The Photography thread!

[boingyman]

Here's a old project I wanted to complete a long time ago. I just thought about it since we went to San Francisco earlier today and went to use the bathroom in this building. For some reason I loss interest though. Possibly due to the recurring cliche of these shots and since my shooting interest grew way past this. It's probably been a good 4-5 years since I shot here, even though I frequently go by here every time I go to San Francisco. The project was suppose to be called People Under The Stairs. I was planning on redoing the area of the 4th shot with a added person and doing anywhere between 3-6 more shots to complete the project. I would have also redone the 3rd shot since I was a second too slow and could have benefited from a slightly higher perspective, but the staircase no longer exist. Maybe one day I'll complete it just for the hell of it though...

 

[90 50]

You have one of these?

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1052083-REG/nikon_2217_af_s_nikkor_400mm_f_2_8e.html

$12k?

No, older non vr like this one. It was expensive as fuck when it was new too.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nikon-AF-S...690392&hash=item469a103a8c:g:ztgAAOSwzixdNg8L

 

[moreorless87]

Here's a old project I wanted to complete a long time ago. I just thought about it since we went to San Francisco earlier today and went to use the bathroom in this building. For some reason I loss interest though. Possibly due to the recurring cliche of these shots and since my shooting interest grew way past this. It's probably been a good 4-5 years since I shot here, even though I frequently go by here every time I go to San Francisco. The project was suppose to be called People Under The Stairs. I was planning on redoing the area of the 4th shot with a added person and doing anywhere between 3-6 more shots to complete the project. I would have also redone the 3rd shot since I was a second too slow and could have benefited from a slightly higher perspective, but the staircase no longer exist. Maybe one day I'll complete it just for the hell of it though...

Maybe go with "Baldness: The Downward Spiral" as an exhibition name.

Last time I put much serious effort into street shooting was in Bristol docks 2-3 years ago, maybe go with "Old Men hitting things with hammers because nobody else will" as a name.

 

[boingyman]

Maybe go with "Baldness: The Downward Spiral" as an exhibition name.

Last time I put much serious effort into street shooting was in Bristol docks 2-3 years ago, maybe go with "Old Men hitting things with hammers because nobody else will" as a name.

Perfect name for Sherdoggers, lol. As for street photography the genre is so broad. I wouldn’t even call what I posted as street photography (SP) as it doesn’t fit the aesthetics of what I consider SP.

 

[MikeMcMann]

Nice.

I have so many I can post.

From my recent trip to Chicago with my S10 phone.

And the Oregon Coast a month prior

 

[moreorless87]

Perfect name for Sherdoggers, lol. As for street photography the genre is so broad. I wouldn’t even call what I posted as street photography (SP) as it doesn’t fit the aesthetics of what I consider SP.

You could call it "environment portraits" I spose but ultimately it doesn't really matter, my(vastly more successful) second cousin is a travel shooter and his work goes between landscape, architecture, wildlife, street shooting and portraits to varying degrees.

I'v really no desire to do weddings/events as cutting down on stressful working environments is part of the reason I desided to become a photographer in the first place. Selling prints I don't think theres really much market for street shooting in my area(quite rural), the choices for things that would sell are I'd say landscape, architecture, wildlife/farm animals and nudes. I do mostly the former, a bit of the next two but so far haven't lived seemingly the average Sherdoggers dream with the last.

 

[boingyman]

You could call it "environment portraits" I spose but ultimately it doesn't really matter, my(vastly more successful) second cousin is a travel shooter and his work goes between landscape, architecture, wildlife, street shooting and portraits to varying degrees.

I'v really no desire to do weddings/events as cutting down on stressful working environments is part of the reason I desided to become a photographer in the first place. Selling prints I don't think theres really much market for street shooting in my area(quite rural), the choices for things that would sell are I'd say landscape, architecture, wildlife/farm animals and nudes. I do mostly the former, a bit of the next two but so far haven't lived seemingly the average Sherdoggers dream with the last.

There doesn't need to be a market to shoot what you want. With that being said I need to start shooting again. Maybe something simple as a 365 project might be a good thing for me. I can focus it on my family since I'm with them 365 and maybe build that passion for photography once again.

 

[rj144]

These were all taken around 2005 (give or take), with either my Nikon D70s or D200.

