Street Focus 23: Q&A and Street Challenge
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Episode 23: Q&A, Street Challenge and Pick of the Week
This episode of Street Focus is powered by Freshbooks.
This week on Street Focus, my guest co-host is my good friend Ken Lyons. Ken is a photographer based in Australia, you can see more of Ken's work and check out his London workshops by visiting his website.
And the winners of the street portrait challenge are… Teresa Pilcher and John Dillworth!
Valérie selected an entry by Teresa Pilcher. A nice B&W shot of a young man with the reflection of the street in his sunglasses. You can connect with Teresa on Google Plus.
Ken selected an entry by John Dillworth. The photo of the friendly cab driver was taken on a photowalk in lower Manhattan. You can connect with John on Google Plus.
Congratulations! Both photographers will receive a photography book from our friends are Rocky Nook.
Q&A Segment:
This week Ken and I answer questions about our B&W post processing workflow sent by Michael Greer and Chandler and how we get over jet-lag and get motivated to go out and shoot in a new location sent by Lee Herbet.
New Street Challenge: Night Street Photography
Night time gives a new dimension to your street photography. Look for interesting light sources such as street lights, car lights, neons, even smart phone illuminating people’s faces. Don’t worry about noise, crank up that ISO!
Remember one thing when you’re in post, it’s not because you can bring out details in the shadows that you should! I often see night time pics that look like they were shot in bright day light. As a result, the mysterious feel of the night is completely lost.
Please use some common sense and stay safe when you hit the streets at night!
Picks Of The Week:
Ken's pick is the Gordy Camera Strap.
Valérie's pick is Why Photographs Work by George Barr.
Special Announcements:
Karen Hutton will be a special guest on Valerie's Paris photo workshop in May. And just before that you can still grab a spot on Ken's London adventure!
Don't forget to join the Street Focus Community Page on Google+.
Sample images of night street photography by Valérie Jardin:
Thank you Valerie and Ken, I really enjoyed that! Loved hearing how you do your b&w processing, something I’ve never been sure of! Well done to Teresa and John… great shots 🙂
Thanks Sharon. I really enjoyed being on the show and being able to talk with Valerie about B&W processing. I’m glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Thank you for listening to the podcast Sharon!
I hope I’m doing this right, first time posting and trying the contest. I’m really enjoying the podcast.
Thanks Mark, Glad you are enjoying the podcast!
Paris, February 2015
Here’s a couple of examples of my night shots… you might recognise the person in the first one 😉 Shadows help to make night photos what they are. They’re meant to be dark 🙂
LOL! Thanks for sharing Ken! Me and my Fuji during the 2013 Normandy workshop, right?
Correct Valerie. Just after the welcome dinner on the first night in Honfleur 🙂
Night shooting is great for panning (see below) because the lights become streaks of light. Enjoy. Great podcast with Ken on B+W.
Glad you enjoyed the show Richard!
Hi Rich! Glad you enjoyed the show… I know I certainly enjoyed being a part of it! I really like this shot. As you say, the light streaks really add something 🙂
Night street photography from Turku, Finland.
Night Street Photography, Year of the Goat, Chinatown Los Angeles 2015
I really liked making this photo as contrasty as possible. It was the emotion of the scene that has me happy about this photo. It’s a big scene for sure but I feel it conveys the excitement and joy of the occasion. The woman with the baby, photographer shooting family, little girl dancing and the crowd in the background brings it all together…..for me
Night Street Photography. The entrance to Senso-ji Temple, Tokyo, Japan. On a wet November night I noticed this scene as the couple reached out to hold hands. I didn’t see the other things going on until I edited the image in Lightroom. The couple on the left kissed and the group of people in the foreground are happily sharing something. Everything came together for a brief moment in time. Handheld with a Sony NEX-6 at iso 3200.
Thanks for the podcasts Valerie, they’re great. Since discovering them a couple of weeks ago I’ve managed to get through nearly all of them.
