Street Photography

[Shadowman]

I like observing people, I started my artistic endeavors painting and sketching then moved to photography, most of my compositions were intuitively composed but later I started adhering to compositional techniques, looking for good lighting, and most importantly chasing the sharp image. All of those efforts don't always come through in photography and I'm still wrapping my head around the street photography genre, looking for comments and critique of the images below.









Beach f/6.3, ISO 560
Statue f/6.3, ISO 800
Segway f/5.6 ISO 100
Snow f/6.3 ISO 1000

[rpcrowe]

Love them!

[Shadowman]

Love them!

Thanks Richard.

[RBSinTo]

I like observing people, I started my artistic endeavors painting and sketching then moved to photography, most of my compositions were intuitively composed but later I started adhering to compositional techniques, looking for good lighting, and most importantly chasing the sharp image. All of those efforts don't always come through in photography and I'm still wrapping my head around the street photography genre, looking for comments and critique of the images below.









Beach f/6.3, ISO 560
Statue f/6.3, ISO 800
Segway f/5.6 ISO 100
Snow f/6.3 ISO 1000

John,
The first shot is in my opinion, the weakest of the group. There appears to be no story, and could have been taken ten seconds before or after, with no difference in the result.
There is no focal point or composition and my eye wanders all over with no discernible flow.
Also, the person in the foreground is too close to the frame's bottom edge.
Similarly, the fourth shot.
Yes there is a nice long diagonal taking my eye into the shot and up to the central figure, but beyond that I'm at a loss to understand what exactly you are trying to convey.
In my opinion, the second and third shots are the best of the group.
In the second, there is a very interesting figure, the old man who is oddly dressed and in a strange pose as if meditating, or is he merely beginning to raise his hand to accept the coffee from the young woman?
This does pique my curiosity. What exactly is going on here?
Compositionally, I'd consider cropping out everything to our left of the padlock, as I feel the large man and the very bright area to his left are merely distractions and add nothing to the shot.
The third shot is for me interesting merely because I still marvel at the strangeness of Segways, and the way they and their riders remind me of creatures from a science fiction film.
Compositionally, there are two strong diagonals that draw the viewers eyes into the shot, and the background is interesting with a lot of textures and architectural elements to study.
Something I would suggest trying is flipping the image from left to right, and then cropping out the right hand side of the shot at the end of the diagonally running low stone wall, to put more emphasis on the group of riders.
I hope these comments are helpful/useful.
Robert

[Shadowman]

Hi Robert,

Yes, comments are useful/helpful. As I stated, part of the goal is just to get a sharp image, my choice of aperture was partially to get a good exposure though. I've read that f/8 and be there is considered optimal but sometimes we must deviate. Regarding the third shot, I was in the midst of shooting some seascapes, fiddling with camera settings and turned around seeing the Segway riders. Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

[RBSinTo]

Hi Robert,

Yes, comments are useful/helpful. As I stated, part of the goal is just to get a sharp image, my choice of aperture was partially to get a good exposure though. I've read that f/8 and be there is considered optimal but sometimes we must deviate. Regarding the third shot, I was in the midst of shooting some seascapes, fiddling with camera settings and turned around seeing the Segway riders. Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

John,
Regarding striving to "just get a sharp image" is there some compelling reason why you are having difficulty achieving this?
Are you using manual or auto focus equipment?
And the "f8 and be there" adage I believe was coined by a photojournalist for those situations when there wasn't a lot of time to fiddle with exposure adjustments, keeping in mind that they were using black and white print film which gave them decent exposure latitude to get an image even if the exposures were off.
Optimal? Not sure how. If one needs shallow depth of field, then f8 is certainly not optimal. To my mind "rules" like that are merely jump off points that must be taken with a grain of salt.
Robert

[Shadowman]

John,
Regarding striving to "just get a sharp image" is there some compelling reason why you are having difficulty achieving this?
Are you using manual or auto focus equipment?
And the "f8 and be there" adage I believe was coined by a photojournalist for those situations when there wasn't a lot of time to fiddle with exposure adjustments, keeping in mind that they were using black and white print film which gave them decent exposure latitude to get an image even if the exposures were off.
Optimal? Not sure how. If one needs shallow depth of field, then f8 is certainly not optimal. To my mind "rules" like that are merely jump off points that must be taken with a grain of salt.
Robert

Robert,

Sharpness is just an obsession I suppose, I auto focus and was trying back button focus with these shots. Near the end of my experiment I started trying to relax my finger upon pressing the shutter. Timing between BBF and shutter release still needs to be perfected.

