Some colour street photography...

[Paul Abbott]

As the title suggests...with a bark and a smile.

Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire '13 - Paul Abbott
RICOH GR​

 

[Nigel Allan]

Love the pink theme...nice to see it picked up in the background character too (not forgetting the woman's hair!)

 

[Rob Naylor]

Very strange image.
The woman with the dog appears to be quite aggressive (judging by her face and forward stance), but all around her is so calm (including the dog!).
It is almost like she doesn't actually exist in the eyes of those around her.
I would love to know what is going on here.

 

[Jarmo Juntunen]

Hee hee, nice one Paul! Who's wagging the dog now? I like the humor in this picture. I'm sure there are many who don't find the barking lady funny but I do.

 

[Paul Abbott]

Thanks, Nigel, Rob and Jarmo...

I haven't done a great deal of shooting street photography in my whole time i've been taking pictures, (since 1989 would you believe). But in my view it's the last bastion for some interesting photography when done right, and I want some of it...

I have found it to be a much harder discipline to follow...I am always on the lookout for contrasts, incongruities, strange behaviour, unusual behaviour, funny behaviour and not to mention a little bit of analogy, etc. It all happens on the street at some point, I just hope that i'm there to catch it. You never know what's gonna' happen around the next corner or even the street your on if you were to wait awhile. After all, 90% of photography is based on luck, especially in this field ain't it...?
This is one of the reasons for hooking up with this RICOH GR...it's small and quick.

I'm afraid i'm not going to say what was happening otherwise it'll dispel interest to a certain extent I guess...sorry Rob.

Jarmo, your welcome.

 

[James Lemon]

I honestly think that color does not work here unless of course this image is about the color red or pink in this case. The pink jacket in the background leads the eye away through a very strong triangle, shaped by the two arms of the people in the front.

 

[Paul Abbott]

I have it in B&W too. Anyway, what do you say to all those advocates of colour street photography, James? The lovers ain't shown up yet.

 

[Rob Naylor]

I'm afraid i'm not going to say what was happening otherwise it'll dispel interest to a certain extent I guess...sorry Rob.

Paul, I need to know, but, I can wait...

later, Rob

 

[James Lemon]

I have it in B&W too. Anyway, what do you say to all those advocates of colour street photography, James? The lovers ain't shown up yet.

I would say that red has a tendency to lead the eye away. Will you show us the B/W version ?

 

[Asher Kelman]

Paul,

I'm so glad to see you venturing into the world of people with the Ricoh GR and using color to show them! Very brave! There's inverted humor in the woman barking and the dog being smug!

I'd love your unbiased opinion of the color of skin in your images, both jpg and your best try at RAW processing. Not that I see anything wrong with your pictures, but I'm getting the feeling that RAW images don't seem to do kindly with Adobe RAW, at least in my hands. I'm going to try Capture One, but would love you to examine your images and give some feedback.

Asher

 

[Paul Abbott]

Btw, the shot above and this one are RAW images. As for what's been said online about the GR not producing correct reds, I haven't noticed any difference. They look good to me in this test shot...

Thanks, Asher. I'm still using LR2 and my RAW images when imported into that look perfectly natural, including skin tones. I'll post up an untouched RAW image soon...

'Decorated' - Shoreditch, London '13 - Paul Abbott​

Here is the B&W version, James...

Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire '13 - Paul Abbott​

 

[Asher Kelman]

Paul,

The B&W from the camera or via Photoshop is really wonderful. So far, I've done a lot of people but mostly in dim light. A few pictures had me worried about the reds in skin, but I am not sure. I hadn't heard of this issue previously!

Asher

 

[Rob Naylor]

I think I prefer the colour version of the street image.
In the colour version, the subject is clearly the "angry woman" with the red hair, whereas in the BW version I find myself focusing more on the dog with a slight distraction to the patterned tiling of the pavement.
just my 2 cents...

