peterm1
Veteran
I have noticed that when shooting in the street especially, it helps me tremendously if I bring the camera to my eye and scan the scene through the viewfinder for an image to shoot. When I just look normally often all I see is a milling crowd of people and things.
Besides if I do spot something, usually by the time I bring the camera up and shoot it is too late and the moment has passed. But the main thing is the visualization. Somehow looking through the finder makes the image "look" like a photo, I guess because it frames it and that helps me see the photo before I shoot. I suppose I must look a little goofy to be doing this for perhaps 30 seconds at a time but it seems to work.
I am interested in what are others experiences.
Here are a couple of examples in color. There is so much going on that it would be hard to see these images as being inherent in the scene without some kind of technique to help visualize them. And I should add that there is still so much happening in the final images that I decided to post process them a bit to emphasize all the movement and play off it.
Anyone who has shot the street will understand how hard it can be to get the image at the right moment. I think I have managed to do so more or less here although there were a billion others available on the day. Often when I open the image on my PC its only then that I see the full content of it. I think that there is a kind of imaging six sense involved and the shutter is pressed without even being full conscious of why I chose THAT moment to do so. I am convinced this is helped by that scanning technique.
Needless to say I like to experiment - that is half the enjoyment in photography and a sense of fun is essential.
Besides if I do spot something, usually by the time I bring the camera up and shoot it is too late and the moment has passed. But the main thing is the visualization. Somehow looking through the finder makes the image "look" like a photo, I guess because it frames it and that helps me see the photo before I shoot. I suppose I must look a little goofy to be doing this for perhaps 30 seconds at a time but it seems to work.
I am interested in what are others experiences.
Here are a couple of examples in color. There is so much going on that it would be hard to see these images as being inherent in the scene without some kind of technique to help visualize them. And I should add that there is still so much happening in the final images that I decided to post process them a bit to emphasize all the movement and play off it.
Anyone who has shot the street will understand how hard it can be to get the image at the right moment. I think I have managed to do so more or less here although there were a billion others available on the day. Often when I open the image on my PC its only then that I see the full content of it. I think that there is a kind of imaging six sense involved and the shutter is pressed without even being full conscious of why I chose THAT moment to do so. I am convinced this is helped by that scanning technique.
Needless to say I like to experiment - that is half the enjoyment in photography and a sense of fun is essential.
Last edited:
Benjamin
Registered Snoozer
You don't, you just shoot.
DNG
Film Friendly
BTW... Great shoots !
This is an interesting topic.
I was just out today with my Camera and 50mm Nokton.
I am not near a city that has 100's of people milling about, But, I was in a small town that has a few people on the sidewalks now and again. I digress....I was mostly taking images for the "streets/allies" thread, so not many people involved for the most part.
But, as I zigg zagged threw the allies and streets, I came across an ally that had painted murals of about 4 feet by 6 feet, and when I went the end, I turned around and saw a really cool image. It was the towns Government building with a long stair case dumping into the street, with the walls of ally to box it in...Only problem..I need a person to walk across the ally on the sidewalk to make it work.. I DID hold my camera to my eye until some one crossed the ally path, and I might of looked goofy, BUT, I did get quite a few images the way I saw it had to be. It will be a week or so before I can post any...
I am new to Street Photography, But, I can see very quickly from today, the camera must be ready and aimed in the right direction. I did miss a great image of a mother pushing a stroller across the ally path... I had my camera up to my eye for about 1 minute, I moved my head for a second, and I saw this mom w/stroller, and kicked myself for moving :bang:
But, keeping the camera up to the eye (I guess for 50s and 90s) is a good idea when I am tiring to capture people s they are walking towards me. With a 35 or 28, it's easier to use f/11 and zone focus from 5' to INF.
This is an interesting topic.
I was just out today with my Camera and 50mm Nokton.
I am not near a city that has 100's of people milling about, But, I was in a small town that has a few people on the sidewalks now and again. I digress....I was mostly taking images for the "streets/allies" thread, so not many people involved for the most part.
But, as I zigg zagged threw the allies and streets, I came across an ally that had painted murals of about 4 feet by 6 feet, and when I went the end, I turned around and saw a really cool image. It was the towns Government building with a long stair case dumping into the street, with the walls of ally to box it in...Only problem..I need a person to walk across the ally on the sidewalk to make it work.. I DID hold my camera to my eye until some one crossed the ally path, and I might of looked goofy, BUT, I did get quite a few images the way I saw it had to be. It will be a week or so before I can post any...
