Poll : Through which social network do you read this blog ?

 Street photography articles  7 Responses »
May 152013
 

I started this blog now almost 5 years ago. What use to be a simple web address is now replicated on half a dozen social networks, be it Facebook, Flickr, G+, Twitter, …. Yes, it is nice to see exposure to one’s work increase, but apart from that, what is the real value ? I wonder whether it would not be better to focus my time to one social network. Gain of time, more interactions, better content would be part of the advantages. The main disadvantage would obviously be a loss of followers in the networks I would no longer support.

So, before I head this way and to help me take a decision, it would greatly appreciate if you could answer this simple poll.

Yanidel.net
Through which social network do you read this blog ?

 

As for today’s picture, it shows social networks the real way : between friends, around a glass of wine.

Friends rodeo field

A perfectly failed street photograph

 Street photography articles  5 Responses »
Apr 092013
 

Avenida Corrientes in Buenos Aires.
Four lanes of cars speeding down the one way street.
Thousands of shoppers rushing home before down falls on the city.

Suddenly I spot a couple kissing on the side of the road. I force my way into the crowd to get into position and quickly raise my camera to my eyes. In fear to lose the decisive moment, I quickly press the shutter.

“Sh.t !”   (excuse my French)

Just as I hit the shutter, a few cars and a bunch of ladies suddenly intrude in my frame and sent my hopes of a good picture crashing. No chance for a second shot, the moment has ended and the couple has already moved on.  Disgusted, I nervously peep at my LCD, mumble a few unpleasant words and almost hit the delete button. Yet somehow I don’t, forget about that shot, and resume the hunt.

Back from Buenos AIres two days later. I anxiously download the results of the weekend’s outing.

And suddenly I feel thrown back on Avenida Corrientes.
Four lanes of cars speeding down the one way street.
Thousands of shoppers rushing home before dawn falls on the city.
And a couple kissing, in the midst of chaos.

A perfectly failed street photograph Yanidel

My interview “Street photograhy in colors” in Phototech magazine

 Street photography articles  1 Response »
Apr 032013
 

If you are located in France or plan to travel there this month, you can discover my article “Street photography in colors” (“La photo de rue en couleurs”)  in the April issue of Phototech Magazine. The journalist did a great job of enhancing the interview with many anecdotes on Street photography.  So don’t hesitate, finding a kiosk in France is the next easiest thing after a bakery.

Obviously, some knowledge of French will definitely help, though evidently, pictures can also do the talking.

Phototech magazine Yanidel

Spot the odd ones: filter or no filter ?

 Street photography articles  No Responses »
Mar 212013
 

The use of filters, HDR, cropping and cloning tools is often debated in street photography. Should the documentary aspect of street photography prohibit any manipulation made by the photographer in post-processing?

There is no simple answer to that and most of the time, viewers can’t even distinguish when manipulations are made. For example, could you tell which of the following pictures had a filter applied to it ?  (click on pictures to view them in high res)

1 2
q
3 4

spot odd one

I’ll provide the answer in a couple of day in the comments’ section.

Why are rangefinders the best for street photography ?

 Street photography articles  1 Response »
Mar 092013
 

…. because you will never miss what is going on outside of the frame. 

Joke aside, and in times of inevitable comparisons of the new Leica M240 vs M9 vs M8 vs D800 vs film vs Toyota vs Ferrari vs my father is stronger than yours, I am convinced that the one feature that make rangefinders especially great for street photography is the frame lines system. Indeed, it allows you to better anticipate the "decisive moment" by visualizing, directly in the viewfinder, the elements that are about to enter your scene. No need to scan around with your camera, just position your frame and wait for the moons to align.

So sorry, this in not another long "10 reasons why rangefinders are better for street photography", because I guess that #1 simply trumps all the other ones. (click on picture for high res)

Rosario – Leica M9 with 35mm Lux Asph at F1.4, 1/1500, ISO160

Varanasi – the problem with Instagram

 Street photography articles  5 Responses »
Feb 232013
 

Last night as I connected my Nokia N8 to our new LED TV, I was amazed to see how great the Leica M8-9 pictures rendered through the HDMI connection. What an amazing way to view pictures! Then I started to go through other pictures I had loaded in my phone and found a full series of Instragram-like shots ("Molome" on Nokia devices ) I had taken in India. Well, I was stunned to see the large difference in quality when viewed on a 32" screen. Contrast, sharpness, colors …. my Molome pictures looked like they were taken with a pinhole 1950 Fed camera. The fact that they were square did not help them as the 24x36cm is way better adapted for TV screens.

Obviously, nothing new here, yet it led me to the thought that one should shoot Instagram for what it is : a fast food like consumption of images through a tiny 4 inches screen. Thank you nostalgia filters for all the Likes you get me and for helping to hide my terrible compositions as well as my meaningless scenes.

Yet, if you actually plan to print your pictures in large sizes, sell them, organize an exhibition or simply view the trip of your life on your large TV Screen, then make sure you take along a real camera too. Because looking backwards, I wish I had taken all these pictures with my Leica M.

All pictures taken with Nokia N8 and Molome

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