PHOTOGRAPHING DAY ONE ON THE DC STREETCAR

Fujifilm X100S,f8.0 @ 1/800, ISO 400.

On Saturday, the DC Streetcar began carrying passengers along H Street, so late in the afternoon, I decided to check it out.

To get the first photo, I positioned myself close to the edge of the platform in order to capture the driver and the waiting passengers as the streetcar approached the platform. I was somewhat limited because on this first day of operation there were plenty of volunteers on hand to keep people from doing exactly what I wanted to do, which was get closer.

I like how the shadows create a criss-cross pattern on the platform, mimicking the design pattern on the side of the streetcar. Additionally, I like that the light illuminates the boys face to the right, which makes a connection to the light on the driver.

Fujifilm X100S,f4.0 @ 1/900, ISO 400.

When I boarded the streetcar, I moved to the back of the car hoping to catch some shots as we left the platform, maybe including one of the volunteers out the window. The woman in this scene with the wonderful light on her face immediately caught my eye so I knew I wanted to place her in the foreground. The streetcar was very crowded and I was only able to get a few photos before we pulled out so instead of capturing her with the station in the background as originally intended, I caught the Hopscotch bridge and another photographer. I still like the photo.

Fujifilm X100S,f2.8 @ 1/900, ISO 400.

As I returned to the Union Station stop after making a four-mile roundtrip I knew that I wanted to get at least one more shot; one that would connect the crowd to the streetcar while at the same time give a sense of the opening day ridership. I purposely focused on the streetcar and just let passengers walk by doing my best to frame the logo. In this photo, I like the boy on the right holding a hand and while I purposely tried not to show faces in this shot, the man looking down does help to draw attention to that gesture as well.

SEVEN DAYS WITH THE FUJI X-PRO1

The Fuji XF35mm (53mm equivalent), F1.4 lens did a great job. 1/1000, f2.8 at ISO 200.

I was headed to New York City on a seven-day assignment to cover Fleet Week for the Navy and thought it would be the perfect time and location to test a Fujifilm X-Pro1 outfitted with an XF 35mm f1.4 lens I rented from  BorrowedLenses.com.

I have been a fan of the Fuji X cameras since I purchased an X-10 in 2012. Then after spending in 2013, I immediately ordered one for myself and I still carry and shoot with it almost daily. Would I love the X-Pro1 as much as these previous cameras?

The X-Pro1 is not a new camera, in fact, it has been around since March 2012 and there is no shortage of reviews and testimonials from photographers who really like this camera. So why am I just writing about it now? Well maybe it's because I was so wrapped up in my X100S that I never really considered another APS-C camera, or maybe it's because I started seeing rumors about an X-Pro2. Whatever the reason, I figured it was time – probably long overdue, that I gave this camera a try.

A little bit of rain didn't bother the X-Pro1, but did offer some nice scenes to photograph. When shooting on the streets in large cities, I find crosswalks and street corners offer plenty of opportunities. 1/125, f5.6 at ISO 640.

Since there has already been so much written about the X-Pro1, and it really is similar in functionality to the X100S, I decided to skip most of the technical details about this camera and concentrate more on how I set up and used this camera during a week of street photography in New York City. But don't worry, I will still point out the differences to the X100S as they come up.

Of course, there is one major difference between the X-Pro1 and the X100S, interchangeable X mount lenses. In 2012, Fuji originally offered three lenses; a 60mm (91mm) f2.4 macro, 18mm (27mm) f2 and the aforementioned 35mm. As of this posting, there are now at least nine additional lenses, including zooms and offerings from other manufacturers, including Carl Zeiss. It never bothered me that the X100S was a fixed 35mm equivalent, since you work with what you have, but perhaps on a few occasions it would have been nice to have options. That said, I only had the 53mm lens available to me during the trial period, so I made that work and admit I enjoyed the change.

In street photography, you have to always be ready to shoot. In this case I noticed the Fleet Week sign and the man loading kegs as I walked by. I quickly turned and got off about a dozen frames before I moved on. 1/125, f5.6 at ISO 500.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

The X-Pro1 has a great feel, classic look and you get the sense that it is just made for the streets. Physically, it is slightly larger and a bit heavier than the X100S, but continues to feel comfortable and natural in your hands. The XF35mm lens did protrude from the camera body more than I expected and took me a while to get used to. I've noticed many of the new lens offerings look huge and somewhat awkward on these APS-C cameras.

