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Shooting the Streets - Straight Black and White

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
I decided that I would create a set of street shots, where I would not do my normal dodging and burning and other processing treatments . . .

. . . and as well I would display them as Simple Black and White images only.



1 ) Contented Life
13425684176051_20110312-EP121837.jpg




2 ) Empty Cup
13425684431157_20110312-EP121841.jpg




3 ) Full Stride
13425685138962_20110312-EP121846.jpg




4 ) Beggar
13425685362988_20110312-EP121854.jpg


I love processing and I love colours and so this was an exercise in simplicity that I have not been inclined to practice previously.
 
Really nice black and white work, Robert. Some of these just automatically strike a chord with me. The girl on her bike talking to the man combing his hair at the church. The guy sweeping the barber shop floor with the checked linoleum tiles and the 3 on a bike too. Some very cool shots. Thanks for posting.
Maggie
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
I decided that I would create a set of street shots, where I would not do my normal dodging and burning and other processing treatments . . .

. . . and as well I would display them as Simple Black and White images only.

I love processing and I love colours and so this was an exercise in simplicity that I have not been inclined to practice previously.





4 ) Beggar
13425685362988_20110312-EP121854.jpg


Robert,

Begging is a sad fact of life, necessary for folk who cannot work. Some, sadly are put to work begging as part of cottage industries that tare at our hearts. Here, however, this man has a sever problem with lymphedema of his legs. This cannot be masqueraded and is tragic.


Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Filariasis is endemic in Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Haiti, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago and spread by the bite of mosquitoes and This man may have an infection of filiarisis, (Wuchereria bancrofti ), with resulting elephantiasis of the skin. (This is entirely different from the genetic so-called, "elephant-man" disease.


Filariasis_01.jpg


Source, wikipedia
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
So, when you travel, make sure you have insect repellent in these areas and a mosquito net at night. Don't leave tires or other potential water containers near human habitation as that's inviting for mosquitoes to breed. Black flies? Just don't get bitten!

Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
5 ) Bribe
13425686115925_20110312-EP121866.jpg


6 ) Old Woman
13425686300873_20110312-EP121869.jpg


7 ) Eyes on You
13425686470638_20110312-EP121871.jpg


8 ) Poser
13425686637065_20110312-EP121887.jpg


Robert.

You haver the talent to notice and record scenes of humanity. Your results are wonderful. Lots of little moments and joys of everyday life. Pictures 5, 6 and 7 seem to be shot without their knowledge or consent. That's how I generally work. Number 8 has woman apparently smiling at you. Was that warmth a response to some smile from you?

How do you set up the shot? You stop, take the picture at high speed while walking, from your car window? Fahim makes contact with the folk in some way. How do you do this?

How close and what lens, without me looking up the EXIF. I'm interested in your philosophy and social managers, so focal length and intimidation size of the camera and lens, does become important.

Asher
 

Asher Kelman

OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
5 ) Bribe
13425686115925_20110312-EP121866.jpg


Robert,

This is a fine picture! It really is very special as you have discovered a very private interpersonal moment. But is this a bribe or a betting slip or else charity? Why did you pick "Bribe".

Asher
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
How do you set up the shot? You stop, take the picture at high speed while walking, from your car window? Fahim makes contact with the folk in some way. How do you do this?

I am always on the move. In these countries, Anne and I tavel like and with the locals - - - so it is always walking or on the buses. What I take is what is in front on me. I don't set up shots

However while I am going from place to place, my eyes are constantly aware of what is going on around me - - - and if I see interesting developments, I anticipate that a result might happen that I can capture - and may move to get into a better position to shoot. Sometimes what I anticipate does happen and sometimes it doesn't.

There are certain scenarios where I make contact and ask in Spanish if I can take their picture. Although in those few cases, I hardly ever use the shot where I asked them - it would be the ones before I asked or after I asked and they go about their business. I really depends on the feedback that I get from the person if they have noticed me.

But for all of these particular street shots - I have made no contact and took my pictures whether they have noticed me or not.

BTW - I am determined to take many street shots a day. Over the course of my stay I then have literally hundreds and hundreds from which to pick ones that really catch my eye.


How close and what lens, without me looking up the EXIF. I'm interested in your philosophy and social managers, so focal length and intimidation size of the camera and lens, does become important.

Basically I have 2 ways of shooting. When I head out (generally several times a day), I always have a purpose and so take gear specifically for what I want to shoot. I shoot with either my Olympus Dslr with 70-300 (140mm to 600mm) or my E-PL1 with 14-42 (28mm to 84mm) kit lens.

You should be able to recognize the 2 styles in the images above. . .

