Rodney's 52/2011 (Street Visions)...

[Remorhaz]

Not sure if this is the right sub forum for this but it looked closest so...

I've decided to take up the 52/2011 challenge for this year - better late than never I guess?

For my challenge I'd already been thinking back in January about getting out of my comfort zone and practicing a style of photography known as "Street Photography". Some of you are probably already aware I've essentially been trying this since the start of the year however I'm going to more formalise it through the 52/2011 and keep the flow (and hopefully growth) in one thread.

I work in Sydney's CBD so this location should hopefully provide a wealth of early morning, lunchtime and late afternoon subject matter for those times I can get out to try my hand.

One possible misconception is that street photography is the photographing of empty streets - perhaps a better term for this class of photography would be social, 'in the moment' or 'real life reportage' photography - it's photographing people in their natural environments.

Street photography seems to have had a bit of a resurgence lately and apparently it can be quite exciting - you can go around in public and take pictures of (gasp) strangers!

For me I see a few main areas of potential growth for myself including:
- the obvious things like ability to compose and shoot quickly, to look and notice more about whats going on around me, to see and anticipate 'moments', train the eye, camera handling and familiarity - all useful skills for most other photographic disciplines
- post processing skills - as I'll be processing most images to monochrome there are many and varied techniques and "looks" for doing this
- overcoming shyness, building the self confidence to eventually walk up to strangers and (ask!! to) take their photo
- patience

I hope by the end of the year to be comfortable in both main approaches to street photography: Candid - capturing the moment spontaneously, without asking subjects to pose for you and without them being aware of you doing so and Conversational - where you engage the subject beforehand, striking up a conversation, getting to know them and their personality and asking their permission before taking any photos.

My aim is to post at least a couple images a week for your viewing pleasure/comment/criticism or even unrestrained laughter

[PiroStitch]

All the best with your endeavour!

Personally, I see street photography as a documentary of daily life. It encompasses a range of styles or subjects from portraiture of every day people or capturing that decisive moment(s). It could be a single image that tells the story, or it could be a series of images that tell the story. In either case, it’s a story that is told.

I’ve encountered many people who find it difficult to understand the purpose or the beauty of capturing daily life. Some may say that it’s just a happy snap that you took with your camera. Others question the validity of street photography and whether there are ulterior motives to it.

Street photography, or the documentary of daily life, I feel is important. It is a visual record of life as it stands in this day and age. I personally shoot for posterity and because I feel that there’s always a story in life (sorry if it sounds cheesy or cliche). Future generations will look back at the photos today and learn about it, and possibly be influenced by it. Look at the fashion today for example. There are a lot of references and influences from the bygone eras. Why? Photography, in particular street photography!

Street photography offers a lot more than what people give it credit for but I don’t blame them for misunderstanding. To pose a similar situation, some musical composers and conductors say “If only more people listened to classical music, then there would peace and happiness in the world.” Rather than viewing it that way, an alternative is that everyone loves it but they just don’t get it or know it yet. Similarly for street photograph or documentary or photojournalism, etc.

Even within this discussion, I find it fantastic that each person has their own style and approach to street photography. I’ve evolved my approach now and adapted it to each type of situation. Usually I preset my shutter speed, aperture and ISO (and sometimes focussing distance), then sit and wait. There is a need to sit, wait and immerse with the environment. It’s the same as teaching someone to fish, when you don't know how to fish yourself...

[Remorhaz]

As I'm officially starting behind as it were but I had started taking street photos since the start of the year I'll post up some images I have (ones I havn't already posted before in other dedicated threads) to get things started.

Week 3:


NIKON D90 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 50 mm, 1/250 sec at f / 11, ISO 200

[Remorhaz]

Week 4:


NIKON D90 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 50 mm, 1/400 sec at f / 3.5, ISO 200


NIKON D90 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 25 mm, 1/800 sec at f / 8.0, ISO 200

[Remorhaz]

Week 5:


NIKON D90 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 1.6 sec at f / 16, ISO 200

[Remorhaz]

Week 7:


NIKON D90 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 38 mm, 1/640 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 200

[Remorhaz]

Week 8:


NIKON D90 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 1/60 sec at f / 5.6, ISO 200


NIKON D90 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 50 mm, 1/100 sec at f / 5.6, ISO 200

For the following I'd borrowed a friends D7000 for a few days to try it out... I wasn't sure if I should have converted this to monochrome or not.... hmmm possibilities...


NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 30 mm, 1/200 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 100

[Remorhaz]

Something else I'm planning to do during the year is go through my array of lenses (currently 6) and do some street photography with each one.

In this case go out with just one lens on the camera for a couple days or even a week or more so you are forced to see, move and compose with whatever lens is on the camera. I'll probably skip my all in one 18-200mm since it's range is covered by my other lenses - however things should get pretty interesting at both the very long and very short (e.g. my 8mm ultra wide angle!) ends.

So to start this I'm switching from my wide 17-50 to my much longer 70-300 (which equates to 135 to 450mm on my crop body)...

Week 9:

Deep in Thought

NIKON D90 + 70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 220 mm, 1/800 sec at f / 5.3, ISO 400

[Remorhaz]

Week 10:

Hidden

NIKON D90 + 70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 230 mm, 1/1000 sec at f / 5.3, ISO 400

Check

NIKON D90 + 70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 95 mm, 1/640 sec at f / 4.5, ISO 400

[Remorhaz]

Week 11 - (not) Angry Birds...

Walking on Light

NIKON D90 + 70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300 mm, 1/640 sec at f / 5.6, ISO 400

Standing Proud

NIKON D90 + 70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 300 mm, 1/500 sec at f / 5.6, ISO 400

Sleeping on Feathers

NIKON D90 + 70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 220 mm, 1/100 sec at f / 5.3, ISO 400

[Remorhaz]

Week 12

Look!

NIKON D90 + 70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 165|260 mm, 1/320|160 sec at f / 5.0|5.6, ISO 400

Waiting

NIKON D90 + 70.0-300.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 95 mm, 1/2000 sec at f / 4.5, ISO 400

[dviv]

Beautiful shot - really tells a story - Love it

[colin_12]

You are doing well so far Rodney. I really like "hidden", very nice.

[Remorhaz]

Week 13

Stop

NIKON D90 + 50.0 mm f/1.4 @ 50 mm, 1/200 sec at f / 2.0, ISO 200

[Remorhaz]

Week 14

I'd be really interested to see what people thought of the processing of these two images this week (tried something a little different). Both were taken on the corner of George and Liverpool in the CBD one early evening. So if you had an opinion (good or bad) I'd love to hear it...

Wildhearts


NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 1/160 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 220

Crossing


NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 1/1000 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 100

[surenj]

Refreshingly new look!
#1 looks like a page from a cartoon and the scene suits that really well!

Can you share your processing technique for #1?

[Remorhaz]

Refreshingly new look!
#1 looks like a page from a cartoon and the scene suits that really well!

Can you share your processing technique for #1?

I could but then I'd have to kill you

I actually started with a preset (from Bryan Wheeler - called Black II) and then frobbed from there

[Remorhaz]

Week 15

A little late this week (was working from home for a week)...

Morning

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 24 mm, 1/320 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 100

Bike

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 1/160 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 200

Reflected

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 48 mm, 1/320 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 100

[colin_12]

I like reflected Rodney. Nicely done.

[Remorhaz]

I like reflected Rodney. Nicely done.

thanks...

[Mal]

Some really nice shots you have here.
Nice to see your view of Sydney's CBD.

[Remorhaz]

Week 16

The Line, Pitt St, Sydney

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 22 mm, 1/160 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 110

Tag, Pitt St, Sydney

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 32 mm, 1/160 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 125

Looking for #222, George St, Sydney

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 1/160 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 250

[Remorhaz]

Week 17

A bit of architecture this week (some with and some without people) for a change...

Chrome Mirrors

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 1/60 sec at f / 8.0, ISO 800
Westfield, Sydney CBD

I'd be particularly interested in what people thought of the composition of this one...