The Hybrid Viewfinder is similar the X100S, except it will update views based on lens choice. I still prefer the Optical viewfinder (OVF) over the Electronic viewfinder (EVF). I find the EVF darker than I would like and just a bit artificial. The OVF feels open and I like how I can see what is happening just outside the frame which is helpful, especially in street photography.

I was still able to get that wide angle feel I'm used to with the X100S even though the XF 35mm is a 53mm equivalent lens. 1/1200, f5.6 at ISO 200.

Again, the button layout and functionality is also similar to the X100S. I think the placement of the AE/AF-lock button is in a better location and therefore, I found myself using it more often. You can also choose a focus area quickly by pressing the AF Button and then using the selector to move your focus point within the frame. Pressing the MENU/OK Button will return the focus point to the center. It takes some practice, but getting used to the focus features on the X-Pro1, like the X100S, is key to getting the most out of your camera.

MY SETTINGS FOR SHOOTING ON THE STREETS

Set the AF Illuminator to OFF. The purpose of this light is to assist with autofocus in low light situations, but using the camera in lowlight situations is also the time you probably don't want to draw attention to yourself, or telegraph that you are about to take a photo. I didn't notice any focus issues, even in some fairly low light, with the AF Illuminator off.

Place gaffer's tape over the Indicator Lamp. For the same reason I set the AF Illuminator to OFF, I prefer to cover over the Indicator Lamp on the back of the camera. I'm not so worried I'll be discovered or afraid of the interaction, however, if I can get a few frames off without being noticed, I prefer that.

Set Operational Volume off. Are you seeing a trend here. Plus no shutter noise is a real advantage of mirrorless over DSLR. Even my Nikon's quiet mode can't compete with silence.

Using Auto ISO meant that I could shoot all day in and out of the shadows and then well into the night without thinking about it. 1/125, f1.4 at ISO 2500

Use Auto ISO. I like the thought of moving in and out of various lighting situations and not having to change ISO each time. You can assign ISO to the Fn (function) Button which speeds up the process, but if you don't have to worry about it, why do so. Within auto ISO, there are a few considerations you need to take into account, though. For instance, I set the max ISO to 3200, but the lowest shutter speed to 1/125. Prior to making that choice, the camera would favor ISO and I found my shutter speed kept dropping too low which in some cases resulted in blurred photos.

New York City and Times Square is a busy and crowed place. The small form factor of the X-Pro1 is perfect in these situations and most people hardly notice you taking photos. A real advantage in street photography. 1/125, f2.0 at ISO 320.

Set Film Type to Monochrome.  Just like with the X100S, I set up the camera to shoot both raw and jpeg allowing me to shoot and preview my photos in black and white, but still have the color originals available during post production. I further set the film simulation mode to monochrome plus yellow filter which offers slightly increased contrast while toning down the brightness of the sky. I've always associated street photography with black and white which why I favor this setup.

I used continuous shooting (burst mode) set to six frames per second (max for this camera) to capture this photo in Coney Island. 1/300, f11 at ISO 200.

Remaining settings. Aperture-priority AE (A) mode, turn off display back (Viewfinder Only), focus mode set to Single Focus. 

SOME FINAL THOUGHTS

The X-Pro1 did seem to focus quicker than the X100S, but there was still a bit of lag when coming out of standby mode. I missed a few shots because of this which was a reminder to always make sure the camera is awake and ready.

UPDATE:

Under Power Management turning the Quick Start Mode to ON is supposed to reduce camera start up time except I failed to test this and only noticed it in the instruction manual recently. And sure enough there is a similar feature available on the X100S, so I may have found a solution. More to come.

In street photography, scenes like this happen quickly and having the camera awake and ready to shoot is key. 1/125, f1.4 at ISO 2500.

What appealed to me about the X100S was its simplicity. And I wondered if adding interchangeable lenses would detract from that? Hard to answer since as I mentioned previously I only had the XF 35mm available to me during the trial period, but even if I had other options available, I tend to pick a lens and stick with it. Although picking a Fujifilm XF 60mm f2.4 macro lens  one day and then a Zeiss 12mm f2.8 Touit series the next would be a fun option to have.

I know there are other new X offerings from Fuji like the XE-2 and the XT-1, but I really love the rangefinder styling of the X100S and X-Pro1. The XT-1 has been getting a lot of favorable reviews and I'm looking forward to testing it in the future.

However for now, I've gone back to shooting with my X100S and really am not looking to change anytime soon. That is unless the X-Pro2 rumors pan out.