I am new to Street Photography, But, I can see very quickly from today, the camera must be ready and aimed in the right direction. I did miss a great image of a mother pushing a stroller across the ally path... I had my camera up to my eye for about 1 minute, I moved my head for a second, and I saw this mom w/stroller, and kicked myself for moving :bang:
But, keeping the camera up to the eye (I guess for 50s and 90s) is a good idea when I am tiring to capture people s they are walking towards me. With a 35 or 28, it's easier to use f/11 and zone focus from 5' to INF.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
If I have the time, I imagine I am holding the print in my hand and thinking how I could have improved it.
Otherwise I just shoot.
Cheers,
R.
Otherwise I just shoot.
Cheers,
R.
flip
良かったね！
I imagine the shot in the frame of the finder and consider if I would both to print it. If not, I try to reframe. If it doesn't gel quickly, I either missed it or it wouldn't happen anyhow. I am a conservative shooter with film.
yanidel
Well-known
Imagine the Terminator with two sets of mental framelines constantly moving (35mm and 50mm) to adjust to scenes unfolding around him. That's the way I visualize. 
By the time, I raise the camera to my eye, the raw composition is already set. Then I try to click at the decisive moment with last second adjustments to composition if needed.
The problem I find in your approach (scanning with the viewfinder) is that it will get you spotted more easily, and you will most probably alter the behaviour of your subjects, which is something I try to avoid. Also, it restringes your overall vision and perception a lot. While you are looking in the viewfinder, something might be happening just next to you.
Nice processing and frames by the way. The first shot would benefit from a bit more contrast, more like the second one.
By the time, I raise the camera to my eye, the raw composition is already set. Then I try to click at the decisive moment with last second adjustments to composition if needed.The problem I find in your approach (scanning with the viewfinder) is that it will get you spotted more easily, and you will most probably alter the behaviour of your subjects, which is something I try to avoid. Also, it restringes your overall vision and perception a lot. While you are looking in the viewfinder, something might be happening just next to you.
Nice processing and frames by the way. The first shot would benefit from a bit more contrast, more like the second one.
Last edited:
sara
Well-known
I think if I'm walking on a street and I know that there are people only at a certain distance away, I just set my lens to focus on those distances and usually, I just shoot, not looking in the viewfinder...hehe!
Pickett Wilson
Veteran
I've been looking through the finder of a 35mm camera for over 40 years, so I see the world in 3:2. The frame of a 35mm or 50mm lens is so internalized that I no longer have to think about it. I think that facility is much harder to develop, though, for those who have always shot zoom lenses.
Sparrow
Veteran
I do the visualisation bit on the contact sheet
Arjay
Time Traveller
I'm with Yanidel - photographing w/o looking through the viewfinder is a very rewarding exercise.
I am trying to consciously practice this shooting style. It normally takes a lot of light or very fast film so that zone focusing can be done reliably.
The real challenge is learning how to previsualize what the camera's lens is seeing even if I hold it far removed from my eye. Firstly, this is a good exercise in hand-to-mind coordination, and secondly imagining lens FOV is an interesting challenge. Right now, I find it easiest to visualize the FOV of a 35mm lens without the need to put the viewfinder to my eye. Somewhere in the net, I recall having read a text about the equivalent FOV for a number of 35mm film lens focal lengths in relation to human single- or double-eye vision, with indications of how to use 15mm, 28mm, 35mm and 50mm lenses in this way (I believe it was on Roger's site, but I can't seem to find it again - maybe someone else can fill that in).
Naturally, a little PP (straightening and cropping) is quite helpful to smooth out the quality of shots taken this way...
About half of the people shots I am showing in my RFF gallery have been taken in this way (if you're interested, all the shots that have "IYVF" - Ignore Your ViewFinder - in their title line).
I am trying to consciously practice this shooting style. It normally takes a lot of light or very fast film so that zone focusing can be done reliably.
The real challenge is learning how to previsualize what the camera's lens is seeing even if I hold it far removed from my eye. Firstly, this is a good exercise in hand-to-mind coordination, and secondly imagining lens FOV is an interesting challenge. Right now, I find it easiest to visualize the FOV of a 35mm lens without the need to put the viewfinder to my eye. Somewhere in the net, I recall having read a text about the equivalent FOV for a number of 35mm film lens focal lengths in relation to human single- or double-eye vision, with indications of how to use 15mm, 28mm, 35mm and 50mm lenses in this way (I believe it was on Roger's site, but I can't seem to find it again - maybe someone else can fill that in).
Naturally, a little PP (straightening and cropping) is quite helpful to smooth out the quality of shots taken this way...
About half of the people shots I am showing in my RFF gallery have been taken in this way (if you're interested, all the shots that have "IYVF" - Ignore Your ViewFinder - in their title line).
Last edited:
craygc
Well-known
What might sound a little cliche, but practice, practice, practice!!!
