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Street Shooting with Peter Turnley


glenerrolrd

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Roger, your reasoning for choosing B&W was not what I expected, but makes sense and I will remember that as an alternitive for my mixed lighting shots. I guess I was expecting and emotional/artistic reason versus a practical reason. Regarding lenses, I am not surprised by your findings. One other thing, you are a tall guy and I would think rather imposing to strangers when you try to get in close. I would say 75% positive is very good.

 

Mark Gowin

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one lens...I think it comes down to attention, you only have so much attention to give, and street photography puts a premium on your awareness. You can choose to have awareness at a certain distance, choose to focus your energy on what is about to happen in front of you. The moment you start thinking of "this could be better with a different lens" is the moment you are not paying attention and three things will happen in front of you in quick succession. Or the moment you start thinking "I could use a coffee..."

 

I think the best tip is when you see a working situation get as much as you can. Too often I keep moving instead of trying for more.

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It was a little of both ...selecting B&W...Prague with the bridge and the main square have a lot of interesting light..some fog early ..great light in the evening. I also was learning form the pro s seeing what had worked in Prague..everything we saw was B&W.

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no question the tape is over the top ..but I used to tape my M s to protect them for resale....recently took the tape off a 20 year old M6 ...cleaned it up with alcohol and it looked new .. not positive this will work with the new finish as well

 

In that light, I think the tape is quite wise. The finish on the M8 doesn't seem to be quite as resilient as that of the M6 (...I can't speak to that of the M7 as I never owned one). The wear on my M8 over the course of the last nine months is more than that on my M6 over several years, and I'm shooting the same amount.

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This workshop was certainly different than I expected in two ways (1) we spent substantial time with 3 famous photojournalist that had pretty much photographed the area for 20-40 years ..in each case we could touch and handle large format prints...this is where the detail in a large print comes out...(2) the editing sessions with Peter were "priceless" ..he could review 300 images in 15 minutes ..finding the best 10-20..that was the first cut. Then when we put together the final presentation he pick and organized 15 images out of maybe 200 into a cohesive story .... every photographer had a distinctive style ..which he picked up on. This is an area I need a lot of work ..I can identify my favorite images but creating a narrative from images was new . Probably standard fare for many of the pro s but new for me. I ve made 15 quick prints on matte paper to show the work.

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one lens...I think it comes down to attention, you only have so much attention to give, and street photography puts a premium on your awareness. You can choose to have awareness at a certain distance, choose to focus your energy on what is about to happen in front of you. The moment you start thinking of "this could be better with a different lens" is the moment you are not paying attention and three things will happen in front of you in quick succession. Or the moment you start thinking "I could use a coffee..."

 

I think the best tip is when you see a working situation get as much as you can. Too often I keep moving instead of trying for more.

 

funny, this is pretty much the same thing I took away from my week at the Maine Photographic workshop too. I took a basic class there last year. The class was allowed to use only one prime lens, either a 35mm or 50mm and nothing else the entire time. It was very enlightening. Since that point I never used anything but my canon 35mm 1.4 and 5D combo even though I had a bunch of their best lenses in my bag. I ended up selling it all a month ago and getting an M8 with the 35mm summilux and am loving it, though there is a bit of a learning curve. Having one prime makes things so much simpler and enjoyable.

 

The only thing that is keeping me from getting the 28mm 2.0 is that I am hoping at some point there will be a faster version, though in reality I probably don't need it, I love the ability to shoot in very low light with no flash.

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The one lens rule was to get us moving. Looking at diferent angles and positions. The 35 summilux was the longest lens he wanted me to use. The 21 or 24 were ideal . I actually used 4 lenses at a time ..having two on the cameras and two in my vest . The 35 got a lot of use because of the 1.4 aperature ...which I prefered anytime I needed speed. ISO 640 worked fine just a little clean up in Lightroom. ISO 1250 was too much work. I also tried to cover the subject with 2 focal lengths to try different perspectives. If I was working with only one lens it would have been my 28/2.0 which I didn t take .

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I once had a conversation with a former old hand on this forum about going out with only one lens. He just wouldn't dream of such a thing. Full bag of two/three bodies and lenses or nothing at all, was his advice. I, however, think that restricting yourself in such a way means that you have to think more, with a definite contribution to the results.

 

Andy, I've been looking at the shots I took in Berlin and I reckon that I could have got 90-95% of them with a 28mm on the M8 and a bit of footwork.

 

As I get older, though perhaps not wiser, the idea of going out with just one or maybe two lenses appeals more.

 

Regarding getting close, it's all about the photographer's attitude IMHO, look as if you have the right to be there without being aggressive and I think you're 80% of the way to getting the shots.