NEW YEAR'S DAY PHOTO FAIL

"Oh, Dem Golden Slippers" is both a signature song and signature footwear worn by Mummers during the annual parade held on New Year's Day in Philadelphia.

There are days when you just don't have it. Even with the best intentions you head out with your camera and... nothing. All photographers face this and most of the time you just chalk it up to experience and move on.

Then there are those days when you are shooting and think to yourself that you are nailing it only to discover later that not only didn't you nail the shot, but you didn't really nail ANY shots. That is true disappointment and the place I found myself on New Year's Day.

It was with great excitement that on January 1st, 2014, I headed to Center City Philadelphia to photograph the 114th Mummers Parade. I've had a lot of fun in the second half of 2013 shooting with my Fujifilm X100S and photographing the Mummers was going to be a continuation of this and a great start to 2014, or so I thought.

In this photo of the Goodtime Lobster Club I came close to capturing the Mummer Strut that is a staple of the Comics divisions.

Just some quick background on the Mummers for those of you who haven't had the pleasure. Some compare the Mummers Parade to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, but that really doesn't do it justice or tell the whole story, in fact the parade itself predates Mardi Gras becoming official in 1900, but traces its roots back to the mid-17th century and is believed to be the oldest "folk" festival in the country. It is a party to be sure, but participants spend all year preparing props and costumes in order to welcome in the new year.

I photographed the Fralinger String Band as I worked my way along the parade route. Away from the performance areas you are not limited to shooting from the sidewalk and can venture into the street.

The parade consists of local clubs competing in one of four categories; comics (including wench brigades), fancies and probably the most well known, string bands and fancy brigades whose elaborate props and costumes can cost upwards of $10,000.

And even though I lived in and around Philadelphia my entire life, this was the first Mummers Parade I attended. I've watched on TV and thought about going in the past, but this year I was going to make it happen and I was determined to get some great photos.

Members of the South Philly String Band move props up Oregon Ave. These were the first photos I took during the day and thought I was off to a good start. I was close to getting the right shot, but just seemed to be a bit off.

I thought I was off to a great start as I was driving downtown and upon exiting at Passyunk Avenue I saw Mummers wheeling props down Oregon Ave, still hours away from when they would march up Broad Street. So I quickly drove ahead and found parking. I shot from two different locations as the South Philly String Band wheeled their props, including parts of a pirate ship and a giant octopus, down the street to the start of the parade. This was going to be a fun day I thought to myself.

This photo of Finnegan's NYB captures an individual, but fails to capture the excitement of the entire group.

I found parking as close to Broad Street as I could and headed off. The parade essentially takes place on a one and half mile route between Washington Avenue and City Hall, on a section of Broad Street known as the Avenue of the Arts. In that span there are several locations that are designated as performance areas and while they can get a little crowded, most of the stretch offers plenty of chances to get up close and personnel. My goal was to capture moments that didn't necessarily involve the performances so I roamed up and down Broad Street shooting from both sides of the street and in some cases from in the street.

I searched and scanned for interesting characters, faces, antics, anything that would convey the feeling of Mummery.

In this photo of the Froggy Carr Wench Brigade performing "Frogs Under the Sea" I captured the color but failed to really capture any movement or celebration.

So all this pageantry of color, movement, celebration, costumes and unique characters, was all taking place in front of my camera and I was clicking away sure that I was capturing some really cool images. Yet for some reason what I was seeing with my eyes and what I was capturing just didn't add up. Sometimes I seemed a second off, sometimes I needed to be wider or tighter and sometimes I just missed the key moment all together.

That would have been fine if I had realized it at the time and made the adjustments. Not a huge deal because I was shooting for myself and not on assignment. For a professional photographer on assignment, even if you don't have it, you better find it quick, because if you return too often without it, then you will find yourself looking for another job. On this day even if I didn't get the one shot I was looking for, I did get some photos that may not be as bad as I first thought, and probably most important, I had a wonderful time.

I was prepared to capture more of this type of behind the parade scenes but ended up focusing more on the parade itself and in the end maybe didn't focus on anything.

I've already been out shooting again and I have several assignments this week to redeem myself and get 2014 off to the proper photographic start, but my thoughts are already on Jan. 1, 2015, and the 115th Mummers Parade.

Not that I'm in a hurry.

TAKING THE FUJI X100S TO THE STREET

The Parlamentarium. 1/13 @f2.0, ISO 1600.

The lure of street photography for me is all about the moments, moments that happen hundreds of times a day, happen all around us and happen in an instant. Moments that happen whether you are there with your camera on not.

