Lens for street photography

EddyEddy Registered Users Posts: 320 Major grins
edited May 17, 2009 in Cameras
Good Day All;
I am so so wanting to do some street photography, Is there any lens Fullframe i can use to get some tight shots of people images and their looks . and behaviour
cheers
Eddy:rofl
E.J.W

Great understanding is broad and unhurried, Little understanding is cramped and busy" ..... Chuang Tsu

Comments

  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,962 moderator
    edited May 16, 2009
    Eddy wrote:
    Good Day All;
    I am so so wanting to do some street photography, Is there any lens Fullframe i can use to get some tight shots of people images and their looks . and behaviour
    cheers
    Eddyrolleyes1.gif

    You can do street shooting in a number of ways. Check out this recent thread for a discussion of strategies. The choice of lens depends on how you want to shoot. Your 70-200 f/2.8 is not exactly discreet, but it's a great range for stealth shooting. I use that range often, though I have a crop body. My other favorite is the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8. If your budget permits, the Canon 24-70 f/2.8L will give you faster focusing, which is important for street shooting. You can also use a wide angle lens and shoot from the chest or hip--takes a little practice. If you are willing to ask permission, a 50 prime is ideal, though a zoom will give you more flexibility. Lots of people like 18-55 for street work. No shortage of choices. I would start with what you have and then decide where you want to go.
    My Pics
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited May 16, 2009
    Before buying a lens, how about buying a few books by great street photographers? It will be much less expensive, give you some ideas, and perhaps even change your ideas about what lens you want. Here's a list. I'm sure others will have favorites I've omitted.
    1. Henri Cartier Bresson, Photographer. Really every aspiring photographer should have this. It's a touch expensive, but it will be the best money you ever spent on photography. It will help much more than any lens. If you don't agree, you can always return to amazon and get your money back. (In fact that's true of all of these.)
    2. Robert Frank, The Americans. With HCB, Robert Frank defined the genre.
    3. Gary Winograd's Figments from the Real Wold.
       Lots of people think Winograd is the defining street photographer.
    4. Helen's Levitt's Here and There
    5. Bruce Davidson's Central Park. This book could change your life. I'd like to recommend, Subway, but it's out of print and expensive. Go to the library. Some of the shots you just won't believe.

    You may be able to find some images by these photographers online, but image quality tends to be degraded and selection spotty. Do yourself a favor and check out the print versions.
    If not now, when?
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited May 16, 2009
    A couple more that I like

    Bystander: A History of Street Photography by C Westerbeck and J Meyerowitz

    Signs and Relics by Sylvia Plachy
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • EddyEddy Registered Users Posts: 320 Major grins
    edited May 16, 2009
    Than You
    Path, richard and Rutt... I really appreciate the feed back. I do have the 24-70 for starters... what i am afraid of is the intrusion on some one .... I really want to catch the moment / second of what's going on around them and with them.. I do have the Leica Dlux4 ps which i am using right now.. also which is discret...to some extent
    E.J.W

    Great understanding is broad and unhurried, Little understanding is cramped and busy" ..... Chuang Tsu
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited May 16, 2009
    As for lenses, HCB used a 50mm Leica.

    But everything from 300mm+ to 14mm has been, and will continue to be used.

    The real question is whether you are going to shoot as a voyeur, or as an involved participant in the scene, that is to say shoot an unaware subject, or insert yourself into folks lives and ask their permission to interact and photograph them.

    Both techniques can work. Interacting will usually get closer to your subjects and their emotions.

    Ovation Channel has a great series on Photographers. One of them did street shooting with a little point and shoot, and he got right in folks faces for a full frame filling portrait. He was very involved with his subject, and only shot one or two frames, but he had the light and the angle all planned in advance. Each shot he did took less than 1 sec to get the camera to his eye, click, and put the camera back into his pocket. I suspect he had auto focus turned off as he was a very fast shooter with his P&S. His name was Albert Maysles. Google him or better yet, watch him on youtube!!! There are also interviews of Sylvia Plachy and Timothy Greenfield-Henderson.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUfXvQCnDUQ



    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MTybDsf0vg


    He is not just an old photographer, he was a famous videographer/ filmmaker as a career.


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKx-6pylEZc
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • ruttrutt Registered Users Posts: 6,511 Major grins
    edited May 16, 2009
    If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough.
    --Robert Capa
    If not now, when?
  • Manfr3dManfr3d Registered Users Posts: 2,008 Major grins
    edited May 16, 2009
    Eddy, it really depends on how you like to shoot. You can
    use anything from super wide angle to short tele, and I am
    sure even a telephoto lens can be a great tool for street
    photography.

    I recently discovered the site of Maciej Dakowicz a UK based
    (part time) photographer. He has some amazing images and
    a very uncomplicated approach to street photography.

