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

WORLDWIDE PHOTO WALK WRAP UP

* Rosslyn's skyscrapers are compressed in a very dense area giving it that urban feel I was looking for.

On October 5th I participated in Scott Kelby's 6th Annual Worldwide Photo Walk and wanted to share the experience and talk a little about the walk itself. Last year I was part of a walk around the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., and following that experience decided that I wanted to lead a walk in 2013. Not because it wasn't a good experience, but mostly that I was surprised at the time that there wasn't a walk in Arlington, Va., where I live.

So when the 2013 date was announced I applied to be be a leader and was accepted. Ultimately 12 photographers signed up and I ended up walking with ten.

As I already said, I've known since last year that I wanted to lead a walk in Arlington, so the first thing I needed to do was find a location that would be interesting enough photographically for the two hour walk. Since I live in Arlington, I spend a good deal of time walking around the area with my camera, although most of the time I return home without taking a single photograph, which probably should have been a clue as to why there wasn't a walk here. Well that was what I was thinking until I found myself in Rosslyn one morning and all of a sudden I was seeing all kinds of things to photograph. I knew then that I had a solid location for a walk.

Dark Star Park is just one of the many green spaces located in Rosslyn that I felt offered a contrast to the steel and concrete of the urban landscape.

For those that are unfamiliar with Northern Virginia, Rosslyn is located in the northeastern corner of Arlington County just over Potomac River from Georgetown and adjacent to the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial and Arlington National Cemetery. What I find really unique about Rosslyn though is the many skyscrapers located in a relatively small area making it seem much more urban or city like, even compared to Washington, D.C.

Elevated walking paths and parks are another thing that make Rosslyn unique and provided the perfect route and theme for our walk. The light, shadows, textures, reflections, shapes and contrasts make it an excellent location for photography. While there is no specific theme as part of the Worldwide Photo Walk, as a leader I think it helps to point out why you picked a specific location and share some thoughts about it with your group. Remember that there are all skill levels that will potentially join you and some may be looking for inspiration and ideas.

The U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial was a great place to meet and get started on our photo walk.

I choose the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial as a meeting location, mostly because it is a known landmark, making it easy to find, has open space so I didn't miss anyone as they arrived and most important, there is free parking. The government shutdown meant the parking went away, but I think it was still a good place to meet and take a few photos before we began our urban exploration.

Dark Star Park is a unique space in Rosslyn and worth the visit.

After about ten minutes photographing the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial, we moved on to Dark Star Park which sits on a small patch of land as you enter Rosslyn from the Fort Meyer area. The park consists of a series of concrete spheres, reflecting pools, a large tunnel as well as steel poles and each year on August 1st, at 9:32 a.m., the sun casts shadows which then align with permanent patterns on the ground. I've always been fascinated by this park and it was the reason I found myself in Rosslyn taking pictures in the first place. And even though it is a very small area, every time I visit I find very different photographs to take and knew it would be interesting for the group.

Freedom Park seems to float between buildings and even offers a view of Washington, D.C., and the Washington Monument.

We next made our way through Freedom Park, a two block long elevated park originally constructed as a automobile overpass. This park seems to float between buildings and gives you some excellent elevated views of Rosslyn and even a glimpse of Washington, D.C., in the distance. It is a wonderful place to explore reflections and shadows, concrete and greenery, and depending on the time of day, offers very different looks. Initially the group moved through the park rather quickly which surprised me because I choose this location because of all the angles, shadows and shapes it presented. I then noticed that many went back to the beginning and really began to explore and take that second look. Maybe that is what I did the first time I visited this location, so remember that even if you have explored a location multiple times, this is probably the first time your walkers visited.

Walkers make their way into Freedom Park. Two entrances to the park did allow walkers to spread out a bit. It is important, especially with a very large group that you give the photographers space to move around and stay out of each others way.

As a walk leader you need to keep the group on pace, but you also don't want to rush anyone, especially if it looks like they are really feeling a location. Two hours goes by fast and while I thought about adjusting the itinerary and ending here, I did push on and the group began to spread out during the transition to the final location which I didn't want to happen. Remember this was only a group of ten, so imagine if you had 30 or even 50 photographers.

Gateway Park is larger than it first appears and offers lots of spaces to explore with your camera.

Our final location was Gateway park which is located close to the Potomac River and the Key Bridge. This park features a large tiered green space leading into a series of concrete elevations and walkways which again have you looking down on the streets or the park and when followed allows you cross back towards Rosslyn.

It really was a fun day and I enjoyed meeting new people and sharing a few hours with other photographers taking pictures and talking photography. If you have a great idea or location for a walk, I encourage you to apply to be a leader in 2014.

I made getting a group photo right a the start, and then sharing it,  a priority.

I already know I want to lead another walk in Arlington and whether I choose Rosslyn again or opt for a different part of the county, I know I'll have all year to explore and figure it out. If you participated in this year's walk, either as a leader or as a participant, and have something to add, feel free to leave a comment below.

2014 by the Numbers: 1238 photo walks, 28456 participants.
More information and FAQ: http://worldwidephotowalk.com/
Worldwide Photo Walk group on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/groups/wwpw2013/

* This is one of the few photographs I took that day that didn't involve documenting the walk. As a leader I believe you have the responsibility to ensure your walkers are getting the full experience and you can't really do that and spend all you're time shooting. Your time to take photos is when you visit the location prior to the walk which also means you can offer tips and suggestions on what to photograph for those walkers that ask.

PHOTOGRAPHING SUNRISE AND SUNSET - SO WHAT

The sun sets behind Mitchell Butte in Monument Valley, Arizona, December 2012. Nikon D3S, 1/15 @ f 4.

