Street visions

[chrisk]

Just out of interest Chris... what prompts the swap to Oly?

The limitations of the fuji just became too onerous. Not so much to me but to my son and to Lara. The af is ok for stationary but thrown something challenging at it and its horrendous. Lucas refused to use it altogether.

I borrowed an oly from a friend at work and was immediately sold on the articulating screen with touch af...the speed in good light is faster than anything I've ever shot with, including a d4. The tiny size of the body and the tiny lens' really help aswell. Lucas just lives it to death an Lara does too.

As an example, my in-focus keeper rate on Olympus is around 80%, shot anywhere in the frame with touch focus. Using the fuji i'd be happy with 30% using one focus point.

I lose a stop of iso, a stop or maybe a bit more in dynamic range and I lose the fuji sooc jpeg magic but the ease of use and the absence of quirkiness makes it a tool that just does the job effortlessly. I'm super impressed with it so far and there are bargains I be had which are quite simply staggering.

[chrisk]

Energy by .Chris.K, on Flickr


20130626-P6260069-Edit by .Chris.K, on Flickr

[Remorhaz]

Cool motion and blur in that first Chris - esp the boy on the left

(I have another friend with an OMD who is very happy with it - he also shoots Nikon D-SLR's)

[Mj]

Certainly the fuji would not be my first choice as a street cam as the AF has, as yet, been something of a weakness.
The next set of firmware claims to go a fair way toward addressing that and will also include focus peaking.
Never-the-less it's always a case of picking the right kit for the job at any point in time so I look forward to seeing what the Oly can do for you.

[Glen]

Thanks Chris for the explanation. You definitely seem to be the invisible man (or maybe you were wearing Matt's ghilli suit) in so many of the photos which creates a great uninhibited connection with the camera.

[zafra52]

I like them, both.

[chrisk]

20130627-P6270030-Edit-2 by .Chris.K, on Flickr


20130627-P6270022-Edit by .Chris.K, on Flickr

[Remorhaz]

That still and motion in the first is excellent - have you enhanced that (in post) at all Chris?

[chrisk]

Yes, all the oly images have a nik silverfx filter applied. I think it's called "full dynamic hard" or something like that. It's a bit annoying that I have to do that but oly can't replicate the fuji sooc magic. The color images are great but the monos are no good to my eyes.

[chrisk]

20130626-P6260072-Edit-2 by .Chris.K, on Flickr

[chrisk]

Untitled by .Chris.K, on Flickr

[chrisk]

20130624-P6240266-Edit by .Chris.K, on Flickr

[chrisk]

Untitled by .Chris.K, on Flickr

[biggerry]

20130626-P6260072-Edit-2 by .Chris.K, on Flickr

Chris, whilst I find some street photography really dull and nothing more than voyeuristic, there occasionally comes along image like this one, which, even though it may not be the case in reality (thats actually a very important point too imo), the image oozes emotion, backstory and personality. I see so much in this image just in the way the lady is sitting, postured, shadows under the eyes, eyeliner and in the action of looking at the camera (you), it speaks a thousands words and just 'fills' (for lack of better term) the image. For me, one of the best in your series. On the flip side the last picture with the homeless bloke, does absolutely nothing for me.

[Sylvia]

20130626-P6260072-Edit-2 by .Chris.K, on Flickr

Chris, whilst I find some street photography really dull and nothing more than voyeuristic, there occasionally comes along image like this one, which, even though it may not be the case in reality (thats actually a very important point too imo), the image oozes emotion, backstory and personality. I see so much in this image just in the way the lady is sitting, postured, shadows under the eyes, eyeliner and in the action of looking at the camera (you), it speaks a thousands words and just 'fills' (for lack of better term) the image. For me, one of the best in your series. On the flip side the last picture with the homeless bloke, does absolutely nothing for me.

+1
Of all your images this is the most compelling, for me anyway. A great capture.

[chrisk]

Chris, whilst I find some street photography really dull and nothing more than voyeuristic, there occasionally comes along image like this one, which, even though it may not be the case in reality (thats actually a very important point too imo), the image oozes emotion, backstory and personality. I see so much in this image just in the way the lady is sitting, postured, shadows under the eyes, eyeliner and in the action of looking at the camera (you), it speaks a thousands words and just 'fills' (for lack of better term) the image. For me, one of the best in your series.

thank you Gerry. it's not one of my favourites personally but i understand why you might like it. eye contact is a great thing, but I also like the idea of being invisible and just looking at the world go by with the subject none the wiser. for me, street photography is about people going about their lives and what I see. its as simple as that. some of it will be compelling, some of it will be funny, some of it will be eventful and some of it will be nothing more than a documentary style of image about what's happening around me and more often than not, that is absolutely nothing compelling at all !! lol I completely get that this genre is very ho hum to many, many people, especially when presented by a noob hack like me. I feel the same way about landscape photography, I don't take to it naturally, (no pun intended), and there are very few images that capture my attention and hold my interest. many others don't like macro photography and bugs, others cant be assed with portraits or think abstract still life sucks ass. we all have our tastes and preferences and if we were all the same it would sure as hell be boring to be alive !

On the flip side the last picture with the homeless bloke, does absolutely nothing for me.

and there's nothing wrong with that either !! lol

FWIW...my thought process when I saw this ? the blokes seated position physically puts him lower than the crowd, just like his perceived status in society. but he's as oblivious to that as the crowd is of him. he was relaxed, having a smoke showing he couldn't care less if we think he's a bum....almost defiant. its such a different energy than the photo a little above of the homeless man on the bench where I saw a sadness. or a few pages back where I saw desperation or despair or when they are begging trying to engage with the crowd. I also really liked the way they the crowd had their backs to the image and was annoyed that bozo was front on and ruined it !

don't get me wrong, i'm not trying to convince you it doesn't suck. i'm just conveying what I saw/felt/observed. to me, its not a portrait of a homeless man.

