15 replies to this topic

[Merco_61]

For me, this shot has all I want in street photography. The people look relaxed as I am just a part of the street, not that guy..., the wide angle giving a presence I would never have got creeping around with a tele, the splash of colour provided by the red foodtruck, the visual tension between the trucks and the cathedral and the overall low contrast all work together.

 

 

Model: NIKON D700
Lens (mm): 25 (Tamron 24-70/3.5-5.6)
ISO: 200
Aperture: 7.1
Shutter: 1/200

Picture Control: D2X Mode3

 

Please critique it if you want to, I know that my style is on the quirky side.

[deano]

I like this photo a lot as it is all about street photography.  No posing, all are relaxed. While not a vivid as I like, that is not important to the shot.  I almost purchased the Tamron 24-70, instead opting for the 24-105.  Why, I don' know, just liked the added reach of the 24-105.  Food trucks seem like a great place to capture people in a relaxed setting.  I will have to go into the city and give it a try.

[Merco_61]

Dean, this is the unobtrusive old, slow 24-70, not the pro behemoth. It is much easier to be a fly on the wall with a lens that doesn't have a presence by itself.

[nbanjogal]

My favorite part of the image is the red food truck against the grey wall, and I like the stretched out shadows as well. I hadn't realized you were using an inferior lens--goes to show it's the photographer rather than the gear that makes the image, eh?

 

I also like the absolutely relaxed manner of the people in the photo--no one appears conscious of being photographed, so it seems you've captured a completely candid moment. Nice! Do you think if you had been at some distance with a tele that they would have noticed you? Or would it mostly have changed your own perspective and feelings about the image? I know that when I am wandering with a big lens on, people often notice it and sometimes comment on it (of course, this is often event photography, so it's not quite the same genre). But I'm also hyperaware of raising this giant apparatus to my eye and I'm sometimes a bit self-conscious about it--especially if I'm trying to capture some candids. I wonder how that influences my image?

 

And it is precisely this self-consciousness that makes me incredibly unlikely to take up street photography, though I certainly appreciate good images in the genre. Maybe if I were to start using my iPhone or perhaps pick up that mirrorless Fuji XT2 I've had my eye on...

 

I'd be interested in knowing what the goals are in street photography. I'm sure it varies from photographer to photographer, but Peter, when you're making street photographs, what are you hoping to achieve?

[Merco_61]

The short lens gives a feeling that the photographer was a part of what happens, a tele lens will always feel like an observer because the greater distance compresses the z axis. There are many street photographers, from HCB onwards, that use a 50, but that is on the long side for my style. I mostly use a 24 or 35 mm prime, and sometimes this old compact Tamron. This is a lens I got for free when I bought a used F801s in the early 2000-s and the seller couldn't find the body cap he had specified in the auction description.

 

To be an effective fly on the wall, I have covered the blazing white logos with black gaffer's tape and carry the camera over my left shoulder on an op/tech pro strap with the lens towards my body. That way, the camera goes unnoticed, even with the f/2.8 zooms until you are ready to shoot. When I see something I want to capture, My left hand goes down and swing the camera forward and the right goes to the grip and I lift the camera to the eye with one smooth move while adjusting the aperture and EC if necessary. I have found it much easier to be unobtrusive with the large bodies like a D300, D700 or D8x0 with a vertical grip mounted as I don't fumble with the grip like with a D7x00, D6x0 or D750. The key here is the smoothness.

 

I have tried the Fujis, and I can't be smooth with them, The same goes for the Olympus OM-D. The Pen F is another matter, if I had a pure street photo exhibition coming up, I would just have to find the money for a Pen F with a 12 mm Summilux, it is *that* good for my style of street.

 

My street work is oriented towards capturing quirky details and slices of time and I exhibit some of them when I get the chance and If I haven't been able to use them for two years, I donate the good captures to the county museum and the city library's collection of city documentation, with the proviso that I can still exhibit them. I seldom put one up on the 'net as one never knows what trouble a photo glimpsed on the 'net can do to the subjects. This one was too good not to share, but that is an exception.

[TBonz]

I guess someone could pixel peep, but with this image, you also have enough distance from the subjects so that they aren't easily identified.  It is a very interesting image.  It is definitely not a capture I would have thought of - maybe a different angle for the church or a closer view of one or both food trucks.  However, I think one of the things that makes it work is the mixture of items that you would not expect in one image.  Like Nicole, I think the red food truck really "does it" for me and I probably would have moved in and shot just that, but I think you probably ended up with a more interesting image than I would have (which is probably why I don't shoot street photography )!

 

As you guys are aware, none of my glass can be considered unobtrusive.  Even my "little" 24-70 2.8 Nikon lens stands out quite a bit.  Of course, street photography isn't something I do very often.  However being able to capture true candid photography at events is something that I find very important.  I may try and throw my 24-70 on and see what I can come up with again.  People got so used to seeing me with a camera around my neck that they wouldn't think twice about it...Occasionally I would get a group asking if I could take their photo and I would, but mostly I would look for a good candid and shoot without raising the camera.  I did it enough that I got pretty good at setting the angle right and many times the folks would not even know I took the photo so I was free to continue roaming.  