 

Roger, dare I ask how much Peter's course cost? I have his Parisians book, and there are a number of strong images there - though with forewords by Boubat and Doisneau I'd be bound to say that <grin>

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Peter s workshops are all done through The Maine Photographic Workshops...theworkshops.com...This year he did 7 workshops each 10days(actually with travel an extra day for me to get over jet lag etc..I spent 13 days.) The price for the Prague/Budapest workshop was $1895 which I considered a good value. You pay your own hotels, meals and air fare. The hotels were 144 and 115 Euros ..food was actually inexpensive by my standards. He has 3 more scheduled for next year January...RIO/Carnival; May ..Paris and I believe its June..Rome.

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One of my all time favorite street cameras is a Rolleiflex TLR. Only one choice of lens, and it can be disarming because you approach your subject looking down into the camera and can easily look up and give a smile and still take the pic. It's also dead quiet and since the image is square I've often shot at a 90 degree angle to the subject as well.

 

One thing that interests me is how you think street photographing a heavily touristed European city would translate into photographing a tougher, medium size, non-touristed american city? Americans seem to have a lot more hang ups around personal privacy than most of the rest of the world and street photography can be a lot more intimidating. One of the reasons I find work by Winogrand and Gilden so compelling.

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The one lens rule was to get us moving. Looking at diferent angles and positions. The 35 summilux was the longest lens he wanted me to use. The 21 or 24 were ideal . I actually used 4 lenses at a time ..having two on the cameras and two in my vest . The 35 got a lot of use because of the 1.4 aperature ...which I prefered anytime I needed speed. ISO 640 worked fine just a little clean up in Lightroom. ISO 1250 was too much work. I also tried to cover the subject with 2 focal lengths to try different perspectives. If I was working with only one lens it would have been my 28/2.0 which I didn t take .

 

So did Peter know you cheated:)?

 

I have tried to get it down to the minimum-I have only the 25 zeiss on the M8 and a 35 in the bag or a flash if it is nighttime/party-time. But the camera is always around my wrist. And the bag is the smallest crumpler bag I could find to avoid the ability to take anything else. Mainly it is just there for when I want to put the camera away and do something else.

But even the bag could be done without. the act of taking it out of the bag has an effect. If I walk into a subway car with the camera out it is less noticed than if I see something and take the camera out. People notice reactions. If I react to something and take the camera out of the bag it is a bigger noise than if it was just out to begin with and I simply make the exposure. I think in hand it becomes a note-taker, a way to sketch continuously.

 

I have done almost no street shooting in Paris, a quick half day this summer. But I did not think it any different than new york. There are so many people you are lost in the fog. Where it is hard is when there are fewer people, then it sticks out more.

 

If I could offer one piece of advice it would be make work prints!-looking at the computer is not a way to edit. Just make quick small prints and tack them up and live with them. This computer thing is a barrier to really experiencing what you have done.

 

makes me want to take the paris workshop!

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Guest Bernd Banken

For 24x36mm cameras the 28mm lens is the most versatile lens for streetphotography I think. If careful handled it's possible to make headshots INCLUDING more area to tell a story. A 35 or 50mm lens "cuts" more from the interesting surrounding (when it's there).

 

Disadvantage of the above lens: more than 90% of photographers are not able to communicate with unknown people when they have a camera in their hands.....

 

THIS is something which must be trained in a workshop...:D

 

Bernd

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Guest Bernd Banken
Peter s workshops are all done through The Maine Photographic Workshops...theworkshops.com...This year he did 7 workshops each 10days(actually with travel an extra day for me to get over jet lag etc..I spent 13 days.) The price for the Prague/Budapest workshop was $1895 which I considered a good value. You pay your own hotels, meals and air fare. The hotels were 144 and 115 Euros ..food was actually inexpensive by my standards. He has 3 more scheduled for next year January...RIO/Carnival; May ..Paris and I believe its June..Rome.

 

people in the Nikon forum ask me frequently to make workshops for streetphotography, now I know the prices....:D

 

Bernd

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So did Peter know you cheated:)?

 

I have tried to get it down to the minimum-I have only the 25 zeiss on the M8 and a 35 in the bag or a flash if it is nighttime/party-time. But the camera is always around my wrist. And the bag is the smallest crumpler bag I could find to avoid the ability to take anything else. Mainly it is just there for when I want to put the camera away and do something else.

But even the bag could be done without. the act of taking it out of the bag has an effect. If I walk into a subway car with the camera out it is less noticed than if I see something and take the camera out. People notice reactions. If I react to something and take the camera out of the bag it is a bigger noise than if it was just out to begin with and I simply make the exposure. I think in hand it becomes a note-taker, a way to sketch continuously.

 

I have done almost no street shooting in Paris, a quick half day this summer. But I did not think it any different than new york. There are so many people you are lost in the fog. Where it is hard is when there are fewer people, then it sticks out more.

 

If I could offer one piece of advice it would be make work prints!-looking at the computer is not a way to edit. Just make quick small prints and tack them up and live with them. This computer thing is a barrier to really experiencing what you have done.

 

makes me want to take the paris workshop!