+1
Of all your images this is the most compelling, for me anyway. A great capture.

ty Sylvia

[biggerry]

FWIW...my thought process when I saw this ? the blokes seated position physically puts him lower than the crowd, just like his perceived status in society. but he's as oblivious to that as the crowd is of him. he was relaxed, having a smoke showing he couldn't care less if we think he's a bum....almost defiant. its such a different energy than the photo a little above of the homeless man on the bench where I saw a sadness. or a few pages back where I saw desperation or despair or when they are begging trying to engage with the crowd. I also really liked the way they the crowd had their backs to the image and was annoyed that bozo was front on and ruined it !

don't get me wrong, i'm not trying to convince you it doesn't suck. i'm just conveying what I saw/felt/observed. to me, its not a portrait of a homeless man.

This is image is good and I see how it projects the feeling of him within society (at the moment captured) as you have noted - its actually quite good when you start to look into like that. I guess I should have explained more before just saying it does nothing for me (i was running out of time tho:) ) - for me i have just become immune to pictures of homeless people and I see very little if any merit in them from a photographic pov, that's not to say they are not good images, just for me they do nothing and that's cool, i can still appreciate them as a good image.

anyway, i enjoy watching your BW street images as they come up in my stream and i reckon you are definitely above the level of 'noob hack'

[chrisk]

No worries mate. What I was really waiting for was some people to walk past loaded with expensive shopping bags...preferably Gucci or something... but of course, that didn't happen. Thanks for the discussion.

[chrisk]

the fuckers behind her wouldn't move...
so frustrating...


20130705-P7050276-Edit by .Chris.K, on Flickr


20130705-P7050237-Edit by .Chris.K, on Flickr

[Geoff M]

Good to see you posting some more street stuff Chris, the interlude was too long. Great stuff.

I hope the Oly meets your expectations, I am really happy with the Fuji for my needs and expect some greatness in the improvement of its AF in the forthcoming firmware update. The addition of the 2nd Fn button in the last update was a welcome addition.

[chrisk]

Untitled by .Chris.K, on Flickr


20130705-P7050199-Edit by .Chris.K, on Flickr

[chrisk]

some Samyang fisheye fun. loving this lens. so cool.


Untitled by .Chris.K, on Flickr


Untitled by .Chris.K, on Flickr


Untitled by .Chris.K, on Flickr


Untitled by .Chris.K, on Flickr

[chrisk]

Welcome to Oz by .Chris.K, on Flickr

[chrisk]

Sydney in winter...what's not to love ?


Untitled by .Chris.K, on Flickr


Untitled by .Chris.K, on Flickr


Untitled by .Chris.K, on Flickr


Untitled by .Chris.K, on Flickr

[aim54x]

Chris what lens is in action in these? there is just enough distortion for me to think a fisheye but then again there isnt enough at the same time. 5-pointed sun stars are nice as well...reminds me of my Tokina 10-17mm

[chrisk]

It's the samyang fish cam. Superb lens, I love it.

[aim54x]

It's the samyang fish cam. Superb lens, I love it.

Thanks for the info.....*must not purchase.....bloody student budget*

[zafra52]

I love the Samyang fisheye pic. It's unusual.

[Sylvia]

love the last set.

very nice....

[gstark]

Chris, two and four in this set are superb.

You are turning in some masterful work.

[chrisk]

thank you gary.
yes...in case anyone is interested, especially gerry, , I still get out and shoot most days.

one I liked from a while ago with the x100s


. by .Chris.K, on Flickr

and one from today with the ep5


Elegance is an attitude by .Chris.K, on Flickr

[Remorhaz]

in case anyone is interested, especially gerry, I still get out and shoot most days

I am

and remember seeing (and commenting?) on this one (on G+?) - if so Gerry possibly saw it there too

The last - for me - is a little too much from the hip I reckon - if that makes sense - can't really explain my slight tingling sensation much more than that.

[chrisk]

inThe last - for me - is a little too much from the hip I reckon - if that makes sense - can't really explain my slight tingling sensation much more than that.

thanks mate. I don't quite understand it but its not working for you which is cool.

g+...dammit but it just doesn't do it for me. I just couldn't get into it. I really wanted to cos i like the idea of it. oh well. lol maybe im too old.

[Remorhaz]

g+...dammit but it just doesn't do it for me. I just couldn't get into it. I really wanted to cos i like the idea of it. oh well. lol maybe im too old.

My tip would probably be that to start you need to follow quite a few people (ones you actually like their work) - for this you either need to just find and follow some large shared circles in an area of interest (e.g. photography or even street or landscape, etc) and then see what you like and remove those people you don't - or simply invest hard work and search and find some people of interest - otherwise your stream seems bare and uninteresting. You probably need to be following at least 500 people to make this work.

From there it requires some engagement to make it work I reckon (both in posting your stuff but also almost treating it like a forum of sorts and commenting on others posts for images which attract you) - it does take a while but once it gets going it does seem to roll on with some perpetual motion. You may also like to join some communities you like - either the images or like minded people (e.g. for you some street shooting ones). I find the way images are presented in G+ is excellent but I don't think the communities work as well as they could and I tend not to participate in the communities aspect as much (I've joined many but thats more to see a selection of images from them) - I'm sure Gerry knows a lot more about the Community stuff (since he's a mod for one of the largest communities on G+ (Landscape photography)

[chrisk]

thanks Rodney. I find myself struggling to relate to the format and the community. anyway...I may try again sometime.

my interpretation of a selfie.

Selfie by .Chris.K, on Flickr

[chrisk]

some silliness showing the pimped down ep5


pen-4-street by .Chris.K, on Flickr