 

[TribalDrumz]

2000 Honda Prelude. Friend shot in on a Digital Rebel or something back in the day.



upload pic without registration

 

[moreorless87]

There doesn't need to be a market to shoot what you want. With that being said I need to start shooting again. Maybe something simple as a 365 project might be a good thing for me. I can focus it on my family since I'm with them 365 and maybe build that passion for photography once again.

Its moreso that landscape(with some aritcture) was always my biggest interest and it also being what I found I could make a career out of has lessened the pull towards other areas. I do think theres something to be said for even amateurs looking more into specialisation as IMHO just touching on a subject does tend to mean your limited to the more straight forward, only as you spend a bit more time does rather more individual work tend to happen and this is for me anyway a lot more enjoyable.

I do find it interesting to see which genres well known photographers move between, you often seem to have the assumption that landscape and wildlife shooting will overlap for example as they take place in a similar environment but this doesn't seem to be the case as often as you'd expect. I would argue that really besides different gear your also looking at very different kinds of shooting, wildlife really having much more in common with sports looking a lot of the time being focused on catching dramatic moments.

I would agree with you that "street" is a pretty big catch all term for whats actually quite a wide variety of work, I mean Carter Bresson might be best known for the idea of the "decisive moment" but for me his work is actually highlighted mostly via the strength of its composition and a lot of it focuses quite heavily on the general environment. Even moreso with Bill Brandt, his "street" shooting was always very strongly focused on composition and atmosphere(less capturing a dramatic moment than a deeper feeling of a scene) which very naturally shift to his latter landscapes and nudes.

 

[boingyman]

Its moreso that landscape(with some aritcture) was always my biggest interest and it also being what I found I could make a career out of has lessened the pull towards other areas. I do think theres something to be said for even amateurs looking more into specialisation as IMHO just touching on a subject does tend to mean your limited to the more straight forward, only as you spend a bit more time does rather more individual work tend to happen and this is for me anyway a lot more enjoyable.

I do find it interesting to see which genres well known photographers move between, you often seem to have the assumption that landscape and wildlife shooting will overlap for example as they take place in a similar environment but this doesn't seem to be the case as often as you'd expect. I would argue that really besides different gear your also looking at very different kinds of shooting, wildlife really having much more in common with sports looking a lot of the time being focused on catching dramatic moments.

I would agree with you that "street" is a pretty big catch all term for whats actually quite a wide variety of work, I mean Carter Bresson might be best known for the idea of the "decisive moment" but for me his work is actually highlighted mostly via the strength of its composition and a lot of it focuses quite heavily on the general environment. Even moreso with Bill Brandt, his "street" shooting was always very strongly focused on composition and atmosphere(less capturing a dramatic moment than a deeper feeling of a scene) which very naturally shift to his latter landscapes and nudes.

There's a market for everything and if your goal is to make money out of photography that is absolutely fine. IMO you don't even have to be a good photography to be successful ($$$ wise) as a pro photographer. I see many 'pro' shooters in all genres with average work and can still make a good living out of it, especially in wedding/portrait photography. When it comes to 'scape' related shooting I find it's about marketing and business skills. Heck when trying to make $ out of photography, regardless of the genre it's like 80% business, 20% photography. Look at some of the guys with huge galleries like Peter Lik. His work is good, but isn't anything special (at least to me). So many landscape photographers out there (including 'amateurs' and enthusiast) have better work then him and a few of his work is shopped to the point that is not real. His printing skills and presentation is definitely top notch though.

All the old school street guys like Bresson and some of the Magnum photographers are great, although I think many of their work is a mixture of street and documenting/photojournalism work. I think with street shooting though it's evolved and the new school guys are putting out just as great or even better work. Like you said it is definitely not 'only' about the moment. I consider good street photography the underground genre of photography though. Just look at Vivian Maier. The unknown old school street photographer whos work was found on accident. A true enthusiast that many assume did it all for the passion (although we will never truly know her intentions). Bringing her up makes me want to watch Finding Vivian Maier again. If you or anyone else haven't watch it yet, it's defintely a good watch. I know there is a newer documentary about Winogrand that I haven't watched yet. Everybody Street is also another pretty good street photography movie.