. . . Ones with the shallower depth of field and more compressed look, are taken from a distance away where I am seldom noticed (although people in these countries seem to always notice any camera held by a white guy). Sometimes I am able to stop for a moment and take time for things to fall into place.

. . . The ones where I am walking along the street will generally be taken with my small E-PL1 - quite often held at waist level, although sometimes I pull it up and look at the screen. I find that with this camera, people don't take me serious and so it doesn't draw as much attention. The image quality however, is no different than my DSLR. With shots where I am moving and people are passing by me or I am passing by them - the lens is mostly at the widest focal length - meaning that they are literally within a few feet of me. I may also use the longest setting and look in on the people from 10 to 15 feet away - although that's still relatively close to them.

One disadvantage that I have over scenarios where I would have more control - has to do with lighting. Pretty well all of my shots have to be in the middle of the day. So light is never ideal - especially when shooting the streets. You soon learn that in Central American countries - every street has a shadow side and a side directly in the sun. The shadow may only be a few feet wide - but it is always there under the overhang the buildings that line the streets.

So I try to shoot there if I can. This is tricky for metering and relying on the cameras meter, will underexpose your subject always. Of course brightening to get good exposure on the shadow side, will mean blown out backgrounds and buildings. So there is a knack to watching the backgrounds and walking in a way that will provide a decent shot in those cases.

As for camera settings - I do use Auto settings and adjust for the lighting with exposure compensation. My preference last year was to use Shutter Speed Priority with a faster shutter speed set. Previously when I used Program or Aperture modes, I had some really good shots that either camera or subject movement made less than ideal. By setting Shutter Priority and Auto ISO - I had few of those issues.

Hope that is of some use. Probably better than reading the Exif data (which is discarded anyway when I save for web).
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
5 ) Bribe
13425686115925_20110312-EP121866.jpg


Robert,

This is a fine picture! It really is very special as you have discovered a very private interpersonal moment. But is this a bribe or a betting slip or else charity? Why did you pick "Bribe".

Asher


Actually there were several times when I witnessed men going up to or sneeking up on other fellows and picking their wallet out of their pocket or insinuating some act of dishonesty. Of course there would be a big laugh that followed. In these countries, the locals are always at exactly the same place each day doing the exact same thing. You could go back 10 years later and find the identical scenario. So they are aquaintances. All though I don't know what was going on - I do remember that there was a deliberate act and a response that I did not capture - that took place in the split seconds as this man walked briskly past the seated man.

So I just used Bribe to have something to say. I am pretty sure I can rule out your other 2 suggestions as this is the poorest country in our hemisphere and there be neither money for charity or horse betting. I'm guessing nothing was put in the pocket and it was the play acting I preferred to earlier. Truth said though - I have no idea.

Just shows how there is no such thing as truth in an image - - - every image is distorted by the way the photographer took the shot and the split second of of time where thing scan look quite different than they actually were. To me - photographers who are determined to keep the image pure and true to life, are deceiveing themselves. It always is captured based on an interpretation.
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
Just to demonstrate a sequence - here is a composite of 6 images taken while I walked a section of street (1 block).

So I am not shooting all of the time and just hoping I get something. I am selective, but I keep moving and quickly catch what interests me. Very aware, perceptive, anticipatory, and quick on the trigger.

Top Left ) I noticed the man on the steps and took a shot from the distance (which I didn't include) as I got closer I hoped he would turn or do something interesting - but he didn't and when I was within a few feet I took the shot anyway. I could go no further without turning toward him. Camera at my waist

Top Center ) a few seconds later this man is having lunch on some steps along the next building. He was positioned better and I would have been within 3 feet of him and took the shot with my camera held down at my side with my arm extended

Top Right - Bottom Left ) I wanted shots of the vendors preparing foods - especailly the Fritanga. I was moving quite briskly and held the camera up (you can tell by the shooting angle) to look through the sceen - one shot - two shots

Bottom Middle ) After I passed the vendor, I heard a "wolf wistle" and when I turned, he was posing for me. I stopped, zoomed in with my modest zoom, smiled and took my shot then gave a thumbs up in thanks. I actually had no idea until I got home editing the shots on my computer screen - - - that the vendor was a man and not a woman as I was sure of

Bottom Right ) I turned and carryed on walking and in front of me were children - a favourite subject of mine. I grabbed the shot as the tired boy pulled the bag up to the back of his head - from dragging it near the ground - after his mother scolded him. I was basically right on the heals of the mother as there were people behind me - - - so close that I couldn't get all of her in the frame at the widest zoom setting. Camera if front of me at my waist



13426431100272_sequence.jpg

-------

A TYPICAL DAY FOR MY SHOOTING ASSIGNMENTS


I just looked over the whole Street Set that I photographed on March 12'th, 2011 (the day that I took the sequence of 6 images above). I started shooting people at 11:34 AM, and walking 10 long blocks ended at 12:08 PM.

