Bobby Jr. and Emily (#211) 02-07-13

Two entries ago I said that I was finished discussing the Olympus OM-D EM5. I lied. Here is another thought.

I was quite certain that the Olympus would have the ability to render eyes very sharp. Providing a very shallow depth of field so that the background became blurred was a question. The sensor is smaller than my Nikon D90 and has a 2X crop factor, as opposed to a 1.5 crop factor. This increases the perceived area in focus and (slightly) decreases the ability to make the background blurred: it is more difficult to separate the subject.

A couple of weeks ago I met Emily and Bobby Jr. When I asked them if I could make portraits, Emily had no hesitation. Bobby Jr., not so much. In fact, I suspect that Bobby Jr. may not be his name, but that he just handed my name back. Either way, the expressions clearly tell who was comfortable being photographed, and who was not.

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Anyway, I am pleased how the eyes look, and how the background sort of melts away. In Bobby’s image, the background is a little bit choppy, probably a function of my 85mm f1.8 lens. The MUCH more expensive 85mm f1.4 lens would probably render this smoother. Either way, I am not confident that the OM-D, with the smaller sensor, would look quite this good.

Bob

CAPA Photographer Interviews (#210) 02-16-13

Wednesdays roll around quickly, and it’s time to view some other photographer’s work. I am inspired to see how other street portraitists work, and how they deal with problems.

I have spoken before about the 100 Strangers Flickr group. The site is HERE.  

 

Recently, two photographers from Syndey, Australia, were interviewed by CAPA. CAPA is an international educational blog. See it HERE. 

Here is their mission statement. “CAPA’s mission is to provide meaningful learning abroad experiences that challenge and inspire students to analyze and explore complex political, cultural and social landscapes within urban environments. Through our commitment to personalized learning, academic rigor and cultural engagement, we prepare students to live and work in a globally interdependent and diverse world.”

The two photographers are veterans of the group, and very familiar to me.

First is Peter Grifoni. See his interview HERE.

Second is Evan Robinson. See his interview HERE.

Enjoy.

Bob

Tennille and Betsy (#209) 02-05-13

In front of a restaurant, a woman sat on a window ledge, under cover. The covered sidewalk provided the light that I like. She wore running gear. When I asked her for the right to make a portrait, she was a teeny bit reluctant, but quickly agreed. Her name was Tennille. I said, like the Captain and Tennille? She said “Yep”. I wonder how many readers remember The Captain and Tennille. Read about them HERE.   

My only regret is that I did not have her look to the side. She was looking directly at the bright road, so the light falls evenly on her face with no directional flow.

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A few minutes later I met Betsy, in the middle of the road at a farmer’s market. We were both in bright sunlight. She obliged me and stepped into the shade of an adjacent booth.

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These images were both shot with the camera that I had rented for one week, the Olympus OM-D E-M5, with 45mm f1.8 lens. It is a very sophisticated yet physically  small system. Although I had considered buying this, I will not be doing so for now. The image quality is fine (I think), but I did have some trouble handling it.

My hands are not particularly large, but I kept accidentally moving dials and buttons. When I brought the camera to my eye, often settings were different than I had thought – very disconcerting. For street portraiture, I want to concentrate on the personal interaction with camera settings more or less automatic. In a week, I could not do this with confidence.

Thom Hogan likes this camera, and has replaced his Nikon D7000 with it for his back up. Nevertheless, in his review he does point out accidental button pushing. See his review HERE.

Bob

The Three Musketeers (#208) 02-04-13

As I slowly drove down Venice Avenue, I saw three young people, two in costume, walking on the sidewalk. I could hardly believe my luck. The median age in Venice is 68, and it is VERY conservative. You just don’t see young people looking like, well…, young people.

So I found the nearest parking spot, and they were walking toward me. When I explained my project, and that I wanted to photograph them, they were laughing and eager. Zoe could not STOP laughing. 

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Darian was the most unusual of the trio, at least unusual in Venice.

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Callie asked if she could hold the dog (Leah, I think). Of course!

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This was during my Olympus OM-D EM-5 trial. I’ll finish that up tomorrow.

