Showing posts with label Street. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Street. Show all posts

Monday, 27 October 2014

Survival!

After Masjid Wazir Khan, Lahore my next stop was the streets; adjacent area of Mosque offer many opportunities to the street photographer. Narrow and closed streets, people in the small kiosks, street vendors, porters, beggars and what not.

I made mistake arriving at the scene in the middle of very hot day. I was fatigued from unbearable heat of Lahore's summer and had to leave the place too soon, I hope to go back in lower temperatures to wander around with only aim to shoot.

I love getting close to people and have few words before shooting them; but, I planned for the environmental and street shooting that day. For the job I picked Fujifilm X-T1, Fujifilm XF10-24mm F/4 OIS, Fujifilm XF35mm F/1.4 and picked Canon 580 EXII speed light with remote trigger.

As I walked across "Khalifa Naan Shop", where bread (naan) is baked in "tandoor", usually four to six feet deep hole in the ground heated with natural gas where available. Unfortunately I missed the chance to taste the Naan, aroma made the temptation strong and irresistible though. They offer Plain, Roghni and Minced Meat filled Naan prepared with Butter Ghee.

Camera Fujifilm X-T1 | Lens Fujifilm XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS @ 10mm
Exposure f/4.5 | 1/125 Sec. | ISO-200


The back room behind the Khalif Naan Shop was much darker then the shadowy and narrow alleys of Delhi Gate, to keep nasty flies away or perhaps it was the hour of load shedding. In this room wheat flour is kneaded and sometimes filled with minced meat and rolled to be baked outside. The man kneading and filling Naan looked deeply saddened and was working like robot; working for survival. He did not say a single word while I tried auto focus for a while in the complete absence of light; this was the only decently focused out of dozen shots I clicked.

Camera Fujifilm X-T1 | Lens Fujifilm XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS @ 10mm
Exposure f/5 | 1/60 Sec. | ISO-200
Remotely triggered handheld Canon 580 EX II speed light @ 90mm Zoom | Power 1/16


Outside the room the light was bright and contrasty. In the retractable shades the steel workshops workers were waiting for the electricity. They welcomed me with smiles, we had a little chat, everyone wanted to be shot.

Camera Fujifilm X-T1 | Lens Fujifilm XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS @ 24mm
Exposure f/5.6 | 1/30 Sec. | ISO-200


Camera Fujifilm X-T1 | Lens Fujifilm XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS @ 10mm
Exposure f/4.5 | 1/60 Sec. | ISO-200


Shot him while on moving bike, color of his beard did not look natural. He was selling some sort of cooling drink, which looked completely unhygienic.

Camera Fujifilm X-T1 | Lens Fujifilm XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS @ 10mm
Exposure f/4 | 1/100 Sec. | ISO-400 (Cropped)


While I was composing for something else, this curious old beggar with troubled look came out of nowhere, I immediately pressed shutter button; he looked at me for a second and moved on and kept moving and did not let me shoot him.

Camera Fujifilm X-T1 | Lens Fujifilm XF 35mm F1.4
Exposure f/4 | 1/125 Sec. | ISO-200


This is also shot from moving bike, reminds me of spice shops in Dubai; however, his merchandise was blocking half of the road.

Camera Fujifilm X-T1 | Lens Fujifilm XF 35mm F1.4
Exposure f/5.6 | 1/60 Sec. | ISO-200


To beat the heat, father kept giving bath to his son while mom and sisters watched. This shot was captured without them noticing. It was over exposed by a stop, by the time I noticed the kid was gone.

Camera Fujifilm X-T1 | Lens Fujifilm XF 10-24mm F4 R OIS @ 24mm
Exposure f/4.5 | 1/180 Sec. | ISO-200


I regret that I could not spend enough time in the Mohalla Buzurg Shah in particular and the Lahore in general. Mohalla Buzurg Shah has many bazaars which is dream to the street photographer.

Fujifilm X-T1 with the Fujifilm XF 10-24mm impressed me on the streets as well; however, in the poorly lit room it struggled to focus and I came back with many out of focus images. I had Canon speed light 580 EX II in left hand which stopped me from manual focusing.

