Abandoned the Vespa to the snow for the day...

bdcolenbdcolen Registered Users Posts: 3,804 Major grins
edited December 24, 2010 in Street and Documentary
And, interestingly enough, for the very first time someone challenged my right to photograph - and it wasn't someone I was photographing. First he asked me what I was doing, and I politely explained that I've been photographing on the T for years, that I do it for my own enjoyment, and added that some of the photos are in the permanent collection of the Boston Public Library. Then he said, "don't people have a right to privacy?" And I responded - politely - "No, they don't; not in a public place." He then dropped it, and I gave him one of my photo cards and told him he could see the photos on my website.

(For those of you who want to know such things - these were all shot with a 20 1.7 lens (40 mm equivalent) from within six feet of the subjects, not a long lens from far off.)



1133746032_MZubk-X2.jpg


1133746002_NbZdT-X2.jpg


1133746000_weej3-X2.jpg


1133745998_RuPsS-X2.jpg
bd@bdcolenphoto.com
"He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan

"The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed

Comments

  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited December 21, 2010
    Very interesting exchange and it sounds like you handled it well. So when you shoot these shots, are you shooting from the hip, or do you have the camera up to your eye? I don't think I have the guts to shoot strangers at close range with the camera to my eye.
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • bdcolenbdcolen Registered Users Posts: 3,804 Major grins
    edited December 21, 2010
    kdog wrote: »
    Very interesting exchange and it sounds like you handled it well. So when you shoot these shots, are you shooting from the hip, or do you have the camera up to your eye? I don't think I have the guts to shoot strangers at close range with the camera to my eye.

    Most of these were shot with the camera held up at or near my face. The my GF1 has both an eye-level electronic viewfinder and a live-view screen on the back, and I use both. The older woman framed by the bodies and arms I was holding the camera down low so that I could shoot through the "hole," but I was watching the screen and composing. Believe me, I try to be as unobtrusive as possible - I do not like confrontation. At all. ;-)
    bd@bdcolenphoto.com
    "He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan

    "The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed
  • sara505sara505 Registered Users Posts: 1,684 Major grins
    edited December 21, 2010
    bdcolen wrote: »
    Most of these were shot with the camera held up at or near my face. The my GF1 has both an eye-level electronic viewfinder and a live-view screen on the back, and I use both. The older woman framed by the bodies and arms I was holding the camera down low so that I could shoot through the "hole," but I was watching the screen and composing. Believe me, I try to be as unobtrusive as possible - I do not like confrontation. At all. ;-)

    Love the last one. Anyone who's ever ridden the T will understand why. Sums it all up, perfectly. For me, anyway - God, that place is grim. Love that we're peering at her through a peep-hole.
    Sara

    www.SaraPiazza.com - Edgartown News - Trad Diary - Facebook
  • yendikenoyendikeno Registered Users Posts: 214 Major grins
    edited December 21, 2010
    Ditto
    sara505 wrote: »
    Love the last one. Anyone who's ever ridden the T will understand why. Sums it all up, perfectly. For me, anyway - God, that place is grim. Love that we're peering at her through a peep-hole.

    that last one is a wonderful shot! thumb.gif
    Regards,
    AZFred
  • bdcolenbdcolen Registered Users Posts: 3,804 Major grins
    edited December 21, 2010
    Sarah and AZFred, you picked my fav.
    bd@bdcolenphoto.com
    "He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan

    "The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed
  • kdogkdog Administrators Posts: 11,681 moderator
    edited December 21, 2010
    Thanks for the info, BD. That last one of the lady is a riot. I do like the profile of the girl in #2 as well.
    Moderator of Landscapes forum
    Link to my Smugmug site
  • triangulartriangular Registered Users Posts: 27 Big grins
    edited December 21, 2010
    I guess that "T" is something like a metro-rail, or the "el" (L) in Chicago? I have one called the BTS here in Bangkok. I'm always looking for similar scenes there. If you're interested you can see two of these in my last post here in the same forum (titled 6 recent street activities). In this country people aren't likely to confront me, especially as I'm a foreigner, but they can get very uncomfortable if it seems I'm being impolite. Shooting strangers is always fascinating, and can be exciting and nervous at the same time.

    Wonderful shots here. I agree with others that the last one is the most interesting. I want to keep my eyes on that one for a while and study it when I see it. Great tonal contrast as well.
  • M38A1M38A1 Registered Users Posts: 1,317 Major grins
    edited December 21, 2010
    I too don't have the nerve to pull that off. Maybe someday. Nah.....

    The last one is great. Her face reminds me of that old crotch-ity female cartoon character the name of which escapes me.
  • damonffdamonff Registered Users Posts: 1,894 Major grins
    edited December 21, 2010
    Great stuff B.D. The GF1 is such a great camera, especially with the 20mm.
  • lizzard_nyclizzard_nyc Registered Users Posts: 4,056 Major grins
    edited December 21, 2010
    damonff wrote: »
    Great stuff B.D. The GF1 is such a great camera, especially with the 20mm.


    oh how I covet the gf1 with the 20mm f1.7 lens--so much so I've thought about trading in my e620, but not ready to give up my Oly glass.
    I'm a couple of pints of blood shy of getting the panasonic rolleyes1.gif--I'm kidding.