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

I think I prefer the colour version of the street image.
In the colour version, the subject is clearly the "angry woman" with the red hair, whereas in the BW version I find myself focusing more on the dog with a slight distraction to the patterned tiling of the pavement.
just my 2 cents...

The same for me too, fully agreed.

 

[Jerome Marot]

I also prefer the pink version to the B&W one. But the picture that really stands out is "decorated":

'Decorated' - Shoreditch, London '13 - Paul Abbott​

 

[Paul Abbott]

Well, thanks for your input, I appreciate it, guys...

Jerome, I had started out tailing this woman because of her unleashed dog she had in tow, but also because of her appearance. I was thinking that something might happen with the two of them together. But then when she had took a turn and made her way up the steps towards the old railway bridge I subsequently took this...

 

[James Lemon]

Btw, the shot above and this one are RAW images. As for what's been said online about the GR not producing correct reds, I haven't noticed any difference. They look good to me in this test shot...

Thanks, Asher. I'm still using LR2 and my RAW images when imported into that look perfectly natural, including skin tones. I'll post up an untouched RAW image soon...

'Decorated' - Shoreditch, London '13 - Paul Abbott​

Here is the B&W version, James...

Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire '13 - Paul Abbott​

The B/W version gives more attention to the woman's expression.

 

[James Lemon]

I also prefer the pink version to the B&W one. But the picture that really stands out is "decorated":

This is lacking of information and emotion, it seems to be more about colour,pattern and geometry.

 

[James Lemon]

Btw, the shot above and this one are RAW images. As for what's been said online about the GR not producing correct reds, I haven't noticed any difference. They look good to me in this test shot...

Thanks, Asher. I'm still using LR2 and my RAW images when imported into that look perfectly natural, including skin tones. I'll post up an untouched RAW image soon...

'Decorated' - Shoreditch, London '13 - Paul Abbott​

Here is the B&W version, James...

Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire '13 - Paul Abbott​

This is lacking of information and emotion, it seems to be more about colour,pattern and geometry.

 

[Paul Abbott]

'Strapped', London '13 - Paul Abbott​

 

[Paul Abbott]

Interpreting the horizontal...

Chinatown, London '13 - Paul Abbott​

 

[nicolas claris]

Hi Paul
The GR is a nice little compact camera isn't it?

I love to play with it, with all the settings including the "auto" : )

And for once here is a colour street photography (or is it not?) of mine, for a change!

I hope you won't be angry after me to highjack your thread !

Shot with a Ricoh GR

​

The little girl's face is blurred on purpose.

 

[nicolas claris]

Paul,
…I'd love your unbiased opinion of the color of skin in your images, both jpg and your best try at RAW processing. Not that I see anything wrong with your pictures, but I'm getting the feeling that RAW images don't seem to do kindly with Adobe RAW, at least in my hands. I'm going to try Capture One, but would love you to examine your images and give some feedback.

Asher

Asher, forget Adobe RAW, use LR5 or C1!
I think that there is a slight drift from red to green (mostly on leaves, grass etc) and blues are a bit too purple, but this is true with a lot of cameras. No headache!, this is very easy to handle with a preset that you can built within C1 or LR. Each time you'll assign this preset to the shots done with the GR you'll be done for the initial part of the PP (including pre sharpness, contrast etc… to be done according to your usual desires).
This is true for all camera bodies…
This camera is so much fun!

 

[Jarmo Juntunen]

'Strapped', London '13 - Paul Abbott​

Splendid! This picture really rocks.

 

[Paul Abbott]

Hey Nicolas, I am diabolically angry at what you've done...how very dare you. lol
The GR is a fantastic camera to use, especially for those who are used to a fixed focal length lens. The Tav mode seems to run away with unnecessarily high ISO settings because you can't set a limit, but I think this may be remedied in some firmware update. So, for the minute i've gone back to using AV mostly.
I can't find any other fault with it really...Btw Nicolas, why was the girl's face blurred? I'm not sure I want to go here, I hate any form of censorship.

