Tag: Street Photography

Film photography, the opening of the archives

Posted on Posted in Alnmouth, Black and White Photography, Film Photography, Northumberland, The Film Archives, United KingdomTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

Good evening Dear Reader. You may have noticed, and then again, you may not have noticed, that I have created a couple of new pages. Instead of adding article categories to my site in the menus, I have created pages with a carousel showing collections of articles in one specific category. This started with Photography Tutorials, which is a collection of, surprise surprise, photography tutorials. Another one for Travel Photography, one for Camera information, and a final one for articles featuring Film Photography. The idea behind this rather brash move on my part, was to help you find what you wanted to read or discover more easily.

This Meisterwerk of a blog is a work in constant evolution, as I think you may have gathered, especially for those of you that have been with me since the beginning. But what does this have to do with Film photography I hear you ask. Well, when creating the film photography page I realised that there are fewer articles than I first thought. This struck me as a little odd, because at one stage I had a little bit of a reputation as a film photographer, and at one stage was purely a film photographer. This was, of course, before the start of this blog lark in 2019. Between 2009 and 2019 I did a huge amount of film photography that I realised I have not shared with you. Even more so since 2016, when I started developing and scanning my negatives at home.

The beginning of the blog also tied in with the X100F and the Canon 6D Mark II coming into my photography, and since lockdown, I have done only small amounts of film photography. Time to reveal more of myself to you. At least if that’s alright… But this isn’t just about me dusting off old memories. By sharing these photos, I hope to spark a conversation, ignite a passion for film, and maybe even inspire you to dig out your old camera and give it a whirl. Who knows what treasures you might find in your own archives?

Moped with a Jameson whiskey box as a baggage holder. Looks very cool
Taken on the Praktica MTL3 probably with the 50mm Pentacon F1.8 lens on HP5 Plus at box speed in the Quartier Bouffay in Nantes.

So bearing all this in mind, I have a proposal for you. Let’s open the vaults and let’s have a look at the “film archive”. This could be in the form of a series of articles complementing the weekly outpouring of anecdotes or advice, as an addition, or it could be the content for the upcoming weeks. I haven’t decided yet. Let me know in the comments which option you prefer, or if you have any other ideas for how you’d like to see the film archive content. There’ll be shots of Nantes, the UK, England, and Scotland and maybe even Spain, and Portugal. There will be colour and black and white photography too. I don’t know yet. I might not have yet taken into account the magnitude of the task ahead. Everything is open.

On the way to Otterburn in Northumberland with the Pentax ME Super using Portra 160. It was another good day out.

But whatever you decide, I hope you come along for the ride. It’ll be worth it!

Seeing the World Through 35mm: Street Photography with the Fujifilm X100F

Posted on Posted in Architecture, Bikes, Black and White Photography, Camera reviews, Nantes Photography, Photography Tutorials, Street PhotographyTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 16 Comments

Introduction

I have been writing for this blog for a while now and everytime I get a comment it feels wonderful. Especially when I get a thought provoking comment.  LIke this one from my friend Joe:

Excellent post Ian I admire your willingness to stay neutral on the merits of which focal length lens is better for street photography. I personally find the 23mm 2.0 Fuji lens fairly close to what my eyes are seeing before I take the image. Of course we are talking about lenses designed for the APS-C sized Fuji sensor so 35mm would be the equivalent field of view for my 23mm lens (23mm x 1.5 = 34.5mm). Undoubtedly some people will say the nifty fifty is a closer field of view to what the human eye sees but in my opinion I will leave that up to other people that may care to argue that point….
Sorry for my long winded response but I enjoy your articles so much I cannot resist replying even though once I get started you can’t shut me up

I am grateful for Joe’s thoughtful comment and I am still going to stay neutral, and just explain why I use the 35mm (equivalent) on my X100F, for street photography, and environmental portraits, despite having the teleconverter to convert that lens into a 50mm (equivalent) lens.  As a special bonus I will present my latest street photography from Nantes, which just goes to show the sun can shine on us…

The Appeal of the 35mm Lens

The 35mm offers a world view which is very similar to that of the human eye albeit with a very slight distortion that disappears at 50mm.  So, when on the street, we know that our image will have much the same view as what “we” see.  When I get really close for a close up of a subject, the possible distortion remains manageable and doesn’t distract from the subject.   

