2012 - Your photographic projects for the year

[Charlotte]

I'm not invading anyone's space.

Yesterday, I was hanging out on Oxford Street, people watching.  When someone came along who I thought I'd like to work with, I was just asking for a moment of their time.  I explained to them who I was, what I was doing and how they could find their portrait if they agreed to be photographed.  It was all very friendly and I reckon I had as many rejections as I had people who were happy to help.

Admittedly, this isn't an activity for the socially awkward, but then one of the aims of the project is to increase your social skills as well as your skills as a photographer.

Oh - and Mike, FWIW I think that your approach is every bit as hard core as mine.  My subjects have zero expectations of the images that might result from their time in front of a lens.  The people you've been working with want to see something for their time and they almost certainly expect a certain standard of work.

Loving your site, by the way.  Expect to see mine any day soon 

[David Martin]

I'm not invading anyone's space.

But you are. Albeit nicely and asking first.. I'm not saying it is wrong, but it does go outside my comfort zone..

My thought process runs along the lines of 'What right have I got to be stopping you and asking for XYZ when you have your own life to be getting on with?' When people are so arsey about street evangelists, flyer handerouters and so on, am I putting myself in that category?

I suppose it is because the initiation of the interaction is entirely one sided. There is no advertisement/response process but instead a cold call..

[sas]

I suppose it is because the initiation of the interaction is entirely one sided. There is no advertisement/response process but instead a cold call..

You are offering them something- flattery, that you're think they're worth photographing.

My plans for this year: stop prevaricating and buy a decent lens (I've been using my kit one for the past year).

[andyoxon]

Charlotte, where's the EXIF data  -just looking for what camera etc?

[andyoxon]

I suppose it is because the initiation of the interaction is entirely one sided. There is no advertisement/response process but instead a cold call..

You are offering them something- flattery, that you're think they're worth photographing.

My plans for this year: stop prevaricating and buy a decent lens (I've been using my kit one for the past year).

Depends - you might be photographing for the Flickr group - Natural gurners... 

[Ham]

I would find it rather difficult to walk up to unknown attractive young ladies in the street and ask to take their picture. Twice. It's quite hard to walk after having the camera surgically removed.

There are some things a 40-something bloke just really can't get away with easily.

You know, I recon I could do it.
It's all about the demeanour with which you do it.

Been getting much more confident with the camera in those sorts of situations. Be polite and honest about what you are doing. Show them some examples on your phone or what have you. Also helps I suppose if you can give them a business card.

I suppose I am not someone who is keen on invading other peoples personal space. I'm bad enough at talking to peopel and getting them to do what I want when I am taking pics officially, let alone something for my own private gratification.

It is possible to do, IMO the key is being friendly and having a light touch, there doesn't need to be any invasion of space.

My objective this year is to get the time to revitalise my image taking. I normally do this by a shift back to film for a couple of reels, mf or 35mm, but I just haven't had the time for it. After posting (not taking) a London photo every day for the last 6+ years, day in day out, I'm feeling very stale.

[darkpoint]

My big goal for this year is to carry my camera more.   I hope that if i succeed with that I might progress to taking it out of my bag and taking some pictures.

[Kathy]

My big goal for this year is to carry my camera more.   I hope that if i succeed with that I might progress to taking it out of my bag and taking some pictures.

Sounds similar to one of my goals - along with "learn how to use the flash" and "try and blog at least once a week, if not twice, with at least one photo per post".

The fact that it's the 9th today, and I've only made one blog entry so far this year should tell you how that's going.  I've actually got three posts drafted, but I need some photos to go with them.

Otherwise, I've got the makings of a vague project planning, but I'll need to understand my flash, plus I'll require lots of black fabric, a large mirror, and a well-behaved ferret.

[geraldc]

I enjoyed the 12 photos of Xmas thing, less so the voting, but maybe we should have something like photography homework running all the time.

We should all start with a self portrait, so we have no excuses...

[Charlotte]

Charlotte, where's the EXIF data  -just looking for what camera etc?

