Excellent from the pictorial point of view (I’ll leave the technicalities to the experts!). It shows the often lonely vigil these sellers have to endure, with just a faithful hound as companion. Neither present an obvious threat but we can almost sense the elderly lady’s reaction in the background. She’s on her own. Should she keep walking on and ignore him? Should she cross the road to avoid him? Is the dog a danger? Will she buy the magazine? (Purely from a sales point of view, shouldn’t he should be presenting the attractive front cover towards her as she approaches!)
It tells a real story!
Have to agree with everything Ray’s already said Andrew. Great shot with lots of story levels. I like the contrast of the smiling ‘celeb face’ on the mag against the reality of the vendor and the old lady (and I doubt that either of them would have mugged you for the camera )
Many thanks, I really appreciate your thoughtful comments. Ray has seen so much in this that I’m ashamed to say that I only saw his reflection in the window !
I hoped to carry the GF1 & 20mm as a constant back-up but have been a little underwhelmed so far, and have missed a few shots because of the lack of reach. What do they say about blaming your tools ? Thanks Ray & John.
Thanks for your remarks on the other one as well Ray, I did resubmit with a tighter crop but still didn’t like it so it had to go. I havent used a fixed prime lens since my OM1 and OM2 days when a 28mm wide, a 50mm standard, and a 135mm tele, was the usual kit and your feet did the zooming. I must be getting lazy.
I’m used to using Leica M gear so unless I’ve got the 28-35-50mm attached I have to zoom with my feet as you say. I find that my ‘eye’ develops a feeling for the field of view of say a 50mm or 35mm and I can guess that the viewpoint is OK for the lens. I think if you practice a little you’ll develop the eye for the 20mm and you’ll be faster than with the zoom. A friend of mine with the GF1 / 20mm shoots with the camera on his chest and then crops a bit.
With regard to this picture, I agree with the comments, I’d be very pleased with this result so I wouldn’t give up on the combination at all, I think you’re doing well.
Yes, John’s point about the face on the cover on the magazine contrasting with that of the vendor is very pertinent!
I just cannot give up my sales instincts!
Lucky man Kenneth, the Leica M must be the ultimate street camera, possibly with the 35mm lens.
In my film days my favourite docu-pic camera was the tiny but rugged Olympus XA with a 35mm f2.8 lens, which I used until the metering failed.
I have decided to keep the 20mm f1.7 on the GF1 and have posted another couple of street shots.
The trouble is I end up carrying a second camera with zoom in a rucksack just in case !
3:33 pm
Excellent from the pictorial point of view (I’ll leave the technicalities to the experts!). It shows the often lonely vigil these sellers have to endure, with just a faithful hound as companion. Neither present an obvious threat but we can almost sense the elderly lady’s reaction in the background. She’s on her own. Should she keep walking on and ignore him? Should she cross the road to avoid him? Is the dog a danger? Will she buy the magazine? (Purely from a sales point of view, shouldn’t he should be presenting the attractive front cover towards her as she approaches!)
It tells a real story!
Regards
Ray
4:58 pm
Have to agree with everything Ray’s already said Andrew. Great shot with lots of story levels. I like the contrast of the smiling ‘celeb face’ on the mag against the reality of the vendor and the old lady (and I doubt that either of them would have mugged you for the camera
)
John
7:18 pm
Many thanks, I really appreciate your thoughtful comments. Ray has seen so much in this that I’m ashamed to say that I only saw his reflection in the window !
I hoped to carry the GF1 & 20mm as a constant back-up but have been a little underwhelmed so far, and have missed a few shots because of the lack of reach. What do they say about blaming your tools ? Thanks Ray & John.
10:52 am
Thanks to Helen Ogburn for commenting on the other trial 20mm street shot, now deleted.
12:21 pm
Thanks for your remarks on the other one as well Ray, I did resubmit with a tighter crop but still didn’t like it so it had to go. I havent used a fixed prime lens since my OM1 and OM2 days when a 28mm wide, a 50mm standard, and a 135mm tele, was the usual kit and your feet did the zooming. I must be getting lazy.
9:46 am
I’m used to using Leica M gear so unless I’ve got the 28-35-50mm attached I have to zoom with my feet as you say. I find that my ‘eye’ develops a feeling for the field of view of say a 50mm or 35mm and I can guess that the viewpoint is OK for the lens. I think if you practice a little you’ll develop the eye for the 20mm and you’ll be faster than with the zoom. A friend of mine with the GF1 / 20mm shoots with the camera on his chest and then crops a bit.
With regard to this picture, I agree with the comments, I’d be very pleased with this result so I wouldn’t give up on the combination at all, I think you’re doing well.
7:53 pm
Yes, John’s point about the face on the cover on the magazine contrasting with that of the vendor is very pertinent!
I just cannot give up my sales instincts!
10:47 am
Lucky man Kenneth, the Leica M must be the ultimate street camera, possibly with the 35mm lens.
In my film days my favourite docu-pic camera was the tiny but rugged Olympus XA with a 35mm f2.8 lens, which I used until the metering failed.
I have decided to keep the 20mm f1.7 on the GF1 and have posted another couple of street shots.
The trouble is I end up carrying a second camera with zoom in a rucksack just in case !