The main subject, in the picture above, can either be the Canada Goose or the bright psychedelic pattern of colours surrounding the bird.
Moments before three geese swam near Victoria’s Fishermen’s Wharf, in British Columbia, the multicolored houses built along the piers were perfectly reflected in the water.
As the geese swam through the reflections, waves and patterns of multiple colours were suddenly created. I chose to take a picture of the last Canada Goose as she benefitted the most from the interesting shapes and colours in the water.
The very bright colours were due to the paint chosen for the houses as well as the direct sunrays striking the houses since the sun that was approching the horizon. The goose is positioned according to the rule of thirds, but this is never mandatory. The small waves in the lower left quadrant gradually lead the eye to the main subject.
This lady, all dressed in black, was one of the decorations in the Parc Jeanne d’Arc, in Québec City, for Halloween 2018.
The Halloween is celebrated during the month of October in the parc Jeanne d’Arc, in Quebec City. Several interesting sceneries are presented every year to the public. Photographers always find something interesting to bring back from their visit in the park. In late afternoon or during the evening, the lower light intensity adds to the dramatic atmosphere.
The picture above was slightly desaturated using Photoshop. The goal was to restore the sinister aspect of the lady and the emotion felt by a visitor standing in the park.
For other pictures of Quebec City, click on the following
links of my blog :
The photography book « Full Frame », by David Noton, was written in 2010 but the content is still totally pertinent today. It’s possibly the best photography book I’ve ever read. The images are fantastic and the text is loaded with practical and accessible information.
Photography book “Full Frame” by David Noton
The author is known as one of the best landscape photographer in the world. Every page of his book is divided in three sections: before, during, after. This means that you read about everything that the author had to deal with as he travelled around the world with his wife to capture landscapes: the preparation, technique, priorities, obstacles, successes, etc.
All along the book, I had the feeling that a friend was writing me since the text is written with a light and humoristic approach in mind, and certainly without pretend. Here are some of his remarks and advices:
“Luck is where preparation and opportunity combine.” (p.38) This certainly applies to everything we do in life.
“Stick with the full frame quality and crop as when required, keeping all the [sensor’s megapixels] information in reserve”.
“Sometimes a new lens or format will serve as a catalyst for a whole new way of looking. It’s all part of the evolutionary process.” (p.64)
Sharpen all digital images. Pictures are made of square pixels and need microadjustments.
To choose among your interesting similar photos which one is the best, start with a very good one and compare it with each other photo, one at a time, throwing away the ones that are inferior. You will save a lot of time.
A bit of blinking in the highlights is not terrible since RAW files can easily be adjusted. Don’t forget that the camera’s monitor shows an histogram adjusted for JPEG files.
Use a grad filter to control the contrasts only, not to add mood or create an artificial contrast.
There is no need to always show the tops of mountains.
“The best pictures are the simplest. Composition is the art of knowing what to leave out.” (p.71)
“Be flexible and strive to extract the most from seemingly adverse conditions.” (p.77)
“For wide angle views on the world, a full-frame sensor is imperative.” (p.93)
Back cover of the photography book “Full Frame” by David Noton
“Scout the location, analyse the options in different lighting situations, previsualize the image, plan the shoot then keep returning until it’s nailed.” (p.113)
“Location finding is everything; the photography is the easy bit.” (p.125)
“Don’t be afraid of “blinkies” in the brightest part of the sky where the sun shines through […]. We don’t expect to see detail there.” (p.138)
“Using movement is an essential technique in a photographer’s repertoire.” (p.143)
“The classic, golden rule of thirds is a good starting point, but it’s only a guideline to ignore at will.” (p.149)
“A camera’s sensor is not a linear device so the right half of the histogram contains far more information than the left. Those apparently overexposed images, when processed with the brightness brought back to the desired density, will have richer tones and less noise than a frame exposed to the left.” (p.153)
“We photographers can only continue to improve if we keep pushing ourselves.” (p.187)
Livre de photographie: “The new street photographer’s manifesto” par Tanya Nagar
Tanya Nagar is an award-winning photographer from London. Her book, “The new street photographer’s manifesto” is perfect for those who aim to improve their street photography techniques. The present article is not a comprehensive critic of her book but an overview of what a reader will find. I also highlighted some tips in photography that will help to improve the street photographer’s performance.
Tanya’s manifesto not only contains technical advices helping a photographer to improve his shots but also some tips to avoid common mistakes. Subjects include: timing, composition, shooting portraits, framing and juxtaposition, perspective and angles, the choice between landscape and portrait, depth of field, shutter speed, exposure, night photography, rule of thirds, etc.
The book’s content is divided in six categories: 1. Street Photography 2. Where & What to Shoot 3. Seize the Moment 4. Equipment 5. Digital Processing 6. Showcase.