You really need to be able to see that frame in your head, which means you really need to know your lens. I know people also use zooms these days but for myself that just just adds one more dimension I don't need to handle - what is my FoV required? Is the lens set to that?. Practice also comes into play in choosing whether to shoot head on, shoot up or shoot down on the subject. As well, for non static participants in your image, you really need to see the elements coming together; identify where this coming together will occur and position yourself appropriately. This can often be where I would pre-focus to say, 2 mtrs, then judge when Im at that distance.
A street style of shooting is an exercise in sensory multi-tasking. Any attempt at performing tasks sequentially - (look for subject, lift camera and frame, focus, set exposure, shoot) - is not going to be a recipe for regular success.
You really need to be able to see that frame in your head, which means you really need to know your lens. I know people also use zooms these days but for myself that just just adds one more dimension I don't need to handle - what is my FoV required? Is the lens set to that?. Practice also comes into play in choosing whether to shoot head on, shoot up or shoot down on the subject. As well, for non static participants in your image, you really need to see the elements coming together; identify where this coming together will occur and position yourself appropriately. This can often be where I would pre-focus to say, 2 mtrs, then judge when Im at that distance.
A street style of shooting is an exercise in sensory multi-tasking. Any attempt at performing tasks sequentially - (look for subject, lift camera and frame, focus, set exposure, shoot) - is not going to be a recipe for regular success.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Surely visualization and framing are different exercises. Like Pickett, I know what will be in the 35mm frame before I raise the camera to my eye; but this does not strike me as anything like as complete an exercise as visualizing the final image.
Cheers,
R.
Cheers,
R.
user237428934
User deletion pending
For me seeing a specific framing is not such a big problem. I find it harder to judge if a 3D scene will also work as a 2D photo. A viewfinder is not a big help here. I need to look on the camera monitor or even better the computer screen to see if a scene works as a photo too.
nathanp
Established
I spot something interesting, look for compositional elements, get excited by what I've seen and then chicken out of raising my camera because there's people around.
That's why nearly all of my pictures are of inanimate objects.
That's why nearly all of my pictures are of inanimate objects.
ray*j*gun
Veteran
Yes nathan, one does take a risk these days when pointing a camera at people. I also have lost some nice shots for that reason.
Peter I like your method and will try it next time out! Thanks.
Peter I like your method and will try it next time out! Thanks.
Arjay
Time Traveller
Agreed - every time, I pull my deloped film out of the tank, it always is an adventure again to see whether I imagined it correctly or not. More often than not, I didn't. But I keep improving.
Keith
The best camera is one that still works!
I took a photo of a couple of people at work the other day and someone asked why I took that particular shot to which I replied ... "I saw the photo in my head before I took it!"
They couldn't seem to understand this but the photo did indeed turn out exactly the way I saw it before I'd even raised the camera to my eye. It generally works this way for me and I find the idea of scanning through the viewfinder quite odd!
They couldn't seem to understand this but the photo did indeed turn out exactly the way I saw it before I'd even raised the camera to my eye. It generally works this way for me and I find the idea of scanning through the viewfinder quite odd!
peterm1
Veteran
I took a photo of a couple of people at work the other day and someone asked why I took that particular shot to which I replied ... "I saw the photo in my head before I took it!"
They couldn't seem to understand this but the photo did indeed turn out exactly the way I saw it before I'd even raised the camera to my eye. It generally works this way for me and I find the idea of scanning through the viewfinder quite odd!
But I see the picture in my head before I take it too - its just that I find it helps me to see the image through the VF as sometimes images can look quite different this way than when you just use your eyes. It really does work. I am sure its something to do with framing an image.
Roger Vadim
Well-known
Really nice photo, Keith!
And a good example how previsualisation works: you where so fast that the guy has a hint of surprise in his eyes. great!
I close one of my eyes, esp. when using the 50mm - which comes quite close the field of vision of that lens (try it out). it also helps with composing two-dimensional - as if you would draw the scene. Taking drawing clases also helps - drawing and painting is all about translation in the end.
It has one negative effect though - people always think iI have some kind of nervous syndrom or think I am somehow stupid...
And a good example how previsualisation works: you where so fast that the guy has a hint of surprise in his eyes. great!
I close one of my eyes, esp. when using the 50mm - which comes quite close the field of vision of that lens (try it out). it also helps with composing two-dimensional - as if you would draw the scene. Taking drawing clases also helps - drawing and painting is all about translation in the end.
It has one negative effect though - people always think iI have some kind of nervous syndrom or think I am somehow stupid...
ferider
Veteran
I pre-visualize the FOV in my head, and frame with the viewfinder. Different things.
I find 28mm and 35mm particularly easy to pre-visualize, because of the geometries involved.
Roland.
I find 28mm and 35mm particularly easy to pre-visualize, because of the geometries involved.
Roland.