Tag Archives: Street

Black & White, Dreamcatcher, Philosophy of Street, Street, Street Photography

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 49 … Investigating the Olympus Pen F … GASP!…Mode 2

February 26, 2016 streetshooter 4 Comments

OOC

Well, Serendipity and I just got back from a meeting of the “Intergalactic Raw Shooters United”, Planet Earth, Philadelphia Chapter. I’m a long time member and I even eat it RAW. Hey, hey…. oysters and clams….ok, sheeeesh. Serendipity felt nervous and clung to my chest. I told her to relax and all is ok. (It really wasn’t ok cause all the Raw shooters were looking at her cause they know she’s right now a JPEG’er. So I stood there with all eyes on Serendipity and got very protective. She said to me, Don….let’s split. (She is the first camera in photographic history to call me Don) The she said, Don…let me mentor you on some things I can do.

OOC

So she told me to work one Mode at a time and to really give it a shot. So I set her on Mode 2. Now there are some things that I need as a contsant in Photography. The one I’m discussing here is the PRINT!. I use that term to mean, the finished photo. Maybe it’s on the screen whatever but it’s a print if it’s in a finished state. So I normally shoot Raw and process in LR and find my vision. Well, Serendipity has me trying Mode 2 and getting a JPEG. (The HORROR).

OOC

I have a vision for many of my photos. It’s born in my heart years ago. Then The Heart sent it by courier to my Brain. So, whn I’m out there making photos, I have a preset in my mind and a few variations on a theme, that when I get to LR, I can find that vision and start from there. Some call this Presets. Well, I guess they are presets but they have to be a start to satisfy not preconceptions but, expectations. Serendipity has presets in her and I think all her brothers and sisters do too. Unfortunately, many of the Pen F’s will go unnamed, pity.

The thing is, many cameras have modes or presets whatever but I never ever liked any of them enough to stop using RAW. Now because, I don’t have Raw, I’m loving the JPEGs from Serendipity. Ilove them so much that I could just use her like this. More than likely I’ll do Raw when Adobe releases it but I will definitely use R+LF.

OOC

The files are very elastic and easy to work. I also find that for me, not much is required to get it right. Most of these are OOC and if it’s not marked, I did something to make what I feel.

Let me clarify something. The idea of a preset or a mode comes under fire by many. The general consensus is, using a preset is like mass producing the images. I understand that but definitely strongly disagree. It’s true that if we all use a same preset, like Mode 2 and keep the settings the same, well we end up with a similar look to the image….. That’s a load of crap.

“No eyes ever shall nor ever will, see what I see now”. (MBW) See, Margaret Bourke-White knew that even if she used the same Pen F Presets her work would be different because her time and place and subject is unique. So I thought about this for many, many um… well a log time. My conclusion is that yes modes and presets set up the concept of mass produced photos. The idea is destroyed because like Margaret, we all have different Here and Now and everything, so we are all using similar things to get different results.

So lets all agree to disagee and just bear in mind that using the modes in the Pen F really will provide a freedom of vision and still be individual.

Serendipity calls me and I won’t keep the young lady waiting…………

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street, Streetshooter

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 47 … Investigating the Olympus Pen F

February 24, 2016 streetshooter 6 Comments

It was a bad night sleep again. I think the ghost and demons decided to allow me to have some peace of mind. Well, I didn’t sleep anyway because Serenity the Pen F was dancing in my mind. I ws restless cause the new girl was enticing and I wanted to be with her. So awoke and sipped a cup of Coffee, actually inhaled is proper. Can ya believe it, rain. I mean rain that teases you. See, the rain that is pouring, well we all know to stay home and watch HSN and fall asleep on the couch. The teasing rain is the kind that just is a very light drizzle. It’s not reall rain but it teases and tempts you to come out. So, what happens usually is, ya get out in the teasing rain and say, “Yeah, I got this”. Then, well the plumber has a sense of humor causethen the RAIN starts. Your camera has to be sheltered etc.