Monday, 22 April 2013

Keep it quiet, keep is simple


The day I bought my first Full Frame DSLR Canon 5D Mark II, for its unparalleled quality and dynamic range I promised myself never to buy any other format but Full Frame or larger possible sensor I can afford. I do not own any point & shoot, cropped or micro four third nor does it interest me.

For last few months I am into street photography; there were times when I felt that smaller and quieter camera could be the right choice for shots which I have to miss.

All thanks to a dear friend Subodh Sheety (http://subodhshetty.com/) who loaned and brought me Fujifilm X-E1 along with Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 and 60mm f/2.4. Holding it, I felt home; aperture and speed settings right on the place where and how it should be, small quiet and fast enough for candid shots. However, it was the quality, dynamic range and color depth which blown me.

On the streets of Dubai, well the UAE, you are always challenged with bright sunlight; this situation becomes tougher shooting people wearing bright white dress. However, X-E1 surprised me with its detailed highlights:

Can you shoot me? f/5.6 | 1/125 | ISO-200

My beautiful niece... f/2 | 1/60 | ISO-200

The area which literally blown me was perfect JPGs right out of the camera:

Perfect details right out of the camera. f/2.8 | 1/250 | ISO-200

When played with contrast results were amazing:

He was having tea, when asked can I shoot? Yes, with smile...
f/3.6 | 1/80 | ISO-200
Colors are not bad either:

Going down. f/5.6 | 1/125 | ISO-200

Fujicolor :). f/4 | 1/60 | ISO-200

Amazing Macros:

Vibrant. f/5.6 | 1/125 | ISO-320

Go green. f/2.8 | 1/125 | ISO-200
Moments which I would hate to miss:

There is a little child. f/5.6 | 1/80 | ISO-200

Oo its fun. f/5.6 | 1/125 | ISO-200

High ISO:

Calligrapher. f/2.0 | 1/30 | ISO-2000
Shop it. f/4.5 | 1/9 | ISO-800
With built in flash, bounced, loved this functionality:
My sweetheart, my daughter. f/2.4 | 1/60 | ISO-200

I have tried and tested Fuji X-E1 in almost every possible scenario I shoot. It impressed me immensely; however, one area that really sucks is post processing software support. I am forced to use Silkypix (SILLYPIX) due to lack of compatibility of CS5 to X-E1 native RAW format. When converted to DNG, file size become humongous. But thanks to its neat in camera JPG, one doesn't need processing at all.

On the street this camera is serious tool, did not miss one single shot whole time.



 



 








Monday, 18 March 2013

In search of Portrait

When people were willing but stun; Sun bright but was a relief.

I started 8:00 AM from Bur Dubai Abra station, Dubai, with the walk of an hour planned. It was bright and a pleasant morning (28 degree Celsius). I intended to make head-shots and wanted to make them up-close, and no monotone this time. I had Canon 5D Mark II with EF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM on it; mounted Canon Video-Cam HF21 on the hot shoe, left Flash in the bag :(.

Photographing a common person up-close makes them stressed, stiff and stun; their smile painful and eyes wide open. Emotionally dumb and awestruck. A picture where only thing is a person's head, then that head must be shot well. I find it useful for untrained models to make them squint and look kinda up-to something. Bright Sun was blessing then. I didn't have to ask anyone to pose, Sun made if for me through out the walk. When it did not I struggle to make a good shot.

This walk was fun when most were ready with a nudge of camera, few posed without asking seeing Canon in my hands, a couple said weak no but with very little persuasion smiled for camera. I missed flash and a fellow photographer though...

All images were shot in AV mode, f/4 - f5.6, exposure compensation of 0 or +-1/3. ISO 100-200.

Pathan or Khan Sab as commonly addressed, favorite model of every photographer.


Mohammad Ali, this Abra driver makes a good model, always smiling and squinted. What would you do with the pictures you take?

Initially he resisted but agreed for a shot (burst :) )

Aaah, and the stiff one... stood like a soldier and left me wondering!

Ever ready for camera!

And again stiff one... depth and experience on the face made the pic for me...


Wide open and awe-struck

Happy to see you - very much ready and posed without asking


Jubilant one, was scaling the fish; when see the camera on his face shouted aaaaaawwwwwwww....


Could not convince him for face, shot his head from other angle


Surprised by the size of his hands

I have included few from the walk. Walk video:  http://youtu.be/1rbWThw_HMw
Enjoy... and happy shooting!