The goal then is to capture those moments. To do that you must be aware of what is happening around you and be ready with your camera at all times.

I mentioned in the blog post

Ten Days With the Fuji X100S

 that if I wanted to use this camera on the streets I was really going to have to spend some time becoming familiar with it. Along the way I've missed plenty of those moments though. That's natural. With any new camera or piece of gear, you have to use it and use it over and over so that operating it becomes second nature. This is especially true in street photography.

Patience allowed me to capture a clear shot of the Manneken Pis framed by a band and officials during a ceremony. 1/140 @f8.0, ISO 400.

Fortunately, the learning curve is not steep with this camera and after four months of shooting, including these photos from three days in Belgium and one day in Amsterdam, I've come to appreciate the challenges as well as the positives shooting with the Fuji X100S .

What you see.

I use the optical viewfinder (OVF) display instead of the electronic viewfinder (EVF) which means there is no display lag when I bring the camera to my eye and it also gives me a larger field of view than that of the lens. This means I can keep track of what is happening just outside the frame without ever removing my eye from the viewfinder.

However, there is still a second or two lag before you are able to release the shutter, especially when the camera has gone to sleep. One way I overcome this lag is to keep the camera turned off and then turn it on as I bring it to my eye. Using this technique, I have found the camera seems to be ready to shoot as soon as I get it to my eye.

Take time to stop and just wait for things to happen. I was originally photographing the two women window shopping for chocolate in Brussels when a mother and child exited. 1/50 @f5.6, ISO 400.

Again, in street photography you have to be ready for that moment and a second too soon or too late makes all the difference.

Monochrome or color?

One thing that I really like about the X100S is the monochrome film simulation mode and the quality of those black and white images right out of the camera. For me black and white and street photography go together, so one of the first things I did was set one of the custom functions to monochrome, which then made it easy to switch between modes. I soon found that switching between modes throughout the day takes both time and can compromise creativity. That was until I inadvertently found a solution.

This scene at the Brussels airport train station is all about the color. Shooting JPEG plus RAW meant I had the color data available to me even though I had the camera set to monochrome. 1/9 @ f4.0, ISO 800 +0.33EV.

Initially I was only shooting in JPEG FINE mode, however more recently I have been shooting JPEG FINE plus RAW allowing me to keep the camera set to monochrome, stay in that frame of mind creatively, all the while knowing that there is a RAW file containing original data, including color information. If I come across a scene where color plays a part, I can take the photo without having to go into my custom settings.

This scene at Amsterdam's Central Station, like the photo above, works because of color. Again, I knew it was about color  even though the camera was set to monochrome, but not having to switch saved me time before the buses moved and the moment passed. 1/160 @f2.8, ISO 400.

Size matters.

The Fuji X100S' size and feel are perfect for street photography. Not as threatening as a full frame DSLR with lens, the X100S presents itself well and feels right in your hands. When walking the streets I like to wrap the camera strap around my hand and carry the camera at chest level so when I see a scene developing, I'm only seconds away from being ready to shoot. I've also added the Fotodiox Pro Thumb Grip which helps me hold the camera securely. Then once I start shooting, I keep shooting and moving in order to get the best possible picture.

Even when noticed by the subject, I'm not given the same look as if I was pointing a large 'professional looking' DSLR camera at them. The added advantage on this camera of having a preview appear in your viewfinder means you know what you are capturing without having to remove your eye from the viewfinder.

Outside the European Union in Brussels. I liked the shadow and shapes created by this overhead walkway, so I waited until a person walked by. Timing is key and if I waited for the subject to take two more steps this would have been a stronger image. 1/100 @f8.0, ISO 200.

And since the X100S doesn't draw any attention to itself (from non-photographers anyway) I also find that I'm able to shoot in locations that I would previously have had to worry about being stopped and questioned like a mall or store.

I don't think I ever had any real doubt that this camera would be a perfect street camera for me and the more I shoot with it, the more I'm convinced of it. I'm feeling more like a photojournalist then when I actually was a photojournalist. What more can I say.

See you on the street.

Body parts for sale in Amsterdam window. 1/25 @f2.0, ISO 400.

Previous Fuji X series camera posts:

- FUJI 100S AND LANDSCAPES - PERFECT TOGETHER

- TEN DAYS WITH THE FUJI X100S

- TIME FOR AN UPGRADE? FUJI X10 or X100S

- INTRODUCING MY FUJI X10