I had teasing rain and decided that above all, I will spend time with Serenity and keep her protected from rain, mother rapers, father rapers and politicians running for President.

OOC

I follow MU43.com because I lived there a few years as Admin. I like some of the people there and i read comments about things. I generally know that if I read a negative comment about something, then it’s perfect for me.

See, all over the web, ppl are saying the front dial on the Pen F is a mistake. NOOOOOO! It’s perfect if you are a shooter and not a camera critique. I am not a jpeg shooter usually. I do raw. The Pen F isn’t supported by Adobe yet for some reason. What I do like is…. Most times I like to see my screen in B&W. There are times I want to see it in color because I want to. This doesn’t mean I’m doing jpeg, it just means I want to see the screen the way I feel and not have to get my manual out and find in the menu how to do that.

The dreaded front dial does this instantly. The placement is also under criticism. Bunk! With the camera at the eye, your finger goes right to the front dial without searching and then,,, Eureka! I can change from B&W to Color in an instant and see how I desire to without taking a course in the camera. I am actually doing jpeg with the Pen F and I use that front dial to see how Serendipity sees. It’s a beautiful collaboration.

OOC

So, Oly calls the front dial the creative dial and they are right. It’s not in the way, it’s where it needs to be to be creative with it. Just think about photos and whay you want to do and don’t look for flaws others are dwelling on. There is always negative and positive energy. The on/off switch is under fire. Well, for me, it’s perfect. It’s out of the way and never gets used accidently and only when you need it. It rolls very nice and has a sweet line on it so you know by looking if you are on/off.

The need for a grip. NADA!

I like a camera to be a part of me. I want to feel it become at one with me and not as if it were a tool. Now be nice in yer thoughts. Serendipity the Pen F is a female. Why, Oly named her a Female. Pen F is F = Female. it’s not Pen M = Male or Pen TG = Transgender. So I love females. I have a few in my life. Imagine that. When you are with a female, (ladies may even think of the camera as Male, that’s an individual choice but I’m writing this and I’m with my girl Serendipity so she’s a Female and youse do what the hell you want I’m just saying you need to name your camera and gender is important in developing your relationship)

So there’s a gentle feeling holding the Pen F. She kinda likes to slide a little in my fingers. Most don’t like this and want a grip. I don’t. I used LeicaM’s for decades and never had a grip issue.

OOC

For Maria

So far there’s only 1 thing I am uneasy about. The Screen. Yes. it’s bright and sharp. Yes, it’s a nice size and does what you need, easily. It’s articulated and moves around nicely and you can do selfies. It tilts and all ya want. I just wish it tilted at the camera position and not have to swing out. I learned about tilting screens from Ray Sachs and the Sony Nex 5 we were both using. With that, you just tilted the screen and you were still discreet. With this on the Pen F, you swing it out and your not as discreet anymore.

It is by no means a deal breaker but a little thing that may bug me later. I’ll chat with my shrink and my screen shrink mentor Ray and try to resolve it.

OOC

This is not a review. Please don’t think I care about reviewers causeI don’t. This is an ongoing investgation with findings from me. If you know anyone from Philadelphia you will understand what I am about to say. If not, you will anyway.

The Olympus Pen F is BANGING. I’ll post more shortly and hopefully you can get out of this what I do.

Be blessed my friends…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street, Street Photography

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 46 … Ricoh GRII … Walk-a-bout with Ray Sachs

February 17, 2016 streetshooter 6 Comments

So I’m working in LR and I get a text message from Ray. He says he’s gonna be in town and I replied, cool we can meet. Now in case you don’t know this about Ray, bear this in mind when ya meet up with him. Ray has a tolerance for Caffeine that I can’t think about. For instance, it’s known far and wide that I do a cup of fresh Kona with cream every morning. No sugar, theKona is enough to jump start my mind and I’m not talking about me poor heart. Ray says we should meet at La Columb coffee shop on Frankford Ave, Well, I know what this means already. We meet and Ray and I order coffee. I don’t speak coffee lingo so I said to the attendant, regular coffee, cream, no pictures on it. She smiles and then we get the coffee. Ray has this beautiful cup with a great picture on it and I can feel the caffeine oozing into the air. Mine is an undercover coffee ninja. It looks like a regular coffee. Smells like a regular coffee. Taste great but that’e where the problems start.

