The following is a direct copy and has been Pasted in for future reference from the People & Place coursework PDF Doc. (pasted in Maroon)
The mechanics of this exercise are simple, but the results are many and varied. Find, as situation, possibly even the same location. For this moment. Even in the simplest, most predictable human actions, the appearance on camera can vary greatly, depending on the precise micro-second of capture. Some moments captured will appeal to you more than others, and different photographers and viewers will have different preferences. Judging and capturing the moment that works best for you in an image is an important step in progressing your photography of people.
There are two parts to photographing the moment: deciding what it should be, and capturing it – not necessarily in that order. While you may shoot carefully and sparingly until you know that you have it, you can also shoot more freely and choose the key frame later in editing. Many moments are difficult to predict, and reveal themselves only as they happen. Some, indeed, reveal themselves later, not quite as you may have expected when you were shooting. In the image ‘Man Jumping Over Puddle, Paris, France, Gare Saint Lazare 1932’ by Henri Cartier-Bresson (this is easy enough to find on the internet), you can imagine the precise moment – the forward foot less than an inch from touching the surface of the water – involved some luck, in addition to the photographer’s very fast reflexes.
When you’ve finished shooting, review your images and pick out those that, for you, best capture a particular moment. Make notes in your learning log explaining your choice.
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Equipment
Camera – Nikon D4
Lenses – 24/70 – f2.8 / 70/200 – f2.8
Method & Approach
Please see pictures and captions below.
Note – all pictures have been compressed hence there might be a quality reduction when enlarging.
Picture 1 – Capturing the moment (Newly graduated)
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4 (camera handheld)
Speed 1/500th sec
Aperture f4.0
ISO 400
White Balance Setting Custom (5500°K)
Lens 70/200mm
Focal Length 70mm
Comments – This is a moment captured during graduation day in Oxford. Here we can see the joys in the faces of several newly graduated students dressed in their gowns walking through the city centre. Looking closer at the image tells us that through body language and hand gestures there are several conversations happening at once.
Picture 2 – Capturing the moment (Looking at nothing)
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4 (camera handheld)
Speed 1/125th sec
Aperture f4.0
ISO 800
White Balance Setting Custom (5500°K)
Lens 24/70mm
Focal Length 24mm
Comments – this was a particular picture I waited for, even though I had captured several other people looking into this window, I was not totally happy with my subjects look and gesture. The picture is based around the man looking into the window with the slogan above his head ultimately suggesting a typical man’s days spent shopping with his wife. Some of my other pictures from this shoot were of people looking in shop windows at handbags, leather goods and jewellery shops etc. which somewhat reminded me of the famous photographer Eugène Atget and his book ‘Paris’ which shows various pictures taken looking in shop windows and around market stalls.
Picture 3 – Capturing the moment (Hand jive)
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4 (camera handheld)
Speed 1/180th sec
Aperture f2.8
ISO 400
White Balance Setting Custom (5500°K)
Lens 70/200mm
Focal Length 200mm
Comments – This captured moment is more about synchronicity where the two girls walking towards the camera are applying hand cream having just visited a street stall selling such items.
Picture 4 – Capturing the moment (Oxford open market)
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4 (camera handheld)
Speed 1/250th sec
Aperture f5.6
ISO 1100
White Balance Setting Custom (5500°K)
Lens 24/70mm
Focal Length 70mm
Comments – The next five images are a sequence taken at a marketplace of a woman selling fruit to potential customers and passers by. In the first picture of this sequence we can see her arranging the plastic containers of fruit with one hand whilst the other has a bag open and ready to pack the containers at the point of purchase.
Picture 5 – Capturing the moment (Oxford open market)
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4 (camera handheld)
Speed 1/250th sec
Aperture f5.6
ISO 1100
White Balance Setting Custom (5500°K)
Lens 24/70mm
Focal Length 70mm
Comments – In the second image we can see she is talking to a potential customer interested in making a purchase. Still with one hand on a plastic container of fruit readying herself to hand the container to a potential customer or passer by to view its contents should they be interested.
Picture 6 – Capturing the moment (Oxford open market)
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4 (camera handheld)
Speed 1/250th sec
Aperture f5.6
ISO 1100
White Balance Setting Custom (5500°K)
Lens 24/70mm
Focal Length 70mm
Comments – In this picture we can see the market trader has managed to attract a buyer who is about to make a purchase. I particularly like this image as it shows two captured moments, one moment is of the market ladies expression during conversation whilst at the same time holding the container up for the buyer to view its contents. The second is the direction of gaze from the lady about to make the purchase with her purse open collating the correct amount of money needed for purchase. What I also like about this picture is the expression on the market traders face, she has just told the buyer that she is going to give her one container of fruit for free, and looking at the market traders face in more detail you can almost hear her pronouncing the word ‘free’ and it is this expression which makes this picture my favourite.
Picture 7 – Capturing the moment (Oxford open market)
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4 (camera handheld)
Speed 1/250th sec
Aperture f5.6
ISO 1100
White Balance Setting Custom (5500°K)
Lens 24/70mm
Focal Length 70mm
Comments – Having agreed upon the purchase both the market trader and customer exchange goods and money.
Picture 8 – Capturing the moment (Oxford open market)
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D4 (camera handheld)
Speed 1/250th sec
Aperture f5.6
ISO 1100
White Balance Setting Custom (5500°K)
Lens 24/70mm
Focal Length 70mm
Comments – In this final image we see the customer paying for the goods with the goods readily packed in the white plastic carrier bag. In this last sequence of five pictures each picture on its own is a captured moment but added together makes the story and sequence complete.
What have I learnt from this exercise
I have learnt from this exercise that certain people have more expressive body gestures than others according to circumstance. If we take the first image of the graduates walking through the street it’s a very relaxed and composed moment showing happy faces on young people who have worked hard for the past several years and are now triumphant with achievement. The second image shows a couple out shopping where the mans gesture is ‘going with the flow’ of things that couples do whilst out shopping together. The third image shows two teenage girls going about Saturday shopping having tried a product from a street stall, like the previous couple they are relaxed whilst going about their shopping. With regards to the last five pictures (the lady market trader) it is very much a body language overemphasised in a showman like way, almost expected of such folk working in the marketplace.
Thoughts and Reflection
With regards to photography and waiting to capture a particular moment can be a drawn out process, it could be a place you are familiar with, something you have seen or something you have yet to witness i.e. waiting to capture that moment. Certain pictures are guaranteed at events like football matches or other sporting venues but street photography requires an eye and the patients in recognition of such a picture.
My latest thoughts are of Christmas (which is coming closer by the day) and I am planning a day trip to London, where I would like to capture more variety and in particular focus on atmospheric pictures during the evening time of people amidst the Christmas glow and festive streetlights.
Summary
Compared to the previous exercise, I was far more relaxed with this exercise. Since completing this exercise I have been out capturing pictures around my local town but being almost a village like in comparison to Oxford it offers fewer crowds and less variety.
stingray493 