So thirty four minutes in total and I shot 59 images of which a few are presented above - - - and probably I could display 75% of them.

The next sequence right after this was a set I needed to take for a story my wife had written for our journal - on the Adobe house structures. I walked to different areas around the city where I knew buildings were located, and that time frame starts at 12:16 PM around 5 or 6 blocks from the street scenes - and concluded on the other side of town at 12:32PM. The sequence was 30 images in total.

Around 7:00 Anne and I walked downtown for some supper at a new Mexican restaurant we heard about. The remainder of my shots for the say started at 7:08 PM and ended at 7:18PM. Those 10 images included shots of a building and the interior of the restaurant.


IN TOTAL I TOOK 104 shots that day - most are usable and salable - though not all spectacular. In Adobe Bridge I went through each day of the 2 month stay in Nicaragua last year and a light day would be 80 to 100 images - with some intensive days shooting being up to 400 images. Still far less than I shoot at my average paid wedding or even portrait session that lasts between 2 and 5 hours.




----------
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
Until I was looking through the Nicaragua 2011 set of images today - - - I had totally forgotten that one day I was trying to find a Unique Perspective to shoot street images from, and found one while I was sitting in a secluded courtyard, drinking a beer. Anne took the shot in the middle of this collage, where - even though you can't really see - you can at least get a sense of me sitting there with my E-PL1 camera resting on the table and snapping through the large room in front of me and then on through the large wooden doors opening onto the street.

It was really interesting how many different images could be captured this way - with the combinations of people, their looks and body strides, some sauntered and some rushed by, some noticed me, and bikes went by and a woman came through the door with mop in hand. All through the window of the door frame.

Even though technically I could have done better and so likely won't be using these images - - - it has given me a concept to work on when I head back again in a few months time. People go by quickly and so I will have to have my timing and prefocus and shutter speed down as well as a better handle on exposure than I did.


13426490686739_set.jpg
 

John Wolf

New member
Robert, I'm curious what you would otherwise have done with these files. They look wonderful to me.

I know many street shooters go for the higher contrast gritty look. But your natural processing suits these subjects well. Your extensive middle grays and rich whites are especially pleasing, I think.

Very nice work! I mean both content and processing.

John
 

Robert Watcher

Well-known member
Thanks John

Normally I spend a lot more time fine tuning different parts of an image - precise and sometimes extreme cropping, dodging, burning, manipulating, many adjustment layers and selective work on all parts of the image. I also love intense color so always include that. My Black and Whites are generally toned to some degree and far more gritty, sometimes grainy and contrasty with edges burned in. So yes these shots have pleasing tonality, but they aren't a style of processing that I would normally do.

I did a 5 Part Journal Post on my website called "Mastering Street Photography" - which shows some of the normal ways that I would process and present my street images - http://robertwatcher.com/journal/index.php?jp=245&title=mastering-street-photography-part-1


One thing to be aware of, is that the differences may not be as obvious as you might think. There can be a lot of work that goes into subtlties that are not glaring to the viewer. In my old film and print retouching days, customers would complain if they couldn't see the retouching when I was done with the job. I let them know that that is how it supposed to be. hehe
 

John Wolf

New member
I did a 5 Part Journal Post on my website called "Mastering Street Photography" - which shows some of the normal ways that I would process and present my street images - http://robertwatcher.com/journal/index.php?jp=245&title=mastering-street-photography-part-1

Yes, I see the difference. Thanks.

The older I get and the more I shoot, the more I've come to value relatively straight post-processing. Maybe I'm getting lazy, but I think it's more an interest in presenting what's there before me without embellishment.

I really don't see the world or its people as dark or gritty, so that type of street photography processing often surprises me. I'm not speaking about your own work, but in general and about the more hardcore examples.

And I've really come to value an extended middle tonal gray range. Its richness and warmth expresses what I see, for the most part, in the people around us.

BTW, are you familiar with Carl Socolow? I think his work in Mexico would resonate with you: http://www.carlsandersocolow.com/mexico.html

John
 

Charlotte Thompson

Well-known member
Robert

I so enjoyed all of these. Fabulous black and whites of life on the streets-

I especially LOVED

Conversation and Solitude


Extremely gracious and so full of love-
nice nice work!

Charlotte-
 
These are just great photos. I do similar, but do not have the nerve to post them here just now. What I would really like is an extra control on the camera labelled: PanF, FP3, HPS... etc. Yours are rather FP3 going on PanF, mine tend to be FP3 going on HPS.
 
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