I raise the cup to my lips and get ready to engage the caffiene heart-o-meter. I take a sip and it’s lovely but then, then out of no where, I get a rush thru my entire body that says, we have been invaded buy the caffeine demons. So Ray and I are talking about cameras and that’s a great subject for us cause we both love cameras. I’m looking at him as we chat and I am wondering how his jet fuel double expresso, latte, upside down forward cream sugar coffee is not affecting him. I’m slowly sipping the coffee and it’s like I want to sell for this place right now, make coffee for all, clean up, do the dishes, clean the windows and floors, buy everyone new cars and clothes all in 37.5 seconds.

If Tanya knew how this stuff affected me, there’s be an entirely new shooter in town.

So we left the coffee place and started walking. Between the 2 of us we had solved every issue for every camera and that is always something we do. We don’t agree on some things, most importantly on Exposure Modes. He likes A Mode with Auto ISO and I like M Mode with Auto ISO. The differences are subtle but it always makes good conversation. It’s stimulating to say the least.

Ray is a long time biker. No, not like my biker brother’s and sister’s, but a pedal bike. So what does that have to do with anything? Well, what’s a biker do when he’s not on the bike? Walk. I’m a walker for sure and Ray is a walker and my camera is Walker but the difference is stamina. So we were walking and a talking and a gawking all over and made photos too.

I had Mom the Ricoh GR II and Ray had his Nikon Coolpix A. Actually to tell the truth. I sold both my Olympus Pen EP-5 cameras and some lenses. Why, well I ordered the new Olympus Pen F. It is due to arrive tomorrow so I’ll be in the house waiting for USPS and watching CNN and working in LR. That’s a fine camera by any means. So, a new era starts for me tomorrow and I’ll be writing about the adventures with yet (un-named Pen F) for a while.

Anyway, thanks for being here and paying attention to my rants and raves.

Peace to all……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 45 … Ricoh GRII … Lost in the Familiar (6 pack)

February 9, 2016 streetshooter 14 Comments

Being lost is probably a shooters dream. Not knowing where you are, what your feeling being in an undiscovered region. Very romantic and actually stimulating, especially visually. Being lost in the familiar surrounding that is familiar to you, well, not so easy and rather unsettling. I’ve heard it taught that photographers are supposed to see as if seeing the subject for the fist time. I always felt that we should see as if it’s the last time. I now question both methods and kinda feel that the shooters truth is someplace in the middle.

We walk the paths of photographers before us and try to find a new way to see the subject matter. We look for the souls of lost photos and hope to be able to breathe new life into ourselves and our work.

If we wander around the familiar and feel as if we are at home base, is that being complacent? If we wander around and feel as if we are lost in the familiar, is that wishful thinking? A famous photographer said to me decades ago, “Life is but a Dream”. Well, I lived by that statement in part and in whole my entire life. So, when do I get to wake up? What do I find when and if I do? Do I get to have a camera handy so I can make photos of the awakening?

Why do I see things and most times they aren’t like seeing the first time or last time, just odd in the here and now. In my case it’s not odd it’s natural for me. Does that make me odd? Do I care? NO! Yes! Of course, I do. I won’t admit that I care but I do even if I don’t.

I wonder if others get thoughts like this. I wonder when I am making a photo and someone is in it and looking directly at me, what is the experience like for them? I know it depends on the person just like it depends on the shooter and I feel there is no common answer to this question. So maybe as I make each photo as an individual, just maybe, as crazy as it seems, each person in the photo is having a unique experience. So let’s assume I’m on to something here. Let’s assume that for once in my life but not the first for once but just this for once, I have it right, not totally in full right because there’s no such thing in the world but right as right can be for me and also for my readers and friends. (My Shrink at the VA too.)