    That last shot reminds me of the old lady on the birthday cards with the sagging body parts and her martini glass. Do you know who I mean? It's all I see when I look at that shot.

    It's hard to pick a favorite, they all offer something. All the scenes are so familiar to me.
    Liz A.
    _________
  • M38A1M38A1 Registered Users Posts: 1,317 Major grins
    edited December 21, 2010
    lizzard_nyc wrote: »
    ...on the birthday cards with the sagging body parts and her martini glass. Do you know who I mean? It's all I see when I look at that shot.

    Yeah, that's the same one I'm thinking of too! Now - what's her name? headscratch.gif
  • rainbowrainbow Registered Users Posts: 2,765 Major grins
    edited December 22, 2010
    #2 resonated with me the most. Very good set of a tough subject theme.
  • Awais YaqubAwais Yaqub Registered Users Posts: 10,572 Major grins
    edited December 22, 2010
    Really like these especially 2nd and 4th
    Thine is the beauty of light; mine is the song of fire. Thy beauty exalts the heart; my song inspires the soul. Allama Iqbal

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  • sara505sara505 Registered Users Posts: 1,684 Major grins
    edited December 22, 2010
    Do you mean lovable Maxine?

    maxine8.gif&t=1
    Sara

    www.SaraPiazza.com - Edgartown News - Trad Diary - Facebook
  • bdcolenbdcolen Registered Users Posts: 3,804 Major grins
    edited December 22, 2010
    M38A1 wrote: »
    I too don't have the nerve to pull that off. Maybe someday. Nah.....

    The last one is great. Her face reminds me of that old crotch-ity female cartoon character the name of which escapes me.

    I know precisely the cartoon you are talking about - and that may be what drew me to her. But like you, I can't think of the name of it. :D
    bd@bdcolenphoto.com
    "He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan

    "The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed
  • bdcolenbdcolen Registered Users Posts: 3,804 Major grins
    edited December 22, 2010
    lizzard_nyc wrote: »
    oh how I covet the gf1 with the 20mm f1.7 lens--so much so I've thought about trading in my e620, but not ready to give up my Oly glass.
    I'm a couple of pints of blood shy of getting the panasonic rolleyes1.gif--I'm kidding.


    That last shot reminds me of the old lady on the birthday cards with the sagging body parts and her martini glass. Do you know who I mean? It's all I see when I look at that shot.

    It's hard to pick a favorite, they all offer something. All the scenes are so familiar to me.


    Equipment note:
    As I think you, I am an Oly guy. There is an Oly adapter for the GF1, and I have been using the 50 f2, 7-14 f 4, and 12-60 on the GF1 with excellent results. You do have to use manual focus, but that's not hard the way the GF1 works. I've used the GF1 with Oly lenses - especially the 50 f 2 and the 7-14, for both wedding and editorial work.
    bd@bdcolenphoto.com
    "He not busy being born is busy dying." Bob Dylan

    "The more ambiguous the photograph is, the better it is..." Leonard Freed
  • lizzard_nyclizzard_nyc Registered Users Posts: 4,056 Major grins
    edited December 22, 2010
    bdcolen wrote: »
    Equipment note:
    As I think you, I am an Oly guy. There is an Oly adapter for the GF1, and I have been using the 50 f2, 7-14 f 4, and 12-60 on the GF1 with excellent results. You do have to use manual focus, but that's not hard the way the GF1 works. I've used the GF1 with Oly lenses - especially the 50 f 2 and the 7-14, for both wedding and editorial work.


    :jawdrop
    Liz A.
    _________
  • michswissmichswiss Registered Users, Retired Mod Posts: 2,235 Major grins
    edited December 22, 2010
    bdcolen wrote: »
    Equipment note:
    As I think you, I am an Oly guy. There is an Oly adapter for the GF1, and I have been using the 50 f2, 7-14 f 4, and 12-60 on the GF1 with excellent results. You do have to use manual focus, but that's not hard the way the GF1 works. I've used the GF1 with Oly lenses - especially the 50 f 2 and the 7-14, for both wedding and editorial work.

    You are such a tease. You know that that's going to have Liz fretting (sorry Richard) for a couple of days.
  • NyarthlopicNyarthlopic Registered Users Posts: 274 Major grins
    edited December 24, 2010
    Hiya BD,

    These images are hit or miss for me. Like many others, the last is my favorite. I also like the second...it has an awesome depth with the girl patiently waiting with her coffee and the tunnel on the left. The first one...I don't know, it just doesn't pull me in. I can't really put my finger on why. As for the third one, I think I'd like to have seen the focus more on the lady than the bag. It is definitely a good set overall. The 1st and 3rd ones, for me, just don't stand on their own for me.
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