Tag Archives: Street Presets

Black & White, Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street Presets

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 28 … Street … Deciphering and Realizing Intent

October 29, 2015 streetshooter 14 Comments

Sometimes when I’m out making photos, I start to get a feeling of some sort. I mean I don’t try to define it emotionally or with words but I try to see it and make a photo of it. That must be my intent turning on and guiding me thru the world I am in and helping me to find visually what inside I am feeling. It is not an easy process but one I would never want to be without. So at what point do I determine if my efforts have realized what my intent was after. Well, it’s a process. I guess there are steps to realize intent and not always the same steps and not always the same order of steps. Not that is so ambiguous, but it tries to clarify the ambiguity of the image and even before it is captured at times, in fact, many times.

The above photo: I saw this steam coming from the ground. it was blowing out the highlights, perfect for me. I saw the light overhead and it made the steam into something more surreal, more of a piece of a dream. I’m under a tunnel so it’s dark all around, but the light shines into the darkness and makes it not so fearful. I love what I’m seeing, but I’m not seeing enough. I looked up and saw the light at the end of the tunnel, the glow was growing and I could feel the photo being formed and wanted it to be born. I looked down again and moved slightly left to create tension with the lines and then quickly looked up. I couldn’t believe my eyes. All the sudden out of nowhere the Photo Angel sent me a the Angel of darkness and I saw my photo…..Click.

The thing is, to have all three elements of the self-find and realize your intent. The Eye, Heart and Mind work together to find the subject and realize the intent. The entire process from start to finish is ambiguous and should be allowed to remain that way.

Some say that I am obsessed with death. Maybe that’s true but who isn’t. It’s the one question we never live to get an answer too. I was at the Frankford Transportation Center, my favorite place to work, and I saw this guy with a face on his belly. It looked like the face was coming out of him. I knew before release that this photo would require post processing but I knew what it would need. Click……..

When I imported the photos into LightRoom, I saw this one and it was ok but not finished. So I opened the Develop Module and started to relax. I remembered what I was feeling at release and open my presets. ( I got these Presets from a guy named Shooter. My shrink says he’s the same as me but I don’t believe it.)…. I clicked thru a few and hit this one. It’s Afterlife. A little tweaking here and there and I saw what I felt and wanted to feel. I realized my intent.

Have a blessed day…….. end transmission …………..

Black & White, Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street

Philly Street Shots

May 13, 2015 streetshooter 8 Comments

It’s been said that I make strange photos. To me they aren’t as strange as they may be to you. I think the jury is out on this.

I’m walking around the streets that I am very familiar with and then something attracts me and I see something that triggers my thoughts and feelings. If this doesn’t happen, I don’t make the photo. I guess that’s why I have always been a light shooter. That means that I don’t make many photos in a day. I’m trying to SEE my photo and not just look for it. The upper right of this frame is a poster on the glass and I’ve been looking at it for 3 days. Today, I was walking to the Veterans fair at Municipal Services Plaza and I stopped dead in my tracks. I said, hey shooter, that poster is a block down the street, lets you and I go check it out and see if we can make it today. Well, I thought, who the hell are you anyway but it was a good idea. Si as I walked and got close to the poster all the sudden this woman sits down and I was shaking and then I saw this gy leaning against the wall and I was really getting excited. The woman was looking to the left for the bus and I raised the camera. I framed tight and then as if all things would be right in the universe, she turns to me and stares at my lens….click!

I have passed thru the center of City Hall countless times thru my life. I love the light under there and it always brings the feelings of going to the light or the hereafter. There’s just something about the light that grabs me. I like the photo. It’s not a real winner but it represents how and what I felt at the moment of exposure. For that reason, for me it works.

I’m going to be starting the One a Shoot thing again and Olivier and I are getting the Forum back up and running.