So I am lost in familiar places. Maybe it’s not the streets where I’m lost but in me poor mind. Maybe it’s both and I am having an awakening of sorts. Maybe not and maybe I don’t care enough to figure it out. Maybe I think too much and try to justify what I’m doing. Dunno and don’t really care.

I’ve been on the streets of Philadelphia since the late 60’s making photos. I’m never bored. I am always loving making photos in the familiar places that others get complacent in. I don’t and am happy for that.

For me it’s about the here and now and not beeing lost at all. Maybe the familiar place I’m lost in isn’t the streets abut my mind. Maybe I lost my mind or better yet, maybe I’m lost in my mind. Maybe Garry was right. “It’s all a Dream” and maybe when I have my camera with me, I wake up.

How about you?

……………………………………….end transnission…………………………..

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Street, Street Photography

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 44 … Ricoh GRII … TwO ShoT pEr ShOOt … TuNneL

January 28, 2016 streetshooter 8 Comments

They say there is light at the end of the tunnel. Ok, I heard that a zillion times. Who’s shining the light anyway and what damn tunnel is it shining in? For the life of me, I never get an answer to this. That’s why I make a photo when I see the light at the end of a tunnel. I am trying to find who the Bearer of the Light is. Actually,I been trying all mylife to find this person and something tells me at the end, we will finally meet. I’m really not in a hurry and maybe I’ll stop pushing the issue.

So if I stop pushing the issue, it must mean I am staying in the Here and Now. Imagine that. Dunno.

Something happens to me as I’m walking around on the streets.I kinda respond to the noise and the smells and sometimes odors. The light now is harsh with those deep shadows and bright highs. Not much mid tones now but exciting anyway. The air seems cleaner in a way but it does’t weigh enuff. What does all this have to do with photography? Well, the environment is where I work and changes to that environment change my work. Imagine that.

So I guess there’s no real solution cause actually, there’s no real problem. I mean I can find something but why fix something that’s not broken? As a photographer, we have to pay attention to everything around us. How the things effect us and how just a second can change the light. We should learn to see that when people are walking around and they are in the sun, their demeanor seems different then when they are in the shadows. That change is in us also. Being observent is key to being a shooter. Why am I writing this anyway? Dunno, why shouldn’t I?

Ya know, I’m going out again tomorrow on MarketStreet and look for photos. I can’t count how many time I’ve worked Market Street. I don’t care anyway and I never get bored and I never fail to find some photos.

Does this mean anything? It does to me and I hopeyouse have your own Marke Street.

seeya……………………………………………………………………….

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

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 42 … Ricoh GRII … One ShoT pEr ShOOt

January 21, 2016 streetshooter 14 Comments

The winter has arrived in Philly. I don’t know about the rest of the country but here in Philly, it’s winter. How do I know. I had mom (Ricoh GRII) out and we were walking around. One of the last things Mom said to me before she died was….”I just don’t want to be cold”. I told her, …”You won’t be cold Mom, I promise”. Well, Mom, my Ricoh GRII is cold in my hand. Real cold. I was walking and thinking how much I hate the cold.

Tanya dresses me like Mom would do in the winter when I was a kid. I had Long Johns on and a sweatshirt and a down coat that is made for Artic temperatures. It was like 22F outside and I was sweating like it was Summer. The Ricoh GRII named Mom was in my hand in the pocket. Ohhh, yes, yes, yes, lest I forget. I had the Rich GV-2 Finder mounted on top. It’s very small and i used it on my GR and also the GRD4. Best way to describe it is, Pocket Catcher Oner Thingy. Oh yeah, catches on the pocket everytime I pull it put.

That’s not a bad thing and it actually has firmware that Ricoh puts in the finder. See, The camera belongs in your hand and ready to work, not in the pocket. Ricoh knows this and installed an intuitive pocket catch procedure so that you learn not to pocket the camera when your supposed to be shooting.