My Journey with the Fujifilm X100F

I have fanboyed and waxed lyrical about this camera in previous articles and will not do that here. However, I have had mine since 2018 and still use it on a very regular basis, which tells you an awful lot. I use it during travel and when doing street photography because it is light, takes up next to no space, and is subtle, unlike the huge DSLRs and their massive lenses. Moreover, I have enough self-confidence to not need to compensate for anything. It’s also a very sexy little camera, and over the years that we have been together, I have learned how to use it to its full capacity. I can use it intuitively without having to think, which is always a relief. According to camera manufacturers, six years is a long time to be with just one camera, but the costs of replacing it with the latest version are prohibitive, and not enough of them are being produced. The old argument about one in the hand still holds true.

The Versatility of the 35mm Lens on the X100F 

The versatility of the lens, as with any lens, depends on the person “behind” the camera. I use it for documenting a scene. It’s just wide enough to get a good view, but not to distort or have too “busy” a scene, as can happen with the 28mm. It’s great for portraits. Dear Reader, I know I have previously talked about the distortion when close up, but what it is great for is a portrait of a person in his environment. It gives us more context about the person and tells more about him, as we can see his surroundings. Because of the silent shutter, I can also get nearer to my subject without making a flapping mirror sound when I press the shutter button. At F2.0, I can either get massive depth of field or shoot in relatively low light. My basic setup is ISO 3200 and F2.0. But on a day like today, I will put it into ISO 400, and if things get really bright, then I can use the inbuilt ND filter.

Comparisons with Other Focal Lengths

I have already touched upon the differences between the 28mm, the 35mm, and the 50mm focal lengths, but let’s get real for a second.  The 28mm is great, but too much distortion and makes the image very busy because of the wider field of view.  This is fine when used with intent, but you have to be so much more careful with your composition.  The 50mm is the lens that I grew up, but after having used the slightly wider 35mm, I find myself backing up to get the same field of view, which leads to banging into things and apologising profusely to the bin that I have just reversed into.  It has happened!

Practical Tips for Street Photography with the 35mm

Just use it, go back and use it again, and if you have any doubts then just go out and use it once more to be sure.  Don’t overthink it.  Don’t worry about the distortion I have mentioned.  It only really happens when you get right up to your subject.  If you have only used the nifty fifty then you shouldn’t notice a huge difference, but physically you will.  You’ll be moving closer to things, but it’s just “one step up.”  It will seamlessly “grow” on you.  

Be the man in grey, or whatever colour you fancy, but know the environment in which you’ll be shooting.  You might want to avoid fuchsia if you’re going to be in the woods shooting, or in that beautifully tailored three piece suit if you’re going to be in the stands at a football match.  Think sore thumb and being out standing in a field.

Conclusion

If you so wish, you now have the arguments for and against the 35mm lens.  I don’t think that arguing about ti will get you anywhere though…  The lens, as the camera, is a tool at your disposal to create an image.  Just getting a new lens won’t change your life despite what the guy in the shop might tell you.  You “can” use a 50mm for street photography, and some even use the 85mm to go for more details, and more candid shots.  Use what you have already.  I have just talked about my experience since using the 35mm (equivalent) on the X100F.  The information is purely subjective.  If you want an X100, then by all means go out and buy one.  Maybe go for an older model like the X100F or even the X100T for the price difference.  Or if you can get your hands on one, the X100VI is wonderful.  At the moment however, I cannot justify buying a more expensive camera to my wife!

I’ll leave you the comments section to debate the various merits of each piece of kit.  And you can use the hashtag “#ijmphotography” to share your images with me on the gram.  Look forward to hearing from you.  Until next time…

My First Hen-Do Photography Experience

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May 2024

This month, amidst publishing various tutorials for your delectation, I ventured into uncharted territory with my camera. A musician friend asked if I could photograph her sister’s hen-do.  How about that for a challenge.  Slightly scary…  Slightly?  No, terrifying for the introvert that I am.  Flattery and food convinced me.