More tomorrow……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Black & White, Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

Andre’ the Fuji X100s … 9 Months … Still My Best Friend

February 8, 2015 streetshooter 12 Comments

The time of slow down could be seen as a productive time for the backend of process. I mean, working LR and getting organized and cleaned up is always a good thing. It’s no so much that I live in chaos and disorganization, I don’t. I’m diligent about this sort of thing. It’s the Windows 8, Imac, LR camera, world meeting of the lost mind of one known as Shooter.

See, all my things go haywire and do it in a way that makes me think it’s a conspiracy of things, thoughts, principles and actions set against one known as Shooter, aka me. Luckily I take good meds and that assures me that it’s not just against me. I am not the only target. All youse out there are targets also.

I know, I know. No one wants to admit about the breakdown of the natural order of all photographic concepts and thoughts and principles are on the attack, but they are. What? You think only you get to feel the Winter Doldrums and have an excuse for not doing much. Oh, ye of little faith. Be it known that all things in the known universe are susceptible to the Winter Doldrums Fall Out and be lazy phenomenon.

So, with all this going on Andre’ the Fuji X100s beings the finest camera ever designed in the known universe and I’m told by the higher ups that he is also the finest designed camera that will ever be borne in the known or unknown universe. That’s saying something but damn right, I’m a saying it.

Oh, yeah… sorry. Racing thoughts happen to plague me and from time to time I don’t realize that I’m in a racing thought mode but sometimes I do and it doesn’t matter because by the time I get to the end of the racing thought train I forgot what I was thinking before I started the racing thought syndrome.

This is one of those times.

Andre’ felt we needed to get out and burn some battery power. So I cleaned his eyes and his rear accommodating visual apparatus for Shooter to see what he sees. We started walking and Andre was nice cause it’s cold and my hands were getting cold but his internal heating system puts out just enough heat to keep him from freezing in my hand. Film cameras like the M Leica don’t do that and you can get a frozen M to your hand and it ain’t pretty I tell ya.

We we are walking and he’s looking at the girls. Andre’ is a leg man. He gets that from 1st Generation Andre’ the Leica M4 from the 70’s. He made photos of legs that sold very well called Gambe’ Game.

We are walking and I’m still feeling detached from everything. I mean everything is there but I don’t feel connected. I don’t care about things because I just don’t. I do care about people. I love people and I’m told I may be a people too, imagine that.

Then why feel disconnected? Why is that detachment so obvious? Why care about it anyway? It’s an aura that we can’t see or feel until it presents itself to us. I am a BBC and CNN watcher. I get info from there. When I really want to see what’s going on in the world, ya know where I look? Flickr. Yup, that’s right. Flickr shows us what everyone is doing all over the world. It shows us how people are feeling and responding.

My flickr friends keep me focused on many things. Andre’ the Fuji X100s keeps me tuned to reality as we know it.

I walked passed this window and a woman was sitting there all alone in her store. No customers and kinda sad looking, I walked passed. I stopped in maybe 10 seconds. I looked at Andre’ and changed my exposure. Andre’said, go for it. If you mess up, I got your back and will change the ISO. I always trust him more than any camera I ever had. Wait a sec…. don’t gimme that shit like he’s the only camera I have. Don’t go there because the Leica crowd will castrate me. Get it.

I put Andre’ to my eye and then like magic, this woman looked me dead in the eyes. I mean I’m outside and she’s inside and I knew she would never know I was there. Then as I clicked the shutter and put Andre’ to rest in my hand, she smiled at me as if she knew I was a human being too.

I remember being about 10yo and climbing on the side of this building. That was 55 years ago and that building still remembers me. Maybe it made photos of me climbing or maybe it’s soul missed me because when I saw it, I was compelled to see my old friend in a photo. I wish I had a camera back then because then I would have better memories of people and things and pets.

Memories. Interesting thoughts. I mean when winter Doldrums hit and there’s nothing to make photos of, maybe then it’s time to make the real photos that will mean more as every day passes. It’s sad to get lonely but it’s sadder to get complacent with ourselves and life.