It works, I pulled the camera out even knowing how much mom detested the cold and then I saw this photo waiting to be caught and….

…. Click!

Have a blessed day all youse….. shooter out……………………………………………………………………………….

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, One Shot, Philosophy of Street, Street, Streetshooter

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 40 … Ricoh GRII … One ShoT pEr ShOOt

January 11, 2016 streetshooter 6 Comments

Twas the night of the day and all thru the streets, I was out with my camera some photos to meets, huh? Yeah shooter, yourstarting to loses it. Hmmm who you anyway?

So it goes in the mind I’m wrestling with. I never have complete peace of mind even in just a piece of mind. Maybe that’s too much to ask for, dunno and dunno about caring anyway. I know this or, at least, I think I know this but maybe not really know this but I try to live with know-ing this.

See photography for shooters is based on the concept of discovery and self-discovery. We make photos that we uncove things out there and discover or try to discover the meaning of and also we try to discover what we are about in the photo. These are things that don’t go away. I mean I have a seat in my brain for unresolved issues. It’s always a full seat.

As it turns out, if we don’t address the clutter of knowledge and anti-knowledge in our brains, we can’t focus on the subject at hand. Pun Intended, Maybe this sounds kinda boring and useless but think about this. How many have an understanding of what’s going on in thier work. I know, I know… that’s what discovery is about. Granted, truth but!!! If you don’ t have an idea what your looking for how do you expect to find it. How do you think you’ll recognize it?

I remember Ding explaining to me about the consistancy of vision and how the masters learned that and stuck to it. He showed me many prints that spanned decades in the work of many photographers. Even the grand Master Kertesz had a very consistant vision. Vision is not so much what you see but how you see. I studied the prints of countless masters and after a while, I could look at a photo and pretty much tell who made it. I can still do that today.

The work doesn’t live in the shooter, the shooter lives in the work. Good work has the signature of the shooter but the work stands on it’s own. I guess this is really about SIGNATURE. This is not about a watermark or copyright on the image. It’s not a technical thing that can be recognized like that. Signature is the definable presence of the shooter in the image that is embedded for all time. It is recognizable as as the thoughts and emotions of the maker. Recognizing your own signature allows the freedom to be selective in your work and also to know what your doing.

So I look at what I’m doing and see what I’ve done and maybe, just maybe I can see myself. That’s a major statement to make and even more to observe. Some times when I’m feeling kinda lost, I just look at my history and seek a new direction. To be honest, it don’t usually work for me.

I see what I see and the way I see most times. What changes for me is why I see what I see.

….more ramblings after my visit at my Shrink. He no doubt will attempt to loosen up some brain pixels in me…….

Dreamcatcher, Inspired Eye, Philosophy of Street, Streetshooter

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 38 … Olympus TG-4 … Happy New Years

December 31, 2015 streetshooter 12 Comments

First off, Happy New Years to one and all. If you’re from Philadelphia, Happy Mummers Day.

“Time keeps on slippin’, slippin’ into the future”. Now that year’s end is upon us, personally, I sit and look at what I have set out to do and what I have accomplished thru the year. I do this every year and the task is the same but the things I look at and realize the truth of is slightly different every year. It’s kinda like a cleaning out and sorting of energy. We can all have different energies for the different things we do in our lives. This is a known fact and not just here in Philly. I’m not kidding ya either. The way I see it is, we have a volume of energy inside us. Let’s say we have 1000ml of energy inside us. Ok, go on, say it….ty kindly.

Our eye, heart, and mind decides where to distribute this energy. Some goes to everyday task, some to risk and challenges, and some to the area we are concerned with, creative arts, namely photography. Lets assume that we are allocated 500ml for photography. As the year goes on and our vision and work progresses, the level of energy may stay the same, go up or even go down.

We can’t hide from the demons or angels inside us. We must and have to confront them and try to change the way we see things and deal with things. This is the only way to move forward in a positive manner. I get a lot of messages and emails etc from ppl that are dealing with thier work and seem kinda in love but lost on thier path. This is really good. It shows that these ppl are aware that what they do is being scrutinized by thier own eye.

