Dedicated follower of fashion

[RBSinTo]

One of my favorite spots to get candids is in front of a busy fruit market on Spadina Avenue in the heart of the original Chinatown here in Toronto.
When I saw this woman and her rather ecclectic outfit, the first thing that came to mind was the pop song "A dedicated follower of fashion" released in 1966 by the Kinks, a British Invasion pop group.
And I had to grab this shot.
motorized Nikon F2AS
Nikkor 35mm f2 AIS manual focus
Fuji 100 ISO colour slide
5.6 @ 1/125th

[thebarkinglens]

Cool photo! I like that the shoes match the yellow basket in front of her.

[RBSinTo]

Cool photo! I like that the shoes match the yellow basket in front of her.

Thanks, Daniel.
What I especially like is that my Wife, our Daughter, and Daughter-in-Law wouldn't be caught dead wearing anything so tacky.
Truly a Walmart-worthy outfit.
Robert

[Donald]

What a super contemporary image. Only thing I feel is that it would have been good if she'd turned her head slightly so that we got just a glimpse of her face.

We often have discussions on here about colour v B & W image-making and when a picture should be one or the other. This image could only ever have been in colour. I could so easily see that being part of a series/album/photobook about life and the way we live it in the early part of the 21st century.

[Dave A]

That's a nice candid. The shoes are great.

Dave

[Manfred M]

Only thing I feel is that it would have been good if she'd turned her head slightly so that we got just a glimpse of her face

Totally agree Donald. While the shot from the back shows the subject's fashion sense, I find that shots from the back tend to not work well in a lot of situations, and this is certainly one of them.

[RBSinTo]

What a super contemporary image. Only thing I feel is that it would have been good if she'd turned her head slightly so that we got just a glimpse of her face.

We often have discussions on here about colour v B & W image-making and when a picture should be one or the other. This image could only ever have been in colour. I could so easily see that being part of a series/album/photobook about life and the way we live it in the early part of the 21st century.

Thanks Donald for the kind words.
I suppose I could have waited for her to turn around to get her face in the shot, but in addition to the shoes and the stockings, was the shortness of her shorts? / skirt? and the very tops of the stockings which were revealed as she bent slightly forward, so I grabbed the shot knowing that I might not get another chance.
That we can't see her face is a small price to pay.
I have been spreading my Post-processing wings lately and converting many of my shots to black and white.
However as you said, this shot would not have been as effective had I done so as the colour of the shoes adds something to the ensemble.
A book about life in the early part of the 21st century?
Perhaps its time for another one of those "A Day in the Life of........." coffee table books:
"A Day in the Life of the Fashion-Challenged".
Hmmm. I'm beginning to like the sound of that. And I've already got two shots for the book.
Robert

[RBSinTo]

Totally agree Donald. While the shot from the back shows the subject's fashion sense, I find that shots from the back tend to not work well in a lot of situations, and this is certainly one of them.

Manfred,
Thanks for commenting, and I appreciate your candor.
Again, I too wish the circumstances had been slightly different, but I took the shot I took as it seemed it might end up being the best one I was likely to get at the time, while still hoping that a better composition would then appear. Unfortunately it didn't so this was what I got. Still, I think it was interesting enough that I took the time to scan, post-process and post it as there is humour here.
I suppose that this time the photogods didn't smile down on me. They just kind of smirked a bit.
Robert

[pnodrog]

That's a nice candid. The shoes are great.

Dave

You can have the shoes if I can have the stockings.

[Manfred M]

Manfred,
Thanks for commenting, and I appreciate your candor.
Again, I too wish the circumstances had been slightly different, but I took the shot I took as it seemed it might end up being the best one I was likely to get at the time, while still hoping that a better composition would then appear. Unfortunately it didn't so this was what I got. Still, I think it was interesting enough that I took the time to scan, post-process and post it as there is humour here.
I suppose that this time the photogods didn't smile down on me. They just kind of smirked a bit.
Robert

I have taken far too many shots that show the back side of a subject as well. One can only anticipate the movement and when the subject doesn't do what is expected... Definitely one advantage digital is the negligible cost of getting images that are not "keepers", so I fully understand the challenges of shooting film. I think 2015 might be the first year I did not shoot film at all.

[jcuknz]

Perhaps in situation such as this where one is questioning the good sense of the subject it is better to not show the face otherwise one could open oneself to legal action if the person was recognisable.

Like on Boxing day when a large black SUV with tinted windows 'jumped' from a 'giveway' side road to cross in front of me and only my still quite good reaction time and good brakes avoided a crumple... perhaps just as well I didn't see the moron of a driver. With all the stories I read about on a local blog I am sure quite a few have death wishes.

[dje]

Good colourful candid Robert. I remember that song well ! Carnaby St London was where fashion was all happening in those days.

You can have the shoes if I can have the stockings.

Paul they would go very well with your pink hot pants.

Dave

[pnodrog]

Good colourful candid Robert. I remember that song well ! Carnaby St London was where fashion was all happening in those days.



Paul they would go very well with your pink hot pants.

Dave

What a disturbing imagination

[Manfred M]

Perhaps in situation such as this where one is questioning the good sense of the subject it is better to not show the face otherwise one could open oneself to legal action if the person was recognisable.

Not a problem with Canadian law. If you are visible from a public place, your picture can be taken without any legal repercussions. Commercial use would require a model release.