The following is a direct copy and has been Pasted in for future reference from the People & Place coursework PDF Doc. (pasted in Maroon)
For this final exercise, transfer your attention from an organised occasion to a semi organised public space. Some of the most accessible and usable from a photographic point of view are public parks. A public beach is another possibility. Instead of a single event, there will be a variety of things happening, even if not all of it is particularly active or focused. Try to capture the sense of varied use — how people make their own personal or small-group activities within the same general area.
Remember that not everyone will be happy to be photographed by someone they don’t know and there could be some people who will regard you with suspicion, especially around children. Be sensitive and avoid causing embarrassment or disquiet.
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Equipment
Camera – Nikon D4
Lenses – 24/70 – f2.8
Ancillary Equipment – Nikon 910 Speedlight
Method & Approach
Again with this exercise and with similarities to the previous exercise … The brief states ‘open-air events in and around summer a more frequent than in winter time’ and being that we are now the other side of autumn outdoor and social events which take place in public spaces become harder to find.
My chosen venue for this exercise was a firework display held in South Parks Oxford, this made things slightly more challenging for me than normal as the event takes place during darkness. With my camera bag packed, batteries charged and spare memory cards I set off and within half an hour I was walking through the venue gates. I had done some research on this annual event in order to find out what else was going on during the course of the evening and at what times and in my favour I was also no stranger here as I have been several times to this very event in previous years. My Internet researcher told me there was a small fairground and also a band tent with various musicians playing from 16:30 onwards and after the firework event bands would reconvene until 23:00. There was also various foods available from the likes of burgers vans as well as two tents offering places to sit serving hot beverages and alcoholic drinks.
In relevance of this exercise I have shown people activity rather than just the firework display, although I have added some relevant firework pictures. Having got there early I had plenty of opportunity to wander around the various attraction areas and I start this exercise / event with people enjoying themselves amidst the fairground.
Please see pictures and captions below.
Note – all pictures have been compressed hence there might be a quality reduction when enlarging.
Picture 1 – A public space (Excitement)
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D810 (camera handheld)
Speed 1/125th sec
Aperture f2.8
ISO 1100
White Balance Setting Custom (3800°K)
Lens 24/70mm
Focal Length 70mm
Comments – This picture captures the excitement of a young girl just about to start a children’s ride at the fairground.
Picture 2 – A public space (Mum & daughter)
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D810 (camera handheld)
Speed 1/125th sec
Aperture f2.8
ISO 2200
White Balance Setting Custom (5500°K)
Lens 24/70mm
Focal Length 38mm
Comments – Similar to the picture above but in this image we see mother and daughter together. I like the captured moment here where the mother is concentrating on her child and the child is looking at her father amidst all the fairground bars. I also like the vibrancy of colour within this picture.
Picture 3 – A public space (Glow sticks)
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D810 (camera handheld)
Speed 1/90th sec
Aperture f4.0
ISO 12800
White Balance Setting Custom (4600°K)
Lens 24/70mm
Focal Length 48mm
Comments – In this image we see the striking effect of mass neon against darkness. Although this is not an image of any significance other than its light effect we can take from it the social behaviour seen in the distance of small groups of people all enjoying their own personal moments of this event.
Picture 4 – A public space (The stage)
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D810 (camera handheld)
Speed 1/125th sec
Aperture f2.8
ISO 2200
White Balance Setting Custom (4400°K)
Lens 24/70mm
Focal Length 56mm
Comments – Similar to the picture above, the attraction in this image is the effect of the lights only this time they are not neon. Again we see the social behaviour of small groups of people and each group making the organised public event their own personal event.
Picture 5 – A public space (A willing audience)
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D810 (camera handheld)
Speed 1/125th sec
Aperture f2.8
ISO 3200
White Balance Setting Custom (6300°K)
Lens 24/70mm
Focal Length 55mm
Comments – In this picture we see a young family where body language tells us there is a difference of opinion, the mother and father are enjoying the music from the live band whilst the young boy would soon be at the fairground. I tried hard to capture the social opposites of body language and facial expressions between parents and son in this image and in doing so my mind was asking what would Diane Arbus make of this and how would she shoot it.
Picture 6 – A public space (Individual groups of waiting people)
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D810 (camera handheld)
Speed 1/125th sec
Aperture f2.8
ISO 3200
White Balance Setting Custom (5800°K)
Lens 24/70mm
Focal Length 24mm
Comments – In this picture we can really see small social groups of individuals talking amongst themselves, each making their own social occasion from one common organised event. This image was taken in almost total darkness whilst the tannoy system was announcing ‘the fireworks would commence in five minutes’ and in order to capture this moment, I had to use my large electronic flash, its limited distance of travel can be seen from looking at the ground.
Picture 7 – A public space (The main attraction)
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D810 (camera handheld)
Speed 1/60th sec
Aperture f4.8
ISO 12800
White Balance Setting Custom (4850°K)
Lens 24/70mm
Focal Length 40mm
Comments – Firework displays are fantastic places to go on camera and this is not my first time photographing fireworks and it is interesting to see that more and more people at such events are bringing their cameras along with them. To capture this image my camera was already primed in manual mode with automatic focus switched off.
Picture 8 – A public space (Amongst the crowd)
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D810 (camera handheld)
Speed 1/60th sec
Aperture f4.8
ISO 12800
White Balance Setting Custom (4900°K)
Lens 24/70mm
Focal Length 24mm
Comments – here I have tried to show the upper bodies of the spectators amidst a firework explosion in the sky. My reason for not using a fill flash in this image was down to the tendency for the flash to overpower the foreground thus making the firework explosion in the sky a lot less striking. Although having just said that … I did take several pictures using a fill flash, even to the point of turning the intensity right down to -3.0, but on reviewing the images I preferred the pictures without any fill flash. This could be down to my own personal taste but when the images are enlarged (without flash) they look so much more in keeping with the true event.
Picture 9 – A public space (Bonfire night)
Camera Details
Camera Nikon D810 (camera handheld)
Speed 1/125th sec
Aperture f4.0
ISO 3200
White Balance Setting Custom (6300°K)
Lens 24/70mm
Focal Length 70mm
Comments – Any firework event wouldn’t be the same without a giant bonfire. I like the effect of light in this picture, amongst the bodies in the distance we can see the warm orange glow from the flames coming from the bonfire versus the much colder light seem to the left in the picture of the illuminated streetlight and tent.
What have I learnt from this exercise
I have learnt from this exercise that it pays to get to an event like this early and prepared, below I have listed my main priorities for this exercise and below that is a copy of my personal checklist.
- Make sure your camera and kitbag are ready to go with everything you need.
- Know the plan or layout of the venue.
- Have a good idea of all the side attractions.
- If outdoors take appropriate clothing (check the weather forecast).
- Get there early.
Thoughts and Reflection
I have also learnt that we are all different in some form or way from one another. Some of our social qualities are very different, and it’s at events like this that we really can see the personalities of some groups of people preferring one activity opposed to another. It’s obviously fair to say that children prefer the fairground where as the majority of adults prefer the music and the band’s as shown in picture five. But there are also individual groups mostly adults that prefer neither and although one entrance price covers all areas it is this type of person that prefers to get to such an event five minutes before firework time and probably leave five minutes after the display is finished.
Summary
This exercise has probably been one of my most enjoyable, it has been a combination of pleasure and photography. At the point of discussing this with my wife and mentioning that the Oxford firework display was going to be my chosen subject for this exercise we both agreed that it would be better if I was on my own (not to mention cheaper) and perhaps it was this that allowed me more freedom and having more time to concentrate purely on photography and not family issues.
stingray493 