 

[moreorless87]

There's a market for everything and if your goal is to make money out of photography that is absolutely fine. IMO you don't even have to be a good photography to be successful ($$$ wise) as a pro photographer. I see many 'pro' shooters in all genres with average work and can still make a good living out of it, especially in wedding/portrait photography. When it comes to 'scape' related shooting I find it's about marketing and business skills. Heck when trying to make $ out of photography, regardless of the genre it's like 80% business, 20% photography. Look at some of the guys with huge galleries like Peter Lik. His work is good, but isn't anything special (at least to me). So many landscape photographers out there (including 'amateurs' and enthusiast) have better work then him and a few of his work is shopped to the point that is not real. His printing skills and presentation is definitely top notch though.

Certainly and my intension is generally to make a career out of something I enjoy doing and hopefully to progress into doing it at an ever higher level.

The business side does change quite a bit depending on the nature of your work of course, in terms of event shooting it is very much the domain of the well organised(although sometimes shady) business, there is obviously room for the best to rise to the top based on content but generally its selling a service. When your selling your work as art that does shift things rather in that hopefully competence and some degree of artist flair is going to be a larger factor. Honestly selling landscape at a local level probably the best bit of business advice I think I could give would be give yourself time. You can put your work out their but often the openings needed to sell it(in a fashion that will actually make money) take time to appear, obviously some work is needed as well but I think over investing and needing a quick return is generally not a good idea.

As you say though when you move to a higher level even on the art side marketing becomes a bit factor in who becomes successful. Peter Lik for me is really a combination of marketing and targeted sales, his work isn't really aiming at the haute/investment art market but rather selling to the upper end of the middle class market who prefer pretty straight forward picturesque work. I don't want to get too sniffy as whilst I try and look beyond the most obvious compositions and ultra saturated colours all of the time a lot of my work clearly is selling as picturesque.

 

[TheLinguist]

Braved the rain here in Shanghai and took some macro shots, here is my fav from the bunch

 

[moreorless87]

Decent sunset last night....

 

[rj144]

This a good video for the pros of mirrorless. I agree completely:

 

[MikeMcMann]

June wild fires North of Edmonton and the smoke rolling in.

View from my condo patio.


One day



the next morning



that afternoon

 

[MikeMcMann]

More patio views

 

[MikeMcMann]

Patio storms

Calm before the storm.

 

[rj144]

Patio storms

Calm before the storm.

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Nice. You need an actual camera though. You seem like you like it.

 

[moreorless87]

This a good video for the pros of mirrorless. I agree completely:

As far as comparing this to the film/digital switch I think its not very similar to that(although its obviously talked up as being so as a sales gimmick). The former was a really fundamental shift where as when you look at it what is the latter? its shifting between a mirror based viewfinder/AF system and a sensor based one. The main difference is in terms of size but in terms of functionality your talking a much smaller shift.

I would add as well that the reason photographers didn't take up digital early on was because the quality wasn't there. Some like real estate shooters who didn't need quality did take up digital fast(as far back as the late 90's)but in other areas early digital simply wasn't good enough quality wise when it was at 6-8 MP and very poor higher ISO. When quality reached a level that was clearly superior to 35mm film(around the mid/late 00's) the vast majority of pro's switched over very quickly, the only ones who stayed using film as their main meduium were shooting larger formats and a few who liked the look.

Personally for me the big difference with EVF/OVF is still dynamic range, those pictures above for example even with a 2 stop grad filter being used the land was significantly darker than the sky and brightened in post. If I'd have been shooting on an EVF I simply wouldn't have been able to see the detail on the land at the same time as the sky when composing them. AF I don't test as much but I still hear a lot of talk that serious tracking still lags behind, a lot of net reviews I see really do not test this much, unpredictable subjects moving very quickly across the frame.

I think you'll see the point were mirrorless really goes after the pro market when it starts to release bodies of larger sizes offering balance/handing/controls on a level of pro DSLR's, so far only Leica and Panasonic have done that. I suspect you probably will see a shift away from DSLR's but its not going to be rapid, we've had talk that every generation of DSLR's will be the last for at least 5 years and its repeatidly been wrong, at the very least I suspect you will see them being released for another 5 years and it could be for a very long time. If your talking "wise investment" I would say mirrorless is more risky, DSLR lenses will be adaptable come what may due to the long register distance and the market is stable, mirrorless on the other hand will be very hard to adapt and the market is unstable with many companys involved, not all of whome will likely stay the course.

As far as Youtube reviewers go personally I trust/watch very few of them indeed, its a very shadey area if you ask me with people involved with companies(either directly or via free access to promo events with travel/accommodateion paid for) and people just out to generate maximum hits(the video above is pure troll bait made for forum posting) rather than offering honest option.