Bob

Photographer Chris Owrig (#207) 02-03-13

Well, usually I take Sunday off from posting, but this is a real easy one. This video is totally about inspiration. Although not specifically about portraiture, Chris Orwig is well versed in the subject. Here is a quick bio as appears in Amazon.com.

“Chris Orwig is a visual artist who brings passion to all that he does. He is a pro photographer, interactive designer, author, speaker and on the faculty of the world-renowned Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California. Apart from his professional endeavors, Chris enjoys getting out in the great outdoors any way he can - from mountain biking, cycling, camping, surfing, kayaking, snow camping, backpacking, running, etc. He currently lives in SB with his three favorite girls - his wife and (very cute) daughters!”

I have two of his books, and really like both of them.

1. Visual Poetry: A Creative Guide for Making Engaging Digital Photographs

See it HERE.

2. People Pictures: 30 Exercises for Creating Authentic Photographs

See it HERE

This video takes about 19 minutes.

Overall, I have been happy with SquareSpace in hosting this site. One killer, however, is occasional irregularities in font size/style that I just cannot get around. Sorry for the huge font above.

Enjoy.

Bob

Through a Different Viewfinder (#206) 02-02-13

Yes, the Nikon D90 has an optical viewfinder, like all DSLRs. But that means that the camera is thick and bulky, to make room for a mirror. After reading a few glowing reviews about mirrorless, smaller alternatives, I had to give it a try. So I rented an Olympus OM-D EL-5 for a week. Can you imagine a more cumbersome name? The model name, including dashes, has more characters than the word Olympus. Who gets paid to do this stuff? Anyway, I got the camera with 45mm f1.8 lens from LensRental.com. I've used them before - nice service. See it HERE. 

The camera is remarkably complicated, and there is a learning curve. As there is no optical viewfinder, you essentially look at a smaller version of the LCD on the back of the camera. This too seems weird at first, but there are advantages, including a histogram in the viewfinder; you can evaluate exposure on the fly. Nice. Also, the LCD can be tilted upward, so you can compose a shot with the camera at waist height. Nice too, although not for portraiture. The thought of carrying a camera and three or four lenses in a lunchbox is very appealing.

My main concerns for street portraiture are twofold: 1. Can I get the eyes sharp enough? And 2. Will I be able to blur the background enough for my taste? The quick answers are yes to #1, and the jury is still out on #2.

So, here are two of my early shots. Danny is a waiter, working on St. Armand’s Key. He is Peruvian, and has a delightful don’t worry, be happy attitude.

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Billy was sitting on the sidewalk outside of an art studio where he works.

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I’ll post a few more Olympus images in the days ahead, but will get back to concentrating on the people, not the gear.

Bob

Harley Types (#205) 02-01-13

Thunder by the Bay is a true biker’s rally is Sarasota. I have posted a few Strangers who I met there, and here are two more.

Gary was sitting in a doorway along Main Street. The street was PACKED with motorcycles, mostly Harley Davidsons. I estimate that at any given moment, about 5% of the bikes were being revved up, making the noise level somewhere near deafening. Gary was pleasant and easily approachable. He was 55 years old, and at one time said that he had been riding Harleys for 47 years. I did not have my calculator handy, but methinks that this represents new math, or Gary began riding at a VERY young and tender age.

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Snow was sitting with her husband, taking in the sounds and sights.

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No, she does not ride.

Bob

Debbie in Burst Mode (#204) 01-31-13

I met Mark and Debbie in my usual nice-light location – Main St., Sarasota. I asked Debbie not to smile for the camera, but guess what?

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Some people just can’t help themselves. But luckily I was shooting in burst (continuous) mode, and got 10 shots over the course of a few seconds. Eight looked essentially like the image above. But two of the shots looked like this.

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If I had been taking single shots, I would have missed this. Maybe Debbie would wish that I HAD missed it. But being an aficionado of facial expressions, this is what I like. Small pocket cameras usually cannot rapid fire enough (for my taste), and these gestures may be missed.

Oh yeah, and here is mark.

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Bob

Other Photographers Wednesday (#203) 01-23-13

It’s a Wednesday, time to check out the work of somebody else. Actually, three somebody else’s.