Sitting Alone

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 50 mm, 1/60 sec at f / 4.0, ISO 560
Westfield, Sydney CBD

... and the content of this one...

Fire

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 1/160 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 1400
Sydney CBD

[colin_12]

You ar doing some cool reflection stuff Rodney. That chrome mirrors one is doing my head in.

[Remorhaz]

Week 18

Continuing some of the architecture theme again... I'd really appreciate any comments (good or bad) people have

I'd "seen" the locations and shots for the first two images the day before (but I was without camera) when wandering in the city at lunch so I ventured back the next day with camera in hand...

I was particularly happy with how this one turned out

Futurescape

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 1/80 sec at f / 8.0, ISO 100
World Square, Sydney CBD

Next week I'm going to limit myself to the ultra wide angle lens (8-16mm) and will try the following again at 8mm for an even wider (more distorted ) view...

Sails

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 1/160 sec at f / 11, ISO 280
Sydney

Timed and shot from the hip when crossing the intersection

Silhouette

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 1/160 sec at f / 11, ISO 450

and for a bit of obtuse fun, made more incongruous because it's smack in a small busy lane between two tall buildings in the heart of the CBD (between George and Pitt streets)...

Couch

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 50 mm, 1/160 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 1600
Sydney CBD

[Remorhaz]

Week 19 - 8mm

In aid of my aim to have used every lens in my camera bag with street photography I decided to go for broke and limit myself to using my ultra wide angle 8-16mm lens only for a week or two.

This lens is incredibly wide - at 8mm I get a greater than 120 degree field of view, this also means that to photograph subjects with them being more than just a speck in the image I have to be close - REALLY close - we could be talking inches here...

So what do you like this week?...

This first image was shot at 8mm for some very nice wide angle distortion.

Lean over Me

NIKON D7000 + 8.0-16.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 8 mm, 1/160 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 280

This next was taken early in the morning with the morning rush heading to the office.

Look Up

NIKON D7000 + 8.0-16.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 8 mm, 1/250 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 100

This next is a revisit of an image from last week - personally I think I prefer the previous version at 17mm rather than this at 8mm but you can make up your own mind.

Sails Redux

NIKON D7000 + 8.0-16.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 8 mm, 1/160 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 560

The last is an image I shot essentially towards the setting sun and when I took it I was going for this old worldly look for the image - it's a pity I couldn't exclude all the modern vehicles...

Chinatown

NIKON D7000 + 8.0-16.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 8 mm, 1/160 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 180

[colin_12]

I like futurescape Rodney.
I agree with you on the 17mm version of sails being more pleasing to the eye.

[Remorhaz]

Week 20 - 8mm

I continued my ultra wide theme this week and also the architectural theme which seems to work with this lens.

This first image is my own favourite street image so far with this particular lens - I knew when I was composing and taking the shot that it was going to be good - with the light falling on the building as it was (backlit by the setting sun with some front light reflected from the building behind and to the left of me). Even in colour the image looks great and I was pleased with the monochrome post processing results.

Corner Point

NIKON D7000 + 8.0-16.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 8 mm, 1/160 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 560

Skyward

NIKON D7000 + 8.0-16.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 8 mm, 1/160 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 110

Towering Gaze

NIKON D7000 + 8.0-16.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 8 mm, 1/200 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 100

[Remorhaz]

Week 21 - 105mm

I was fortunate to have been able to borrow a friends Nikon 105mm f/2.8 Macro lens for a few weeks so I've incorporated it into my street shooting arsenal whilst I have it.

This week two more architectural shots - this time focusing more on details (@ 105mm which is a reasonable telephoto 155mm effective field of view compared to full frame sensor) rather than the expansive wide view given by the ultra wide 8mm lens.

For this first I'd seen the outside of this building a number of times and wanted to take a shot with the glowing late afternoon sun hitting the wavy curves from the side. Unfortunately going back there a few times I could never be there when what I envisioned happened (I suspect it might not at this time of the year and I might have to wait till spring/summer for the sun to be at the right angle). As a monochrome however I think it still works (I'm still keen to do a sunset glow one day though ).

