope to become better with my use of the camera and reduce the amount of post processing.

[Shadowman]

You can move yourself along in your journey by allowing the camera to assist you in getting the right exposure. Utilize P, S, A, or even M mode and the camera should be able to alert you (subject to dark, highlight clipping) if the dynamic range of the subject is beyond the capability of the sensor. In your second and third image, had you enough time to setup the camera, you would try to expose for the sky; then perhaps use exposure compensation to light for the pedestrians. Easier to do with a willing subject than with a moving target. Your method of using spot metering helped but it looks like your shutter speed was a tad bit slow.

Regarding B & W conversions, there are quite a few books out there that will be just as beneficial as tutorials. How you plan to display your images will determine what type of book to search for, for instance if you are planning to print your images search for a book related to fine art printing.

Good luck on your photographic journey, looks like you are well on your way.

[Geoff F]

This sort of photography is always a challenge; you have to react so quickly, and without any planning/thinking time, which means some areas will always be a fraction on the bright/dark side although a little bit of editing usually helps to even things out.

Shooting sufficiently wide then cropping will allow for a little bit of a second chance under 'calmer conditions'.

So, for me, you have done well here.

[Bunty Plumchip]

I really like looking at photos of street scenes- apart from anything else, they become historical documents. Even the most ordinary shot can become important after a period of time. in #3, have you tried a crop of the guy in the background, leaving enough of the scaffolding to form a deep frame... his stance looks interesting.

[flashback]

I like #1, quite the typical shot one would expect on the front page of a newspaper (fully meant as a compliment!). Only thing that would improve the image would have been the complete sign on the RHS and possibly the one on the upper LHS.

#2 & 3 I get a lot of them but trash them. People just walking around really don't tell much of a story. I try for something that tells a bit of a story or captures a unique moment. I'm not saying I'm any good at, just that's what I try for.
I like the lighting in #3 better than #2, it conveys the rainy day feel much better.

[Kaye Leggett]

I really like looking at photos of street scenes- apart from anything else, they become historical documents. Even the most ordinary shot can become important after a period of time. in #3, have you tried a crop of the guy in the background, leaving enough of the scaffolding to form a deep frame... his stance looks interesting.

- I agree with Carolyn here.
For me street photography is all about capturing the moment which by definition makes it hit and miss, so don't be too disheartened if your success rate of good shots lowers. I think these are all good shots as you've captured the expressions of your subjects really well, even the lady out of focus tells a story.

[Kaye Leggett]

I really like looking at photos of street scenes- apart from anything else, they become historical documents. Even the most ordinary shot can become important after a period of time. in #3, have you tried a crop of the guy in the background, leaving enough of the scaffolding to form a deep frame... his stance looks interesting.

- I agree with Carolyn here.
For me street photography is all about capturing the moment which by definition makes it hit and miss, so don't be too disheartened if your success rate of good shots lowers. I think these are all good shots as you've captured the expressions of your subjects really well, even the lady out of focus tells a story.

[IzzieK]

I will not comment on others Andrew, but the one I like here is #3 actually. The guy at the back looking back at you tells the story of the this woman with the umbrella leaving him felt unloved and unprotected. Now how about that for a story, eh? The blur of the woman is just right there to tell the story I just mentioned? Isn't that good enough explanation instead of worrying yourself sick of how the umbrella was cut? Look at the positive side. It really is a good shot worth looking into again and forming this thoughts and/or letting your viewer tell their story through your shot.

[cuilin]

very nice start to the year.

was the protest photo from the wilmington die in a few weeks ago? if so i worked that one. sounds like it would have been an interesting photo session.

[AndrewMcD]

very nice start to the year.

was the protest photo from the wilmington die in a few weeks ago? if so i worked that one. sounds like it would have been an interesting photo session.

The protest shot was from a small demonstration on Main St. in Newark on "black Friday."

[AndrewMcD]

I will not comment on others Andrew, but the one I like here is #3 actually. The guy at the back looking back at you tells the story of the this woman with the umbrella leaving him felt unloved and unprotected. Now how about that for a story, eh? The blur of the woman is just right there to tell the story I just mentioned? Isn't that good enough explanation instead of worrying yourself sick of how the umbrella was cut? Look at the positive side. It really is a good shot worth looking into again and forming this thoughts and/or letting your viewer tell their story through your shot.