1. Recently, a member of the Fred Miranda People forum linked me to a project by Gerald Emming, a Dutch photographer. Here is the essence of the project, in his own words:

“All street-shots - asking people on the street if I'm allowed to take a portrait, just the way they are at that moment. Mostly of the time the whole process takes about 30 seconds.

This is the my challenge:
Normally, when shooting portraits during a photoshoot, the result always turns out to be perfect. Make-Up, hair, light, environment, everything is taken care of and the result normally is fantastic.
So, my challenge is to make a "sort-of-photoshoot" portrait in just 30 seconds.
No hair-change, no make-up, no flash, only in natural light, just as it is. In photoshop I do a final treatment to make the image to my desires. (frame, colors, contrast)”   See his images on Flickr HERE.   

2. The second item is a project by photographers Brad Evans and Travis Jensen. They roam the streets of one of San Francisco’s tougher neighborhoods, photographing people and “life” as they see it. Their aim is to bypass images showing the seedy side of life, preferring the more humanistic portrayal of the residents. This video lasts about 5 minutes.

Enjoy.

Bob

Tyler and Brittany (#202) 01-29-13

Usually I travel a bit to find my strangers. What a bonus – I met Tyler and Brittany just two blocks from my home. They were quite pleasant and readily agreed to be photographed.

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So, why do I meet most strangers away from home? Not totally sure. I am sure that I like photographing in urban areas where there are many (tall?) buildings that reflect light. Venice Avenue, which is near home, has stores and restaurants on the south side, creating nice open shade. But the north side is largely devoid of structures, so light reflection is reduced.

But there probably a psychological reason too. I feel more open and free when away from home. Like the old business definition of an expert: someone from out of town, with slides. Why would this be? I don’t know, but it has held constant for over a year. Fortunately, going “out of town” can be 15 miles away.

Bob

Gary W., (#201) 01-28-13

I was visiting downtown Tampa near Franklin Mall. Adjacent Lykes Gaslight Park has numerous benches, and is visited by many homeless. Last summer before the Republican National Convention (held in Tampa), these benches mysteriously disappeared for a few weeks. Nuff said.

But on this day, I could hear soft saxophone music. In an alleyway near the park I could see the musician. He was alone, and attracted no audience. This surprised me a bit, he sounded pretty good. So I listened for a while. Then I approached him, put a couple of bucks in his basket, and asked about photographing him. I asked for a natural, genuine look, but he immediately began playing. I ripped off several shots before he stopped, and I got a more traditional portrait – that I don’t particularly like.

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Then I showed Gary images on the camera’s LCD.  He very much liked the ones where he showed emotion while performing. He asked if he could have an image to use in printed promotional materials. So I e-mailed him an artsy interpretation, for which he later thanked me.

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An hour later, I saw him in the park playing some kind of a flute-like instrument. A Renaissance Man.

Bob

Go Figure (#200) 26-01-13

#200! Now that is a milestone.

I have learned that I have very limited ability in editing my own images. Ones that I like are often ignored by other viewers, and vice versa.

While walking in River St, in Savannah, Anna caught my eye. I stopped her, and Roy, and asked if I could photograph them. After they said yes, I could hardly wait to photograph Anna. A considered Roy sort of an afterthought. I think that the images reflect that. Anna has a fairly true, authentic look. Roy has sort of a camera smile.

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I posted both of these to my Flickr photostream. If you are not familiar with Flickr, each photo in the photostream is a thumbnail. If you click on the thumbnail to view it larger, it gets recorded as a “view”. So presumably thumbnails that people find interesting get more views (and comments) than those that seem uninteresting.

Well, you can see where this is going. Roy got many more views than did Anna. I don’t get it! But that’s one reason why photographers need to show their work to others. A reality check. Go figure.

Bob

Sayonara Color – For now (#199) 01-25-13

Last month, a mentor (Craig Tanner) suggested that I shoot more in color, so I have posted several color images. Recently, I saw Susan with the colorful hairdo.

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So I used that as an excuse to ask for a photograph. After all, she knows that her hair is different, and she wants to look different, so why wouldn’t she want to be photographed? But I was a teeny bit dishonest; I really didn’t want to photograph colored hair. I wanted to see into the eyes and personality of someone who wanted colorful hair. I think that I can see that better here.

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Likewise, here is Randy, who I posted a few weeks ago. Nice colors, I think. But If I get rid of the colors, the real Randy comes forward.

