Photography 1. People and Places: Exercise: Developing Your Confidence.

Exercise: Developing Your Confidence.

I found this a strange assignment to carry out as a look at earlier parts of my blog will demonstrate. I have no fear of approaching people and asking to take their picture. This exercise asks for the taking of a picture when the subject
is not aware. Very different. I found this to be a rather furtive exercise and took many shots by literally shooting from the hip with a wide angle. With some others I used my wife, Sue, as cover. I chose the Canon G12 as it would not be seen as threatening and obvious as a DSLR. I missed many shots by shooting from the hip but think the the day's best shot came from it.

A trip to Canterbury gave the busy location with a steady supply of subjects.

I took the first shot in the restaurant of the Beaney Museum. The subject was reading, and fully absorbed in her book. I set the lens to its maximum focal length (140mm equivalent) and sat it on my table. The exposure time of 1/8 secs didn’t matter as my subject was sitting very still and the camera was stable. I like the way her cup is leaning over ready to spill its contents. She was totally unaware I had taken her picture.

Canon G12. f4. 1/8 sec. 140mm equivalent.

The second is of a couple looking in a jeweller's window. Their closeness and age would suggest they were looking at engagement rings. What makes the shot for me is the pawn brokers sign in the lower right corner hinting at possible times ahead. I was having lunch across the road and I shot through the widow of the restaurant.

Canon G12. f4. 1/80sec. 140mm equivalent.

The last of these is one shot from the hip. The flapping coat on the left is mine. The low position of the camera gives this shot a nice feeling of menace. The man standing with his back to the shop adds to the tension by looking over towards the two men. Shot from eye height these would just be two guys, walking along the High Street but the low angle changes all of that. It increases their dominance of the scene and their threat potential. My favourite shot of the day. I tried converting this to monochrome to give it more mood but in doing so it lost some of its tension.

Canon G12. f4. 1/250sec. 28mm equivalent.

Project: The Moment.

Exercise: Capturing the Moment.

I went to a nearby golf course to get more long lens shots for the telephoto exercise and game across this lady setting up to drive. I set the camera to take a burst and waited for the action. Not quite Open Week but I managed to catch the blur of the ball as it left the club. There is just enough movement in the club to hint at speed and power. I like the way the angle of the ball's flight is matched by the contours of the area behind the golfer. As the flight of the ball takes one's eye out to the right these contour lines bring one's eye back to the golfer.

The shots either side of this picture lacked the vital ingredient, the ball. I would have liked to have had her face in shot but she was doing as she should and held her stance.

Olympus E330. f5.6. 350mm equivalent.

Project: Medium Telephoto.

Exercise: Standing Back.

The obvious place for me the play with my long lenses is over on the golf courses that surround Deal. I found the subjects out on a cold and blustery day. They were the only people out on the course. I shot then from the comfort of my car for a number of reasons. With the camera mounted on a mono pod I could use the arm rest of the car as a firm base. The wind was so severe that camera shake would have resulted from any attempt at shooting from outside. The area is often used by birders and no-one looks twice at a long lens poking out from a car window.

I was able to stalk these two guys until I got the shot I wanted. Head down into the wind but determined to finish their round. The legend on the golf bag is a neat counter to the conditions. "Sunny Mountain".

Olympus E330. f5.6. 400mm equivalent.

Project: Wide-Angle.

Exercise: Close and Involved.

I chose Deal for this exercise as there is usually plenty going on in and around the High Street. Again I chose the Canon G12.

The first person I came across was my fishmonger, Steve. There was no way I was going to take a covert picture of him so I just pointed and shot while we passed the time day. It’s a shot that places him in his environment, tea mug in hand and looking for customers.

Canon G12. f2.8. 1/80sec. 28mm equivalent.

The second is of a shopkeeper who was washing the front of her shop. I tried to take a surreptitious picture but she immediately stopped her work, looked up, and started to chat. I took the picture anyway. The three yellow features, the bucket, the shopping bag and the distant sign, all contrive to give a lead to the eye and an edge to the shot without cropping. Likewise the flower in the bottom left acts as a nice full stop to the left and lower edges.

Canon G12. f4. 1/320. 28mm equivalent.

In the third I approached it a different way. I started chatting to the drayman until he returned to his work and then took the picture. Not covert but looks it. I quite like the large guy at the back of the shot apparently eying up the promise of a good evening ahead.

Canon G12. f4. 1/160. 28mm equivalent.

The problem with shooting up close is that you are too close to the subject and holding a camera.

I think I solved this in a number of ways. Firstly by choosing a camera that is not too big and too imposing. The Canon is ideal, being small but very versatile. Other solutions were pretending a picture was not being taken, as in the restaurant shot of the woman reading, shooting from the hip hoping the camera will do the rest, as with to guys in Canterbury, and finally by chatting and then taking the picture. I intend practicing the shooting from the hip technique and improve my hit rate. Be friendly, be sneaky, be clever but most of all get the shot without starting a fight.

Project: Standard Focal Length.

