The skate park on south bank, near Waterloo.
Fujifilm X100 at f/2.8, 1/180th, ISO320
Movement and blur can be advantageous. London 2012.
Fujifilm X100 at f/4, 1/80th, ISO400
I’d like to reitterate here that I’m not the biggest fan of street shots of the homeless or disadvantaged - if that is even the case here. But sometimes I feel such shots can be taken with purpose. I unfortunately didn’t have a chance to talk to this man before or after I took the shot here, although he did appear to be entirely asleep.
A homeless person or a beggar may appear to be an interesting subject when you’re roaming the pavement for those elusive street shots. But you should ask yourself why you are thinking of using them as a subject. Sure they may look more interesting than the standard pedestrian, but they are people too and have dignity. They may not appreciate a stranger taking candid photos of their situation.
In this instance, I was walking amongst the city crowd in London 2012 and this man was asleep on the sidewalk, staying out of the way. For me he formed an interesting contrast against the overwhelmingly spirited crowd. I was not able to capture the crowd in the frame. I was also not entirely comfortable with the shot, so I made sure he was not immediately recognisable. Taking candid shots should be done with care - in all senses of the word.
London 2012 with Fujifilm X100 at f/4, 1/500th, ISO400
Who could be expected to wait with the boring adults in the queues? Much better to have a run around the place
London 2012
Shot with Fujifilm X100 at f/2, 1/750th, ISO200
Other images appropriate for black and white processing include those that have a minimalistic focus on human subjects. Strong diagonals and cloudy skies..
London 2012 shot with the Fujifilm X100 at f/8, 1/800th, ISO320
Cheery about the crowds?
Fujifilm X100 at f/8, 1/320th, ISO640
The Bus Stop.
Oxford Circus
Shot with Fujifilm X100 at f/4.5, 1/2500th, ISO640
I do like the use of black and white when strong compositional lines are included in the image.
Oh, and you’ve got to love the Boris bikes
Fujifilm X100 at f/5.6, 1/1000th, ISO400
You have to have a good view of the sights
Fujifilm X100 at f/4.5, 1/3200th, ISO640
redheadshot asked: Your pictures remind me strongly of my amazing trip to London back in March, and I would just like to thank you for the work you're posting, they're a real treat to look at! It's like I'm visiting all over again!
What an awesome compliment to wake up to. I’m really glad to hear you enjoy my page, and even more thrilled to hear that you find a personal connection to the photos. That’s about the best praise I could receive as a street photographer - it’s why I shoot and upload them in the first place!
Hopefully you’re able to get back to London sooner rather than later. Stay tuned for a bunch more of London over the next few weeks. I then move on to Sweden and Norway, and from there who knows.