5, 1, 35, 14

rainbowrainbow Registered Users Posts: 2,765 Major grins
edited January 31, 2012 in Street and Documentary
5 minutes, 1 block, 35 shutter clicks, on a 14 mm lens...

1
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2
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3
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4
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5
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6
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7
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8
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9
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10
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11
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12
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Today I ran a quick errand into Chinatown, S. F. I was on a maiden voyage with my newly purchased Sigma 14mm f2.8 lens. Keeping in mind richardman's project (and trying to get the feel of the crowds there) and torags' shooting behind the back, I walked the length of the block, crossed the street and walked back to my starting point. All shots were taken without the viewfinder (or LCD), usually from the hip or from above (with the exception of #9).

Twelve of the 35 shots are posted. BTW, richardman, the New Year begins Monday and now is a great time to get to Stockton St. Note the extra stands on the street side of the sidewalk.

Comments

  • bfjrbfjr Registered Users Posts: 10,980 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2012
    Just when I was going to say, "Hip shootin, Baaa Humbug"! lol3.gif

    In the context of the way you presented this, it is a very good series and I
    really get a feel for China Town SF!

    May even give me the impetous to visit China Town LA soon!
    Benjamin
    My Galleries
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  • richardmanrichardman Registered Users Posts: 376 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2012
    Cool! Exactly how tall are you?!! (see #11) :-) No offense, but one issue with this style of imaging is that it can feel a bit haphazard, but it does work well in these crowd situation.

    I plan to go there again this Friday, unless it rains. I am Chinese, so I do know that Chinese New Year is next week :-)

    Ben, if you go to LA Chinatown, I'd suggest go down to Broadway and walk toward the tall buildings and start shooting :-). You probably know this, but at the end is the Chinatown Gate with two nice big dragons on top. I couldn't get a good photo of it since it was too dark by then, but I think they can look pretty dramatic.
    "Some People Drive, We Are Driven"
    // richard <http://www.richardmanphoto.com&gt;
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  • RichardRichard Administrators, Vanilla Admin Posts: 19,961 moderator
    edited January 19, 2012
    Nice work, rainbow. Congratulations on your new toy--great for shooting at close quarters in crowded places like Chinatown. The distortion works nicely in #11, but I'm less sure I like it in #8 and #10. I think my favorites are #1 and #7. Looking forward to seeing more. thumb.gif
    My Pics
  • toragstorags Registered Users Posts: 4,615 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2012
    Good stuff Rainbow. chalk up a + for hip shooting... thumb.gif
    Rags
  • RSLRSL Registered Users Posts: 839 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2012
    I'd vote for 7, 11, and to a lesser extent 12. It's a good shoot Rainbow, but I'd have shortened the post. Since it doesn't try to tell a sequential story, there's a lot -- maybe a bit too much -- to absorb in one post.
    Russ Lewis
    www.FineArtSnaps.com
  • jheftijhefti Registered Users Posts: 734 Major grins
    edited January 19, 2012
    I vote for 1,7,8, and 12. 1 is a great overall experience shot: the crowds and the street life. I love the faces in 7, and the pathos in 8 (though a tighter crop showing more of the face in the person in the wheelchair might give it more punch). 12 might also benefit from tighter crop to include more of his face and the faces of the statures on the shelf. I like faces, especially with a bit of context and environment.

    A really nice series!
    http://johnhefti.com/
  • rainbowrainbow Registered Users Posts: 2,765 Major grins
    edited January 20, 2012
    bfjr wrote: »
    Just when I was going to say, "Hip shootin, Baaa Humbug"! lol3.gif

    In the context of the way you presented this, it is a very good series and I
    really get a feel for China Town SF!

    May even give me the impetous to visit China Town LA soon!

    Chinatown LA is not nearly as vibrant a place, but should have excellent photo ops. Even without the camera, you can get good food for cheap!

    Thanks!
  • rainbowrainbow Registered Users Posts: 2,765 Major grins
    edited January 20, 2012
    richardman wrote: »
    Cool! Exactly how tall are you?!! (see #11) :-) No offense, but one issue with this style of imaging is that it can feel a bit haphazard, but it does work well in these crowd situation.


    Well, I tower above the little people... Would it scare you to realize that #1 was a hip shot? eek7.gif

    Haphazard is the accurate description of the five minutes. There was no planning (except to take the camera with me) and the time constraint left little/no time for thoughtful composition. But chaotic/haphazard is what Chinatown is...

