Posted in Photography

A photo challenge: No viewfinder day

Some time ago Tim started a street photography challenge and is posting his images in his blog.

As he was heading out this morning he asked if I’d like to join him. Street photography is not really my thing, but I thought ‘why not’.

This week’s task was “to spend half a day taking photos without using your viewfinder or the back of your camera. Just stick the camera out in front of you and see what happens.” [I just took that straight from Tim’s blog!] It’s what photographer Mark Cohen calls “grab shots” and it was something completely new to me – not the way I generally take photos.

We spent an hour or so wondering along Glenferrie Rd in Malvern and I have to admit that it was really fun. I was using a camera I hadn’t used before, but part of the brief was to have the camera set up in a particular way and that made it easier. I didn’t have to think about aperture or shutter speed or focal point. I obviously need a lot of work on getting this style ‘right’ but it was a fun project to do.

I’m always amazed at how Tim and I can shoot in the same place and come back with very different images.

Here are mine:

Posted in Melbourne, Photography

A photo challenge: Breaking the rules

A few weeks ago Tim started a street photography challenge and is posting his images in his blog.

As he was heading out this morning he asked if I’d like to join him today. Street photography is not really my thing, but I thought ‘why not’.

This week’s task was “to produce nine images that break the ‘rules’ of photography but still work… that might mean breaking rules of composition, rules about not ‘chopping off’ limbs or heads, shooting with a straight horizon, and so on”. [I just took that straight from Tim’s blog!]

Here are my nine images. To see the full image, you’ll need to click on it.

One thing that intrigues me is that we went to the same places yet took quite different shots. I like that.

Posted in Melbourne, Portraits

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The tram pulled up in the city and before the doors opened I heard a beautiful voice. The workmen sitting on the steps appreciated the beautiful voice as well.

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Posted in Melbourne, Photography, Portraits

162: Faces of Melbourne #10

I hung around near the State Library, again scouring faces in the crowds crossing the road, sitting on the steps, wandering into the library.

I saw her crossing the road, and the young man she was with was very quick to say yeah sure.

I asked her if she wanted to see the photo, but she said if I see it and don’t like it I might ask you to delete it. Best that I don’t see it. So I didn’t show her, but I’m pretty confident she wouldn’t have wanted me to delete it.

This is Amal.

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Posted in Melbourne, Photography, Portraits

161: Faces of Melbourne #9

He was Albert’s mate, bubbling through the mall.

You on Insta? he asked. I am, but I’m not sure how I might find you, I stumbled, feeling my age.

He took my phone, found his Instagram account and pushed the ‘follow’ button. There I am! Now, when I finish talking you say, ‘keep it Jaggy’. I look puzzled, until I realised he was making a video of us to beam out to his fans (of which I was now one), and on cue I told them all to ‘keep it Jaggy’.

Our photo shoot was far longer than the usual one-minute interaction I generally have with the strangers I shoot, and by the end of it I was exhausted. I told him he looked terrifying in this photo, and he laughed delightedly.

All the way from Sydney, this is Ian aka Jaggy.

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Posted in Melbourne, Photography, Portraits

160: Faces of Melbourne #8

He was exuberantly posing for photos with his friend in the mall, and I must admit I hesitated, but then decided to be brave.

He didn’t just say yeah sure, he cried exuberantly we has a fan!

He directed the photo shoot: take one of me full-length, Sharon; take one of me on two phones, Sharon; send them all to me, Sharon

All the way from Kenya, this is Albert.

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