Abaolute total slop photos, anybody?

[dmr]

I was going to reply with this in the thread that got to talking about shooting from the waist or the hip as a means of being more discreet, but I couldn't find it.

Anyway, I got to thinking ... thinking of trying some waist and/or hip shots essentially uncomposed (at least in the viewfinder) things like street shots or in places where I don't want to be obvious that I'm taking photos.

Then I got to thinking some more. At some concerts and shows (yeah, yeah, at some of them they don't want you shooting at all) I'll take a few shots, and in some cases quite a few shots almost blind. I'll zoom the lens wide as far as it will go, hold the camera up above my head, aim as best I can, and hope for the best, then fix it as much as I can in Photoshop. I've got to the point that I can hold and shoot either portrait or landscape format over the head and although lots of them aren't worth the effort to print, some of them do work well.

Does anybody else do any total slop shots? How often do you find they work?

I've attached a few examples. In all I'm shooting blind above the head, mainly to try to get the subject as opposed to backs of other heads. 🙂

I like the one in particular with the fan's hand outstretched to Lionel. 🙂

 

[Fedzilla_Bob]

When I think of a "Slop" shot, I think of one that is really sloppy, unintentional even.
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=9849&cat=4891&page=2

Your shots of Lionel look pretty nice, especially when one considers that you did a "Hail Mary."

 

[dmr]

When I think of a "Slop" shot, I think of one that is really sloppy, unintentional even.

Maybe "slop shot" is not the correct term.

Your action grille looks like (sorry) one of those shots you sometimes get when you fire off a couple quickly to advance to the zero on the frame counter. 🙂 🙂

Your shots of Lionel look pretty nice, especially when one considers that you did a "Hail Mary."

Thanks. 🙂 I was actually right up in the groupie section.

I guess maybe "Hail Mary" is a better term for that kind of shot. You'll sometimes see press photographers do it, at least on film or TV.

 

[Fedzilla_Bob]

Your action grille looks like (sorry) one of those shots you sometimes get when you fire off a couple quickly to advance to the zero on the frame counter. 🙂 🙂

No need to say sorry, because that is exactly what happened there. But for some reason I like it. I know... I'm different that way.

I guess maybe "Hail Mary" is a better term for that kind of shot. You'll sometimes see press photographers do it, at least on film or TV.

Yep, my brother was the first person to tell me that was what I was doing. He was a Washington Post photographer.

 

[StuartR]

This was just a "hope it is in the right place and shoot" shot with the Hexar AF. Notice that the AF focused on the car, not the guy...Slight crop, shot from the side of my hip in vertical orientation.

 

[jmilkins]

I've got a couple of images I like - taken on a vintage car rally in New Zealand in 2004. Used a Bessa L and a CV 15mm, and I just guessed the composition - not that I was not going to have trouble with field of view with that lens - but I like the full frame results.

 

[hoot]

John, I really like the first of those two shots. The second one is fun, too, since it tells me that even though you may not have been looking through the viewfinder, you did take the trouble of attaching an external viewfinder for the wide angle lens - its shadow is clearly visible.

 

[StuartR]

That first one really is great. Wonderful shot!

 

[dmr]

Here's one I just stumbled across in the gallery. Hope the link posts. 🙂

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=10551&cat=4903

 

[tekgypsy]

this is a pic that's in my gallery... let me tell ya the story..

i was out at Point WIlson to get the Ligthhouse Pix i was after... the wind was blowing to beat the band (check out the sea oats in the background) i was playing around with apperture settings and just when i went to take the pic a big gust of wind darn near blew me over...

this pic is the result... i love the pic but can't even take credit for it because it was an accident

 

[nksyoon]

I do this occasionally with my DSLR in crowded areas like flea markets or street festivals. I haven't tried this with my Mamiya 6 yet (my only RF). I use a 17-40mm lens at 17mm, preset at f/11 or 16, ISO400 and manual focused on 1m. Lots of rejects, but occasionally some decent ones.

Here's some in my pbase gallery. None of them were composed in the viewfinder, all shot from the hip or chest.

Cheers,
Nick.

 

[CleverName]

I swear I did not plan this shot. I was stepping back to let this young lady pass when a guy bumped into me. I remember thinking, "dammit! I've only got a few shots left on this roll and just wasted one!" I had no idea what I shot until my wife saw the contact sheet :bang:

This was the first time I'd tried shooting my Yashica GSN in a bar. I shot all night at f/1.7 and flash mode (1/30th). With Ilford 3200@3200 it worked pretty well.

 

[RML]

Lucky shots? Winged shots? I have a few. 🙂

The first one is a hipshot with my Leitz Minolta CL and CV25/4; small, noiseless camera with nice wide angle lens. But still, I was so close to these men, selling and buying books on Sukhbaatar Square in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, that I was lucky not to cut off any heads.

The second shot is an over-the-head shot in the inital climb of a rollercoaster ride in Beijing Amusement Park. Bessa R and J8 50/2. Uncropped! This is one out of two shots I was able to take before the top.

 

[Doug]

It's fun to just set the camera by guess and hold it up/out and just give it a shot! First one held up over the counter, the second is a self-shot at the dentist...

 

[hoot]

Doug, the "Subway" shot is hilarious!

 

[vladhed]

I've got a couple of images I like - taken on a vintage car rally in New Zealand in 2004. Used a Bessa L and a CV 15mm, and I just guessed the composition - not that I was not going to have trouble with field of view with that lens - but I like the full frame results.

Ooh yeah, just saw those. Love this one
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=10002

 

[jmilkins]

Hi all

Thanks for your comments on my grab shots. It alot of fun and you statrt to get your eye in after a while...

Vladhed I do have to say that the one you mention (http://www.rangefinderforum.com/pho...php?photo=10002) I actually did frame in the finder, though I nearly fell out of the car doing so.... 😱

This one :

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=11039

and this one :
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=11040

were grabs without using the the finder...