[Ron]

This is an interesting image... one that a lot of us probably would have missed. I'm also drawn to the red truck and the amusing thought of selling (even food) in the shadow of the church. And, while I tend to gravitate towards B&W for street work... what little of it I can manage these days, this image might not be as effective without the color... again, that red truck. 

 

I lament the fact that DSLR's are so bulky and newer lenses so huge. I like using wide angles for this type of stuff. Unfortunately, I don't have any of the old, small AF or AIS wide angles to use. My current favorite 20mm f/1.8 is just hugemongous (even without the tulip shade attached). My 18-35 is just as large. In fact the most diminutive lens in my current arsenal is my AFS 50mm f/1.4 and like Peter, I tend to prefer wider lenses for this type of work.  

 

I think to be an effective street photographer, one needs to spend a LOT of time on the street. So, that he (or she) becomes comfortable just being around people on the street, and with the inevitable stares that are bound to happen sooner or later. The real trick, I think, is to learn how to 'hide in plain sight' without seeming creepy of course. (oh, and smile a lot!) 

 

--Ron

[Merco_61]

One lens I have been looking for for a while for street use on the D700 is an AF 24-50/3.3-4.5D. It has a filter diameter of 62 mm and is only 74 mm long, about the same size as my old Tamron, but it is well-built and sharp unlike the Tammy. They aren't easy to find in good condition as they have often been abused and the last were made in 2005. Another nice street lens is the 24/2.8 Ai or, if you absolutely need AF, the AF 24/2.8D. The AF version isn't as crisp and contrasty as the Ai, but that isn't always a disadvantage.

[Wayben]

Great topic!  Out of curiosity which is the smallest Nikon DSLR body, past or present?

[Merco_61]

I am not sure if the D60 shrank even more when it was replaced with the D3xxx series. They are all about the same size. They are also large when compared to the EM from the film days. The smallest, relatively modern that can run the D lenses are the D7xxx series. The D50 was quite a bit smaller and the D70 in between, but those early AF systems and quite noisy sensors make them less than ideal for street use where so much of the interesting things happen at or after dusk.

[ScottinPollock]

Can't speak for the D60, but the 3300 and 5600 are quite a bit smaller than the ol' D50. I believe the 5500/5600 are the smallest, but not that much over 3300/3400.

[Wayben]

Thanks Peter.  I had a D7100 at one time and liked its size, but didn't know if there was anything smaller.

[Ron]

If you're going to use AF then those old original Nikkor AF lenses a their D variants are just too noisy for discrete street work. You're better off sticking with AI or AI-s lenses and zone focusing in my humble opinion. Otherwise, it's AF-S or nothing.

 

I've been seriously considering the purchase of an AI-s lens in the 20 to 28mm range just for this sort of thing. Of course, the grip stays home too. And, no lens shade.

 

--Ron 

[Merco_61]

It is strange how little people react to the AF sound, even up close in my experience. The noise disadvantage is mostly in our heads as we are so close to the source. The primes and the 24-50 don't move much glass, so they are not as noisy as the larger zooms. Manual focus is usually preferable, but not absolutely necessary.

 

For the 20 mm, getting the f/2.8 Ais makes sense as it got most of the focus throw back, has CRC and is *much* superior to the f/3.5 Ai and Ais versions. The 24/2.8 Ais is harder to focus correctly as it has only half the throw of the Ai version. The 28/2.8 Ais is, again, the best option because of CRC and a reasonable focus throw. Stay away from the 28 E as the 70° throw makes it very hard to use, even for zone focusing.

[Ron]

Of course you're right about most of the noise being psychological but there have been occasions when I was using some of my old AFD lenses where I could peripherally see people close by reacting as I focused the camera using AF. So I know it's not entirely in my head.

 

Recently, I worked an opening night party for an art exhibit where I was reminded that it's not just the lens focusing noise.... it's also that mirror slap. There was a short ceremony that I needed to photograph. Because space was limited, I had to squeeze in between some of the other attendees. I didn't want to use flash although in retrospect, it probably wouldn't have been any more noticeable. Of course I had to use a slow shutter speed even with AUTO ISO because the museum was dimly lit. I got some strange looks every time I pressed the shutter button. Fortunately, I was able to nail a couple of adequate images right off the bat.

 

I suppose I could have used LiveView but, honestly, it never occurred to me. And I'm a viewfinder kind of guy anyway. 

 

--Ron 

[Merco_61]

There are lots of AF-D lenses that sound like well-used harvesters in use. The moderately fast wide-angles and the 24-50 aren't among them. Even the worst get much quieter if opened and lubed with the Motul blue synthetic grease for optics (I don't remember the exact model) instead of the Nikon factory grease.