Posts from the ‘street photography’ Category
You get what you get and you don’t get upset…you just try to learn for the next time
When it comes to photography there are many different styles and approaches. In my opinion candid (or street photography) can be one of the hardest to photograph simply for the fact that you are shooting in the moment and very rarely is there an opportunity for a redo.
Recently I had decided it was time for me to step outside of my comfort zone and place myself into an entirely new photographic situation. As a result I decided to attend the Mermaid Parade ( you can learn all about it by clicking on that link) and try my hand at photographing what may be one the most unusual events I have ever attended.
The results…. some great and not some great shots but that’s always to be expected. However as this was my first time attending the event I definitely learned some important lessons.
1. It’s always nice to ask someone if they wouldn’t mind having their picture taken. Bring business cards or a piece of paper with your email address offer to send them a copy of the photo that you have taken. Will you hear from everyone most likely not, however by taking those few moments to speak to the person you’re photographing you may have the chance to get them to pose for you and retake an image and that can make a difference.
2. The staging area offers some walls this can prove to be a great backdrop and can help to eliminate a lot of the chaos that is happening around you if that is the effect you are looking for. (This is something that I realized late in the game)
3. Bring suntan lotion and water….I can not stress this enough it’s going to be a long day, your carrying around gear and it will be hot.
4. Relax, have fun and go with the flow. Try not to take it so seriously and have a good time. This will come across in your photographs.
Below you will find some of the photos taken at this event. For a more complete listing you can check out http://junger.smugmug.com/People/Mermaidparade (if you don’t see a photo of you posted and I gave you my card please send me an email and I will get it to you.)
To crop or not to crop that may be the question…
Often times when I’m out and about taking photographs I’m so caught up in the moment that I might lose sight of the small details. I find that I might try to put as much information as possible into frame and other times I may take it to the other extreme ending up with an image full of negative space. These are those if you blink you may miss it kind of moments where taking the time to fully compose your image is not an option.
Something that I personally as well as others have been guilty of is posting and editing an image as is and not taking the time to critically examine the image and see if there is something that can be done to make an image more successful and really stand out.
Below is an image that was shot at The Unisphere this image is uncropped and unedited
This image was then edited and cropped using the Camera+ app (it is on both the iPad and iPhone) as well as Snapseed (there is a computer version of this as well.
By cropping an image like this my goal was to draw the viewer into the image and having a stronger focal point vs having your eye wandering around not quite sure of what the subject matter is.
Below is another before and after example from the same day.
Ideally when cropping you want to try to avoid taking off body parts as it can be a bit jarring however in the above image I felt that the child was so engaging that the extra arm may be overlooked.
I would like to pose a question to the readers when taking photos do you frame and crop in your mind while taking shots or is it something that happens during your editing process?
Try it…if you don’t like it you can spit it out in my hand….
This was an expression that my sister and I heard quite often growing up especially when it came to the dinner table. By keeping an open mind to the unknown and knowing that we could always spit something out if we deemed it be gross enough our palette was expanded.
But how does this relate to photography…. I’m sure that is the question your asking yourself. Well now that most people have gone digital we have our images at our fingertips instantaneously so in the matter of mere seconds we can decide if we like the image we have taken or if we want to just spit it out. This also gives us a sense of freedom we are not confined to 36 shots per roll in a situation where you have to make sure each one count. Instead it enables us to step outside of a comfort zone and try something new whether it be a shooting style or subject matter.
Ultimately at first you may want to spit out this new taste, but if you wait it out and try a slight bit more you may find you enjoy it and if not well for a brief period your have tried something new. And at the end of the day stepping outside of ones comfort zone will ultimately help in the training of your eye and allowing you to see things from a different perspective causing you to become a more well rounded photographer.
The following images were all taken on a photowalk that was lead by Rick Sammon that took place at The Unisphere which is located in the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park in Queens, NY. These images are my way stepping outside my comfort zone and trying something new.
And in case you were wondering yes we did occasionally spit things out and most recently that food was Uni (sea urchin)
J. Unger Photography 