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My stated objective on this site is to show a part of a subject’s personality, and the aesthetic of the images should support that. Some beautiful images of Mardi Gras, and other gatherings demonstrate people with wild colorful headgear and flowing robes, but to me these are colorful images INCLUDING a person, not OF the person.

So, for now at least, I am returning solely to black and white images. I explain further reasoning in the four minute podcast below.

Bob

Color vs. B&W

Rachel and Brent (#198) 01-24-13

I saw Rachel and Brent walking bicycles on the sidewalk. They stopped at a lamppost and chained the bikes. I was a bit reluctant to approach them for one reason; Rachel had a papoose-like sack on her back, with a baby. I am always concerned when a child is involved, that the parents might think that I am some kind of a predator/weirdo trying to take advantage of the child.

Today in the U.S. it is very disappointing how many people take advantage of young women and children. Watching the news on TV, 10 – 15 minutes are often devoted to stories about child abduction, rape, murder, and God-knows-what. I feel perversely relieved to hear about a liquor store robbery. Someone wants money. I understand that. I don’t condone it, but I do understand. However I just cannot understand the crazy acts sometimes committed to children. Logically, I don’t see how a photo of an unidentified child could be a problem. But in this lunatic arena, what IS logical?

Fortunately Rachel and Brent had no problem with being photographed. And the baby was small enough to be invisible in the photo (but large enough to be ever heavier on Rachel’s back).

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I like the way that Rachel’s hat gives a slightly classy, jaunty look.

Bob

Gratitude and Inspiration (#197) 01-23-13

Yes, somehow these do intertwine. When one seeks inspiration in photography, music, writing, or any other artistic endeavor, mindful gratitude is often the avenue to success. This 10 minute TED video is a thoughtful and inspiring (that word again) reminder of what is important in life, by clearing the consciousness and making room for discovery.

Enjoy.

Bob

Whitney (#196) 01-22-13

Another art show in Sarasota. The west coast of Florida just teems with outdoor displays and activities. One of the vendors had large images that I first mistook for photomontages – figures could be easily recognized from a distance, but were composed of small elements.

So I introduced myself to Whitney, and she was more than pleased to be photographed. As usual, the light in a tent was wonderful.

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Notice the dots in the background. This is the composition of her art. Rather than fumble trying to describe it, here are her words taken from her website: “My painting style is difficult to describe, but could perhaps be categorized as a type of abstract pointillism. However, unlike traditional pointillism, my work is defined by the use of grids and  simple color palettes.  Each piece is an interpretation of a historical portrait, structure and/or story; always created by hand, one dot at a time.

To create the actual dots I use any object that provides the correct diameter. The application technique creates dots with a raised texture, each with it’s own character. No two dots will ever be exactly the same.  Although they are ultimately graphic elements within a room, each subject matter is carefully chosen for specific reasons; whether it is a history I find fascinating or a newly learned fact of a familiar element that I think is worth attempting to convey.” - SPOON

Her larger pieces are composed of thousands of dots, all applied by hand. Sounds tedious. I suggested that she was the mystery peeler of titi shrimp, those teeny shrimp sold in grocery stores to garnish salads (I've always wondered about that!). She said no, but that she could probably do that.

Oh yeah, she calls herself Spoon. Here website is HERE.  While we were speaking, her friend Steve entered the tent – my ersatz studio.

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Whitney said that I caught Steve’s usual expression; the wrinkled brow is “him”.

Bob

Correct Spelling (#195) 01-21-13

While sitting inside a coffee shop in Tampa, I saw a striking young woman seated outside, by herself. Well, almost by herself. She had the dreaded cell phone to her ear. These things are the bane of my existence. Potential subjects sometimes stay on the phone FOREVER!

But this one didn’t, and as soon as the phone disappeared, I went to work. As I explained my intention she was clearly interested, and I think, flattered. Good. After all, part of the satisfaction of Street Portraiture is bringing good feelings to others.

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When I asked her name, she said, Megan. I asked if the spelling included an “h”. She looked directly into my eye and said, “It is spelled with five letters, the CORRECT way”.

Oh.