There exist nothing around you that doesn’t have the beauty of the universe in it. Just look at everything, no not like the first time your seeing it. That’s a bunch of shit. Look at anything as if it’s the last time you will ever see it. Make a photo of that experience and poooof, winter doldrums be gone.

speaking of which, I’m outta here till shortly……..

be blessed on your journey my friends………………………………………..shooter out…………………………………..

Black & White, Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

September 18th, 2014 … The One Shot Photo Project Begins … Come One, Come All

September 18, 2014 streetshooter 14 Comments

I’m making a challenge to myself and youse all shooters. The one shot photo project is just what it sounds like. One photo per shoot. Not one a day, a week, a month or a year. Simply put, one shot for every shoot you do. It’s up to you to decide how many photos you make CasinoinUS on a shoot but only one can be submitted per shoot. You don’t have to do this, you know it and I know it. This is something I learned from Ding McNulty and it has proved to make me focus on my work with a clear and clean vision. The thing is, it helps me to really commit to my images because I can only choose 1. I slowed down a lot back in the 70’s thru all my film decades. Now with digital, it’s like overabundance is par for the course.

So, if your interested, submit a photo under the One Per Shoot Project, send it to me by email (streetshooter.us@gmail.com) along with a statement about the photo and the experience of making it. A paragraph or so is cool. You can do this more than once soooo be awake and alert and find that ONE SHOT.

If your up to doing this, then here’s what will happen. You will be put on the Inspired Eye Blog and have a chance of getting into the Inspired Eye Magazine.

The idea behind this is to create energy to work but not to have to make it a burden. This will actually tune your vision and help to eliminate boredom and loss of direction. If you make a good effort doing this, you will find a new strength in your work and vision.

I hope that youse will partake in this project as I am committed to doing it again, and again.. and again……

……………………………………………………end transmission, thanks again Ding………………………………………………………………………….. shooter out……………..

Black & White, Color, Dreamcatcher, Garden, Inspired Eye, Off Street, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Street Presets, Streetshooter, Uncategorized

September 15th, 2014 … Andre’ The Fuji X100s … Meets … Ding The Nikon Coolpix A

September 15, 2014 streetshooter 26 Comments

Look, don’t get me wrong, ok. I really do love the X100s and it provides a wonderful working experience.

What, but everyone knows that already. Ok, ok! Andre’ is upset because I called the camera X100s and not it’s proper name, Andre’. He also said, “Look shooter, everyone calls you Don or shooter. No one calls you the human or photographer and you wouldn’t be without me anyway.” So now I get it. Andre’ the Fuji X100s is jealous

See, word on the camera shelf is that there’s a new kid on the block. Yes, it’s very true. The Nikon Coolpix A has taken up residence on the current camera shelf. The new camera has been named Ding, after Kneeland Ding McNulty.

Ding mentored me for a while and gave me valuable life lessons and how to youtubemp3now.com have photography fall in love with me. He wasn’t concerned about my love affair with photography but wanted to make sure that photography and I had a life long symbiotic relationship. So I decided to name the Nikon after him. So of course Andre’ is upset and kinda jealous because he thinks he will get less street time than he used to get. Nothing could be further from the truth. See, both Andre’ and Ding will be out with me always starting Wednesday. Till then, Ding and I are reacquainting our selves as it’s been decades since we spent time together, at least on the physical plane.

See, for me it used to be a 35mm lens on my M Leicas. The when the digital imaging made cameras that worked like cameras, it seemed that 28mm was the preferred focal length. I still lean to the 35mm FOV but the 28mm FOV has a place embedded in my brain’s firmware. Well, now that my brain is back from vacation, I will have to update it’s firmware to the Nikon;s UI and FL and combine that with Andre’, the Fuji X 100s.

There are thing for me to write about and I am excited again to feel visual freedom once again. Ding is proving to be a worthy companion and I hope in due time that Andre’ and Ding will get along.

At any rate, I’ll be posting more for the next few weeks as the discovery and challenges arise working with these two cameras.

