March 30 - 2012 - Street Photography - Downtown

Something about the love of Street Photography.  I'm not sure what it is about it, but it's just a very interesting thrill..  I don't shove my camera in someone's face to get a shot.  I think to myself, would I like it if someone did that to me?

Mind you, I rarely ever see Street Photographers anymore.. I see them every now and then, but it's becoming rather rare.  Are people becoming leery of the art?  Or did they lose that passion?

For me, I can't get enough of it?  Sure, the area I work and live in isn't the greatest for it, but I do get the odd chance to go downtown.  And that's where you can get some incredible chances for really interesting images.

From people sleeping on benches, to the wildest of street wear, it's all downtown!
Looking forward to the chance to do that this summer... Hopefully more often than not!
My weapon of choice for this adventure today?  My Pentax Spotmatic w/Carl Zeiss Jena T* ƒ/2.8 50mm lens.  Oh what a wonderful camera and lens combo.  It's just brilliant, actually.  The lens is tack sharp, the camera is spot on with the light meter, and they just seem to make the perfect team!
Either the Helios 44-2 or the Carl Zeiss Jena T*.. I just can't decide which lens to make the staple.

I do have a Pentacon 50mm ƒ/1.8, but I need to pull it apart and clean the elements completely, as it looks like they have a bit of haze.

The amusing thing with "faux-tographers" today is the digital P&S with an LCD screen for a view finder.  It is nice, sure, to be able to see the composed image before you take it, but that's not how you train your eye.  I know, because I have practiced training my eye constantly to learn how to look at a possible image, and compose it visually before I take the shot. 
Like this one here, I wanted the girl to be tack sharp, and the b/g didn't have to be.  So, wider aperture, and fast shutter.  Digitals seem to take away that thinking.  Not a nice thing at all!  You need to think when you're shooting.  Otherwise, all we'll end up with are just snapshots and no real artsy images.  Of course, the tiny CMOS sensor has really hampered photography, as it requires much smaller focal lengths to be equivalent on a 35mm frame. Not to mention, why the heck do you have a CMOS sensor at more than 6MP?  It's just stupid.  You do not need that much on such a small camera.  The higher the MP count does NOT equate to a better image, but of course no one thinks of this when they purchase the camera.

 I'm always telling other photographers, and other people, that in public, the majority of the populace could care less about being photographed.  And it's true!  I have taken multiple photos of people, and they have seen the camera pointed their way, without comment.  Mind you, I have been asked by some NOT to photograph them, and I gladly comply.  They don't want a photo, I won't take their photo, very simple.  I am not out to harass people, but to have a bit of fun with a camera.
Street photography is something I enjoy, not for the bit of an adrenaline rush, but just because you can capture some very raw emotion and moments.  This is the one thing that Portrait photography will never capture.  When you shoot an image of someone in a closed and set environment, it's all staged.  They may smile, they may be serious, but it is not their raw emotion that is out. 
Yet on the street, when least expected, you can capture some very raw details about someone.  And contrary to popular belief, like the Internet.  In public, everything is public!  Just because you assume that you have rights to privacy when you're walking down the public street, you don't.  There are ATMs that have cameras pointed your way as you walk by.  Store fronts, fueling stations, office buildings, etc.  All with cameras pointed out toward the street, so that right to privacy in public?  Forget it!  On any public street, what you see is fair game.  But obviously within reason.  Don't be hiding in a bush waiting to spring your camera on a couple getting a bit frisky in the park.  Use your judgement!

I really liked this girl's hat.  The texture, the colour (although not conveyed in B&W) and the way it complimented her ensemble.  It's hard to tell if it was hand stiched, or factory made. 
I'm leaning a bit toward factory made, but at the same time, you never know.
She knew the camera was looking her way, never cared either.  If she asked, I wouldn't hesitate to strike up a conversation regarding the reason for the shot.  Besidse, I would have gladly taken her Email address to send her a copy.  She never did ask, so no bit loss on that part either!

 

 I was surprised here.  I walked by this guy, and saw his cart, and him sitting beside it.  Well, I didn't think he was sleeping when I saw him, so I took one shot from the side.  Took a few steps forward (walking from behind instead) and turned to look.  Sure enough, he was sleeping.  So instead I took a few steps forward toward him, and took this one instead.  Not every day you find some guy just sleeping on a bench, but then again.  It is downtown!

This is something that makes NO sense at all.  I understand that they have a job to do, but this is beyond silly.  They are a government service, not the Postal truck, but the ticket cop.  Sure, it is municipal, and they are a needed service, I will never deny that... But really? Ticketing a postal vehicle?  That goes a bit beyond nonesense!  That's the Government billing the Government. Talk about a backward system!  This is one thing that should never happen.  I wish I had a photo of a truck I saw recently.  Not only did it have a few tickets on it, it literally had at least close to a dozen tickets on the windshield.  That is just beyond ridiculous!  I know that the postal vehicles will never be towed away, as you just can't really do that.
But ticketing a postal vehicle 12 times in a day?!  That's just plain stupid!  Sadly, I know it happens all over the city/country.  It's time that they review this policy, and try to figure out some way to change it.

This was going down the escalator at St. Patrick station.  Exposure time was about 1 second, and held against my chest.  Obviously I wasn't QUITE as steady as I would have liked to be, but that's okay, the image still conveys the sense of movement I was looking for.