Street Photography With Phoblographer - Part 2 📷

Subject & Perspective:

This is the second part of my street photography series, the first part is viewable here, Street Photography With Phoblographer.

Picking an interesting subject is important in all aspects of photography, and the perspective from which you choose to portray your subject is equally as important. Correct perspective can often take precedent over the subject, especially in disciplines such as minimalism. I intend to cover minimalism & photography in a future blog, though steemit's own @mollywarhol demonstrates this nicely in some of her ongoing work.

As Above. Nikon D750, Nikkor 50mm @ f/4, 50mm, 1/125, ISO 125

So Below. Nikon D5200, Nikkor 18-55mm @ f/8, 24mm, 1/125sec, ISO 320

Both of the photos shown above depict a similar subject, a man walking. The creative interest comes in the manner in which these images were shot. The first is captured from below, there are a lot of opposing lines running through the image, there's a discordant feel to it and the man may not be the first thing the viewer sees. It's important to remember that a busy shot, one that has a lot of visual elements occurring at once, can act to draw the viewer's eye from the subject. This can be used to good creative effect when implemented correctly.

The second shot is taken from above and the subject's positioning within the image is far more conventional. There's considerably more negative space, and for this reason the man walking is easily identified as the focal point of the image. Using space within a shot can be a particularly effective tool. The first photo is far more claustrophobic, the man is photographed from behind metal bars, using an electronic device, with very little space to walk into. I hoped to convey feeling of being trapped, whereas the second image shows an individual walking with purpose, their path a clear one that visibly leads them out of the frame; far more liberating.

Monochrome Vision:

I spoke in my previous article how black and white can be an ideal medium for street photography. I've often heard street photographers talk about "seeing in black and white", and how this can be an invaluable compositional aid in the pursuit of their craft.

Through Shadows. Nikon D5200, Nikkor 50mm @ f/2.8, 50mm, 1/320, ISO 250

In a practical sense, "seeing in black and white" can only be accomplished by first determining the sentiment you wish to convey. Asking yourself why you're taking a particular shot is often a good way of better understanding your own creative insight. Why do you find your subject interesting? What story are you hoping to tell? By asking these questions, you'll be better equipped to envision the final image in your mind, rendered in black and white if necessary.

Young & Old. Nikon D750, Sigma 105mm @ f/6.3, 105mm, 1/400, ISO 1000

What sentiment did I wish to convey with the image above? The division between young and old, the playful act of the child contrasted against the self damaging act of the smoking adult? I hoped this image would portray the differing mentalities of young and old. The sedentary man, hunched over engaged in what could be seen as a fatalistic act, against the backdrop of a child, preparing to jump playfully onto the ground.

Platform. Nikon D750, Sigma 24mm A @ f/3.2, 24mm, 1/100, ISO 1250

If you're taking photos that you later intend to convert into black and white, then your camera may be able to help you see things in monochrome. Provided your camera can capture raw images, then there should be a setting that tells your camera to take one raw photo and render one jpeg photo of each shot. You can set the jpeg to output directly in black and white, (your camera will do the monochrome processing) and this will give you an idea of how your fully edited image will look. I would however always encourage you to convert your final raw images to black and white using dedicated editing software. You will almost always achieve better results this way, and this approach makes for a more versatile workflow.

Candid Observer:

One challenge of street photography is how to approach people, or indeed whether or not you should approach them at all. I really believe that everyone is different in how they deal with social situations, some are more outgoing than others. Personally I prefer to go unobserved. Maybe this carries over from my wildlife photography, trying my hardest not to spook elusive creatures. Admittedly people are rarely as observant as wild animals, often they're in lost in their own worlds, or engrossed in their smart phones.

Street Portraiture. Nikon D750, Sigma 105mm @ f/3.5, 105mm, 1/800sec, ISO 640

The best tips I can give you on going unobserved, are to simply act naturally and show confidence. I know that may seem like vague advice, but as I've said everyone is different in these situations. You want your actions to appear understated yet purposeful. Provided the law allows, you're breaking no rules by photographing in public so you really have nothing to worry about. If someone does take exception, then simply show them the image, perhaps tell them briefly why you took it, and delete it if they ask you too.

Street Art & Creativity:

Street art can make for a great subject in street photography. It can be used as a backdrop or as an item of interest

Street Art. Nikon D5200, Nikkor 50mm @ f/4, 50mm, 1/320sec, ISO 200

This appeared as a back drop in the third image in this article. In the Through Shadows photo, this adds interest as the man walking in front of the mural almost appears to interact with it.

On Track. Nikon D750, Nikkor 50mm @ 7.1, 50mm, 1/200sec, ISO 640

Keep it Peel. Nikon D5200, Nikkor 50mm @ f/3.2, 50mm, 1/3200sec, ISO 200

The shadows in this image help to give the face a seemingly contemplative look. The correct use of shadows and lighting can have a profound effect on the mood of an image. Even if the subject itself is a piece of wall art.

Underpass. Nikon D5200, Nikkor 18-55mm @ f/9, 18mm, 1/15sec, ISO 320

It can be fun to get creative with your images. The picture shown above is of me standing in an underpass. I set up the camera on a tripod and used a delayed shutter release to quickly position myself in the shot before the image was taken. I used selective colouring to retain the presence of the colourful artwork while rendering the rest of the photo in black and white. Whether or not you enjoy the end result is really a matter of taste, though thinking creatively can help you to take shots that you wouldn't normally conceive of.

As always, thank you for taking the time to read my article. I hope that you've found the information useful and that you've enjoyed seeing my work. I'd also like to thank you for your ongoing interest, I recently reached 200 followers and I'm exceptionally grateful for everyone's support. Cheers for now : )

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All images present in this article are © Alexander White