Is flash important for street photography at night?

[haljaberi]

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I really need your help in this one, as I don't like to go for larger ISO values for street photography. I do 80% of my street photography at day and rest at evening. I received my M4-P yesterday and I am going to use it for B/W exclusively. Majority of the time, I will be taking pic at low light situation using my 28mm Summilux or 90mm Pre-ASPH Summicron lenses.

 

I tried to research for resources related to this topic and majority of them are discussing larger ISO value, which I don't desire at this current stage, kindly I like to know your opinion,

 

Thanks

 

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[dancook]

Depends on the kind of street photography you're going for? and what you think is high ISO? High ISO to me is 12,500/12,800

 

I'm sure flash could be used creatively, but I like to be unnoticed.

 

Theses are all relatively low ISO in my opinion, with a wide aperture and managed shutter speeds you can make the available light work for you.

 

(Oh I realise this is a 'film' thread, still you can get these ISOs in film right?)

 

28mm 1.7 ISO 1250

 

L1100998 by dancook1982, on Flickr

 

28mm 1.7 ISO 1250

 

L1100978 by dancook1982, on Flickr

 

 

28mm 1.7 ISO 2000

 

L1100815 by dancook1982, on Flickr

 

28mm 1.7 ISO 640

 

L1060820 by dancook1982, on Flickr

 

28mm 1.7 ISO 1250

 

L1070541 by dancook1982, on Flickr

Edited June 29, 2017 by dancook

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[haljaberi]

Depends on the kind of street photography you're going for? and what you think is high ISO? High ISO to me is 12,500/12,800

 

I'm sure flash could be used creatively, but I like to be unnoticed.

 

Theses are all relatively low ISO in my opinion, with a wide aperture and managed shutter speeds you can make the available light work for you.

 

28mm 1.7 ISO 1250

 

L1100998 by dancook1982, on Flickr

 

28mm 1.7 ISO 1250

 

L1100978 by dancook1982, on Flickr

 

 

28mm 1.7 ISO 2000

 

L1100815 by dancook1982, on Flickr

 

28mm 1.7 ISO 640

 

L1060820 by dancook1982, on Flickr

 

28mm 1.7 ISO 1250

 

L1070541 by dancook1982, on Flickr

I really love the photos that you've posted, I am wondering if Leica M film can create the same output without post-processing application.

 

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[michaelwj]

A few points.

All photography has post processing, film included.

No, your film photos will always look like film photos, and digital photos will always look like digital photos. If you want to get the look of digital photos, shoot a digital camera.

You can use flash in street photography, many people have. To mind comes Bruce Gilden and Martin Parr.

[Ko.Fe.]

BW films like HP5+ are pushable up to ISO1600 and results are very printable. ISO3200 is extreme for bw pushable films or as 3200 film.

 

Flash is usable for any photography including street at the night. It is up to you if you like to flash it like Bruce Gilden does or just as fill-in.

You could also drag the shutter at 1/8 and use flash. Results might be interesting.

 

Fill-in flash. ISO100 film:

 

 

I doubt you'll get something reasonable on 90mm lens with flash.
Too long lens for street photography any way. It is very special lens, which HCB used less.

 

 

Not pushed HP5+ and 35 3.5 Summaron on M4-2. Something like 1/8. No flash.

 

Same. With 1/30.

 

 

 

f1.5 50mm lens on M3 ELC with Kentmere 400 rated at speed box. No flash. (Print)

 

 

I recommend to use light meter on the phone to measure light at night. Most accurate and convenient way. 

 

You are not going to get good street pictures at night if you will not shot where light hits the night.

 

M3 ELC same f1.5 lens and Kentmere 400 at box speed. Darker scene. Flash will ruin it with too much reflecting glass.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[erl]

1st, decide on the look/style you want.

Flash will (nearly) always give an unnatural look to your images, especially if there is any depth to your subject. Light falls off drastically with distance. You may like this look, but it (nearly) always looks artificial. ie. not natural light.

