Diary of a Street Photographer

Henri Cartier Bresson once said that a the difference between a good picture and a bad picture can be down to millimeteres or a fraction of a second.
I had a lot of fun shooting today but my pictures were not as good due to the HCB theory of the good and the bad.

After using up all my film a few days ago I decided to shoot with my digital compact today and try few techniques.  Shooting from the hip is the one technique I have yet to try.  It involves shooting from the hip or chest without looking at the viewfinder or LCD screen.  Sounds easy but after trying this a few times around the Bearpit area of Bristol it was very hit and miss.  Using a film camera to do this is not an option, this will have to be mastered using digital technology due to cost.
Anyway I managed to get one decent candid shot which I was fairly happy with except the girls head was clipped but was getting the feeling there maybe something in this hipshooting.  The gesturing in the girls is spot on.

Strolling on I kinda gave up on this new technique and started snapping as I normally do.
In street photography you really need to warm up,  it takes a while to settle in but once that mood along with the adrenaline kicks in there is no stopping ya.  I stop outside the vintage market in Stokes Croft an there is a couple of old dudes sat outside chatting.  I snap them and also a a lady with a very cute terrier.  Not great shots but like I said I am warming up.  I Have a look around and spot a 1950's vintage watch.  Have a brief chat with the store holder and tell him  I am interested but need to see the insides.  Unfortunately for him and for me it won't open.  mmmm oh well.

Moving further up Stokes Croft I am determined to try the hip shot again and catch a skater going down the wrong side of the road.  Again not a great shot due to light and compostion but I am fairly happy with it.

The buzz is starting to kick in now due to all the activity and the colour of the area.
I spot a girl with pink hair and leoporard skin pants, the perfect camouflage for this area. She is taking pictures  outside a shop.  I decide to join in and then I am asked to have a look around inside.
Its run by three lovley girls who remind me of three sirens. You know,  the mythical creatures that lead men to there death,  Alas they turn out to be the complete opposite and agree to exhibit my work in there pop up shop in June.

I then decide to start heading back to the office but going down a different road.  I spot a good subject in a shop but its a tricky shot due to the owner and the subject getting very suspicious.   I take a few snaps, again not great due to the HCB theory and start having chat with the shop owner, reassuring her I am not from the inland revenue.

Moving on I take a candid shot of a lady with a baby.  Lady doesn't notice but baby does,  weird.

Further down I notice a gathering of people outside a Homeless hostel and it looks like one of them is playing golf, well and urban version, with beer cans and plastic bottles.  This is gold to me haha.  So I run up to them and ask the guy if I can take a picture.  He is more than happy to demonstrate his new found sport of urban golf.  The guys are a mixed bag.  Some pissed\ some sober some aggressive.   I felt like I fitted in with them and started taking a few more snaps of them which they did not notice or care.  The mood quickly changed when a fight broke out and the community leader came out having a go at everyone and saying the police are on there way.  Funs over, time to move on Daz.

On the way back I spot a couple chatting.  The guy is smiling.  I call it the Bristol smile and catch it on camera.  The guy looks at me and laughs.  "Taking sneaky pictures are ya" he bellows.
I tell him I am a street photographer and mean no harm (yeah right) and seems interested in this weird pastime of mine.  I get his email and said I will notify him of my charity exhibition in September.

So plagued by the theory of HCB that millimeters and seconds can make or break a photo I am still in a good mood and happy that I have connected with people on a face to face  level.  So many people are walking around with there head in there Phones.  Its almost like the phone is controlling them,  missing great moments like the ones I have experienced today.  

Street Photography

Not to confuse anyone but I have changed my blog site to suit my Street Photography.
I will still be blogging about other things but the main focus will be Street Photography.
I am currently working on a project at the moment and hoping to hold an exhibition and sell some prints to raise some money for a homeless charity in Bristol.  There will be 2 themes.  The first will mood based and shot in black and white and the other will be shot in colour.
I have been taking pictures on and off since I was a kid and was always interested in the candid side of photography.  I managed to find some of my early photos which are not great but have a SP feel to them.  Here are some examples of my work so far.  Still a lot to do from now until June when I am hoping to exhibit.  I shoot using a Minolta AL-f and an Olympus XA2.
Thanks

Leapling - "Crooked"

Vintage Folding Knives

Not sure why I have developed a fetish for old blades all of a sudden. Must be harking back to my childhood when we used to sharpen sticks and throw them at each others heads. Carry one every day and probably use about 3 times, so its practical as well as fashionable.

Here is a pick of my collection so far. All Sheffield Steel apart from the larger one.
The larger one is US marine issue lock knife, not a folding knife. Difference being about £5000 fine and up to 5 Years in prison if caught with one.

Dragon Touch Y88x Review

Not been blogging for a while due to lots of things going on in my life.  I now have a bit spare time so I've decided to warm up with a review of one of my Christmas gifts.
The Dragon Touch Y88x.

I am a fan of new tech old, tech, useless tech that looks cool and pretty much anything that is well made, regardless of age and can still perform the task it was out to do for a good few years.
The primary reason why I went for a budget tablet was because it was going to be used as a Comic Reader.  I figured the load would not be too great so the chances of being disappointed were minimal.
I am a big comic fan and have been way before I could even read.   So if the Dragon performed well with a basic comic reader I would be happy and anything else is a bonus.  The reason why I have mentioned my primary use of the tablet is because this is very important when choosing one.
Do you like watching movies, downloaded or streamed, photo editing, even digital recording or maybe a bit of gaming.
These are the things you need to consider and has a bearing on which one you go for.
So the big question is does it perform on a par with mid range tablets (£100-£200) mark and the answer is well.... sort of.
So I will breakdown the usual gumf you get in a review and give my verdict at the end.

Presentation : Pretty good actually for a budget tablet.  The box is good quality and comes nicely wrapped with  screen protector.

Build quality : I would say its a fairly decent build,  not as good as your mid range tablet but not a million miles away either.

General spec : Google Android 4.4 (KitKat)7” Multi-touch screen, 1024×600 HD, Quad Core 4×1.2GH; Quad core GPU, 8 GB storage, 512MB RAM, Dual Camera, Wireless N (802.11b/g/n)G-sensor

What's in the box :Dragon Touch, Tablet, AC Adapter, USB Cable, User Manual

Verdict :  I would say after having this tablet for about 3 weeks now I am really happy with it.  As i said before my reason for buying it was to mainly use it as a reader but I also use it for movies and games  too.  You do get a tiny bit of glare and the resolution is not fantastic but it still does not effect your viewing experience.  It does most things well and is definitley value for money.  Another bonus is the mini Hdmi port which also is an extra charge point  so no need to buy a usb charger.  So if you are out for a budget tablet for general use, nothing too punchy then this is the tablet for you. 

8/10

DayZ - Live action fan film by Eternum Pictures

Lee Perry - Curly Locks