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The Photography Thread


mr ailsbury

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Very nice catch lights in the eyes, and his face is lit really nicely. Did you use a reflector for this?

No reflector and the sun was high and harsh. I Messed with it a bit with the dodge tool and softened the edges of the shadows a bit. You can probably see where I have bodged it a bit as he had food all over his chin and around his mouth.

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Yer talking to strangers isn't a problem, I know most of the homeless people in my area anyway just from being out an about at lot at night and stopping to give them coins/malteasers etc. More the moral thing I was curious about, as literally while I was taking a photo of that guy in my initial post a lady stopped to puke her opinions on me about how I was taking advantage of his situation. I once had a photography teacher who was dead set against me taking photos of the homeless as well.

Thing is, I regularly talk to these guys, help them out in any way I can and generally treat them as people. While this suited up lady in her expensive watch would have walked past him without blinking an eye if I hadn't been there, and didn't even acknowledge his presence as she talked about him to me. She can do one basically.

Said it yourself there, without taken photographs then no one homeless is being brought to the attention of the public. Used in the correct way, photos of homeless isn't taking advantage. People not realise what it's like etc and you can help show that.

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More the moral thing I was curious about, as literally while I was taking a photo of that guy in my initial post a lady stopped to puke her opinions on me about how I was taking advantage of his situation.

It's a tricky one.

In Asia I saw lots of well-dressed tourists stopping to take pictures of the begging kids, and it disgusted me in a way, because they were seeing it as some quaint little curiosity. You'd see a couple of bemused little kids and this wall of tourists clambering over each other to get a snap. How many of them bothered to give the kid a bit of food or money? Not many.

Likewise at the sulphur mine I photographed, lots of tourists who'd paid $50 to tour guides (who gave nothing to the miners) got in the way of the locals as they tried to work, stopped them in their work so they could take a photo and just laughed and said "Whatever mate!" when the guys gestured for something in return. Once I'd got to know these guys (I was there for a week) and particularly once I'd camped overnight in their primative, freezing little hut, they were happy to have me around. I got through 14 packs of cigarettes and I don't even smoke!! I made sure they were all happy and they knew that I had a genuine interest.

So I think this is the difference, and will make for a better project. It was good for me when I was sat with the miners as they laughed at other tourists. If you get to know the homeless guys, sit with them, help them out now and again, then I don't think there is a moral issue. But even if you didn't know them, etc, part of me wants to say that this stuff should always be covered. We're filmed a thousand times a day by CCTV cameras, but for some reason people get all upset if a real person is holding the camera.

I'm sure you've seen Indecline and Bum Fights. If you ask me, they cross the line because they're actively interfering, not just covering, what they see. There are so many projects you could do with the homeless - I think a good one would be to commit to a week in a city, just take a little camera and see if you could really get inside their world. Or ask one of the guys you know if you can spend a week with them.

On the subject, this is worth watching if you haven't already... http://www.geekwire.com/2012/seattles-creepy-cameraman-pushes-limits-public-surveillance/

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Just got myself an old DSLR to have a play with. Who knows, if I like it, I may upgrade to something a bit newer in the future.

I got an Olympus E-510, came with 2 lenses, filters, bag etc. And paid next to nothing for it :)

Any tips for beginners would be grand (A)

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It's a tricky one.

Yer I see what you mean, I experienced similair things in South America, and even on the streets of London when you see tourists just obtrusively taking photos of the homeless with no regard to them. I guess, as you say, it just depends how you go about it. By the point that I ask to take their photo I'd like to think that they're comfortable enough and know me well enough to decline without feeling obligated because I've given them money. I've always got my camera in hand so a lot of the time they start asking about it before I ever even bring it up and it just happens naturally. I live pretty much bang in the middle of central london and walk around a lot at night so see them all regularly.

What you were saying about if I didn't know them though, I'm not sure if I agree with. CCTV is a bit different to a real person with a camera, people who are temporarily homeless may not want that photo floating about on the internet for example, so you need to at least speak to them to be aware of that.

Originally started talking to them mainly for writing purposes, this tune for example. I've always been interested in the homeless and how fragile city life can be.

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Just a few more from me. Abandoned chapel at a former school for boys

Any feedback would be great, got more photos on my Flickr too, feel free to add me as a contact.

http://www.flickr.co...os/stuarthomas/

Damn it, why is there no cool places like this by me? :( nice bit of HDR though, not over done like a lot of people tend to do.

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If you are talking about me, have a look on ebay. I buy almost all my kit second hand.

...and on the money side, I've got a job I hate but pays reasonable well so I spend my earnings on stuff that might fill that empty void

Edited by AndrewEH1
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Decent zoom lens, f2.8, Nikon fit.

Not much money.

Do those two sentences go together?

Currently looking at Nikon ED 80-200mm 2.8, though they're fairly old. Any other suggestions? I really don't have £1,000+ to be spending on one.

Check this out... http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/80-200mm-history.htm

You might find an older one cheapish. Unfortunately the 70-200 VRs are always the best part of a grand, although worth it. How about the Tamron?

http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/tamron_70-200_2p8_c16

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The Tamron is apparently quite slow and from another review I read, not great in the dark - I'd be using this for weddings so both those cons kinda count that one out I'm afraid.

Yeah the 1997 onwards AF-D Nikon is the one I've been looking at - seems reasonably priced on eBay. I'd love a better one but at the moment my budget doesn't allow :(

Perhaps I'll just stick with what I have (£500 70-300mm 4.5-5.6) and save up. I like this lens, it's just a shame it's not f2.8.

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