Having previously photographed a wedding, I was somewhat prepared. For that event, I bought a second-hand 24-70mm f/4.0 lens and a Canon flash. I was advised to use the Canon 6D Mark II in program mode with the flash set for TTL (through the lens metering). Today’s first activity called for the same setup.

Tahitian Dancing

I arrived at the venue for the first activity: Tahitian dancing. The bride-to-be was proposed to in the Pacific Ocean, hence the theme. The girls were already there, and I tried to stay out of the way as best I could. I may be creating memories for everyone, but those memories aren’t mine.  The lens worked perfectly, and I didn’t even need my flash batteries. They’re ready for next time and one less item to tick off.

The dance session seemed to go on forever, and I resisted the urge to sit down. I felt completely out of place, more a prize pillock, but kept telling myself to fake it till I made it. It worked—my wife approved of the photos, and more importantly, so did the bride-to-be. Creating rapport was nigh on impossible so I just watched the spectacle and pressed the shutter.  Do what you can and leave the rest for later…  So I did just that!

My favourite bit of the day

I switched from my clunky DSLR to my sexier Fuji X100F.  It’s always better to be inconspicuous and yet still be able to take decent photos.  I’m big enough already as it is, but having a smaller camera helps people forget that I’m there…

This next activity was probably my favourite. The restaurant was one that I had walked past on many occasions, but had never gone in. It was one of those themed places for Millennials in need of some nostalgia. The owners and chef had created a menu with grown up “children’s food” from the 90s and 80’s. There were activities and crayons for the place mats. The decor was 80’s and everything was vintage. At least for them, which is the main thing. Ok, it was a bit for me too, reminding me of my arrival in France all those years ago. I was offered a seat near the bride, but was whisked off by my friend to sit next to her. She’s so protective of me… We all ordered and chatted, and I started to relax. The girls were interested in my photography, and they showed me photos of their very young children. I did the same, and showed them then and now photos to show how those small children grow up so quickly. I felt like the Patriarch at the end of the table. 

The food was good, and I could see they were all having a good time, and then came out the shots… I was being very teetotal in order to have my mind clear to get my photos for the bride to be. I had switched from the DSLR to the Fuji X100F to follow them around Nantes, and do street photography to which I am more accustomed. The poor “hen” was given a mission by her friends who had purchased a whole load of condoms and she was tasked to sell them to passers by. She fulfilled her mission with gusto, and we ended up in the Rue de la Paix, shooting nerf guns at targets provided by a stag do outing. 

Conclusion

I wasn’t needed for the next activity and drove back to the pub to chill, and get my head together. The photos from the X100F were edited on the go, and shared immediately.  The DSLR photos went through the computer and were shared by the end of the weekend.  

All in all a good day, and interesting experience, and I’ll let the photos do the talking for me…

Manual Mastery – a beginner’s guide Part I

Posted on Posted in Black and White Photography, Photography TutorialsTagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 7 Comments

How many times have I seen grown men go to pieces at the suggestion of using manual mode?  Or worse, how many times have I seen other grown men saying that to be a real photographer you have to master manual mode otherwise you’re not a real photographer?  Let me assure you that it’s not as complicated as it sounds.  When I took my first  photography lessons in 1984, I learnt it as a child.  You’ve got this, and I’m here to accompany you through the process.   As the Hitchkiker’s Guide so elegantly says, in comforting letters, “Don’t Panic!”

There are some basic concepts to understand, the first of which is the exposure triangle which we were introduced to in the Photography 101 article.  Those three things to consider are, ISO, or film sensitivity, shutter speed, aperture, and balancing them together.

Are you ready?  We’ll go step by step telling you how each of these settings influence your shot, and how we will balance them to create the image that “you” want instead of the image that your “camera” wants to take.  You are the creative boss after all.  And that is the reason that people use Manual Mode.