The point of one wide angle was to get your feet moving . This allowed you to explore the subject and avoided the standing in one spot and zooming the FOV. He selected the images from my submissions..focal length didn t matter if I left just a little room around the subject . The lead image of the Charles Bridge in Prague was shot with a 90/2.0 . Getting close with a wideangle also forced me to focus on using the full frame...general comments to all participants ...."What your edges ..either cutting off something or including distracting junk" and "Get closer ..make the subject larger in the frame" . As for the prints ...they do provide a different feel..some images get better and others loose interest. However volume does help ( assuming you pay attention to the details ) and going thru 3000 images makes printing impractical .
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Many thanks for both the photos and explanations for how the workshop unfolded, Roger. Your images are wonderful. I suspect Robert and I are not the only ones here now giving some thought to perhaps doing one of Peter's future workshops, based on your thread.

 

Jeff

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This is an absolutely fascinating thread to me, and the quality of the work has got me chomping at the bit to get out and try it.

 

The major hang up I have, as a North American maybe, is getting up close to people. It was amazing to see Peter almost climbing into the car at the wedding and breathing into camcorder-dude's ear. I'd be particularly interested in your experience's coming into the workshop Roger and leaving it, ie were you a fairly reserved guy coming into the workshop wary of asking to take somebody's photo?

 

Also, did Peter ask camcorder-dude if he could take his photo? His friend looks very puzzled by the whole thing.

 

I have a 28 which I find too wide for most uses, probably becuase it gets me too clsoe for my comfort. That said, I use it regularly to shoot the kids. I have just acquired a CV 35/1.7 and love the focal length, so much so that it is begging to become a 'Lux :)

 

Interestingly I find 75mm too long so maybe there is hope for me yet :)

 

I think it was Steve who said that he misses shots rather than ask somebody to take their photo, me too.

 

Tell me more Roger.

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street is really all in your mind...It is probably like jumping out of an airplane, more terrifying thinking about it then actually doing it.

 

I think the basic exercise is to give yourself an object lesson. Forget about making good pictures for a moment. Forget about focusing also. Use a very wide lens prefocused outdoors on a sunny day. The voigtlander 15 is great for this because you can't focus it! Anyway the results don't matter, it is all about psychology. Yours. Not the subject.

 

Go somewhere crowded and just stand for a while in the mass. Look around you. Every time you see "something" say "click" to yourself. Get used to your instantaneous response to something else. IOW, it is ok to be interested. Now without moving, keep looking at everything around you, and when you see something happen, or usually when you see something ABOUT to happen get the camera up to your face and frame. Forget that you are too far away and it is not going to work, get the camera UP in anticipation. Pretty soon you notice no one cares.

 

so now move the feet! If you see something about to happen get the camera UP! Frame! Maybe pause. Count how long in your head it is until someone reacts to you. Usually it is about 3 full seconds. Internally to you, because you had anticipated the action, it is longer. IOW, there is a SPACE inside that time that you can exist in that no one is aware of but you. that is the time you have to get the first picture. Sometimes that will be all you have, the action will dissolve. So keep moving. Smile, nod if you need to acknowledge someone. Stop to answer a question. Maybe you end up in a great conversation that leads elsewhere. Life is FUN! this is just an expression of your love of life. Being interested and paying attention is adding, not subtracting to the richness of life. We don't TAKE away a picture, we ADD our appreciation. We show our love.

 

And it is hard every time you go out to do it. There is always the hesitation, but really only the hesitation is the problem. Once you commit you find it is easier than you thought.

 

So mainly: you have to get the camera UP and frame. But don't forget to BE there as a person and look everyone in the eye and acknowledge them because you appreciate them. Smiling is good, after all, you are not doing anything wrong. And you are under no obligation to make "good" pictures. You probably will not know till later whether or not it was "good." the point is trying. You judge later.

 

things like long lenses are not helpful because they allow you to stand back and make pictures you know "work." If you go through life only making the pictures you know "work" then you will not find out what MIGHT work. So a wide helps you discover new things. This is not boilerplate, tho, look at Ralph Gibson, that whole series he did on a 90mm-BRILLIANT! Full of discovery. I could only dream of making those pictures. (and his pictures are very much like dreams...)

 

bottom line, anyone can do it if I can do it.

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One thing I'd add is to allow yourself to make mistakes. See them as a positive learning experience rather than a negative experience. As Robert says, push the comfort zone.

 

If you're not sure something will work, try it anyway, if it works you've learned something new. And all of us still have things to learn.

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Guest malland
...Disadvantage of the above lens [28mm]: more than 90% of photographers are not able to communicate with unknown people when they have a camera in their hands...THIS is something which must be trained in a workshop..
I don't think that a workshop is necessary to learn this: it simply comes natuarally when you use 28mm (or 28mm EFOV)lens. The first picture is with a 35mm EFOV; the second is with a 28mm EFOV:

 

 

1432698417_b63a541032_o.jpg

 

 

220781935_ab34a3cea2_o.jpg

 

 

—Mitch/Paris

Flickr: Photos from Mitch Alland

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