Shooter Out……………………………

Black & White, Color, Dreamcatcher, Garden, Inspired Eye, Off Street, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Street Presets, Streetshooter, Uncategorized

September 1st, 2014 … Fuji X100s Light Duty

September 1, 2014 streetshooter 1 Comment

It’s Labor Day Weekend and I’m doing little to labor myself. Had to go to the shore cause my friend Joe died a few weeks ago and I had to secure the house and things. So after I set the alarm secured.onlinegambling2014.com code and organized a little, we went to the Boardwalk in Atlantic City.

I just made a few snaps cause I wasn’t in the mood for much of anything. Anyway, her’s a few photos that were made with the FujiX100s.

Ya know, color is really nice with this camera but I still don’t see or feel it, I’m kinda trusting the camera to get it right and it does.

Well, I guess I’l go do the Bar B Que for Tanya and get back to photography tomorrow…..

Seeya’s, ………………………………. shooter, exit stage left…………………………………………………………

Black & White, Color, Dreamcatcher, Garden, Inspired Eye, Off Street, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Street Presets, Streetshooter, Uncategorized

August 30th, 2014 … Hurry, Hurry, Read All About It … Inspired Eye Issue 13 Published

August 30, 2014 streetshooter 2 Comments

Well, it’s out. It’s no secret anymore. The Inspired Eye Issue 13 has been released. The news stands are backed up with a line a block long. Every bookstore in the known Universe has a line that will take you an hour to check out, It’s that good.

Here’s the thing….. because you are a faithful follower of my antics and writings and thoughts, I am giving you a pass to the back door. You can use this pass for all your friends and family too…..please spread it around.

Here’s the pass to get the new exciting just published, hot off the press, Issue 13:

http://www.theinspiredeye.net/street-photography-magazine/

Don’t waste anytime on this one it’s bound to sell out….is that even possible, dunno but it’s a great read…..

Enjoy your weekend, be blessed and find peace on your journey.

shooter out………………………………..transmission terminated by user with brain on vacation…………………………………………………………………….POOF!

Black & White, Color, Dreamcatcher, Garden, Inspired Eye, Off Street, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Street Presets, Streetshooter, Uncategorized

August 24th, 2014 … Fuji X100s and Fuji X-20 … The Important Difference

August 24, 2014 streetshooter 26 Comments

There is one major difference between the Fuji X100s and the Fuji X-20. No, it’s not the mp or the processing engine. It’s not the UI or Grip. It’s not the size or even the battery. All these things one could compare and see a difference. I think the most important thing that distinguishes the the cameras from each other is none of the above,

The important thing for shooters is the ASPECT RATIO. Yeah of course it’s obvious but, why didn’t you write about it? ok then, let me get into this a little. Here’s the thing. The frame or box as we call it must be seen from a few vantage points.

!st…. the idea of seeing your frame as a BOX or a Window. This works in a few ways…..

psychologically, if we see a frame as a BOX, that means we are seeing a confined area and we deal with what’s inside that frame on it’s own.

The other ways is to see the frame as a WINDOW and leave ourselves open to the possibilities to what may come into our frame and thus be aware of things around us. Both methods are acceptable and should be applied as the shooter sees fit. Of course the camera plays a bit in the but it’s easy to adapt to any camera if one desires to use it. I can’t of course and will throw cameras out the window if they bug me…..of course this has never happened but it could. I leave myself open to the possibility of Camera Throwing Out The Window Procedures.

The real important thing between cameras is how IT SEES and how it FORCES you to SEE. The ASPECT RATIO is just about that. You have, well I have 3:2 in the Fuji X100s and I have 4:3 in the Fuji X-20. It may seem like it’s not a big difference but dynamically, it sure as heck…..is. The words active/passive come to play here. NO! I’m not showing examples altho’ I did really.

Use your images to compare, ok? 4:3 is a passive rectangle. 3:2 is an active rectangle. This means whether you are aware of this or not, it effects how you frame you shot. It also effects how the viewer sees the photo and the info it contains.

So using the 2 cameras means to be aware more of aspect ratio than anything else.