Exercise: Standard Focal Length.

I found this a tricky exercise as I have become so used to using zoom lenses to fill out the frame rather than having to physically move to frame the shot. This called for a bit more planning. Deal again provided me with my pictures. I tried to take the shots unobserved. I produce the following pictures.
Canon G12. Newly acquired G1-X.

This is an older lady with a wheeled shopper walking to the shops. What caught my eye was the advert for keep fit classes urging one to, “Move it, lose it, love it”, which she is clearly looking at. I would love to know what she was thinking. I saw the possibility of the picture when I saw her and her red coat approaching. I just had to wait until she reached right place.

Canon G12. About 60mm equivalent. f5. 1/640sec.

I’ve treated myself to a new pocket camera, a Canon G1-X, and took it for its first test drive today carrying on with the standard lens theme. I shot blind with the camera low down at my right side. I obtained about a 50/50 hit ratio. Here are two of the resultant shots.

With the first I wanted to see how close I could get without the three men noticing what I was doing. It would seem very close.

Canon G1-X. About 40mm equivalent. f5.6. 1/400sec.

The second was of three people enjoying their coffee at Costa Coffee. This was again shot blind. I found framing shots very difficult at this focal length when shooting blind.
Shooting at wider apertures is far easier and has the added bonus of some moody distortion.

Canon G1-X. About 40mm equivalent. f5.6. 1/400sec.

The third is of a local fishermen who fishes from a traditional wooden boat and sells directly to the public. Three herring for £1. I was in the queue and while waiting to be served captured this shot. This was the ideal focal length for this shot. It cut out the unnecessary clutter from the edges but allowed in sufficient detail to show the queue. For this one I was able use the fold out screen to frame the shot.

Canon G1-X. About 50mm equivalent. f5.6. 1/100sec.

The last was taken while I was out cycling near Sandwich. I regularly see the subject of this picture and thought he might make a good subject. On seeing him in the distance I stopped set up to take the shot. He was obviously aware of may actions but just cycled on. I have produced it as monochrome as I thick it suits both the rider and his cycle. It gives it a timeless quality. This was again shot from waist height using the fold out screen. This gives the feeling it may have been taken on a Box Brownie similarly held. The frame of the cycle was green. In editing the shot I reduced the green to black thus making the bike look older.

Canon G1-X. Approx 50mm. f5.6. 1/200sec.

Project: Public Events, Public Spaces.

Exercise: An Organised Event.

I had been planning a visit to The National Gallery to see the Man Ray prints for some time so when I saw the weather forecast predicted a good day I got to London early and took in the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace.

Being half term, and a good day, the area in front of The Palace was pretty packed. I managed to work my way on to the Wedding Cake and got a reasonable spot opposite the main gates. Once on the island my opportunity to leave was next to impossible.

The first shot is of a mounted trumpeter in The Mall at the junction with Marlborough Road. The combination of white horse, red and black uniform and brass trumpet made for a compelling picture.

Canon G1-X. f508. 1/320sec.

The subjects of the next picture were typical of the crowd. Foreign and lost. I used f2.8 to try and lift them out of the crowd but it wasn't very successful.

There were plenty of Police in attendance ensuring the crowd’s good behaviour and warning one and all of pick-pockets. The mounted Police were doing the bulk of the work and looked most impressive.

Canon G1-X. f8. 1/160sec.

When the two motor cyclist arrived they were immediately surrounded and almost became the main event.

Canon G1-X. f6.3. 1/400sec.

The Police cyclist was the highest ranking officer there and, although he didn’t do anything, was most likely in charge.

Canon G1-X. f6.3. 1/400sec.

I will show only three of the many shots I took of the Guards. They really speak for themselves.

Exercise: A Public Space.

I had three attempts at this exercise. The first was on the front at Deal but this proved far too quiet. The second was as an extension of the last exercise and thought Trafalgar Square would be a good venue but the only action was people sitting around and eating lunch. The last was an area I had picked out as a likely area for taking pictures for one of the earlier projects, and that was the childrens’ play area at Fowlmead near Deal. The aim was to show the use of the area.

To play safe I took my own grandchildren with me as my models. I didn’t restrict myself to photographing them but was tactful in approaching other children. The pictures were taken over two visits. On the second visit the weather was very cold with snow flurries.

Canon G1-X and Canon G12. Chosen to be unobtrusive.

The first picture is my adventurous 2 year old grandson, Nathan, climbing up a slope to get to the top of a slide. I have tried to emphasize the height of the climb for one so small

The second is of Nathan and his dad Iain on top of a climbing frame. Just a nice family portrait. I used the structure to form a natural frame.

One of the pieces of equipment is a rope swing shaped like a serpent. This was a chance to incorporate other children as Iain pushed the swing for Nathan.

Using the camera at waist level allowed me to take this shot of two mums and their children at the swings. I was very careful not to offend.

While waiting for Nathan to appear at the bottom of a slide I captured this shot of another child emerging. Nathan always managed to come through face down so I have not included any shots of him emerging.