This was taken at dusk in Melbourne through the window of a Hare Krishner restaurant. At the top is the communal area of a backpackers hotel. It’s summer here and Australia is popular with lots of freezing Europeans right now. There’s an outdoor bar lower down and under that on the street level are stores. After having an all-you-can eat meal for $6.50 I went across the road and had a beer.
Thanks for the kind words Peter and for doing a ‘Street Focus marathon’ to catch up with the latest episode!
Night Street Photography. I’ve been enjoying the podcasts and google+ community, both have been inspiring me, to get out and shoot in the street. I haven’t had the chance to venture out at night since the podcast but I’ll try to get out soon, This photo was is from Christmas Eve in Makati Philippines (Metro Manila). I had noticed a lot of lights in the park in the central business district and hoped to capture them but had no idea there would be this many people, it was quite a scene.
Thanks for being an active member of the Street Focus community Will, I’m glad you are enjoying the show!
Night Street Photography, Ponte Trinita, Florence, Italy, Fuji X100s
Hi Jan! Please contact Valerie via http://www.valeriejardinphotography.com. Thanks!
Really enjoyed this podcast as I have the others also. Here’s a question which it would be good to get answered in your next Q&A session. What lens do you like best on your X-T1 when you are out shooting street photos, and why?
RichBarbara, Nights Street Photography, Paris France, Shakespeare and Company Book Store
OMD E-M10
Rich, the pic didn’t upload. I hope you try again. It should be resized for the web, that helps. Thanks!
Night scene, San Mateo, CA.
This is my entry for this week challenge. I took this photo in Kissimmee FL using my iPhone 6. I actually was going to take a photo of the street and light because it was raining when the two people came across my frame. It was perfect. Hope you guys like it.
The Kiss at the Capitol in Washington DC. Just after night had fallen.
Night Street Photography: “Waiting For A Fare”. Shanghai, China.
I snapped this photo while on a Disney bus leaving the park late one night. I was lucky to get a seat at the very back in the middle so I cranked up the ISO to 6400 and snapped a few shots. I took this one using my Sony A7.
Great show Valerie!!
This was captured on a Friday night in London as I walked to catch the tube home. The light from the bus stop just caught my eye, especially with the bloke standing in front of it
Hi! I took this photo at the City Hall Square in Copenhagen, Denmark in the begining of this year. The square was very dark, just enlightend by THE WALL.
A great shot Robert +++
Rich Barbara, Paris France, Shakespeare and Company.
Taken with and OMD-EM-10
Two people at the window of the cafe inside London’s National Theatre. Taken with a Fujifilm 100s.
Hi Justin! Please contact Valerie via http://www.valeriejardinphotography.com. Thanks!
Just a superb pair of night street photos Justin. Love the composition and light, especially in the 2nd one
Thanks for your comment James, much appreciated. Love your picture, in particular the positioning of the three people, great stuff!
You are very welcome Justin. Thanks to you for your kind comment too. I appreciate it!
Saturday night stroll, sports, and solitude.
This was taken as the fountain in front of Castello di Sforza in Milan about a week ago. The fountain just got a facelift for the Expo and this couple was certainly enjoying it and totally oblivious to me. Taken with my Sony a6000, processed in Silver Efex Pro.
Shadows and Light Empire Hotel
Waiting at the street lights Fortitude Valley
Long after the Toronto subway has shut down workers on their way in and late night club goers heading home make for strange travelling companions on the night bus.
Paris (place du commerce, 15ème).. 11 March 2015. Fuji X-T1 35mm.
Street worker changing the metro plan.
Fender bender, Havana, Cuba
first friday drum circle in Bakersfield california.
Though these photos aren’t technically perfect, or even close, for me, they capture that mood of encountering a stranger on the street at night. There is the sense of shadow, movement, the unknown. Not a fear, but an awareness.
What makes these more interesting to me is that they were captured with my old Kodak point and shoot. I used the gear I had with me at the time.
Young lady buying flowers in the snow on Valentine’s Day. Taken in Brooklyn, NY.
Entries for this challenge are now closed. Thank you for participating!