Graffiti photography questions

[tomperson]

Hi all,
I've been photographing different forms of street art (graffiti, sticker art, stencils, etc) in my home city for something like a year and a half with a Canon Powershot S2IS camera.

This started just as an exercise, but after a while it has turned into a serious project, so now I'd like to plan a bit, and then go out and re-shoot the interesting spots with more care. In the meantime I've been reading and learning regarding photography techniques.

Some practical questions to the more experienced photographers:

1) Do you think I can get decent quality photographies with this camera?
(for web and printed material)
Should I rent a digital SLR instead? (no budget to buy one)

2) What weather should I try to photograph in?
I guess overcasted or in shade in order to avoid washed out colors.

3) At what time of the day should I try to photograph?
I guess early in the morning in order to avoid problems with traffic/people walking around
and to have softer light.

4) How would you deal with a subject you want to photograph that is partially blocked by parked cars? For instance, I want a particular graffiti, but I can't get the angle standing in the sidewalk, so I step into the street and photograph from there but then I have parked cars between me and the graffiti.

5) What mode would you shoot in? What ISO?
I guess aperture priority with a high f value (f8 or upwards) in order to get a sharper picture with more area in focus. If I were shooting with tripod I'd try to go with ISO 50 or 100, handheld I guess ISO 200 or 400?

6) What angles would you use? Would you go for simple in-front-of-the-subject shots, would you go for other more creative angles? Due to the documentary subject matter, I'm more for simple angles.

7) What issues should I take into account regarding street photography? Cautions, tips, tricks. Do you think it's feasible to shoot with tripod in this type of setting?

8) What aesthetic concepts would you take into account when doing street photography? How to best convey the nature of street art into photography? What to shoot? What to avoid? How to get a sense of the surroundings?

9) What other things should I take into account? White balance, special techniques, filters to use (polarizer due to outdoor nature of the shots?), anything.

10) Any tips regarding planning this kind of production? I know it's gonna take a few months, and there are lots of places i haven't even been to, including some tough neighborhoods (which i'd like not to ommit from this research).

I know it's a long post, I hope you can help me with whatever you can come up with!

Thanks a zillion!!!

[cosworth]

I use a polarizer to kill wall and paint sheen.

[tomperson]

Thanks a lot Jason!
Any tips regarding the other questions? Whatever you can come up with will be valuable, particularly regarding your on-the-field experience to avoid newbie errors...

[SSSchwing]

Hi all,
I've been photographing different forms of street art (graffiti, sticker art, stencils, etc) in my home city for something like a year and a half with a Canon Powershot S2IS camera.

This started just as an exercise, but after a while it has turned into a serious project, so now I'd like to plan a bit, and then go out and re-shoot the interesting spots with more care. In the meantime I've been reading and learning regarding photography techniques.

Some practical questions to the more experienced photographers:

1) Do you think I can get decent quality photographies with this camera?
(for web and printed material)
Should I rent a digital SLR instead? (no budget to buy one)

I've never used your camera, so I can't answer this directly, but if you want to seriously get into photography, why not have a look at a 2nd hand DSLR or even an entry level new one? That's what I did :)

2) What weather should I try to photograph in?
I guess overcasted or in shade in order to avoid washed out colors.

This would depend if the location is in open air vs in tunnels etc. I recently shot some graffiti under a walkway, but it was open on both ends. With a tripod, on a sunny afternoon, I was able to use the natural light easily. A flash will give reflection, so when possible, I woulnd't use it (unless you bounce it off something). Cloudy is fine though, remember, you can always bump up the colours in PP

3) At what time of the day should I try to photograph?
I guess early in the morning in order to avoid problems with traffic/people walking around
and to have softer light.

Check which way the wall faces... east, try sunrise. To the west, sunset. That way you will have the sun lighting the subject.

4) How would you deal with a subject you want to photograph that is partially blocked by parked cars? For instance, I want a particular graffiti, but I can't get the angle standing in the sidewalk, so I step into the street and photograph from there but then I have parked cars between me and the graffiti.

Either wait for the car to move (logical) or try different angles. Angles can work to good effect.

5) What mode would you shoot in? What ISO?
I guess aperture priority with a high f value (f8 or upwards) in order to get a sharper picture with more area in focus. If I were shooting with tripod I'd try to go with ISO 50 or 100, handheld I guess ISO 200 or 400?

Take a tripod, and shoot at 50/100, any light issues, adjust as necessary. But shouldn't be an issue with a tripod.

6) What angles would you use? Would you go for simple in-front-of-the-subject shots, would you go for other more creative angles? Due to the documentary subject matter, I'm more for simple angles.

Straight on makes it easy to read and get the full effect, but as I said above, angles can work well. I try and use the shadows etc in some of my shots on angles to 'highlight' parts of the subject (remembering I'm pretty new to the photography game too).

7) What issues should I take into account regarding street photography? Cautions, tips, tricks. Do you think it's feasible to shoot with tripod in this type of setting?

If its public, then you shouldn't have many issues. Only thing I can think of is if the artist happens to walk by lol.... Make them 'streety' to go with the genre of what your shooting. If you have a funky fashioned friend, they can make a good accessory to along with the graffiti too.

8) What aesthetic concepts would you take into account when doing street photography? How to best convey the nature of street art into photography? What to shoot? What to avoid? How to get a sense of the surroundings?

9) What other things should I take into account? White balance, special techniques, filters to use (polarizer due to outdoor nature of the shots?), anything.