Bob

Mark, Alex, and Directional Light (#194) 19-01-13

In yesterday’s post about Hannah, one comment lamented that the light was not more directional. I want to explore that a bit. Hannah was with two friends, Mark and Alex, sitting at an outdoor table on Main St., Sarasota.

Main St. runs approximately east-west, ending near Sarasota Bay. On both the north and south sides, retail stores and restaurants line the street. In the northern hemisphere, the sun is always to the south of overhead, being close to overhead in summer, and farther to the south in January. Hence the storefronts on the south side of the street are always in shade, as is the adjacent sidewalk. Conversely, the northern side of the street is always in direct sunlight (on sunny days, of course).

So when I approached the three, the below diagram shows the relationships.

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I know what you’re thinking that Bob should have been a professional draftsman with such skills. Pity. Anyway, I purposely approached them with the dark wall in front of me and the reflected sunlight at my back. As the reflected light is a large source (the length of buildings), the light is soft. Had it come from a flash unit, the source would have been pinpoint, and the light much more harsh.

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So, take a look at Mark. His right side is facing the bright north side of the street and is lighter than his left. Alex’s hair partly blocks the light, but her left cheek is brighter than the right. This direction of light adds dimension and contour to their faces. Now take a look at Hannah.

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She is looking directly at the reflected light, so both sides of her face have the same tonality. There is less facial contour. So-called flat lighting is safe, in that there is little chance of serious overexposure or underexposure on any part of the face. But flat lighting is considered a bit less exciting than directional lighting.

Have a good weekend.

Bob

Hannah (#193) 18-01-13

I met Hannah with two of her friends while they were sitting at an outdoor table (I’ll discuss the friends tomorrow). After a few vertical, non-smiling images, I showed her the images on the back of the camera. She was not a happy camper. So she brushed her hair to one side, ala the movie star, gave a huge smile, and I got some horizontals. These she liked much better. To me, of course, the non smiling ones seem more authentic.

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I’ve mentioned the Fred Miranda people forum before, as it is a great place to get feedback on portraiture questions. The forum is HERE.  So, I posted both of Hannah’s images and asked for opinions. Responses are listed below:

1. Beautiful woman. Of the two I prefer the horizontal mostly for the smile and wrinkles in the corners of her eyes. It comes across as a very relaxed and genuine emotion. Excellent work.

2. Ivote the horizontal portrait also.

3. I think I agree with you. I like the vertical one abit more. Both are really good though.

4. 1 (horizontal) for the win...what a beautiful smile (I’m not sure what “win” means)

5. My vote actually counts as 10, because I am me!  (One in every crowd)

6. Horizontal for me. She's stunning

7. Horizontal.

8. Dein, with only one example of each, I can't generalize about which is better- those of her smiling, or those of her not smiling. But of these two, I prefer the horizontal.

And yet... her smile looks a little forced to me. Considering the off-the-shoulder look, I suspect Hannah was trying to be a model. Smiling for a camera is a tough way to give a natural smile. As you know, I prefer the more natural smiles. Just $.02

9. Beautiful girl, love her smile and her freckles! I wish the lighting were a little more directional. (I’ll comment on the directional light tomorrow)

10. These pictures are very well taken. Considering the bnw, they have great light

11. Love all your head shots...Dean I like the horizontal one, beautiful girl.

12. Like someone mentioned about the freckles, I think it would have looked better in color.

So, the verdict is the smiley one. Just shows that I’m a bit out of touch, being hung up on authentic expressions. But that doesn’t mean that I’m going to change! J

Bob

Thomas and Cathy (#192) 17-01-13

The good news: I had found an area of nice light.

The bad news: No people.

I don’t know who first said this, but I used the philosophy, “Build the stage and the players will come”. So I just loitered around, pretending to look into store windows. Finally, a couple crossed the street and headed my way. And when they got close, I just “happened” to walk their way, stopped them, and asked a favor. My usual favor. At first, Thomas was skeptical and asked what the pictures were for. When I described the project and showed him images on my phone, both he and Cathy opened up and were enthusiastic about being photographed. Curiously (to me) they had no interest in seeing their images on flickr.

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Thomas and Cathy live in Orlando, about 120 miles away. Cathy’s parents live nearby, so they have mini vacations in Sarasota fairly frequently.

Bob