Thank you Izzie..........yes, I agree, the possibilities of a story between the lady with the umbrella and the fellow in the background was what I hoped people might see in the image. Thank you Of course, me being the way I am, I will continue to fret over not getting things just right, but I'll have fun at it.

[cuilin]

The protest shot was from a small demonstration on Main St. in Newark on "black Friday."

i worked that day, but we were pretty busy with other things like traffic at the malls so i don't recall that particular demonstration. as long as things are peaceful and out of the roadway we don't care. kinda funny how the guy was adamant that you were doing something illegal. he must have missed that day at school when they showed the schoolhouse rock video on how laws are made...

[srdonovan]

Andrew,

Great project. Maybe I'll work up my courage to try such a project in 2016. For now I'm learning using less confrontational subjects like trees and musical instruments. :-)

The first picture is great. I think the focus on the expressions of the protestors is important and well caught. I also like the last picture and see the story Izzie articulated so well. A stronger focus on the guy might have improved it but either way, its a good picture.

[wilgk]

Great start to the year, I look forward to seeing more.

[FootLoose]

The first shot is interesting as it documents a political moment.

The 2nd holds no interest for me because they spotted you and smiled for the camera.

The 3rd is the most interesting for me, because she spotted you and didn't smile for the camera. She gave you 'that look' which we know so well, and the guy in the background puts a story to it, as Izzie has demonstrated. That is what street photography is about for me: the look, the moment, the gesture, that inspires the reader to produce the narrative.

Good start, Andre. Now, when are you going to start the b&w?

[AndrewMcD]

The first shot is interesting as it documents a political moment.

The 2nd holds no interest for me because they spotted you and smiled for the camera.

The 3rd is the most interesting for me, because she spotted you and didn't smile for the camera. She gave you 'that look' which we know so well, and the guy in the background puts a story to it, as Izzie has demonstrated. That is what street photography is about for me: the look, the moment, the gesture, that inspires the reader to produce the narrative.

Good start, Andre. Now, when are you going to start the b&w?

Thank you for taking the time to view, comment and articulate your sense of "street photography." I do indeed hope that eventually, (perhaps in 52 weeks?), I will develop the skill to intentionally catch "the look, the moment, the gesture that inspires the reader to produce the narrative". At the present I am truly challenged with simply getting the camera settings close enough in the dynamic situations presented in the street to get any sort of image; much less a good one. Becoming accustomed to the dynamics of photographing people in public places is going to take LOTS of practice.

[AndrewMcD]

Something I've learned these past two weeks is that I've little skill in seeing street scenes in a unique or interesting way. While I recognize there is a steep learning curve it turns out that this approach to photography isn't fun for me. I've been out and around town everyday with my camera in my pocket and have almost nothing to show for it. This project may be in need of a shift in direction. I'm rethinking the decision to try to learn "street photography". I do intend to continue posting in this thread on a weekly basis if for no other reason than to document for myself the path I take over the course of this year to improve my photographic skills. Meanwhile here are a few images from this week.

1.) Here I'm guilty of picking the low hanging fruit.




2.) There may be something to that business of my preferring machines to people. I was also asked not to take photographs at this location. I was outside the fence shooting through a gap. The person that asked me not to take photographs was unable to explain why he felt it was a problem.



3.) I am entertained by the current style in running footwear.

[Mark von Kanel]

Hi Andrew.

Dont dispare, street is incredibly difficult! Try going to a festival, somewhere where people will be expecting photographers and drinking alcohol, their inhibitions are lessened and youll have an easier time of it, Also try large cities, i took some good stuff in New york and found it much easier because it seemed less confrontational.

Look at what other street togs are shooting and learn from it. A lot of street togs process to black and white, try that, Look for interesting subjects with contrasting light or people with skin thats been "lived in"

Have a look at this, it my attempt at shooting a festival. It was actually quite good fun!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VDENYfSrUg