Hey Jarmo, i'm glad you like 'Strapping', that's what it should be called btw...

 

[Asher Kelman]

Hi Paul
The GR is a nice little compact camera isn't it?

I love to play with it, with all the settings including the "auto" : )

And for once here is a colour street photography (or is it not?) of mine, for a change!

I hope you won't be angry after me to highjack your thread !

Shot with a Ricoh GR

​

Nicolas,

I'm so happy to see your GR pictures! The more the merrier. Yes this is lively in color. The rainbow is well represented in this picture and B&W would not express this diversity and vibrancy.

For many purposes, color in clothes is designed to get attention to the person and so the colors evolve to be brighter and more impressive than nature ever bestowed on us!

When one want's to look just at form, then, colors can mask and distory the purity of construction by giving extra emphasis and attention to shapes that in themselves might be unimpressive. But in the pictures you make, the loss of color would in many cases kill the picture so B&W would hardly ever be better. Here, only color allows us to see what's the picture is about. The color adds so much special information on the nature of the people's tastes, humor and lifestyle. B&W, could show striking patterns but would be an entirely different communique! But then again, if color indeed represents styles, mood and choices, accurate color becomes so paramount!

The little girl's face is blurred on purpose.

Of topic but so fabulously interesting! It says a lot about our care in dealing with others and what "rights" we assign to ourselves.

Well, that must be a European thing to blur kids faces! Here in the USA, except in court pictures, anything seen in a public place is fair game. The taking of pictures of kids from up close, however, can be frightening to parents and children alike! There we ask permission! Still, I like your genuine care & chivalry in respecting the child's anonymity. I'd give myself licence to show this, (harmless and not disrespectful), picture, unless I was asked not to do so.

Asher

 

[nicolas claris]

…
I can't find any other fault with it really...Btw Nicolas, why was the girl's face blurred? I'm not sure I want to go here, I hate any form of censorship.
…

Paul, I think Asher's comments on this is the best reply I could have made…
Plus the fact that the little girl face would not add anything to the picture (though she's a cute little girl).

 

[nicolas claris]

Shot with a Ricoh GR

Nicolas,

I'm so happy to see your GR pictures! The more the merrier. Yes this is lively in color. The rainbow is well represented in this picture and B&W would not express this diversity and vibrancy.

For many purposes, color in clothes is designed to get attention to the person and so the colors evolve to be brighter and more impressive than nature ever bestowed on us!

When one want's to look just at form, then, colors can mask and distory the purity of construction by giving extra emphasis and attention to shapes that in themselves might be unimpressive. But in the pictures you make, the loss of color would in many cases kill the picture so B&W would hardly ever be better. Here, only color allows us to see what's the picture is about. The color adds so much special information on the nature of the people's tastes, humor and lifestyle. B&W, could show striking patterns but would be an entirely different communique! But then again, if color indeed represents styles, mood and choices, accurate color becomes so paramount!




Of topic but so fabulously interesting! It says a lot about our care in dealing with others and what "rights" we assign to ourselves.

Well, that must be a European thing to blur kids faces! Here in the USA, except in court pictures, anything seen in a public place is fair game. The taking of pictures of kids from up close, however, can be frightening to parents and children alike! There we ask permission! Still, I like your genuine care & chivalry in respecting the child's anonymity. I'd give myself licence to show this, (harmless and not disrespectful), picture, unless I was asked not to do so.

Asher

Asher, thanks for your kind words!

B&W is not my world. I see in colors, life is colored. If colors were distracting it is my work of professional to deal with.

I would have done exactly the same blurring to an adult face, my respect is for all humans.
Would I need to show unblurred faces I would ask permission (which I do from time to time) with the exception of people being obviously on show (like people in the street in LA for Halloween ; )

Back to the GR, I now have it all the time with me in case there's a good picture to shot, because I know it has pretty good qualities and can challenge pro bodies if large prints aren't to be done…