As cosworth said, a poleriser will remove glare if there is any, white balance to suit where your shooting (street = cloudy etc, tunnels will more likely be flash/fluro?)

10) Any tips regarding planning this kind of production? I know it's gonna take a few months, and there are lots of places i haven't even been to, including some tough neighborhoods (which i'd like not to ommit from this research).

Take a friend if going into 'tough' areas, plus they are good to keep you company. Always be curtious to the artist, they tend to take their art very seriously, just as we take photography.

I know it's a long post, I hope you can help me with whatever you can come up with!

Thanks a zillion!!!



Most of all, take some pics and have some fun. That's what I do lol...

Good luck

[Tonyguy]

get some street clothes to blend in ;)jp, just keep experimenting until you find a great shot.

[andrewaaa5]

I did not want to answer all questions. here are some of my opinions that may not have been covered already:

2) does not matter. different lighting > different image styles. One thing to avoid is shadows crossing the subject. Somethimes better if evenly lighted... If a shadow is crossing an image it may be better to go back in better lighting, or try to get rid of the shadow with 'fill flash' ( does not always help / i.e. reflections )

4) sometimes a wide angle lens can help you get closer to the walls and keep all of the subject in the view finder. this will help you get in close and keep distractions like cars out of the way. Another option if you do not have a Wide Angle lens is to take 'several shots' of 'sections' of the subject, and then 'stitch' them together later using software : if you use this option, switch the camera to full Auto to prevent 'exposure' differences between the different shots.

6) experiment. you know sometimes it helps to include people and cars to add 'location' to the shots.

ADDITIONAL:

11) don't worry too much about it. just try and enjoy.. :: )

12) one last thing, here is a link to some 'different' and 'slogan' or 'witty' graffiti, not entirely serious, but beware of foul and offensive language:

http://www.picturesofwalls.com/

...something you don't see everyday

[seed808]

1) Do you think I can get decent quality photographies with this camera?
(for web and printed material)
Should I rent a digital SLR instead? (no budget to buy one)

If you dont have a budget to buy one, then I wouldnt consider it. You will not only have to afford a camera, but all the equip as well (Lenses...dont get me started on that, bags, flashes, etc.). Its an expensive hobby to get into, but you do reap the rewards. Dont think that you cant capture great pictures with your camera. You have all the manual settings that will express all the artistic-ness that you have.


2) What weather should I try to photograph in?
I guess overcasted or in shade in order to avoid washed out colors.

This would be all up to you... Again its an artistic call. Weather creates good moody drama. No one can tell you to shoot what weather to shoot in... It all matters what you want to show.

3) At what time of the day should I try to photograph?
I guess early in the morning in order to avoid problems with traffic/people walking around
and to have softer light.

Same as number 2. This would be your preference. I have seen great photos with street art taken with models @ night. Just depends what your capable of, and what you want to show...

4) How would you deal with a subject you want to photograph that is partially blocked by parked cars? For instance, I want a particular graffiti, but I can't get the angle standing in the sidewalk, so I step into the street and photograph from there but then I have parked cars between me and the graffiti.

That would be very distracting in your pics. All you can do is either get there b4 the cars do, or get a dslr with all the lenses (very wide angle sounds like).... 2 items, and your already over $2000. Cheaper to beat the cars LoL

5) What mode would you shoot in? What ISO?
I guess aperture priority with a high f value (f8 or upwards) in order to get a sharper picture with more area in focus. If I were shooting with tripod I'd try to go with ISO 50 or 100, handheld I guess ISO 200 or 400?

Again nobody can tell you what settings to use. Situations change, as well as your creativeness. From the sound of everything you NEED to get this book "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson. There is no set iso, fstop or shutter speeds to go by in photography. It would be like asking a painter should i use a blonde-haired brush on a brunette haired brush to paint.

6) What angles would you use? Would you go for simple in-front-of-the-subject shots, would you go for other more creative angles? Due to the documentary subject matter, I'm more for simple angles.

All up to you... best thing is to look up pics of street art on the net to get an idea to work with, and maybe re-create or enhance the way the shots were that you researched.

7) What issues should I take into account regarding street photography? Cautions, tips, tricks. Do you think it's feasible to shoot with tripod in this type of setting?

Police. I've got stopped by cops going to places where artists arent suppose to be and almost got my gear taken away.... Dont tresspass, dont look suspicious, and dont get caught carrying, or touching any spray cans.

8) What aesthetic concepts would you take into account when doing street photography? How to best convey the nature of street art into photography? What to shoot? What to avoid? How to get a sense of the surroundings?

9) What other things should I take into account? White balance, special techniques, filters to use (polarizer due to outdoor nature of the shots?), anything.

10) Any tips regarding planning this kind of production? I know it's gonna take a few months, and there are lots of places i haven't even been to, including some tough neighborhoods (which i'd like not to ommit from this research).

I know it's a long post, I hope you can help me with whatever you can come up with!

Thanks a zillion!!!


I didnt answer the last portion of your questions, because like I said earlier, nobody can give you advice on "what angle to shoot", filters, etc... There is nothing set in stone. Your blessed with the technology of digital photography. Just go out and shoot. If you dont like it... delete, and do it again... Words spoken on POTN countless times. Its the best way to learn, and if you enjoy photography as much as the population of POTN does, you wont be bothered by going out and crafting your art.

I really suggest you taking a look at that book. At least go to the bookstore and read a couple of chapters....

Hope this helps