I don’t claim to be a guru or anything other then a shooter that fell madly in love with photography over 50 years ago. I struggle like everyone else but the difference is, I know to blame myself for all the shit that happens.

So, as we wind up the Year 2015 and start the year 2016 maybe we can sort out the energy and get a refill in our energy cup to continue the journey but with a fresh outlook for the new year. For me that comes tomorrow morning with the Mummers Parade. For the rest of you it means, Happy, Healthy New Years. Mummers Day marks the celebration of a new year but more importantly., it marks the continuing journey of LIFE.

Be Blessed and Be Safe youse all. I wish youse were all here…..nah… keep thehell out, too many damn shooters here as it is…..

…………………………….end transmission………..2015……….over and out………………………………………………

One Shot, Philosophy of Street, Street, Street Photography, Streetshooter

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 37 … Olympus Pen EP-5 … One ShoT pEr ShOOt

December 19, 2015 streetshooter 22 Comments

Did ya ever feel like your going against the flow that others do? How about feeling like you’re alone and there are many others around? How about you doubt yourself and what you’re doing? Not a pretty picture huh. Oh, oh. How about your making photos and you’re unsure if others like them.

Shooter, what the hell, you are in my head again. Well, I ain’t a meanin’ to be in yer head as I gotz nuff going on in my own. If you’re feeling any or some or even more of these things, you’re doing good. You just landed in the land of non-complacency. It’s a ruff terrain with little or no real support. No hiding from the real you. Your alone and ya start to wonder why everything is so damn hard and it feels like there’s no reward.

You see all those people marching to the beat of the same drummer? See how comfortable they are, no issues as they are one and all the same. Isn’t that a nice picture..BUT WAIT! Look, closer my friends, alas…there’s a face looking the other way. The HORROR! How out of place this person is. Why are they different? What made them that way? Is that a man, a woman or what?

I get asked a lot from friends etc about, how to stand on their own and see their photos as unique amongst the masses. The land of complacency and mass acceptance swallows up many individual people every second. That hunger that wants to devour us has an insatiable appetite and is coming for you any minute.

Look at the photo…. now imagine your face on that face… take your camera and get the hell out there… You are not alone, but there’s not around…get used to it…

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

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

Streets of Philadelphia … A Visual Diary … Page 36 … Ricoh GRII … One ShoT pEr ShOOt

December 15, 2015 streetshooter 8 Comments

Well, I’m off and running with this 1 shot per shoot thingy. I agreed with myself that the only criteria for the photo used for the shoot is that I like it. No matter about what others think or by any preconceptions I may have about my work. I just have to like it.

It’s the act of realizing my intent and seeing it come to life as the image. Yo, you don’t get off the hook that easy. It’s the same for you or for all. We all need to hold ourselves accountable in life. Yes, damn sure does mean in photography too. So I actually hold myself accountable for my work BUTT!

I have a shrink and he knows all of us, umm, all of me. So I can be accountable and at the same time blame myself for not doing that. USA Shrink approved.

The world seems to be becoming introverted, well from what I can see. People seem to be withdrawing into themselves and smaller groups. It’s like no one wants any outside interference. As an observer, it’s very awkward. As an observer with a camera, it’s downright unsettling. The difference is that for most people, they may see this withdrawn state and not pay much attention to it or the causes. For observers with a camera, we pay close scrutiny to the because we observe with a clear intent of seeing and feeling and capturing the scene.

That’s what I felt with this photo. I felt this guy withdrawing unto himself and just shutting out the world. I was right in front of him, camera ready and he didn’t see me or worse he did see me and didnt give a shit. So I moved around to the bach and felt that this was a better stance. It shows him and it shows me. Both in a shared here and now but, hedidn’t know that.

Seeya’s soon…………… shooter out………………………………………………….

Street Photography Chronicles by Don Springer