Tag: composition

Classic Cars

Oldtimers Classic Cars
1/80 sec | f/4 | ISO 400 | 92mm

The other weekend, my Dad and I went to a Classic Car exhibition in the Nuremberg Trade Fair. Big Boy got us the tickets, and it was a great opportunity to escape the Covid dullness and do something special. Not that I’m too much into cars. But they are sure fun to photograph. Especially when they are Classic Cars. So I grabbed my Olympus OM-D E-M1X with the mZuiko 12-100 F/4 with the intention to shoot some details of the exhibited cars. Click the link below to see some resulting images.

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Street Photography Quick Tip (18)

Monochrome street photograph of two lady throwing a dirty look

Street Photography Quick Tip 18 – Layered Faces

In time for the weekend here is the eighteenth edition of my Street Photography Quick Tips. Some short, easy to read and easy to use tips that I think could help you while shooting in the streets. Today’s post is about adding interest to your street photography by shooting layered faces…

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From a distance

Social Distancing
1/125 sec | f/8 | ISO 320 | 35mm

From a distance – wasn’t there this song by Bette Middler? It’s the core theme of these days, with countries slowly returning to the “new normal” and people trying to find the right balance between staying safe and the necessity of somehow have to carry on with their daily lives.

This photograph of a mother and her child was also taken from a distance. I was standing on the balustrade above the “Liebesinsel” (Island of Love), a small island in the River Pegnitz in Nuremberg’s Old Town.

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Instant Inspiration (32) – Shoot an object you love

Graupner Glasgow 2126

“Instant Inspiration” is my series for you if you look for something to overcome “Photographer’s Block” or simply want to shoot something that you have never tried, or at least not recently.

Covid-19 confines many of us to our homes. Travel is impossible, and in some places the lockdown rules even prohibit us to venture out with our cameras. But that is no reason to keep the camera locked away until the sanctions are lifted. With Episode 32 of my “Instant Inspirations” I want to motivate to use the camera at home, and to extensively shoot an object you love.

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Instant Inspiration (29) – Frame your subject

St Lorenz church glowing in evening light in old town Nuremberg Germany
St. Lorenz | Nuremberg | 2019 | 1/ 60 sec – f/10 – ISO 800 – 16mm

“Instant Inspiration” is my series for you  if you look for something to overcome “Photographer’s Block”  or simply want to shoot something that you have never tried, or at least not recently. Episode 29 is about a compositional element – using frames.

I am sure you have framed photographs in your house. We frame our photos as a way of displaying and drawing in the attention of the viewers, but there is another type of framing that can be just as effective doing exactly the same thing, only in our images themselves.

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Love is in the air

Valentines Hearts balloons and a walking couple holding hands
Love is in the air | Portland | 2019

This past Valentines Day I was in Portland, Oregon. And while shooting some Street Photography during the weekend spent in the Rose City, there was plenty of Valentines vibes in the air. Some decorations were more weird than others, true to the motto of the city. I originally intended to save those “love is in the air” street photos for a Valentines post next year, but they are also the perfect fit for today, which marks my 26th wedding anniversary.

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Play with perspective

Subway Snooze | New York City | 2018

Another fun thing to do when composing photographs is to play with perspective, something that works just as well when doing street photography.

Look at the guy I caught deep in thoughts (or snoozing) on a subway ride. He is holding his cellphone in his right hand. Only that it seems like the hand holding the phone is coming out of the arm of the person sitting in the background, rather than is own arm.

The human eye tends to follow lines. And the hand and the arm behind form an almost natural looking line, and, together with the hunched over subway rider, forms a full circle, adding a certain harmony to the composition.

The eye of a casual observer, even if subconsciously, catches the anomaly and will try to solve the riddle. This little play with perspective adds an additional interest to the photograph. And lets the observer’s eye remain a second or two longer on our image. Which is what we want as photographers.

Image taken with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 and the mZuiko 12-100mm F/4, specs are 1/25 sec @ F/4 and ISO 400, 48mm focal length.

If you look for more tips and inspirations around photography, check out my free Learning Center.

Wish you a great start into the week.

