We left the house early this morning around 0830 to do a nice 4 mile walk. Andre’, Garry and myself. The weather called for cloudy conditions….ISO 400 1/125 f/11 to give you an idea. Then it was supposed to start raining around 1300. I figured to be home before that happened. Well, as things go, it started raining by 0930. I had just a short time to try and find a few photos. Well, that’s exactly what I found, a few photos.
Ya know, when that wind gets going and there’s a dampness in the air…it’s anti street shooting. What, How and Why are you saying that shooter? Well, when I use a camera bag to haul gear and rest the uncamera holding arm on the bag, one must pay attention to weather conditions. Here’s why. I use a Luigi’s wrist strap on my cameras when I’m using a bag. So, the camera is now in my hand with a thumb grip and the strap. What happens is that, wind etc will blow against your hand and it will get either tired, cramped, agitated etc. It ain’t a pretty feeling I tell ya.
Well, I started walking into the National Historic Park area. It was just about empty. I am not used to seeing it so bare except in the coldest days of winter. I started walking to the glass houses that protect the diggings that no one was ever supposed to find because it proved that President George Washington had slaves.
So these two guys are standing right at the glass and the glass is sweating from the humidity and Andre’, oh yeah…Andre’ is seeing something I really didn’t. He does his twitch thing and I respond like Pavlov’s Dogs and get him up to the face and ready. See, I’m trained to respond to the subject matter and the camera. Sheeeesh…how else could ya got photos if ya aren’t trained to respond right away? So I raised Andre’ the Fuji XP1 with his 23mm lens that acts like a 35mm lens and together we framed the OVF finder that many people say can’t frame correctly because they haven’t learned how to see the way the camera sees and that means the camera ain’t any good but we don’t care because we gotz dem brains and we be a figgurin’ out howta see right.
I open the aperture like I said already and framed. Funny thing, in all seriousness, I am using the OVF because it’s just a manly thing to do and I frame and after I got up from the ground from when the guy bopped me on the head that I made the picture of, I checked the photo on the screen and it was perfect to what I remember from before getting knocked down.
We walked up the path towards Chestnut Street and this is where looking right, is the Liberty Bell. Just before that window, as I’m on the outside with Andre’ the XP1 and the 23mm lens that acts like a 35mm…I looked into one of the exhibition chambers. This National Park Service Guard is standing there and looking at the light. Click..yup that fast as I trusted Andre’ to get the exposure right. I didn’t have time to set aperture and or shutter speed. Andre’ whispered, “I got this, don’t sweat it”. Sure enough, he set the ISO to meet my exposure. I had to do a little work on these photos in LR and NIK because I wanted to discover what was in my head and sure enough….it happened.
Tomorrow the weather promises to be better and I can walk more that 2 miles. Maybe I can hit 6 miles and just find photos out there….till then, I wish all of you the peace and happiness I never found….
………………………………………………………………..shooter ouy!
Saul Leiter in black and white. Nice.
I will smile from my very essence and say..thank you.
I sent you a response a little while ago but it is not in the comments section??? However I mentioned that Adobe Photoshop records each Nik plugin or preset as layers on the right had side. I grabed a screen shot but I guess it does not work here for placement. Anyway. If you have Photoshop you can add and remove layers (plugins) as you see fit or go back and readjust.
Elliot, Thank you Sir. I know there are work arounds in NIK but regardless, there will be no history outside of it. I use it sometimes just to get my juices flowing but truth be told, LR is in my opinion a better program.
Thanks about the cameras. See, it’s like this. Sometimes I used to argue with my camera when I was outside shooting. You know….I thought you were gonna be at f/5.6 but noooo, you chose f/8 without telling me. Now here in Philly, when you sit on a bench and talk to cameras, that’s ok but when the cameras are answering you, that’s a problem…unless you know who’s doing the answering. Thus, why I name my cameras.
So if you were a Nikon Dealer, did you ever get to Kosmin’s Camera Exchange in Philly? The owner’s name was Herman Kosmin. He was a real old gem and I was proud to know him and call him my friend.
Yes, I was thinking of Saul. Could you believe I walked by him almost every day for 30 years and never it? I lived within spitting distance of those St. Marks church benches.
Anyway, those images here are infused with a spirit you should be proud of. They really grab me.
Thanks Keith. See, you don’t name your cameras so any spirits of shooters passed can’t enter your head, heart and process. I have an appointment with Saul’s spirit this evening and either you or Elliot should be getting a visit from him. You have to have an open mind and heart and then you’ll be free to accept the magic that can change the way you think and thus the images you seek.
Dave down there, yeah…yeah down there in that other comment…he’s too far away for Saul. He’s in the Midwest USA.
I’m open!
All righty there Keith…. I’m gonna borrow the Arthur Fellig Weegee board and summon up someone to work with you…..of course, you’ll have to publicly announce the name of your camera first. As Elliot posted, it’s a rare shooter that can announce the name of a camera.
It took me many years of seeing a shrink to be able to do that….he he he
Atget.
Great name for a camera. He would be proud Keith…… hold on….he is proud, just got word.
Don – you actually got bopped on the head while street shooting? You’re right – I’m too far away for Saul.
Dave, I actually got jumped a few times with my cameras. That’s the big reason I don’t carry the Leica’s anymore. Too much of a target. Here in Philly and I’m sure in NYC also, the thieves are more educated and selective.
I gotta say. Your older than me, not that there’s anything wrong with that….naming a camera changes our perspective about how we work together.
I can’t think of going out to shoot with a hammer in my hand. Don’t get me wrong. I love a good hammer like the old Estwings with the leather grips. When I work, I go into some kind of creative mode. I don’t think about my kids, grands wife, ex wives etc. I am out with Andre’ and Garry and it puts me in a frame of mind and spirit that creates a synergism between the world, my cameras and myself.
Sure I’m nuts but I feel that it’s ok because I get what Im going after. No, not so much photos but a peaceful feeling in the here and now.
You may be too far for Saul but I’ll bet your close to…………?