Then of course we have to take Horizontal vs Vertical into play. This also has an effect on framing and viewing. You need to be aware of this so that you can understand how your camera works with your vision.

So both cameras have their merits but really, aspect ratio is the biggest advantage between the two.

It’s Sunday morning and I’m beat. Another bad night for sleep. So, I’ll sign off and continue this tomorrow when my Brain comes back from vacation. I think it’s due back on the job tonight sometime……..

……………………………………………………………………..end transmission……………………………………………………………………………….

Black & White, Color, Dreamcatcher, Garden, Inspired Eye, Off Street, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Street Presets, Streetshooter, Uncategorized

August 19th, 2014 … Fuji X20 … Great Street Camera (brain still on vacation)

August 19, 2014 streetshooter 17 Comments

Yaeh, yeah. That’s right, I said it and I believe it too. The Fuji X20 is an amazing camera for any use but for the street, well you didn’t get this from me and I ain’t responsible for any cameras store grabbing yer monies. The X20 is a great camera. It’s a wee bit smaller than the X100s and the megapixel count is less but there’s a real gritty attitude to the images that only the Ricoh GRD4 compares to.

Whoa, hold on. Daido the Fuji X20 comes close to Penelope the Ricoh GRD4 in Grit but there’s still a difference. I don’t know what the difference is but it’s there….. I think. I told you my brain is on vacation so I’m going along in Auto Brain Wave Mode. Anyway, back to the streets. I am happy to report that most times my subject matter is not affected by the camera I use. I also notice that regardless of the camera in hand, I still like a cup of Kona at home and on the street, I like a cup of whatever they call coffee out there. It kinda scares me when even in Starbucks, the coffee is always burnt cause young kids make the coffee and they are too damn busy on their walkman ipod ipad iphone android kindle thingys to notice they are burning the coffee. So the coffee philosophers sit and drink that crap not know that real coffee isn’t burnt… ohhh sorry, I forgot… I ask a young girl, “Can I have a Kona Cream and no sugar?” She says, what’s that?. Cream, it’s the stuff that looks like milk but it’s not milk, it’s cream. She says with a cute smile…(Ok, I lost it, not afraid to admit it. She could sell me anything and I’m good, happy to see here smile.) ….not cream silly, and not sugar, I know what that is… what’s Kona… well the little cute angel just got pushed sooo far off my smile list…hhhhhmmmmm. I said, I’m sorry, I thought this was a pharmacy… and they had Kona…..it damn sura ain’t easy being a streetshooter…. sheeeesh.

So I figured I don’t need no Kona coffee out on the street because I getz it at home and home is where the Kona is. The Fuji X20 has some interesting things going on.
I mean I wrote about this camera a few times, actually more than a few times but not really a lot of times but enough times that well, let me get some meds in and maybe I can manage to keep on track. One of the great things is the small sensor and the DOF it makes. Say your shooting at f/4.0. …. ok waiting… say it ok…eh… I’ll say it for ya… I’m shooting at f/4.0 shooter. Well with the lens set to 28mm and focused to 5.0′ we get this DOF from 2.5′ to infinity. Now, I ain’t the smartest pencil in the box when my brain is on vacation and I certainly wouldn’t wanna do much but drink that coffee I love… uh… damn…uh.. oh yeah.. Kona.. see….but I gotta say this…. 2.5′ to infinity… I think that means.. I could hold my arm out, make a photo, have my hand in focus and be in focus at tommi, or Wouter…yup.

Now it seems to me that if you can’t find a photo somewheres between 2.5′ and infinity… whoa.. wait a second… let me think about this…. If I Only Had A Brain…. if”n we can get that kinda DOF at f/5.6.. well I ain’t even gonna think what happens at like F/8,f/11.. nah… when my brain returns I’ll address this but till then… well, hmmm uh.. what the hell am I even talking about…? Dunno… I hope youse do cause I damn sure don’t…..

c’mon… just kidding…. what’d ya think…. “I’m smaaat Mikey”……

The Fuji X20 can set you free. It’s really the perfect companion for the Fuji X100s. The size difference is negligible but smaller which is nice. The lovely 28mm FOV captures me in a way 35mm doesn’t. Ray Sachs mentioned to me a few times that he felt that 28mm was better for me than 35mm. He’s a friend and I respect his opinion highly and I must agree that there’s something about 28mm I adore. Luckily the Fuji X20 named Daido lives with me and now will be getting more use again.