ISO, or film sensitivity

When I started learning photography in the last century was I was a young boy, yes I was young once, we only had film as a means to capture our images.  You would choose your film in function of the light available.  And when using my film cameras I still work in this way.  100 ASA (which is the same as ISO on modern camera) for sunny conditions, sometimes even 50 ASA, where the film can be used in bright conditions, going through to 200 ASA when it’s cloudy, but with sun shining through, to 400 ASA when overcast, 800 ASA when inside or even 1600 ASA, to 3200 ASA for night photography.  

In the film days we would talk about the presence or absence of grain and this was part of the deal.  You would get less grain the lower down the ASA range you went, and more grain the further up you went.  And this grain was a result of the crystals on the film emulsion, and the chemical developing process.  The choice could be as much about lighting conditions as an artistic decision.  Once the film you chose was in the camera however, it didn’t change until you changed your film.

Nowadays with all this modern technology palaver, you can change this ISO (because it’s digital photography) and change it for each photo.  Unfortunately the higher up you go in these values, the more “noise” you will get.  This digital noise is in a random pattern and totally unlike the grain of film photography.

Shutter speed

Shutter speed, as the words suggest, is about the speed of which the shutter opens  and closes to expose either the film or camera’s sensor.  You see, I told you that this would be simple to understand.  If I can get it, then so can you.  So now we’re on to speed.  When changing the speed of which the light hits the film or the shutter, I can freeze motion, of get a conscious motion blur, where the photo will seem animated.

Let’s say I want to take a photo of somebody running towards me. I will use a higher shutter speed to freeze the action.  Think of sports photography, of catching a  pass of a ball in rugby, or a footballer stopping a ball etc.  Those factors will make or break your image.  Imagine a photo of a football match and you can’t see the ball because it’s going faster than your shutter.  It might not work out for you.  In this situation, on my film cameras I will let the shutter curtain open for just 1/1000th of a second.  Depending on which digital camera I can go as quick as 1/8000 th of a second.

Let’s go to the other extreme.  I’m taking photos of a landscape and I want to show the motion of trees in the wind, the movement of the clouds, or the movement of water. I will use a longer shutter speed, say anything from 1/8th of a second to one second…  The subject will be moving faster than the shutter curtain, and I will get that artistic blur. 

I could be somewhere very dark, so in order to get a clear photo, I will have to let more light through onto my film or sensor.There I might have to use bulb mode in order to leave the shutter curtain for longer than 2 seconds.

For shooting a subject walking I would use 1/125th to 1/250th of a second to freeze the frame.  When using a flash in manual mode, I would aim to be around 1/60th of a second (which depends on your camera’s flash sync value).  When talking about shutter speeds I’m thinking of my film cameras  and bearing in mind that most digital cameras will have wider ranges of shutter speed.  Another tip for you would be to not let your shutter speed go below the number of your focal length (the legendary reciprocal rule).  Let’s say I’m using a 50mm lens, then I would not use a speed under 1/50th of a second, or even 1/60th of a second.  If I have a 200mm lens I would not go under 1/200th of a second. This is to counterbalance the weight of the lens and avoid lens shake.

Conclusion

This article has a lot of information in it and I have decided to separate everything and have a Part II.  In this Part I we have talked about sensitivity to light be that film, and the different ratings of films for various lighting situations.  In digital photography we have a wider range of ISO settings and with the newer cameras, the noise in an ISO 3200 setting will produce a much less grainy image than with film.  However this “grain” can be used as an artistic choice and I will let “you” experiment and see what each film gives you.

We have talked about shutter speed, and the ability to freeze an instant with a higher speed.  And the opposite of this to create motion in our image.

Next week we will talk about Aperture and how this effects depth of field and discover the rich creaminess of bokeh.  We will also explore various scenarii and give concrete examples of the effects of this triangle and how to turn it into an advantage.

Zooming In on Flexibility Part I

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We’ve talked about prime lenses and the difference between primes and zooms.  But we haven’t touched on zooms.  Yet.  But we’re about to enter the dark side.  They have cookies.  So now that we’ve had a cookie, let’s talk about having our cake and eating it.  Metaphorically speaking of course.  