    BTW, the wider the lens, the taller you look/feel by leaps and bounds when holding the lens high (as in #11)
  • rainbowrainbow Registered Users Posts: 2,765 Major grins
    edited January 20, 2012
    Richard wrote: »
    Nice work, rainbow. Congratulations on your new toy--great for shooting at close quarters in crowded places like Chinatown. The distortion works nicely in #11, but I'm less sure I like it in #8 and #10. I think my favorites are #1 and #7. Looking forward to seeing more. thumb.gif

    Thanks, Richard. I will have to get use to the lens more. I picked it up because I felt the 17-40 was sometimes not wide enough for situations like these. It will be a fun lens to shoot with.
  • rainbowrainbow Registered Users Posts: 2,765 Major grins
    edited January 20, 2012
    RSL wrote: »
    I'd vote for 7, 11, and to a lesser extent 12. It's a good shoot Rainbow, but I'd have shortened the post. Since it doesn't try to tell a sequential story, there's a lot -- maybe a bit too much -- to absorb in one post.

    Thanks, Russ. Your point is well taken and this would be the exception as I wanted to present a greater number due to the nature of this "project". It is a cheap way for me to see what captivates the viewers versus my assessments of them (#3 & #6 are my favorites).
  • rainbowrainbow Registered Users Posts: 2,765 Major grins
    edited January 20, 2012
    jhefti wrote: »
    I vote for 1,7,8, and 12. 1 is a great overall experience shot: the crowds and the street life. I love the faces in 7, and the pathos in 8 (though a tighter crop showing more of the face in the person in the wheelchair might give it more punch). 12 might also benefit from tighter crop to include more of his face and the faces of the statures on the shelf. I like faces, especially with a bit of context and environment.

    A really nice series!

    Thanks! I am in complete agreement with you on loving faces with the context/environment.
  • bdcolenbdcolen Registered Users Posts: 3,804 Major grins
    edited January 20, 2012
    rainbow wrote: »
    5 minutes, 1 block, 35 shutter clicks, on a 14 mm lens...

    You've got a damn good 'clicking average' here, Rainbow. clap.gifclap
    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 January 20, 2012
    12 and 8 my favorite.

    That is a hell of a keeper ration Rainbow.
    Liz A.
    _________
  • lensmolelensmole Registered Users Posts: 1,548 Major grins
    edited January 20, 2012
    The lady in # 3 kills me it looks like she just stopped moving and I like the low angle .
    # 12 has a nice restful feeling .

    Lensmole
    http://www.lensmolephotography.com/
  • redleashredleash Registered Users Posts: 3,840 Major grins
    edited January 22, 2012
    Terrific idea, rainbow--I hope you don't mind if I borrow it. :D I like this set, especially 6 and 7. I also like the color shot; there is so much color in it that would be lost in B&W. Plus, it makes a nice contrast to the rest of the set. I also like the subject matter, with the shopkeeper waiting for customers. Nice work!

    Lauren
    "But ask the animals, and they will teach you." (Job 12:7)

    Lauren Blackwell
    www.redleashphoto.com
  • rainbowrainbow Registered Users Posts: 2,765 Major grins
    edited January 31, 2012
    bdcolen wrote: »
    You've got a damn good 'clicking average' here, Rainbow. clap.gifclap
    lizzard_nyc wrote: »
    12 and 8 my favorite.

    That is a hell of a keeper ration Rainbow.

    Thanks. The combo of getting really close with an ultrawide angle lens really does increase the keeper rate. With this combo, you really must interact with the subjects and become part of the scene instead of being an observer and sniping from a distance. And it is hecka more fun!
  • rainbowrainbow Registered Users Posts: 2,765 Major grins
    edited January 31, 2012
    lensmole wrote: »
    The lady in # 3 kills me it looks like she just stopped moving and I like the low angle .
    # 12 has a nice restful feeling .

    I noted the same in #3 and liked it for that same reason -- and it looks like the kid and stroller will run her over.
    redleash wrote: »
    Terrific idea, rainbow--I hope you don't mind if I borrow it. :D I like this set, especially 6 and 7. I also like the color shot; there is so much color in it that would be lost in B&W. Plus, it makes a nice contrast to the rest of the set. I also like the subject matter, with the shopkeeper waiting for customers. Nice work!

    Lauren

    Thanks for looking and commenting! Please borrow the idea and post your results -- it is a twist to have a limited time frame versus artificially limiting the number of clicks as an exercise.
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