Waves

NIKON D7000 + 105.0 mm f/2.8 @ 105mm, 1/160 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 1000

Skyward

NIKON D7000 + 105.0 mm f/2.8 @ 105mm, 1/160 sec at f / 5.0, ISO 125

[colin_12]

I like the wavey one Rodney.
The treatment on these last wo seems to be an improvement also.

[sirhc55]

Rodney, I have just come across this post and have scrolled down through every photo.

My verdict on all pics - BLOODY BRILLIANT

[Remorhaz]

Week 22 - 105mm

Some more images with the 105mm macro. This time people shots instead of architecture

Backward Glance

NIKON D7000 + 105.0 mm f/2.8 @ 105 mm, 1/160 sec at f/5, ISO 320
Pitt St Mall, Sydney CBD

Her hair was so vibrant - how could I not take the shot...

Red

NIKON D7000 + 105.0 mm f/2.8 @ 105 mm, 1/160 sec at f/5, ISO 450
George St, Sydney CBD

[aim54x]

Loving her Audio Technica earphones!

[colin_12]

I like the colour with BW background Rodney.

[Remorhaz]

Week 23 - 90mm

I'm using my Tamron 90mm macro lens this week, this first image I saw the strong shadows and liked the potential there. I tried converting to monochrome but ended up liking the original colour image better.

Shadows

NIKON D7000 + 90.0 mm f/2.8 @ 90 mm, 1/400 sec at f/4, ISO 100

Arrows

NIKON D7000 + 90.0 mm f/2.8 @ 90 mm, 1/160 sec at f/5, ISO 1100

[Remorhaz]

Week 24 - 90mm

A little late this week...

Circles

NIKON D7000 + 90.0 mm f/2.8 @ 90 mm, 1/160 sec at f/2.8, ISO 160

Sit or Stand

NIKON D7000 + 90.0 mm f/2.8 @ 90 mm, 1/160 sec at f/2.8, ISO 125

Amongst the Towers

NIKON D7000 + 90.0 mm f/2.8 @ 90 mm, 1/60 sec at f/7.1, ISO 100

[colin_12]

I like the cafe shot Rodney. great lines.

[zafra52]

I like all of them for too numerous reasons to mention.

[surenj]

Nice series Rodney. This is a great idea to do this keep those creative juices flowing during the week...

[Remorhaz]

Week 25 - 17-50mm

I was pretty happy with how this first turned out - I kind of wish I'd had a wider lens (however as with everything street - I must make do with the single lens I had on)...

The Snake

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 1/320 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100

Bike Track

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 50 mm, 1/160 sec at f/5, ISO 280

This last was great - unfortunately my subject moved before I could get another...

Waiting at the Royal

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 42 mm, 1/125 sec at f/5, ISO 6400

[Alpha_7]

Rodney - awesome thread so many great shots, and as a series a very interesting look at the city and the life going on around it. Great work.

[PiroStitch]

Loving the thread, also great to see the pics evolving

[colin_12]

I like the snake Rodney, makes you have to look a bit, but the bike track is great.

[Geoff]

Some sensational shots here..have very much enjoyed looking at each of your images.
Keep them coming!

[Remorhaz]

Week 26 - 17-50mm


NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 1/160 sec at f/5, ISO 110


NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 17 mm, 1/60 sec at f/5, ISO 1600

[Remorhaz]

Week 27

No Bull

NIKON D7000 + 8.0-16.0 mm f/4.5-5.6 @ 8 mm, 1/25 sec at f/9, ISO 100

Shoes

NIKON D7000 + 17.0-50.0 mm f/2.8 @ 20 mm, 1/160 sec at f/5, ISO 140

[Remorhaz]

Street: Week 28

Some images taken in the evening this time (instead of my usual daytime images)

Streak


Purple

[Mr Darcy]

I know I haven't commented on this series, but I have been watching with avid interest. All I can say is

[surenj]

Impressive set Rodney!

[colin_12]

I really like the bull Rodney.