1. Street photography requires the ability to seize a life moment with precision and timing. It is about candid shots and does not have to include humans, as long as it fixes a moment in life. It certainly can include animals (in fact, animals are a very popular subject).
2. It is best if you use a light, discrete camera (even an I-Phone). Walking with a huge camera with big lenses makes you look like a professional photographer and people will see you coming. The trick is to avoid drawing attention. Coughing while clicking drowns out the sound of the camera. You might also think of “shooting from the hip” or “shooting blind”. Those techniques are explained in the book and can be mastered with a bit of practice.
3. It takes a bit of courage to photograph situations that include people since you never know what to expect when you raise your camera. Respect the different cultures and personal space and don’t be afraid to smile and explain what you are doing. If somebody refuses to be photographed, move on, don’t dwell on the situation.
4. In order to gain experience and a feeling of security at taking pictures of people on the street, start with protests or parades.
5. It is a good thing to know the laws pertaining to photography of the country you are visiting. Police officers in some countries might be tempted to order you to delete a shot while they actually don’t have the right to. Often, a misunderstanding by police or security guards of anti-terrorism legislation leads to different interpretations and subsequently to abuse towards a photographer. Just make sure you stay up to date with the country’s regulations.
6. You might think of shooting from within your vehicle to obtain interesting results (while respecting the country’s laws).
7. Use graffitis, signs, graphical billboards, text and advertising logos.
8. Use contrasts like big versus small, light versus dark, rich versus poor, etc.
9. Bear attention to details and look for second degree interpretation of a situation.
10. Look for amusing, funny and unusual captures.
11. Make sure you master your camera in order to be quick when the perfect opportunity comes. Set most of the parameters of the camera before actually arriving on a scene (you already have an idea of the light intensity in the area and the ISO setting that will be required to obtain the speed you desire).
12. Be cautious when it comes to taking pictures of children. Societies change and authorization from the child’s parents is required almost every time.
13. “The only way to avoid missing a moment is by carrying your camera at all times”. Therefore, get something small and light.
Endos du livre de photographie “The new street photographer’s manifesto”
The book holds a section dedicated to multiple types of cameras: rangefinders, SLR and DSLR, four thirds and micro four thirds, medium format, point-and-shoot compact cameras, camera phones, toy and pinhole cameras. Their advantages and disadvantages are clearly explained.
The reader will also find some information about lenses (the best for street photography and what to avoid) and the effects obtained through the use of different type of films (colored, black and white, expired).
The fifth section of the book relates to digital processing and the basic image editing techniques like cropping, rotating, the use of the “Curves” command, as well as dodging and burning.
The final section, “Showcase”, presents many well-known street photographers from around the world, including few photos taken by each of them to allow the reader to have an overview of each photographer’s personal style and creativity. Presented in order are: Antonio Navarro Wijkmark, Brian Quentin Webb, Charlotte Gonzalez, Claire Atkinson, Danny Santos II, Felix Lupa, Ferhat Çelik, Mustafa Abdulaziz, Ronya Galka, Seamus Travers and Severin Koller.
This is certainly a very interesting and practical photography book that will help you avoid costly mistakes (missed photo opportunities or buying the wrong photography equipment) while helping you to improve your knowledge on street photography as much as the quality of your shots.
Here is a link towards Tanya Nagar’s website: Tanya Nagar
Street photography – Le savoir-faire du photographe de rue (french version of The Street Photographer’s Manual)
We buy this book with the initial intent to learn about the different aspects of street photography, the goal being to increase our practical knowledge. We close the book with the feeling that we learned way more than we anticipated.
David Gibson’s work offers more than advices. In order to make it more fulfilling for the reader, the writer takes care of adding twenty very interesting portraits of renowned photographer’s working method and interests. Those names include Blake Andrews, Johanna Neurath, Matt Stuart and Maria Plotnikova. The reader improves his knowledge of photography history at the same time as he acquires new tools that will help him in his street photography practice.
Photographing people on the street is not necessarily easy. It takes determination to carry out a project that will include a person, especially if you are not working with a telephoto and you want to capture a scene where all the faces are visible. The author explains what kind of preparation is needed and he insists on the importance of avoiding disrespect toward others.
But street photography is not only about people, although approximately 75% of those pictures include a person. Other subjects of interest are, for example, experimentation with objects, shadows, empty spaces, abstraction, photographing through glass or wet surfaces, etc.
The writer has divided his book into twenty projects, to which he added, for each project, a road map. The latter can be used as a concise guide every time the street photographer puts in practice his newly acquired knowledge. If he wishes, the reader can rapidly get to work, using the ideas proposed within the twenty different themes.
The book is easy to understand and goes straight to the point. If the reader wishes to dig deeper in a specific aspect of street photography, he is given multiple internet site references.
This high quality book will surprise you and certainly be an inspiration in the preparation of your next street photography session.
