Richard; a Street Portrait

It's important to challenge yourself.

Force yourself into doing something your uncomfortable with.

Doing this will hopefully lower your inhibitions and make you grow as person and it should be easier next time.

Ive been really busy lately, by advertising myself. Ive released that not everyone is going to come to me just by word of mouth, though its proven very successful. So those local to me will no doubt have seen my adverts popping up on various Facebook pages. Result, more business.

Because I've been busy, I've let my blogging fall behind. Its not like i don't shoot regularly, i have a camera with me at all times, though today walking the dog in the hail i didn't feel like getting the camera out.

So, a mental note to keep blogging.

A time recently where I've challenged myself is to talk to a stranger and ask if i can take their portrait.

I spotted Richard sitting on a windowsill on St. Benedicts street, Norwich, nursing his cider. At 1st i thought about grabbing a candid shot of him. I walked away with my tail between my legs. After going in a shop looking for bargain CD's, i noticed that he was still sitting there, i just had to talk to him.

Go for it, whats the worst that could happen, he might just say no.

Very politely Richard, told me his name, told me that he lived just up the road , told me his story and agreed that i could take his photo.

I gave Richard my card and my details, to which he replied he doesn't have a phone or a computer and so wouldn't be able to see the photo. Now that i think about it, i should of took his address and sent him a small print as a way of saying thanks for his time.

Some people in a worse position than you, may still be willing to give you a hand, just for a little bit of time.

Window shopping in Cambridge

The best weekend of street photography yet.

I cant help it, im totally hooked.

I want to go out and shoot more street.

Its the challenge, finding something quirky, how close can you get to get that shot?, its the waiting game; waiting for someone to walk into the shot.

I've started to manual focus more; using zone focusing, knowing that anything in the 'zone' will be in focus. That way I can set up my focus zone, step forward and take the shot. The last thing I need is for the camera to hunt for focus!  I don't want anyone turning round wondering what im doing!!! LOL

If anything, im becoming more adventurous, im not shooting so many peoples backs anymore, im photographing people walking right towards me.

Often all you need is a smile after taking the shot, no one questions a smile.

This weekend ive started shooting with windows in mind; reflections, advertising, shooting through the window. Life is lived around windows, windows are everywhere.

Sale shopping

Just look at the similarities

This guy saw the funny side

Or walk on by

Im looking into her world, she's asking me why.

I cant wait to get to a city again.

Photography is my life and I want to live it!

I want to shoot everyday

Im always eager to take a picture.

Eager to use my camera.

Its all I want to do.

I don't like to go anywhere without my camera.

I don't really enjoy going places that have no photography opportunities.

The new rule about plastic bags in the UK has given me a greater reason to carry a man bag, so now I can carry a camera around all the time.

Recent time spent in Norwich, its always Norwich, I like the place, it's proved fruitful for street photography and projects, i set myself the challenge of shooting with a manual lens adapted on the X-Pro 1. Sometimes this reaps good results, sometimes its a day of bin fodder!

This day, I hope you agree was successful.

The moment the person in the street that you want to look at you, looks at you!

Great colour and font

Rectangle brick, round hole

The streets around the O2

It was a busy weekend when I last visited the big smoke; London.

we spent a little time at the O2 arena like all tourists, though I used this time to walk around and grab shots of the other tourists and the high rise buildings surrounding the word famous structure.

Come to think of it, I didn't take any photos of the dome, why bother, if you want to see a photo.....google it.

Around the outside of the arena is a partition wall that I guess building work is being conducted behind. Lucky for me this temporary wall is used as a giant bill board containing images of almost full sized humans.

This makes street photography easy.

This guy was hardly dressed properly for the game.

I think this teen realised too late that she had tickets for the wrong show as the crowd partied around her.

Skate or die.

Being a small town boy, tall buildings fascinate me. The perfect warm weather supplied the good time feeling for this image.

Remember to look up.

Down at the waters edge I waited for at least 15 minutes for a couple to walk along together in front of this sign.

Now colour popping is not my 'thing' at all, this could well be my only colour popped image ever and may be the last!

Easy shot, everyone in London loves to run where the big crowds are, ego boost!

Keep shooting!

Street Photography; Walking where the light is

I said it before that I love going to London. In fact I love big cities with their big buildings.

I was intentionally wanting to shoot street photography, by the time we got back to our hotel near Aldgate underground station the sun had started its descent in the sky; this really stretched out the shadows of the buildings. As the sun passed in between, paths of light were formed. This is the look I was going for!

So I found interesting shapes combining light and shadow in the urban landscape only a short walk from the hotel and waited for people to walk into or out of the shot.

Its all a waiting game.

 

 

 

In between locations and waiting for passers by I looked up and thought this would make a good photo. I cant decide whether I think it is or not.

A cold Sunday in Norwich is good for business

I made another trip to Norwich on Sunday for 3 reasons; 1st to get a new battery fitted to my phone, 2nd to have a look at a camera and 3rd to chat Wedding photography with potential clients.

It was a very successful day;
New battery.
New Camera
Another wedding booked.

As im sure you've read before and usually it takes place in Norwich, I love street photography, Mostly because its an excuse to carry my camera around.

Sorry, I already bought it

 

A missus putting up with her photographer fella

Locked

The beauty of walking around built up places is finding odd things like random clothing in random places. I was just waiting for a streaker to run by.

Biddys; the tea shop I met Fiona and Tom to talk weddings, a cool looking tea shop and a nice couple, Tom had the biggest slice of cake ive ever seen...........seriously it was massive

Keeping an eye on things

and pay silly prices for someone else's junk

A wall of windows

I wonder if they got wet painting that?

Ive been urbexing recently with a good friend so ill begin to post the shots from that soon, there are loads as the location is BIG!

Im beginning to look forward to 2015, should be a great year for photography.

I hope you, reading this, like what I do and take the time to look at my other posts.

Ive had over 11,000 hits now to this blog, so my photography is getting around.

Thanks for looking.