    His pbase site: http://www.pbase.com/maciekda/root
    (he is also on smugmug, photo.net, flickr btw.)

    And here he talks about the lenses he uses and why (scroll down a bit):
    http://www.pbase.com/maciekda/inbox

    Maybe that is some inspiration for you?
    “To consult the rules of composition before making a picture is a little like consulting the law of gravitation before going for a walk.”
    ― Edward Weston
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,133 moderator
    edited May 16, 2009
    Manfr3d wrote:
    Eddy, it really depends on how you like to shoot. You can
    use anything from super wide angle to short tele, and I am
    sure even a telephoto lens can be a great tool for street
    photography.

    I recently discovered the site of Maciej Dakowicz a UK based
    (part time) photographer. He has some amazing images and
    a very uncomplicated approach to street photography.His pbase site: http://www.pbase.com/maciekda/root
    (he is also on smugmug, photo.net, flickr btw.)

    And here he talks about the lenses he uses and why (scroll down a bit):
    http://www.pbase.com/maciekda/inbox

    Maybe that is some inspiration for you?

    Great find. thumb.gif Wonderful photographer. clap.gif

    Thanks Manfr3d,
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • PhotoskipperPhotoskipper Registered Users Posts: 453 Major grins
    edited May 16, 2009
    I do like street shooting. The 24-105 is the most useful lens with the 5D. 70-200 F2.8 IS can do some candid shoot. Pair with the 1.4X to get more reach if necessary.
    Before the 5D FF, I did it with the Sigma 18-200 on the 300D body. A bit slow but still do-able.
    Photoskipper
    flickr.com/photos/photoskipper/
  • EddyEddy Registered Users Posts: 320 Major grins
    edited May 16, 2009
    Street Photo's
    That is TRUE inspiration fo street photojournal...In every sense of the word... Here in Toronto we have quite a few places that are very good for street photo... EG: chinatown, Gerrard street Little italy, Kensington Bazar and a few other places to walk around.. I will try that next weekend so far, this long weekend has been raining on and off,,and will post some shots
    Thanks all ....of to read and learn and get my gear in order
    Cheers Eddy
    E.J.W

    Great understanding is broad and unhurried, Little understanding is cramped and busy" ..... Chuang Tsu
  • pathfinderpathfinder Super Moderators Posts: 14,708 moderator
    edited May 17, 2009
    I agree, Toronto is a great city for street shooting. Great material all around.

    229157594_uqujX-L.jpg
    Pathfinder - www.pathfinder.smugmug.com

    Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
  • EddyEddy Registered Users Posts: 320 Major grins
    edited May 17, 2009
    Path...was just testing out my 24-70 2.8 L any idea how can i post some test pics with this lens ...I am on for next weekend so just making sure my lens is in good order ..i will also be taking my Leica dlux4 and my M8.2 ...Being 51 yrs old i get tired lugging my canon so... the next big thing is to pull out either my ps or my M8.2
    E.J.W

    Great understanding is broad and unhurried, Little understanding is cramped and busy" ..... Chuang Tsu
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,133 moderator
    edited May 17, 2009
    Eddy wrote:
    Path...was just testing out my 24-70 2.8 L any idea how can i post some test pics with this lens ...

    Eddy,

    If you have an image sharing site, SmugMug account for instance, you can embed multiple images in a single reply.

    Otherwise, you can attach a single image for each reply.

    See the following link for ideas:

    Embedding an image from a hosting site:
    http://dgrin.smugmug.com/gallery/1083138

    Attaching an image to a reply:

    When you reply to a topic there are "Additional Options" under the reply box. Look for the "Manage Attachments" text button and click on it. It opens a dialog box where you can enter the location of an image from your hard drive to attach. Note that images have to be scaled to 800 pix maximum width and 1200 pix maximum height and the file size needs to be 146 KB or less. If you need to show detail at 100 percent, crop the detail from the original image at nome more than the maximum sizes and save the image to under the maximum file size as well before attaching. You may need to use JPG compression to achive appropriate file sizes.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • EddyEddy Registered Users Posts: 320 Major grins
    edited May 17, 2009
    Hi Ziggy:
    Thanks for the Headsup... appreciate it very much
    Cheers
    Eddy
    E.J.W

    Great understanding is broad and unhurried, Little understanding is cramped and busy" ..... Chuang Tsu
  • EddyEddy Registered Users Posts: 320 Major grins
    edited May 17, 2009
    ok here is one for just a test
    http://ejwadddel.smugmug.com/photos/538933115_gLGjB-M.jpg

    next one taken today with very little pp on both

    http://ejwadddel.smugmug.com/photos/538930709_poMV3-M.jpg
    E.J.W

    Great understanding is broad and unhurried, Little understanding is cramped and busy" ..... Chuang Tsu
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