Street Photography - Initial Attempt

Burton Town Centre; Overcast Saturday.
Telephoto lens; hand-held; fixed auto-focus.

The cluster of images below did not work! Too much background and no real point of interest. Two main problem were identified; namely:

• delay in capturing single images: this was due to the use of auto-focus and meant that the image was lost by the time the focus was crisp.

• distance away from the individuals: this meant that there was too much background and loss of clarity when the images were cropped.

Examples of images taken

Attempts were made to photograph a series of images thereby increasing the scope of capturing the "moment". A sequence below captures two ladies queing for coffee and cake. The third image (bottom left of the group) was then chosen as both individuals were looking at the cakes. The image again had too much background which meant that it started to pixellate when cropped. The moment was captured but it had meant greatly reducing the quality of the image.

Sequence of images as taken.

Original image (Left) & final cropped version (Right)

Final image

Compare the above image with a photograph below taken by Terence Donovan for the Pirelli Calendar. The main difference is that Donovan's image is staged using a model and additional lighting. Donovan's image has been taken close in and framed by the car-wash machinery. The focus is on the model sitting in the drivers seat and your eye is drawn across the image by the wheel, reflection on the windscreen and the fact that the mini car is emerging from the machinery. The quality of the image is extremly high in comparison with my image of the ladies choosing the cake.

Terence Donovan: Pirelli Calendar

My challenge is to get closer to my subject and increase the quality of the photographs. This will negate the need to crop images to gain focus on the subject matter.

Assignment 208 - Principles of location photography: Statement of Intent

Level 2 Certificate in Specialist Photography & Presentation:
7512-92 contains three Units; one is mandatory and two optional. For this course I will be undertaking 211 and 208 as listed below:

• Unit 211 - Photo image presentation
• Unit 208 - Principles of location photography

A screen shot of the Level is shown below:

Intentions/purpose of photography to be undertaken:
To capture & present images that represent reportage. This will be achieved using various camera techniques & photo shop to produce powerful images that capture the event & human interaction. The two themes fit within "Reportage" and will deliver images of events and aircraft.

Reasons for selection:
My interest is with people watching, the interaction between people & the event be that due to the weather or the occassion. By focusing on events such as exhibitions, Air Museums and the urban shopping centre I aim to produce a range of images portraying the occassion and people. Examples of what I aim to deliver can be found in the work of Patrick Lichfield, David Bailey and Terence Donovan.

Terence Donovan: Tube Rush Hour

David Bailey: Jean Shrimpton

Patrick Lichfield - "Spider"

Photo imaging equipment & medium to be used / techniques to be used:
Camera technique including shutter speed, depth of field & ISO settings. This may be enhanced using photo shop to increase the effect of the image captured.

Use of light quality to help convey the visual message:
Much of the light quality will depend on what is present. There may be the option to use photo shop to alter the effect.

Safety considerations:
Within exhibitions and museums much of the safety considerations will already be in place. The urban shopping centre will introduce road safety aspects. There is in all situations the potential issue of individuals taking offence at being photographed. My aim is to minimise this by photographing the environment rather than targeting specific individuals. Individuals can be captured by cropping high quality images.

Photographers of the '60's - Patrick Lichfield

Lord Patrick Lichfield has used a range of techniques to capture images of the rich, the famous and everyday life. Through the use of composition, line of focus, scale and tone many of his images have become impactful and as such memorable. Many of his photographs are in monochrome but some have been shot in colour. Whether there is a level of enhancement through the use of monochrome or colour is difficult to comment on without there being an identical photograph using both techniques.

Patrick Lichfield - Portrait

This image has been specifically set up using studio-type methods. The subject is wearing dark clothing and is framed against a white background. This draws the focal point to his face but also captures the tripod, camera and light meter. Your attention moves from his face down through the camera and tripod to the light meter held in his hand.

Jacqueline Bisset, Wilton Place, London. 1964

 In this image, the subject has been positioned leaning against a brick wall. There is contrast between her hair and cloths against the harsh lines of the brickwork offering a variation in texture and shape. By positioning the camera close to the wall, your eye is drawn across the photograph from left to right and asks the question of what is further along the wall out of frame? In contrast the models eyes take you to the left of the image.

The photographs of Spider and Joanna Lumley with Patrick Lichfield capture moments in time; the atmosphere. By using shallow focal length, Spider becomes the focal point and your eye is drawn from left to right through the use of his finger pointing. The image of Joanna Lumley with Patrick Lichfield captures an intimate conversation between friends. It asks the question "What are they talking about?".

Spider - 1971

Joanna Lumley with Patrick Lichfield

The two images below capture specific moments in time. Although the image used on the cover of Life Magazine was not taken by Patrick Lichfield it is in the vain of his work and portrays the tender support between the two ladies. Again through the use of short focal length the image centres on the two ladies but captures the fact that they are part of a group.

Photograph published in Life Magazine -2005
Private Funeral Held for Lord Lichfield

I have chosen this final photograph as it captures a photographer being photographed. It is obviously a busy shopping area but the photographer is highlighted by being almost isolated; a direct contrast.

Patrick Lichfield Image

I have enjoyed photography since getting my first SLR camera over thirty years ago. My cameras have progressed from a Zenith, to a Cannon AE1, to my present; Olympus E400 digital. With it I have a pair of lenses:

·       Olympus Zuiko Digital 14-42mm : 3.5–5.6

·       Olympus Zuiko Digital 40-150mm : 4–5.6

I also have a range of Hoya filters including a +4 close-up adaptor lens to provide scope for some basic macro photography.

Having made the progression into the digital age, my photography has enabled the use of basic modifications to alter the image and effect eg. Colour to black and white. There is also the option of Photoshop to crop and make minor adjustments.

To date, my photography has been focused on capturing what is naturally there rather than through the use of extensive modification using programmes such as Photoshop. Family and scenery have been at the core of what I have captured but there has been a progression towards trying to capture the sentiment, the “feel” of the occasion and the unusual.

My aim is to develop this “capture of the occasion” by looking at photographers and techniques that leave that memorable image. The main photographer will be Lord Lichfield who used a variety of settings and techniques to portray celebrities and individuals in memorable images.

Where is my photography now?

Having used a camera for thirty plus years, my photography is very focused on the outdoors and scenery. It has progressed from the typical picture postcard image towards capturing something dramatic; something that provides a "feeling". Much of my photography is in colour but occassionally I have used single tone such as black and white and sepia. The natural countryside has been my inspiration.

Single sheep amoungst cotton grass - Rhynose Pass, Lake District

By using natural conditions, filters and camera settings my aim has been to enhance the image to increase the dramatic effect.

Stormy conditions at Honister Pass enhanced using grey and blue filters

Dramatic light enhanced using brown filter

Natural conditions enhanced using varying camera settings

My aim is to increase the use of people within the photographs to capture a different image of the scene. These may be through capturing specific occassions as they present and using artificial images. The photographs below are examples of these.

A contented fisherman - Fowey estuary

"Just Jane" - Lancaster Bomber, East Kirkby, Lincolnshire

My aim for this course is to use actual situations to develop my recording of images. I will examine photographers such as Patrick Lichfield, David Bailey, Brian Duffy and Terence Donovan to develop new techniques for capturing dramatic images. Within Assignment 208 (Principles of location photography) my prime theme will be "Reportage" to capture images of street photography, events and exhibitions as well as the people present. I aim to capture images through the use of different camera techniques (eg. lighting conditions, focal length, shutter speed, ISO settings) but also gaining variation of impact through photo shop.