I block my EXIF data on Flickr.  Mainly because my camera has my phone number and email details embedded in it (and hence all the image files it writes) for ID purposes.

The camera I used for these shots was a D7000.  With either a nifty fifty or a fast zoom.

...and a well-behaved ferret.

Photos or it never happened 

I enjoyed the 12 photos of Xmas thing, less so the voting, but maybe we should have something like photography homework running all the time.

We should all start with a self portrait, so we have no excuses...

Awesome idea.  Start the thread!

[Kim]

We should all start with a self portrait, so we have no excuses...

Bububu... the whole *point* in taking photos is so you don't have to appear in them!

[Charlotte]

Doesn't have to be a head shot...

[Jaded]

We should all start with a self portrait, so we have no excuses...

Bububu... the whole *point* in taking photos is so you don't have to appear in them!

+1 !!!

[geraldc]

So half of us won't take photos of strangers, and the other half won't take photos of ourselves. We should all meet up and take photos of each other. Simples!

[mike]

I was in Cambridge today and had a go at taking some panning photos of people going past on their bikes. This cyclist came past a bit closer than I'd pre-focussed for and I got this pretty rubbish pic.... 


A minute later and the same lady's cycling back towards me and I thought I was going to be told off for taking her pic - turned out to be quite the opposite - she smiled and asked 'was it any good?'   I owned up to it being a bit rubbish and asked if she wanted another run past me so I could try again! She did, so I gave up on the panning idea and got some quite nice ones:



she came back again and had a chat, and asked for me to send copies to her email

[clarion]

People can be so nice

[Exit Stage Left]

I'm taken with the idea of documenting Leyland, mainly the 1930s and 40s industrial buildings, before they disappear, partly inspired by the fire before Christmas. I took this today using the in-camera HDR on My Sony NEX5.

[Exit Stage Left]

The virtue of Leyland as a project is that it captions itself. I like the Edwardian/Soviet vibe of this statue. The Morrisons in the background sands on the site of the 'Comet Shop' where tanks were built in WW2. The architecture is a tribute to the 30s/40s.

[IanDG]

Regarding portraits - Lee Jeffries

[andyoxon]

The virtue of Leyland as a project is that it captions itself. I like the Edwardian/Soviet vibe of this statue. The Morrisons in the background sands on the site of the 'Comet Shop' where tanks were built in WW2. The architecture is a tribute to the 30s/40s.

Wonder how long before this gets nicked.

[mike]

summary of my latest 'shoot'      (with model, hair, makeup and clothes borrowed from a shop in cambridge)


WP3P1091 by simpleimages_mike, on Flickr


WP3P1146 by simpleimages_mike, on Flickr

more here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/68792434@N03/sets/72157629148549853/
(am loving being unemployed  )

[David Martin]

One trick with the eyes is to put a direct snooted flash onto them about 2 stops down - just lifts them up a bit and brightens them

[Tewdric]

There are nice subtle catch lights there if you look at the big ones.  Wonderfully lit, most are wonderfully composed, fantastic subject, technically very good with wonderful bokeh and depth of field control.  Top job, I really like those.  An MPA or BIPP portfolio in the making for sure.

[rogerzilla]

I think (hope) I got my snowdrop pictures today.  They are very late peaking this year due to the cold snap, but we have massive drifts of them in the village.  I used the Leica M3 and the 50mm near-focusing Summicron, the combination that Ken Rockwell raves and raves about.  It isn't macro though - it gets you to about 44cm (mine is the later version, his is the older one), but that's still impressive for a rangefinder.  Sadly it is about the only historic Leica lens that doesn't work properly on the digital M9, although this means prices haven't gone stratospheric.

[David Martin]

I'll be trying something for my first ride on a Boris Bike on Monday. I have sorted out the remote trigger, the superclamp and the ultrawide zoom, and will navigate the streets of London with a camera taking many pictures between Euston and Liverpool Street. Anyone want to join in the ride I'll be leaving Euston as soon as the Sleeper gets in at about 7.45.

..d