I do have deep respect for people doing Yoga, something that is on my bucket list but that I have not accomplished yet (although some Portland based work colleagues try to talk me into it).
But that what I saw on Washington’s Lake Crescent the other day is definitely something out of the realm of my possibilities.
A girl doing a headstand on a stand-up paddle board. On a lake. Like with moving water. Totally insane.
Shot with my Olympus PEN-F and the mZuiko 40-150mm F/2.8. Image specs 1/2500 sec @ f/9 and ISO 200, 150mm focal length.
Playing Ball | Seattle | 2018 | 1/500 sec @ f/6.3 and ISO 200
In less than 72 hours the FIFA World Cup will be upon us. Strangely, here in Germany it is still pretty quiet around the Nation’s favorite sports team, and we are far away from the euphoric mood that rocked our country four years ago and that culminated in one huge party when Germany won the final against Argentina for our fourth World Title. Maybe it has to do with the meager results in the test matches leading up to the tournament. Maybe it has to do with the host country Russia, which is not really known as a soccer nation. I myself am rather bearish on our chances for defending the cup.
But at least we have a chance, as opposed to the US team that didn’t even make it through the qualifiers. Maybe players like this highly skilled soccer dad would have helped the Team USA to make the tournament. His dedication for the ball and the fun he had with his kids was contagious. Eleven guys like him would make for a formidable squad, I’m very sure.
Photographically I worked the scene a bit with this guy. In the first image I intentionally used the unsharp faces of the kids enjoying their ice cream to frame the soccer player as they passed directly in front of my lens, shooting at the long end of my 12-100mm F/4 zoom. This creative composition element created depth in the image, served as a frame for the main subject and also provided a juxtaposition between savoring food and doing sports. My other photos from the scene you can find after the jump… Continue reading “World Cup fever and some thoughts on composition”→
Street Photography Quick Tip 15 – Get close for more intense street portraits
In time for the weekend, here is episode 15 of my Street Photography Quick Tips, my 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 taking close up street portraits. For a few, hopefully inspirational images continue after the jump… Continue reading “Street Photography Quick Tip (15)”→
Across the Aisle | New York City | 2018 | 1/60 sec @ f/4 and ISO 3200
Although a short week, due to a public holiday in Germany, I’m glad it is over. Looking forward to a weekend of rest.
Across the Aisle | New York City | 2018 | 1/125 sec @ f/4 and ISO 3200
Shooting street photography in a subway is not so difficult, and there are always interesting characters sitting across the isle. Everybody is either half asleep or occupied with the smartphone. A great place to shoot inconspicuous street portraits. Be ware to get at least 1/60 sec of shutter speed, as the trains are always moving and rumbling on their tracks, so make sure you dial in a fast enough speed, at least 1/60 of a second to avoid motion blur.
The photos were taken with my Olympus OM-D E-M1 and the mZuiko 12-100mm F/4. RAW conversion and post processing in Lightroom Classic CC.
If you want to pick up your camera this weekend and are still looking for some fresh inspirations what to shoot, visit my free Learning Center .
This week the weekly photo challenge (WPC) from Word Press’ “The Daily Post” has the theme “Lines“. So here is my “lineiest” street photo. For some more line items (pun intended) continue after the jump…. Continue reading “Weekly Photo Challenge: Lines”→
I made it safely to Amsterdam, where I will be stuck for the next eight hours due to my canceled flight to Nuremberg. I tried various options to get home earlier, but nothing worked out. I hope that at least my 16:45 flight is on time so I make it to the birthday party of a good friend the Significant Other and I are invited to.
But at least the heaven tried to cheer me up, and this with much success. I was kissed by a magic heavenly light show high above the Northern Atlantic, just as the Delta Airbus left North Western Canada (Baffin Island) for Greenland. And this time I saw the inflight Northern Lights sitting on the right side of the plane, the window facing south. And I was Seeing the Aurora Borealis again was a dream come true. Even if it was from an airplane window! Kissed By The Light And Happy! For my how-to and more photos continue after the jump…
My first business travel of 2018 took me once more from Nuremberg via Amsterdam and Seattle to Portland, Oregon, where I arrived in surprisingly warm and dry weather after 19 hours total travel time at 2pm in the afternoon. For the airport I went straight to the office for an afternoon of meetings, before I collapsed in my hotel bed at 8pm in the evening and logged 8 hours of sleep before waking up at 4am this morning, a surprisingly long night considering the jet lag effects. To sum it up, back to business as usual for the job that pays the bills.
