A Constant Amazement (Two Photographs)
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If anyone is wondering why I post the same photograph in color and black and white, these photos should explain the reason. They say that some photos need color and others are best viewed in tones. It is equally true that a color and black and white photograph of the same scene can result in two very different images. This is one case, where there are two very different outcomes and my inclination is for monochrome.
Quirky (Two Photographs)
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I have always held that we often don’t look close enough be it books, painting photography, character etc. to actually see what is there. Roaming the city trying to extract from the cacophony of details that have meaning, I find some odd and interesting things.
Inventive Risk (Three Photographs)
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These photographs have nothing in common except my desire to take some liberties in processing. In the first, the forced perspective (unusual juxtaposition) of the live subjects and the memorial to 1815 just caught my fancy and the B&W added some drama. The second photo in color reminded me of old-time double exposures with date expired film. In facts it’s a reflection in a window. The B&W reminds me of the old high contrast Tri-X film. Sometimes it’s worth going beyond the boundaries and taking an inventive risk for the hell of it.
Photographer’s Block (Three Photographs)
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I understand writer’s block, photographers block not so much. Cold wet days, with flooding and other challenges is neither the fault of the camera or photographer. I took these in the few nice days we had in early spring. There isn’t always something to photograph but you don’t really know until you look and focus your attention. As a result, photographers sometimes do not make the best companions when they are intent on their work.
An Eighty-Four Degree Angle of View (Two Photographs)
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If you have a full frame camera, a 24mm lens has the angle of view of 84 degrees and with a 1.5 cropped sensor (like the Fuji XT-2), 16mm gives you the same angle of view. This is because the sensor on the XT-2 is half the size of a full frame camera. I make this point only because what matters is the angle of view and not the length of the lens when it comes to wide-angle lenses. For many years, 24mm was the standard wide-angle lens with the 20mm or 90 degrees angle of view considered a specialty lens and much more expensive. I took these photos with the Fuji 16mm lens. As I mentioned in a post earlier this week, the idea that you can get more subject and background into the picture close up is one benefit. Another is that you can use the periphery of the photo to capture a subject and be unobtrusive. The man walking never noticed the photo being taken, I was facing down the street. You can take landscape with any lens, including telephoto lenses; with a wide-angle of view, details in landscapes become smaller the further away you are.
Better Elsewhere (Two Photographs)
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At one time or another we all have that feeling that our photography would be better if we were somewhere exotic and different. I can vouch for the fact that travel is a boon for photography. When you walk the same streets everyday and it becomes mundane we don’t see the interesting or changing detail. I have taken to choosing a few neighborhoods and walking them several times in search of something that catches my eye. I also use prime lenses, shoot in black and white, and decide as I process the shots to go with the B&W or color. It may be the act of taking them in black and white that helps, it certainly is interesting, and I do see new things and new approaches.
Street Photography (Two Photographs)
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This could be a public service message about when to and when not to use a smart phone, however the man was crossing on a green light. Street photography is hard to explain and define in my view. It’s often defined as candid photography of people in public places, usually in black and white. On my SmugMug website I have used the term to capture street art, markets etc.; the architecture of the street as well as people. I know it’s a stretch and I may be convinced to change it. It is certainly easier to take street art and storefront reflections than photographs of people you don’t know. I’m getting my courage back and I will see where that takes me.
