My first solo photowalk (September 7, 2009)

[carlomontoya]

To gain confidence, I decided to 'walk' alone in our neighborhood before I go to farther. I taped my kit lens at 28mm to see if I like my photos taken using said focal length. For close ups, it's pretty good but nothing I can't do with my 50mm outdoors. This focal length is probably more useful indoors or in 'tight' city streets such as downtown. I think I'm going to get a longer lens after all for shooting the streets.

Collecting our trash (wish they could do the same to our politicians)



Look at that tattoo



Mobile bread shop



Smelly



The last photo convinced me that a telephoto lens would be better for my nose.

Complete set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/carlo_m...7622151680915/

As you can see, there are some 'empty' spaces in a few of the photos.

[KenVP]

Boss looks pissed in #1, nice work......

[carlomontoya]

Thanks KenVP. He's actually posing and one of the reasons why I don't like a "normal" wide angle lens now for street photography. I'm seriously getting the 135 F2L despite my crop body so I can shoot from afar. I'd still let a few know I shot them but only after the fact.

Thanks again for visiting.

[Tee Why]

Ha ha, I'd say go wider. I think for street shooting wider and getting closer to include the environment as an element of the shot is more important. The 135 or a telephoto isolates the subject away from the environment/street in my view, and this may not be a good thing for street shooting.

[carlomontoya]

@Tee Why: The 28 1.8 USM is still on my mind or the Lumix LX3 (looks like a rangefinder - always wanted one but heard the digital RFs are so dang expensive) just so I can have a 2nd body but since I already have a kit lens - 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 IS - I'd get the 85 1.8 or 135 2 first. Sadly, the latter is on order basis and I must buy it when it arrives, no returns. I don't know anyone here in Cebu who has one - most of them have L zooms - so I can at least have an idea how good it really is. Although based on POTN and other sites, I have yet to see a negative remark about it and I guess these should suffice.

Back on topic, so I take it that you felt you're here in Cebu City with me when you looked at the photos?

[dcnats]

Carlo- everyone seems to have their own preferences for shooting street, so what may hold true for me, might not hold true for you... now having said that, I find that the longer telephoto lenses don't work well for me. I've tried it for the very same reason you mention (wanting to be further away so your subjects are unaware and natural) but I found that as soon as I attach one of those longer lenses onto my camera it draws a lot of attention. It tends to make subjects, and me, feel uncomfortable. The reactions seem very diferent as well. With a wider lens where you have to be in the scene and obviously taking a picture, people seem to accept it and are okay with it... but when you're further away and using a telephoto people react as if youre being sneaky or somehow dishonest.

What works best for me is using a focal length on the wider side (like the 28mm on the 1.6x crop body that you used) and just being really quick. Also with the wider angle you have the ability to pull in more of the scene and cropping it down later on if need be.

Regardless of what you decide to go with, you seem to really have an eye for street stuff and I hope you'll keep shooting, and keep posting!

[carlomontoya]

@dcnats: Hmm. I see your point. I do like being close though; being able to interact with people. In fact, after seeing the 35 1.4L shots, I'm considering it as my next lens after the 85 1.8. It has a certain 'wow' factor and I better list up candidate excuses for buying it or I'll never hear the end of it.

As for being quick, I guess I need to read up about focusing at the hyperfocal distance and forget about focusing and just trust the 'math' and concentrate on catching 'aha' moments.

Thank you for the encouragement. I'll share my low-light street photos tomorrow but for now, I'd like to create a new thread showing street fragments.