My favorite way to make images is to wander with my camera. I try not to have a set plan. I like the freedom to shoot what I want, when I want. Categories of photography are a constraint and I avoid them at all cost. My creativity feels stifled when there are too many rules or constraints. I took off for San Francisco to go for a walk with my Leica Q2. I did have the goal of working in black and white. Additionally I created a preset that was high contrast. I shoot in both DNG as well as JPG. The JPG, with the preset applied, gives me an idea what the creative possibilities are for the DNG file.
Deeper shadows, darker sky, texture, details pop. I love this look. I have always leaned toward more contrast in my images. For years I have shot film with a red filter on my Nikon FE2. Kodak Tri-X is my film of choice lately, which has more contrast than other film stocks. Alan Schaller is a photographer I recently discovered. His images include a ton of negative space and is rich with contrast. I have to admit that he has influenced this shoot.
This image is all about light and shadow. The strip of lit texture, negative space, a bit abstract but pleasing for me. Experimenting is key in growing as a photographer. Lately i’ve been striving to break free of conventional constraints. Thinking more creatively. Creating art with my camera is the goal. This is just one step in that process.
Understanding color in black and white photography is key. That sentence sounds funny but it is true. The building in the background is a deep red. Knowing that it will translate into a deeper shade of gray prepares me for the overall image. The shadows of the poles, the scooter, crosswalk hashmarks and the building in the background make this image more interesting or visually pleasing.
Visual oddities are worth capturing. Things that are out of the ordinary are more commonplace in a city environment. A blend of art and culture in a smaller space than other places in the world. All you have to do is look and they will present themselves.
A man standing in a booth being watched over by a honey bear in a top hat. An image I couldn’t resist. Murals like this are all over the city. It would be interesting to find the artist and discover the motivation for the art. Like the prior image, a visual oddity, open to interpretation of each passerby.
Lately i’ve been drawn to images that are looking through to the subject. In a prior post I mentioned my interest in chain link. This image reminds me of that. Patterns, light, shadow, all combining to make an image that is up to the viewer as to what it is or what it means to them. For context, this is an outdoor dining space or parklet, outside of a restaurant. For me it represents an end to the isolation we all felt during covid. Like a museum exhibit, behind a type of wall or window, to be observed, a memory to be preserved.
You may be asking yourself, what’s the purpose of all this? What do I hope to gain through this photo walk? With every image I learn something. I learn about the camera, the lens and how that combination works with light and shadow in all its’ possibilities. I learn about myself through when I choose to activate the shutter to capture the image that is preserved. I then take all that information and carry it to the next shoot, where I will try different techniques or a different location or type of lighting. The idea is to make something better each day, share my love of this craft and share the images born from that love!
Till next time,
John