London Street Photos - comments welcome

[GlenM]

This is my first try at street photography. I've always been nervous about taking photos of strangers, but having a 55-250 lens helps (either no-one realises I'm taking a photo of them, or if they do I am far enough away to not be bothered!)

Comments, criticism and hints always welcome
Thanks
Glen

1. Man with Bike



2. Quick Puff



3. Down and Out



4. Girls Night Out



5. Regent Street before the Wedding



6. Coffee House

[jiro]

Glen, all your shots are certainly interesting. If you had included a bit more information about the environment where your subject are in inside the frame, that would make these environmental portrait shots stronger. On the side, your exposures are really good here. I would personally prefer a landscape shot with these images compared to a portrait mode of framing. You have a very interesting places around you compared to where I live.

[rob marshall]

Pretty good, Glen. I like 'The Girls Night Out' best, but I think the pretty girl in the polka-dot dress has spotted you! Street shots often look more in-genre when they are done in BW. You might want to try that in future. Good effort.

[GlenM]

Thanks Willie and Rob,

If you had included a bit more information about the environment where your subject are in inside the frame

I wasn't sure about whether to crop close or not. In the end I decided that there were too many people nearby and it made the composition look messy. I'll dig out a couple of non-cropped ones to get your opinion. I'm not sure myself - but I'm willing to learn!

You have a very interesting places around you compared to where I live

That's the advantage of living in a small country, and doing a job where I travel around a lot!

I think the pretty girl in the polka-dot dress has spotted you

She did, and she was (pretty)! I was about to go over and offer her a copy, but then the doors to the club opened and she disappeared!

Street shots often look more in-genre when they are done in BW

Funnily enough, I originally did these in B&W, but I'm trying to lose the urge to do everything in B&W so thought I would try the colour ones!

If you like, I'll post the B&W versions later when I get home for comparison

Thanks
Glen

[ktuli]

I definitely found the 'Girls Night Out' photo to be the best of the group, and definitely agree that a bit more of the surroundings would have made the shot (and the others for that matter) a little nicer.

As to the eye contact, it absolutely makes the photo. With the focus right sharp on her face, and the eye contact, I find myself almost ignoring everything else in the shot. If you could have gotten a smile out of her, then it would have been near perfect. I think the girl in the back on the left also has spotted you - likely she pointed you out to her friend - but because her face is obscured, you automatically look to the girl in the red polka-dot dress.

Way to step out of your comfort zone with the street photography... I often wonder about trying some myself, but never have yet.

- Bill

PS: Not to be a pain or anything, but might I also suggest a title change? Perhaps instead of 'Down and Out', maybe 'Down, but not out' might be a little better?

[rob marshall]

Funnily enough, I originally did these in B&W, but I'm trying to lose the urge to do everything in B&W so thought I would try the colour ones!
If you like, I'll post the B&W versions later when I get home for comparison

I tried one for you, just to see what it looked like - if that's OK. I think 'Girls Night Out' works better in colour due to that polka-dot dress. It makes the shot.

[GlenM]

Bill,
You are right about being out of my comfort zone. But, it's not as bad as it would seem - just get out there and try to look like you know what you are doing and people seem to tolerate you.

In fact, while wondering around Soho, someone came up to me and asked if I did fashion shoots as they were in need of a photographer! Given my lack of experience, I thought it safest to turn her down...

Rob, nice work on the conversion - much sharper than my one. And feel free to rename it to 'down, but not out' as Bill rightly suggested

Here's a couple of others in B&W:



And, although I prefer the dress in red

[ktuli]

Honestly, I know is it an overused photography trick but that B/W 'Girls Night Out' might actually work with the isolated colors treatment. I'd put the color back in her dress and her lips (oh man, someone's going to make snide remarks on that probably). But honestly, even in the original, those are the most colorful points with most of the girls wearing black anyway and their skin tones are so pale already, the B/W conversion really just reinforces it and then eliminates the slight color spill-over from the background. So the isolated color treatment is almost happening naturally.

- Bill

[arith]

The down and out isn't really because he isn't reading a broadsheet; normally they are more educated than the average Londoner or was in the army or both.

You can have a polka dot red dress in a B+W image, but I would be worried about any legal action if you haven't got a model release.

Apart from that they are really good. I'm going to London soon and if I'm not shot in the head by the wonderful police or have a heart attack I might have some nice pics.

Not confident though.

[Nomadr]

i quite often go with black and white on candids but sometimes you have to go with colour,like in girls night out and regent st (which btw needs a tighter crop from the top to get rid of the bland sky and crane), i think the down and out would suit a black and white conversion with a little toning down of the bright paper, on the whole tho pretty good, its important to try and tell a story with the photograph and you have achieved that in some of the pics, cheers martyn

[Nomadr]

steve you dont need a model release for street photography in the UK, however if you wish to sell the pics to a stock site then they might insist you have a model release,
all that might change with celebrities demanding a right to privacy on the street tho,
i recently did a batch of pics for a company and they really liked one with a child in and wanted to use it in their promotions and advertising, they were worried that i didnt obtain a model release, until i explained you dont need one if the person is out on the street, you have to abide by different rules if the person has paid to get into an event, then its not classed as public,cheers martyn

[GlenM]

Honestly, I know is it an overused photography trick but that B/W 'Girls Night Out' might actually work with the isolated colors treatment. I'd put the color back in her dress and her lips (oh man, someone's going to make snide remarks on that probably).

Just for fun, I have done a very quick isolated colour version. Last one for tonight, before I get divorced for spending too much time working on pictures of 'pretty girls'

Steve, you'll be fine in London - I'd be amazed if you spot a policeman - they are all too busy visiting brothels - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-13231961
Look forward to seeing your pics after your visit

Martyn, thanks for the comments

Cheers
Glen

[ashleticia]

This photo is one of my favorites, it captures the life of the city and i love how the flags are hanging, the colors are very vibrant. i would hang this photo in my room, i really like it.