Three from Huntington Beach

[nixarma]

Hello!

I recently acquired a Contax G2 and a Planar 45/2, my first experience with a rangefinder (even if it isn't a RF in the classical sense!)

I've shot a few rolls of film with it and am really enjoying this camera. Here are some photographs from the past three weeks.

1. 'Summer Days' (lame tentative title)... Huntington Beach... w/ Ilford XP2 Super

2. Just a guy and his dog out around downtown Huntington Beach on a pleasant summer day... w/ TMAX-400

3. This kid helps his dad and granddad build these model ships. They set up a stall weekly at the Huntington Beach farmer's market. I found him to be a really bright and confident young lad, with a good knowledge of historical naval battles.

w/ TMAX-400

Your comments, criticisms and suggestions are welcome and appreciated!

Nikhil

 

[steamer]

Very nice, classic California captured, the place has changed so much and yet not at all. Any of these photos could have been taken in any socal beach town anytime since 1970.

 

[nikon_sam]

I like your thinking with the third shot...nice placement of subject behind subject...good eye...keep shooting...I want to see more...

 

[payasam]

The third has something. In the first, there's too much drab sky; and the dog in the second is hidden behind the bicycle.

 

[aizan]

nice pictures! i don't think the first has "too much drab sky". if nothing it articulates the shape of the tops of the bikes and boys. very balanced, imo.

 

[dostacos]

#2 is SO Huntington Beach, could have been shot in the 70s when I lived there [except shoulder Tattoos were not big then....]

 

[furcafe]

I think I agree w/the previous critiquers. I like the 3rd the best, though it is the least evocative of Huntington Beach. The 1st would probably have worked much better in color, preferably using a well-saturated film, to put some content in the sky & make the dudes & their bikes pop more, or perhaps in a more panoramic aspect ratio to reduce the sky & sand. The 2nd is cut off too much @ the top & there is too much dead space on the right (the smudge in the road in the lower right corner doesn't really work as a "leading line" to the guy & dog).

 

[Kin Lau]

I like #1 & #3.

#1 give a nice feel for the beach, a nice mood.

#3 is a nice way of presenting the craftsman & his craft.

 

[BSchall]

Nice pictures. #1 would have been better if you shifted a little to the right and hid the 2 trash cans on the horizon behind the people. The cans are very distracting. #3 is definitely the best, nice depth of field.

 

[nixarma]

Thank you all for your replies!

Parts of Huntington Beach do indeed have that timeless beach-town feel. I haven't lived here very long... a little over three years... but when I bike down certain streets I just get the feeling that things haven't changed in a long, long time.

I'll try and work on the suggestions for #1 and #3. The drab sky can't be helped much I think, esp in B&W, cos the sky is a cloudless, brilliant blue all the way until October. (I should perhaps try some infrared photography.)

I'm going to be leaving this place in a few months so I'm trying to make a collection of photographs of typical beach-side scenes. More photographs to come!

Nikhil

 

[canonetc]

I feel that No. 3 is the most interesting. Isn't the Contax a great camera?

chris
canonetc

 

[Morca007]

#1 Is working perfectly for me, the sheer amount of duality in the photo holds my interest, and I love the blown out sky, giving a contrast to the sand.

#2 However, isn't as attractive. It's a well exposed shot of a kind of interesting moment, but there isn't any meat to the subject.

#3 Is a very nice use of DOF and scale, I enjoy it.

 

[nixarma]

Canonet and Morca,

Thank you for your comments and apologies for not replying earlier! I've been busy at work and forgot about my post in this thread.

The G2 is certainly a work of art. I've recently acquired the Biogon 28mm for this camera and deriving a great deal of pleasure from using it. Lovely camera, lovely lenses!

( I agree with everybody about pic 2... there should be more opportunities for such photographs and I'll do a better job next time. BTW, Tyson the Skateboarding Bulldog lives in this neighborhood... I first saw him about 4 years ago... hahaha, crazy dog and crazy owner 🙂 )

 

[gns]

Must have missed this thread first time around. I spent a lot of time in and around HB growing up.

I think picture #1 is by far the best. And it is all about the sky/light. It really describes that intense beach sunlight perfectly. The posture of the two figures framed by the bikes also at rest. All basking in that light. The figures in the background work well too. Not sure about the trashcans, but that is minor. Good work.

 

[tajart]

beach photos

beach photos

Very nice, classic California captured, the place has changed so much and yet not at all. Any of these photos could have been taken in any socal beach town anytime since 1970.

i grew up on socal beaches and these, especially with the current retro bicycles, look as if they were shots from well before 1970.
i'm always amazed how life in the beach towns looks as if things never change.

 

[shadowfox]

I think #1 is fine as it is. If we want to have some fun, you can crop it so it emphasizes the boys sitting on HOT COALS... 😀

My fave is also #3, the detail on the ship is amazing, also the boy provides context and interest.