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New Country New Photo Opportunities

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
Anne and I arrived at our new living destination for the next period of time. And so naturally I have familiarizing myself with the city, responses from people to my carrying and camera and pointing it at them, as well as keeping my eyes peeled to find interesting content as we drive around in buses and taxies - that I will revisit at some time in the future.

It is amazing that the people in each country present to me as a photographer, a totally different approach to practicing my skills each day. For the past few days since arriving in San Miguel, El Salvador - I have taken pictures behind the safety of my iPhone - this morning was my first experience exposing myself and camera up close and personal in the downtown market area. Here are my first black and whites after getting dropped off by the bus:




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Robert Watcher

Well-known member
A city of around 600,000, near the border with Honduras. People don’t seem to be so offended by my camera as was the case in Guatemala. Definitely a little more down to earth and willing to start conversations - especially with Anne & I being Canadians.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Robert,

Excluding Guatemala, are you experiencing any different overall vibe of South American society that what tell you this is what makes it El Salvador, where you are now?

Asher
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
Each country in Central America, has provided a very unique experience from the others. The section of El Salvador where we are currently living, reminds me a little bit more of our experiences in Nicaragua. The people in this city of 600,000 population are very friendly and relaxed. As one of the few foreigners that can be seen in the city, Salvadorans acknowledge me and are not intimidated to come up and start talking to me.

These pictures are taken in the old historical Centro areas of the city - mostly because the activity and textures of buildings seen there appeal to me most to photograph. There are also parts of the city with large malls, chain restaurants and huge box stores.

Guatemala was very unique with its rich Myan culture. Probably Peru comes to mind with its similarly vibrant culture. My shooting experience there was primarily in cities high in the lush green mountains. The people were very busy and did not seem to socialize in the streets much. They were very reserved and shyed away from having their pictures taken.

We have only been in this part of El Salvador for two weeks, but feel very comfortable walking the streets and using local buses to get from place to place in the city as well as to the beach an hour to the south of us. San Miguel is a large city with a small town feel. The differences in countries is huge to me, but may appear more subtle to ones viewing my photographs - for the most part because I have a specific approach and style and type of content that attracts my eye - that I like to capture.


——-
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
How fluent is your Spanish, or is it mostly your pose, approach and smile that works from across the street?

Asher
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
How fluent is your Spanish, or is it mostly your pose, approach and smile that works from across the street?

Asher


LOL. Funny - the lady in the shot with the Coca Cola wall, was actually standing right beside me on the other side of the street as I was taking pics of the wall. All of a sudden she sauntered across the street and leaned up against the wall under the arch. I kept shooting. My Spanish is what Anne & I call “practical” Spanish - but I’ve seldom needed to speak to get my shots. That goes for the need to speak English as well.
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Major Impressive Picture and spontaneous collaborative "Performance Art"

This is a remarkable "happenstance"




LOL. Funny - the lady in the shot with the Coca Cola wall, was actually standing right beside me on the other side of the street as I was taking pics of the wall. All of a sudden she sauntered across the street and leaned up against the wall under the arch. I kept shooting. My Spanish is what Anne & I call “practical” Spanish - but I’ve seldom needed to speak to get my shots. That goes for the need to speak English as well.



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Robert,


Folk mistakenly demand that a "picture should speak for itself". Sounds very wise and self-evident.

Yes that's true in special cases, like a nursing mother, a prisoner having his brains shot away or a sailor off the boat kissing his girlfriend as the exceptions.

Here, I would have had to get the lady to model, have her change into a skirt of the color palette of the wall, tell her where to stand, show her the pose I hope for........ and then take the shot. The fluidity and the happenings g of the shot being inspired and its necessity for the woman makes for dramatic and important performance art, except that it would have been forgotten and lost for ever without the added story.

I really appreciate you giving the extra information that she actually shot across the road to build a perfect shot for you, all without your planning. That demonstrates a magnetic field of influence whereby you can recruit perfect collaborators. For that, words are so appreciated!

Asher
 
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Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
When you say, “Tonight”, what settings do you need on your Olympus Camera? The exposure seems fabulous.

Doug Kerr has been thinking a hello of a lot about photographing in low light.

Your advice might be helpful and a practical guide.

(It’s cold and I don’t want to go to my computer upstairs ato look up the EXIF!)

Asher
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
When you say, “Tonight”, what settings do you need on your Olympus Camera? The exposure seems fabulous.

Doug Kerr has been thinking a hello of a lot about photographing in low light.

Your advice might be helpful and a practical guide.

(It’s cold and I don’t want to go to my computer upstairs ato look up the EXIF!)

Asher

These were taken with my E-M10 w/45mm f1.8

The guy in the doorway and 2 guys in doorway is f2.2 @1/160’th - 4000 ISO
The guys playing bottle cap checkers is f2.2 @ 1/15’th - 6400 ISO
The bus window is f2.2 @1/125’th - 4000 ISO
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
These were taken with my E-M10 w/45mm f1.8

The guy in the doorway and 2 guys in doorway is f2.2 @1/160’th - 4000 ISO
The guys playing bottle cap checkers is f2.2 @ 1/15’th - 6400 ISO
The bus window is f2.2 @1/125’th - 4000 ISO

The high ISO of the camera is better than pushing film! Excellent use of the wide aperture and AF in low light and good result. Do you need to remove noise or are these jpgs are “out of the camera”?

Does this Oly have image stabilization?

Asher
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
The high ISO of the camera is better than pushing film! Excellent use of the wide aperture and AF in low light and good result. Do you need to remove noise or are these jpgs are “out of the camera”?

Does this Oly have image stabilization?

Asher

I only shoot jpg. I wirelessly imported these onto my iPad while out in the streets, and processed them in Snapseed on the iPad. There isn’t any noise reduction ability built into that app that I know of. Yes all Olympus cameras have image stabilization.

——
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
I only shoot jpg. I wirelessly imported these onto my iPad while out in the streets, and processed them in Snapseed on the iPad. There isn’t any noise reduction ability built into that app that I know of. Yes all Olympus cameras have image stabilization.

——

Well the SIZE reduction in snapseed will reduce noise, or not?

....but I have never even seen snapseed!

Hmm, I have an ipad. I must try that!

Asher
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
Well the SIZE reduction in snapseed will reduce noise, or not?

....but I have never even seen snapseed!

Hmm, I have an ipad. I must try that!

Asher

Snapseed (Free Google product) processes and saves at full resolution. It will also handle raw file. I resize in a different program to create appropriate size for the web
 
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