The ability to zoom in on a subject, be it in photography or in conversation has become such an ubiquitous saying.  Zooming in on the details in a conversation.  The image evoked is fair though.  A zoom lens allows us to zoom in visually. 

I might even go as far as to describe them as a guilty pleasure.  That kind of thing that gets results but leaves you feeling a little dirty afterwards, and you feel like you have to justify why you couldn’t just use a purer prime.  Well sometimes you need the versatility of a zoom.  It means you have to take less kit to weigh you down.

This article started as a single piece of writing, and then going more in depth, it has morphed into a series of two articles.  I have a lot of information for you, and it might be easier to digest as a two part story.

The Zoom lens work flow

A zoom lens is more than an investment, it is akin to having four lenses in one support.  One going from 16mm, 24mm, 28mm to 35mm, another from 24mm, to 35mm, to 35mm, to 50mm, and onwards and upwards to 70mm.  Roughly translated you’re getting more glass for your buck, which sounds very enticing.

Advantages and disadvantages

 As in all photography, everything is a matter of balance though.  Ok, you may have more glass, but instead of creamy f1.8, f2.0 creamy bokeh, the trade off will be f4 bokeh, while still nice isn’t as creamy.  You might find f2. Bokeh but you’ll be paying many more bucks.  The difference in price between the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4 L IS USM and the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8 L IS USM is around 1000€ which doubles the price of your lens.  This basic economics speaks volumes to me.  

The different focal lengths in just one place allows you to adapt more quickly to a changing situation rather than “faffing” about changing multiple lenses multiple times.  Just one turn of the focal ring, and you’re good to go.  So you’re more available to contemplate a scene and not miss a thing.

They are generally larger than the more subtle nifty fifty, and the general public will take you for a “pro” and wonder why you are pointing a massive obtrusion towards their face.  Some zooms are of course less imposing than others, but you might have to explain more about what you are doing.  

The types of Zooms  

I have talked about the concept of a zoom lens as being a collection of different lenses in just one lens.  In the next article I will describe the example of each zoom I  use, but here I will do the introductions.  We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves.

For me, there are three types of zooms, the wide angle, the general, and the telephoto.  So three types of zoom tend towards three types of application.

The wide angle zoom offers you a wide angle of view, and its downfall of image distortion can be made the most important feature allowing you a means of getting creative in your images.   You can go from those beautiful vistas so beloved of landscape photographers, to those of us who seem to have an obsession with taking close-up photos of bicycles and helping the audience see the world in a more non-conventional or even exciting way.  

The general zoom, is as its name suggests a zoom that has you covered for general scenarii.  The focal lengths are the ones most commonly used.  It’s great in a street photography or documentary environment allowing you to easily glide between wider and narrower views.  Even though the aperture may not be as important as in primes, the image stabilisation helps the photographer when the light becomes more challenging. 

The telephoto zoom allows us to be closer to our subject whilst at the same time being a greater distance.  Useful not only for wildlife photography, but also for sports photography where the players are on the pitch and not the photographer!

Conclusion

Now we are on the same page and have a greater idea of what the whole situation is and how these solutions can help you as a photographer, be that a beginner, an intermediate, or a more advanced photog.  I talk about guilty pleasure, but when push comes to shove, the viewer of your photography doesn’t care.  They care about the image and how it makes them feel.  The fact that we used such and such a  lens is just speaking to them in a foreign language.  We’ve talked about the trade offs but also the benefits of zooms and in my next article I will talk about my set-ups and the experiences I have when shooting with these lenses..

Prime Lenses: Elevating Your Photography Beyond the Basics – Part II

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In my last article we explored the prime lenses in my collection and how and why I use them concentrating on my own experience with each one. I started ultra wide and am now going to head towards a narrower field of view. We’ll start with the nifty fifty, go through the Helios 44-2 58mm f2, on to the 85mm f1.8, and end on the Helios 135mm f2.8.