Marcus

Related Posts:

Street Photography Quick Tip 5 – Composition – the hidden subject

Street Photography Quick Tip 6 – Shoot in a station

Life in the Big Apple

NYC Experience – DUMBO

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Back to business

Back to Business | Berlin | 2018

What I love about street photography is that is capturing everyday life as it happens. When roaming the streets, I’m always on the lookout for situations that reflect the stories of life.

This is a photograph of a business man walking seemingly away from the fun stuff happening in holidays. Like diving. Or, when you look to the far right, a bike tour.

The image works for multiple reasons. First, there are the juxtapositions of the man in a business attire and the lady diver. Another one is the man and the diver going in opposite directions. Then there are the similarities in their leg positions (it was the hard part capturing the exact moment). Then there are multiple layers to the image: the man in the foreground, the ad in the middleground and then the bikers and the subway in the background. And as extra element there is the partially hidden text message on the ad, something the mind automatically tries to decipher. Another compositional element is the triangle between the man, the diver and the bikers.

The photo is also symbolic for my day, as it’s back to work day after the Christmas break.

Image taken with the Olympus OM-D E-M1 and the mZuiko 12-100mm F/4, specs are 1/25 sec @ F/4 and ISO 200, 38mm focal length.

If you look for more tips and inspirations around photography, check out my free Learning Center.

Wish you a great start into the week.

Marcus

Related Posts:

World Cup fever and some thoughts on composition

Oregon International Air Show (and how I photographed it)

Street Photography Quick Tip (10)

Instant Inspiration (4) – Juxtaposition

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Smoke but no fire

Keep Calm | Genoa | 2018 | 1/50 sec - f/4 - ISO 1600 - 100mm
Studies| Genoa | 2018 | 1/50 sec – f/4 – ISO 1600 – 100mm

After yesterday’s coffee photo (a vice I admit adhering to) here is one with a bit of smoke.  Like coffee drinkers, also smokers claim they can relax over a cigarette, although I personally can’t find why that is, with all that smell. But I do admit, a passerby puffing steam can make for an interesting street image. And this lady sure looks relaxed, as she is studying real estate offers in a shop window in Genoa’s old town.

I thought of converting the photo to monochrome, but eventually decided against, as the blue-yellow-blue sequencing of colors makes for an eye-catching color combo (as blue and yellow combined always does). Also, her blowing smoke (and looking) towards the upper left corner and her body shape angling towards the lower left adds a triangular component to the composition. And there is a story, as you would wonder what she might be looking at (in case I hadn’t told you before).

Taken with my Olympus OM-D E-M1 and the mZuiko 12-100mm F/4 – image specs 1/50 sec @ f/4 and ISO 1600,  100mm focal length.

Have a great Wednesday!

Marcus

Related Posts:

StoNur on the Road – Portofino

Street ? Harbor!

Weekly Photo Challenge: Pedestrian

Street Photography Quick Tip (11)

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Street Photography Quick Tip (16)

Order Here | 2018 | 1/320 sec - f/6,3 - ISO 200
Order Here | 2018 | 1/320 sec – f/6,3 – ISO 200

Street Photography Quick Tip 16 – Capture what captures attention

My Street Photography Quick Tips are short, easy to read and easy to use tips that I think could help you while shooting in the streets.

When shooting Street Photography, I’m always on the lookout for photographs that have the potential to make the viewer stop and think about the story behind it, before swiping on to the next image.

In this photo, the contrast between the bright face and the darkness of the window behind should capture the attention of the viewer. Then comes text, which is also something we more or less automatically scan. “Order here”. What is it that can be ordered from this girl? Also, the hand written sign about not accepting American Express cards tends to attract attention more then the logo cards of the other credit cards.

How do you see it?

Photo taken with the OM-D E-M1 and the mZuiko 12-100 F/4. Image specs are 1/320 sec @ f/6,3 and ISO 200.

Make sure to regularly check out my free Learning Center for all of my tips and inspirations around photography.

Wish you all a great week and a good start into the week!

Marcus

Related Posts:

Instant Inspiration (25) – Foodporn

Oregon International Air Show (and how I photographed it)

Street Photography Quick Tip (10)

Some thoughts on monochrome shooting

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