While connecting through Amsterdam Schiphol I saw a lady taking shots of the famous video screen clock in the international terminal area between the D and E gates. As during previous visits to AMS I myself have taken quite a few shots of the man inside the clock drawing, erasing and re-drawing the hands, I took my Ricoh Gr II I brought along as camera on this trip and shot this monochrome photo of a fascinated fellow traveler.
After the jump you find my original color shot of the video clock, a few photos of passengers on the walkway between B and C gates before I finish off with the high contrast monochrome landscape photo of a “broken mountain” that I took with my iPhone from the window of my Alaska Airlines Dash-8 on yesterday’s last leg from Seattle to Portland…. Continue reading “Travel Day (8)”→
If your loved ones and friends know that you are a passionate photographer, finding birthday presents isn’t all that difficult.
The significant other got me a Lensbaby Trio 28mm f/3.5 lens, that has a rotating head so I get three Lensbaby effects in one lens: Twist, Velvet and Sweet. I wanted the lens badly as I was really inspired by fellow blogger Kaya and her superb collection of Lensbaby photos.
Needless to say I screwed it right on my PEN-F and went outside where I snapped this image (jpg out of camera – no treatment) of our blossoming winter bush against sky and a bare birch tree. I love the bokeh of the lens and really look forward taking the creative possibilities of my new Lensbaby to the Streets of Nuremberg.
The Big Girl and the Big Boy combined forces and gave me an awesome coffee table book called “Bystander”, where editor Colin Westerbeck and famous Street Photographer Joel Meyerowitz document the history of Street Photography from its beginnings until today on almost 400 pages, with a well curated assortment of photographs of all the greats of the genre. This book is a treasure!
My dad gave me a beautiful book on Chinese Street Photographer Feng Li, the “White Night”, a great documentary on life in China.
I also got photographers gloves where you can actually stick thumb an index finger through the foldable tips of the glove (thanks to fellow blogger Tim for the tip).
And another book I read about on the web and put on my wishlist “One Face, Fifty Ways”, ideas for portraits by model Imogen Dyer and photographer Mark Wilkinson.
I’m blessed with awesome people around me, not only because I got all those nice presents.
As I wrote in a previous post, there are two ways to approach Street Photography. You can actively “hunt” for an interesting image to happen, for example following an appealing subject until it enters the right background scene. Or you come across a background that catches your eyes first. Then it is a matter of you waiting for the right subject to enter the scene to get the photo you are after. I call this the “gathering” approach.
This was the case when I saw this colorful mural in Portland. I loved its shape and dynamic, and its colors that really came to life during the blue hour of this late Saturday afternoon. I really wanted to capture it in a street photo, but taking a photo of a mural by itself is a bit lifeless without a foreground that adds interest.
I was with my PEN-F and the 12mm F/2 prime lens, which limited myself to this composition, as I had to stand between to parked cars half on the street to have mural and sidewalk filling my viewfinder. A frontal position would not have been possible as due to the lens being very wide angled, I couldn’t stand behind the car parked in front as the roof would have blocked the lower part of the mural.
Then it was a matter of waiting in the freezing cold wind for passing people, and there weren’t to many around. The first that passed came in groups, blocking the mural, then people passed on my side of the sidewalk, with only their top half visible in the frame, also blocking the mural. I needed someone to pass close to the wall, so I could capture the whole person in front of the big face behind him.
With this guy I finally got lucky (after about 15 minutes and a few unsuccessful shots), as he passed close to the wall, and I managed to capture him in full stride, always something I look for when pressing the shutter. Perseverance paid off once more.
Street Photography Quick Tip 12 – Shoot from a Gallery
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. Today’s post is about changing the usual perspective of taking photographs from eye level by shooting down from a gallery in a shopping center. For a few, hopefully inspirational images continue after the jump… Continue reading “Street Photography Quick Tip (12)”→
Both photos were taken with my Ricoh GR II , image details are 1/40 sec @ f/2.8 and ISO 200 on the above shot and 1/45 sec @ f/2.8 and ISO 100 on the second image. As usual I kept the Ricoh in P-mode, so I could focus on getting the photo and less about worrying to get the settings right. These street moments happen only for an instance, you need to be ready for it, you don’t have the time to set up like for stationary landscapes or architecture. So “P” prepared 😉 and shoot in P-mode.
Voodoo | Portland | 2017
For me it is Travel Day again, I’m leaving the Rose City to head home to the Streets of Nuremberg via Amsterdam, hoping for another Polar Light Show while crossing the Northern Atlantic tonight.
Have you checked the tips and inspirations in my Learning Center? Are you looking for specific photography related advice? Anything out of the realms of Street- and travel photography you want me to write about? Let me know in the comments section!
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