So, all I can say is that I am enjoying the break from 35mm FOV and enjoying the time my brain has taken for vacation.

I’ll post again tomorrow for sure….. but listen…..

tomorrow I’m going to Starbucks to chat with the little knucklehead cute angel that thinks coffee comes from a bag…yeah right beautiful… coffee comes from that bag… it kinda just grows in there…hmmmm

well, what could an old streetshooter have in common with a young, cute coffee attendant? Well, at the moment, neither of us has a brain…..

shooter out…..uh, I think that’s me but it might be the guy typing at the keyboard….hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Black & White, Color, Dreamcatcher, Garden, Inspired Eye, Off Street, Philosophy of Street, Photography, Street, Street Photography, Street Presets, Streetshooter, Uncategorized

August 16th, 2014 … Fuji X100s … Observations from Philly Streets … Or Zone Focus Tip

August 16, 2014 streetshooter 6 Comments

So I guess I have to continue working because Andre’ the Fuji X100s told me to get off my darn azz and get to work. So we went down town on Market street like we did a million times, who’s counting?
I guess it don’t matter. I mean, I’m not trying to find any photos. I’m not seeking magic. I’m not really doing anything but trying to find pieces of my soul.

Well, maybe that’s fine and dandy for me but Andre’ the Fuji X100s had a different idea. He says to me….”Go and sit down, we need to have a chat and you can’t walk and talk at the same time”. He continues as soo, “look, I like working with you, your a good kid… who likes kids? We need to expand the image rights so that we share the credit and responsibility equally. I’ll let you do a little more cause I don’t want to hurt your feelings but your firmware is like from the 60’s dude.

Ya know, you always write about how the camera works for you in different scenarios but let me tell you something young man. I’m preparing a series of post about how you work with me. It’s no longer a one way street.

So, here’s what we are doing today and I’m not asking, I am really telling you what to do. Maybe you brain goes on vacation but mine doesn’t… not at all.

I want you to try to use your mind and just hear me out. We are going to explore the DOF potential as applied to street shooting. Now I know your some kinda Streetshooter and you know what your doing, we all know that but you don’t really have a clue as to what I’m doing.”

Well, I dunno if’n youse talk with yer camera and maybe you do. The thing is this. It’s ok to talk to your camera. It’s even ok to have your camera talk to you. as long as you know it’s the camera talking to you, it’s ok, if you think it’s someone elsse… my DR has an open appt next Wed at 1300EST.

So, now that we are clear on the talking with camera procedures, let’s get on with this.

The X100s has a very well designed Focus Scale. The DOF scale….eh, needs garlic.

Here’s a table from DOF Master that makes sense on the street…….

The focus distance stays at 10′ and Set the camera to MF. This way you have control of the Focus Scale.

F/4 6.86 – 18.4

F/5.6 6.07 – 28.3

F/8 5.22 – 118

F/11 4.36 – Infinity

Who the heck needs that F/16 thing?

So at a focus distance of 10′ now we see the Zone of Focus and adjusting exposure we can apply this scale at anytime to get a real fast working camera. Now I love my Fuji X100s named Andre’ and I don’t wanna hurt his feelings but isn’t this a system of Zone Focus? Of course it is but now you have something to work on. Try making the scale for 7′ also and whatever turns you on. I prefer the AF on theis camera but all the photos in this post are with Zone Focus at 10′.

It’s Saturday and I’m taking Andre’ and Tanya out for the day. Notice Andre’ is first. See Andre’ reads my blog and is a subscriber and even buys the presets but Tanya, she couldn’t care less………

end transmission………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Street Photography Chronicles by Don Springer