[RBSinTo]

Robert,

Sharpness is just an obsession I suppose, I auto focus and was trying back button focus with these shots. Near the end of my experiment I started tiring to relax my finger upon pressing the shutter. Timing between BBF and shutter release still needs to be perfected.

John,
As you know I use manual focus equipment so old, the motordives are steam-powered, and there isn't any auto-focus, so I don't know what back-button focus is or means.
Robert.

[Geoff F]

For me, John, the first image was virtually a no win situation before you pressed the shutter. Subject movement also adds to the issues. Maybe a substantial crop to concentrate on the central couple. Lose the women on left and right plus the dog and man at the bottom.

#2 works OK. Maybe a bit of brightness from the left so I would think about adding a little darkening adjustment in a gradient form; but that isn't a serious problem.

#3 should work well but it seems too harsh and over processed for my tastes.

And finally, snowing scenes are difficult (although I get very little practice) so this one has worked well with a nice grouping of main subjects.

[bje07]

I prefer # 3 for the treatment.

[kristent]

the first thing street photography needs is a story or point of view or action. To me, #3 shows the most story which could be old vs new. You may see other stories in the others but cropping may help the viewer see what you're intending.
keep going! street photos are a blast. don't be afraid to get closer to your subjects.

[Shadowman]

John,
As you know I use manual focus equipment so old, the motordives are steam-powered, and there isn't any auto-focus, so I don't know what back-button focus is or means.
Robert.

Hi Robert,

It's a focusing technique that separates the focusing mechanism from the shutter release button. Called back button because that is where the focusing takes place, the back of the camera leaving the front shutter release button for capturing the exposure.

[Shadowman]

For me, John, the first image was virtually a no win situation before you pressed the shutter. Subject movement also adds to the issues. Maybe a substantial crop to concentrate on the central couple. Lose the women on left and right plus the dog and man at the bottom.

#2 works OK. Maybe a bit of brightness from the left so I would think about adding a little darkening adjustment in a gradient form; but that isn't a serious problem.

#3 should work well but it seems too harsh and over processed for my tastes.

And finally, snowing scenes are difficult (although I get very little practice) so this one has worked well with a nice grouping of main subjects.

Hi Geoff,

Thanks for comments and suggestions. Another environmental element that I always have to contend with in SP is direction of light, can't always get on the right side of the sun so getting a good exposure really vexes me at times; another reason for using the apertures I used. Image 2 and 4 were the only ones that I could have gone f/1.8 but I rarely shoot that wide open and if I did would have increased DOF too much for my liking.

[Shadowman]

I prefer # 3 for the treatment.

Hi Jean,

Thanks for commenting.

[Shadowman]

the first thing street photography needs is a story or point of view or action. To me, #3 shows the most story which could be old vs new. You may see other stories in the others but cropping may help the viewer see what you're intending.
keep going! street photos are a blast. don't be afraid to get closer to your subjects.

Hi Kris,

Thanks for comments and encouragement.

[RBSinTo]

Hi Geoff,

Thanks for comments and suggestions. Another environmental element that I always have to contend with in SP is direction of light, can't always get on the right side of the sun so getting a good exposure really vexes me at times; another reason for using the apertures I used. Image 2 and 4 were the only ones that I could have gone f/1.8 but I rarely shoot that wide open and if I did would have increased DOF too much for my liking.

John,
Opening up from the apertures you used to 1.8 would have decreased, not increased the depth of field.
Robert

[madcrow]

John, you got plenty good advice and I don't have the knowledge to add to it, just to say I enjoyed looking at your images.

[Shadowman]

John, you got plenty good advice and I don't have the knowledge to add to it, just to say I enjoyed looking at your images.

Hi Maurice,

Thanks for commenting.

[Shadowman]

I usually try to pull a portrait from SP, this was shot through a throng of spectators though so many distractions.

1/320sec, ISO 800, f/5

[Manfred M]

Between the bird with its head partially cut off and the shoulder of the person in the right, I would say this image not working all that well.