 

OTOH, available light will always look natural, because it is. This will often also mean low levels of light requiring faster lenses and/or higher ISO. Some films are good for push processing and can deliver nice moods at night with deep darks and bright highlights.

 

You will need to experiment to see how you manage it all and find what you like. It takes time and experimenting. Enjoy the journey of discovery.

[erl]

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Another point to consider re. flash. 'On camera' flash always gives a flat look which is mostly un attractive because there is almost no modelling to the percieved light. Moving the flash 'off camera' will greatly enhance the lighting, but rapidly becomes phyiscally more cumbersome to handle and control. Fun to experiment with though. Using multiple flash heads takes you into another realm and allows you to more closely simulate natural light.

[adli]

What is your shooting style? Do you want to be Bruce Gilden or the invisible man in the street? The answer to your question is inside you, you will not find the answers searching the web.

[JBA]

Why the resistance to shooting high ISO? I found that Ilford Delta 3200 always produced exceptional results in ambient light.

 

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[lb1800]

BW films like HP5+ are pushable up to ISO1600 and results are very printable. ISO3200 is extreme for bw pushable films or as 3200 film.

 

 

f1.5 50mm lens on M3 ELC with Kentmere 400 rated at speed box. No flash. (Print)

 

 

I am very drawn to this image - I like it a lot. Thanks for posting.

[lb1800]

Sorry Ko.Fe. something went wrong in my quoting you.

[MarkP]

A few points.

All photography has post processing, film included.

No, your film photos will always look like film photos, and digital photos will always look like digital photos. If you want to get the look of digital photos, shoot a digital camera.

You can use flash in street photography, many people have. To mind comes Bruce Gilden and Martin Parr.

 

 

...and Adam Miller ;-)

[haljaberi]

Thanks for the responses, I decided to use the lightmeter at my Android device. I noted it kind of fun as I realized the shutter speed for indoor photography. And they are really slow shutter speed unless the lighting are really good then I can push shutter speed to 60 with F4.

However, i cannot Freeze movement at that shutter speed.

 

The main reason I don't use film speed more than 800 is due to customs inspection and potential to damage the film when traveling

 

 

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[Ko.Fe.]

Film damaging due to traveling in 99% has nothing to do with ISO of the film. On bright and sunny day I dropped exposed film on the asphalt and one cap went off from re-loadable cassette. Few frames were damaged, most were not!

X-Ray damaging film is the myth which is keep on circulating on-line, but long gone from real life. If you are using ISO400 BW film @1600, it is still ISO400 film emulsion, you are only pushing it @1600 during metering and developing.

ISO400 films are safe for travel. I have ISO400 film which was delivered to Moscow first from Europe, then it went from Moscow to Canada and was tossed for few weeks back and forth on customs, then Canadian customs, then I took back to Moscow, exposed it and went back to Canada with extra x-ray at customs in Warsaw (long connection, I went out). Film was developed and absolutely no problems. People are asking for prints and telling me I could publish the photo book

 

Moscow subway, I deliberately overexposed the print. ISO400 film, f2.5 and something like 1/15.

Subway Roses. by Kostya Fedot, on Flickr 

 

With practice you could freeze the moment with f4 and 1/60. I don't know how it is called in English. But you could often find the phase for the motion at the zero, neutral, dead point. Same principal as with ball which was thrown up. It goes up and up and at some point it stops, before it goes down. Often this kind of point is present in other objects motions. Just wait for it. 

[haljaberi]

Mr. Ko Fe,

I appreciate you sharing your experiences with me. As a matter of fact I use M4-P and it is fun to use it everyday. I guess you understand why I cannot push 400 film to ASA 1600.

 

I liked how you described freezing the moment at 1/60. I noted there always chances, where I should use focus ring faster. It is really kind you mentioned it, now I will practice this skill until I master it.

 

Language isn't a barrier as I understood your message.

 

 

 

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