A scene repeated all over Austin. Bikes everywhere. Strapped to the backs of big Lexux SUVs
and on tiny Mini-Coopers alike.
I've started to channel remnants of my smart ass youth persona into my photography out on the sidewalks of Austin. I realized that no one takes notice of my quick shots and if they notice no one cares. They are all cared out. Everything is suddenly blooming and green in Austin which makes me want to get outside even more but it also makes me want to check all the air conditioning systems in my life to make sure there's comfort at the end of every adventure.
According to the weather service forecast on my phone we're heading for a 97° high on Tuesday. Time to break out the short pants and the water bottle. Oh, who am I kidding? Coffee is available everywhere.
Gear note: I bought one more Godox AD200 Pro flash unit and some extra bare bulb reflectors for them. They are great flashes and if you put a round head on one of them and use it as your main portrait light you even get a three step modeling light that stays lit for 30 minutes. Nice. Cheap. Practical. Packable.
And so much cheaper than another lens for the Leicas....
I love your street/people photography. Especially in B&W. The only time street/people photography works in colour is night stuff imho, well not so humble.
ReplyDeleteOn IG you see tons of bum shots, and not even interesting bums. These are passed off as "street" photography. Only very rarely are they successful. If you don't have the guts to shoot face-on then don't call yourself a street photographer.
Kirk, I'm sure you took gobs of shots on this most recent adventure. Your ability to edit is second to none. The images shared have a complexity that slowly in some cases reveals itself.
Thanks once again.
Eric
Re image 8, I was wondering about that squashed, possibly sacrificial bird, probably pigeon not a decapitated chicken, and the greater voodoo meaning of it all. To be truly invisible on the street, just be old, and use your cell phone. Absolutely no one will care. To what extent should the photographer’s presence and intent stir the waters of the scene anyway?
ReplyDeleteIt may be a generational thing. Unlike older folks they just don't care about data mining. Everyone from the NSA to websites collect data. Targeted advertising is a big deal to unscrupulous businessowners.
ReplyDeleteMany people have never seen an ILC before and have no idea that you are a street photographer;^)
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I love Black and White, and I love street work, people, the more it changes the more it stays the same. I'm not that luck in my area, it's not to safe to carry a camera into town as the interesting people would take exception to having their pictures take. Sad, but true. I miss the coffee houses their all but gone from the area, just drive throughs now. Thinking about relocating.
ReplyDeleteKirk, did you set out to take these photos in, or convert them to, B&W? If so, what did you do differently in your visualization, composition,etc.? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGary, I set out to take black and white photos. I had the camera set to monochrome and since it was a mirrorless camera the image on the back screen and through the EVF were both black and white. Since I had the profile set to monochrome and I was shooting Jpegs nothing needed to be converted or changed beyond tweaking the contrast.
ReplyDeleteThe only real difference between my usual method of shooting was to work with the continuous AF and to be less concerned about what people might think as I weaved between them and photographed.
Note to web "experts": the C-AF for stills on the GH5ii worked quickly, happily and perfectly. Contrary to all rumors of the photo-reviewer "intelligentsia." Perhaps they need to read the owner's manuals more diligently...
I like this batch of photos, because in many instances you show faces. "Street photography" of the backside of people walking away has always been disappointing.
ReplyDelete