Fascinating encounter

peterm1 said:
Hmmm set me thinking. Too often when someone speaks to me in the street I pretend I did not hear or cut the incipient conversation short. I think after reading this I have decided that when an altercocker comes up to me in the street and speaks to me I will make the time to say g'day. After all it may lead to an encounter like this and even if it does not, when I am an altercocker myself perhaps someone will do me the same kindness.
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Good point.

I only started shooting street last spring, but I've been allowing myself to be open to such encounters with other people. Heck, it really makes the experience so much more rich, when you begin to form relationships with the very people that know the streets you are shooting. They can prove to be valuable "informants" to where your next shooting opportunity might be!
 
site bookmarked ! great story, you have been a lucky man (thanks to your wife who entered in the right shop in the right moment...). Such good photos from such a "simple" man ! thanks for the link
rob
 
The pictures of Marilyn got me to thinking... What kind of camera and lens did he use to take those photos? He talks about all the young wippersnappers using Leicas and Contaxs while the old guard pros used 4x5 Graflexes, etc. So, look closely at the pictures of Marilyn with her skirt blwoing: no blur anywhere, even at the extreme margins of the skirt; everything razor sharp, notice the pleats of the skirt and how perfect they are. Now, notice the Klieg light in the background shinning directly into his lens with no flare, no ghosting.

So, this picture must have been taken at high speed, I'd say 1/500 of a second which means the lens must have been wide open to get that kind of speed. Must have had to push the film hard in development. But why isn't the Klieg light causing flare and ghosting? I can't figure it out.

/T
 
Great and extraordinary pictures! This George Zimbel is yet another extraordinary good American photographer. You should befriend this guy and ask him to share with you the technique he has been using.
 
Ah! Here is the mystery thread. Cool Ned! You can never tell who you will bump into in Montreal, eh? 😉

ps, they just don't make light like that anymore.
 
About 10 years back one day I was sitting in a sidewalk cafe in my home city, having a coffee and watching people walk by. It was mid week, I was on leave and relaxed and had an M4-P with me together with a 35mm summicron. (My favorite for street work due to its resolution and depth of field.)

An old guy comes up to me and conspiritorially asks me who I am staking out. No one I say, I am just having coffee and taking a few shots. No he says I can see you are watching people and you have a camera you must be a detective. Whats up? He was curious not hostile but for about 5 minutes I could not get rid of him as he was convinced that I was a member of the police in plain clothes and was waiting to take someones picture. He did not sound nuts but .........who knows. I only recount this story because I am reminded of it by the encounter told in this thread. My old guy did not know a Leica from a box brownie and when I pointed out that I was using an old un metered Leica, something a police officer would be unlikely to do he looked quite blankly at me but asked again what sort of a stakeout I was on. Maybe he was an ex cop. Maybe he was an ex crim. Maybe he had just seen too many TV police dramas. Maybe he was lonely and just wanted to talk. I certainly did not get the impression he was a camera buff as the idea of someone sitting in a sidewalk cafe and taking pictures of strangers seemed utterly alien to him.

I guess that when you embark on street photography you have to be prepared for any kind of reaction. I have once or twice had hostility and anger directed at me, I sometimes see annoyance in peoples faces but they say nothing and walk on by but mostly people just ignore me if I meld into the crowd. And of course sometimes someone will recognise your camera and come up and say "M4?" or something similar. I have done the same and usually the reaction I get is friendly - the kind of friendliness that comes from recognising a kindred spirit. After all we all love to show off our pride and joy cameras and to talk to others who share our odd enthusiasm - otherwise we would not be here, on this forum, would we? :^)
 
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Thanks for participating, guys. Good photography indeed! Not all, but the good ones are smashing!

I'll maybe call Mr. Zimbel one of theses days, probably only to thank and applaud his work. 🙂
 
peterm1 said:
Hmmm set me thinking. Too often when someone speaks to me in the street I pretend I did not hear or cut the incipient conversation short. I think after reading this I have decided that when an altercocker comes up to me in the street and speaks to me I will make the time to say g'day. After all it may lead to an encounter like this and even if it does not, when I am an altercocker myself perhaps someone will do me the same kindness.
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Alter cocker is two words. I know because I'm one myself.:angel:
Kurt M.
 
Alter cocker is two words. I know because I'm one myself

Join the club! If I were being honest I think I would admit to this too. The photo you see of me here in my avatar is probably around 7-8 years old but sometimes I feel I have aged 20 in that time.
 
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I just have an encounter the other day as well, just a normal old man. As I was walking down the station he approached and look at me, took me a sec to realise he was trying to look @ the M3. And he ask why im not shooting digital, it strike me as strange really. When I told him it's a Leica and I rather have it, he suddenly brighten up and say, I used to have, a russian one, ah the Zorki. We exchange a few words and he left, such a nice guy
 
Thanks for the story and link. If you do talk to him again maybe mention RFF at the appropiate time. Maybe he'll come on and tell some stories. Im sure he's got a few.
 
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