Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/08/31
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]on 31/8/00 2:18 pm, Dan Honemann at ddh@home.com wrote: > Great stuff, Johnny, as usual. > > My favorites: > 1, 4, 6, 8, 18 Thanks, Dan. > > Question: how on earth do you manage to grab candids as close as No. 19, for > example, without the subject(s) looking at you? Ten times out of ten, I try > that shot--the subject looks at me before I can snap it. Maybe I'm spending > too much time focusing--but I'm fairly fast with that now. I'd figure I > could only get a shot like 19 by holding the camera up and snapping > immediately before anyone knew what happened. 19 is a bit deceptive. It's actually on the 90. The figures crossing in foreground make it look wider. I guess I was about 12-15 feet away. Obviously with the 90 wide open you have to focus *very* carefully, and at low shutter speeds you have to take your time. But the main thing is, and this sounds like Zen probably, just becoming part of the crowd. Darkness helps a lot as you can stay out of the light if you wish, in which case you are essentially invisible to anyone *in* the light. 9 is obviously also a focus job (all these are in fact) and is also on the 90, at 1/30s. This was really one of those kick bollock scramble shots where you just pray you got focus and were steady enough to hit the moment. > I _can_ manage candids like nos. 2 & 7--where the subject's attention is > distracted elsewhere. But 19, or even 9--no way; I'm just not that quick. Sometimes speed is of the essence, sure, but sometimes stillness is. I swear, it's mostly mental. You act as if you were the fabled cloak of invisibility, and a lot of times folks will treat you as if you *were*. How comfortable *you* are directly influences how comfortable *they* are. Here's one theory: people have exceptionally good peripheral vision and the software that runs it is programmed to pick up threats and unusual situations. I think it's particularly good at decoding body language, for instance. Therefore if you are on the periphery of someone's vision your *attitude* becomes absolutely key. The person probably won't realise you have cameras or are pointing them, but they *will* pick up instantly if you are awkward in your movements etc. - -- Johnny Deadman http://www.pinkheadedbug.com