50mm f1.8 – the nifty fifty

Be it a digital lens or one for a film camera, this focal length is considered to be the “standard” to which all the others are compared to.  I have already mentioned my initial set from 1987 where the Pentacon 50mm f1.8 was fitted onto my Praktica MTL3.  It is the lens with which I learnt photography.  Why is it considered the “standard?”  Conventional wisdom would suggest that the view offered by the lens is the closest to the human eye.  This explains why Robert Doisneau used it extensively in his documentary photography.  Henri Cartier-Bresson is known for his ability to capture decisive moments in street photography. The 50mm focal length, with its natural perspective and good depth of field, was perfectly suited to this approach. It is also one of the more simply constructed lenses and yet still offers a great shooting experience be that digital or film shooting.

Helios  44-2 58mm f2.0 

This is one of those lenses that one hears about and has a certain mythology.  It is known  most for its swirly bokeh which you can see in the images in the slideshow below.  I think mine must have cost around 50 Euros so in my mind I was thinking, you can’t go far wrong.  This swirliness adds interest to any photograph be it in an oriental garden, on in portraits.  Just enough to make the viewer have a closer look and fall even further in love with your capture.  It’s an old soviet lens and fairly solid as you can read in the article I wrote about the Helios and the Canon 6D mark II.  It is the first of my “portrait” lenses.

We’ve done the bokeh bit, now let’s talk about the focal length.  When in the studio I will start using my 50mm, but this is always ready in my bag.  But it’s not just a portrait studio lens, and I have used it on outings in Nantes.  As all “telephoto” lenses, it separates the background from the subject, and brings forward the subject to the fore.  I haven’t used it on my Praktica film camera yet and should probably do so very quickly.  It would be a shame not to after all.  As it stands I have to use an adapter for my Canon and another adapter for my Fuji XT2.  With the crop sensor on the Fuji it magically turns into an 85mm equivalent.

Canon 85mm f1.8

This is the most classic portrait lens and allows me to take a step back compared to using the 50mm.  Again, the bokeh on this lens is lovely and so creamy that it could give a rotund older gentleman a heart attack if it were cake.  But it’s not cake, so everything is fine.  When I’m in the studio I can concentrate on the eyes and by the time the portrait gets to the ears we’re in creamy bokeh territory.

However, some photographers will take this lens into the street for street portraits.  It’s not a huge lens, and thus less creepy, and allows the photographer to take a step back and still feel close to his subject.  This distance between photographer and subject contributes to a more natural interaction between photographer and model, reduces the feeling of being cramped or intrusive, and leads to a more natural interaction, which in turn leads to more natural posing and a more relaxing experience for everyone.

Helios 135mm f2.0

This is the largest of my “everyday” primes and back in 1987 it was in my bag to bring the world even closer than I could with the nifty fifty.  I was a beginner back then.  And didn’t realise the potential of telephoto lenses.  The approach is much the same as for the 85mm but allows even more distance, and is great for those intimate shots that can capture the alluring side look.  In landscape it can help you pick out details in the landscape that you can’t get closer to for practical reasons, and bringst that background that much closer to the foreground.  For those of you who don’t like manual focussing, you might want to give this one a miss.  This was a lens from an age before autofocus came along.   However on my Fujifilm XT2 this transforms into a rather snazzy 200mm lens due to it’s APSC sensor and 1.5 crop factor,  which would be a lot cheaper than a more modern equivalent, and with the focus peaking on mirrorless cameras, this can be a very convincing argument.

Conclusion.

Primes can generally be considered to be a higher quality option.  With their simpler constructions, they can offer sharper images   They generally have larger apertures, allowing for ease of use in lower light, and providing that creamy, sexy bokeh that everyone keeps mentioning.  By adding a limitation to the creative process they can help the photographer become a more deliberate and mindful craftsman, and concentrate more on composition.

However, even though individually lighter than most zooms, their collective mass may be more important if you constantly want to have every single option available in your bag.  You will be changing lenses more often, when having more to choose from.  Never forget that you are the person carrying them around.  So choose carefully, be deliberate, and plan ahead.   The results will be worth it!