What am I talking about? I don't want to come off as being anti sunrise or sunset mind you, in fact I enjoy them as much as anyone else. For some reason though, I just don't like photographing them.

Maybe that's a bit of an overstatement, because I do, and have shot them, I mean who doesn't. I talk about light all the time and like most photographers am a big fan of early morning and late afternoon light. In fact, didn't I just write about light in my previous blog post?

And in order to get that great light you normally have to be at a location before the sun comes up and stay after the sun goes down. So naturally you see a lot of sunrises and sunsets.

So why do I dislike photographing them?

Sunset at the site of the Battle of the Wheatfield, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, November 2002. Nikon D1H, 1/16 @ f16.

Here it is. It never fails. I'll be showing my photographs to family and friends (normally non-photographers) and the one photograph that elicits the biggest response, tops all others, brings the viewer to their knees is... you guessed it, the sunrise or sunset photo. And I don't know why. Is it because they are so colorful, iconic, romantic, or just harder to capture then I think?

By this point you may be wondering if I'm joking. I'm just wondering how I'm going to finish this blog. Maybe the best way is to get over it, embrace the beauty of it all. Or better yet, maybe I could offer five tips on photographing the rising and setting sun.

Sunrise on the Sassafras River off of the Chesapeake Bay, September 2013. Fuji X100S, 1/450 @ f2, exp. comp. -1.0

Here it goes.

1. Turn around. You know that golden light falling on the pond or barn or whatever, well it is coming from somewhere and that somewhere is normally behind you. I've been shocked a few times when I think the light is gone only to turn around and see something amazing.

2. Underexpose. Setting your camera to underexpose the scene by a stop or so will deepen the colors and minimize overexposure of any bright spots. I would also recommend shooting RAW so you have some extra exposure latitude when post processing.

3. Mind your foreground. Putting something interesting in the foreground adds interest and can separate your sunset or sunrise photograph from all the others. Come to think of it, I do like some of my photos when I've incorporated a strong foreground.

4. Wide is fine but think tight. While a wide angle lens can emphasize the grandness, choosing a long lens compresses the scene and if you paid attention to tip number three, then the foreground subject becomes that much more interesting.

5. Bracket, bracket and bracket. You can follow tip number two, but really if there was ever a time to bracket, now is that time. But be mindful of your time, because before you realize it the sun will have risen or set.

Early morning duty in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, May 2003. Nikon D1H, 1/4000 @ f6.3, exp. comp. - 0.3.

So will I stop shooting sunrises and sunsets? No, of course not. Would I prefer to just sit there and enjoy them, probably, but I'm a photographer after all.

CHASING THE LIGHT - AND PHOTOGRAPHING IT

Golden light hits the Chesapeake City Bridge. 1/160 @ f8, ISO 400.

Photography is about light. For me, it's the first thing I see, or don't see, when I'm making a photograph. Good light is why I get up early or stay out late. Light can guide us through an image or place emphasis where we want it. Light is everything in photography.

Sometimes light is what makes me grab the camera in the first place. That was the case on a recent morning in Chesapeake City, Md., when on the second day of a three-day transit moving a friends trawler from Cape May, N.J., to Northeast, Md., I found myself awake just before sunrise. I originally had no intention of taking photos that particular morning until I saw the light hitting the Chesapeake City Bridge. This was light, golden light.

The Chesapeake City Bridge and Chesapeake City, Md., are separated by100 years in time but inextricably connected today. 1/105 @ f5.6, ISO 400.

It was around 6:40 a.m. when I grabbed my camera, left the marina and started making my way through the town, pausing to take pictures along the way. Always heading towards the beautiful light on the bridge.

When covering an event I take a picture of the subject, move, take another picture, observe, take another photo and so on, until I feel I have documented everything about the event. My approach to the bridge that morning was no different. Take a photo, move, take another and so on, all the time hoping the golden light would last long enough for me to reach the bridge.

The bridge soars over the historic city and dominates the skyline. 1/125 @ f8, ISO 400.

I was intrigued by how the bridge, which was completed in 1949 and town, incorporated 100 years earlier, seemed connected. I wanted to show that relationship. The bridge dominates the skyline and while the bridge was beautifully lit, the town remained in the shadows. This allowed me to easily distinguish between the two, with more emphasis on the dominating presence of the bridge. Since this bridge soars right over the town, I have a feeling some residents feel that dominance as well, so, in this case, the lack of light on the small historic town is just as important in telling the story. Or at least the story I imagined that morning.

The sun just lights the top of the reeds and provides a nice soft contrast to the hardness of the bridge supports. 1/45 @f8, ISO 200.

Chesapeake City isn't big, so after about 20 minutes I had made it through town and was standing at the base of the bridge. I just keep looking for interesting angles, still concentrating on the light and shadows, but now it was all about the bridge and that wonderful light.

After an hour, the sun had risen high enough that the light which made me grab my camera was gone and it was now time to return to the marina and prepare to get underway. Heading back I still took advantage of some nice open shade and made a few more photographs, but the golden light was gone.

Even though the golden light had passed, the open shade of a porch provides nice even light on this old toy tractor which judging by the license plate is still being enjoyed today. 1/15 @ f5.6, ISO 400.

Seek the light and you just may find yourself grabbing your camera and turning an ordinary morning or evening into an hour long photo walk with magical results.

FUJI X100S AND LANDSCAPES - PERFECT TOGETHER

Even when viewing the results on the back of the camera I knew that the Fuji X100S was capturing the landscape as I was seeing it. 1/1000 @ f8, ISO 400.

Much has been written about the Fuji X100S and its capabilities as a street camera and the look and feel of this camera certainly can evoke thoughts of roaming the streets in search of light and subjects. And I've previously written on this blog  about getting back into street photography and how I too thought this was the perfect camera.

What is overlooked though is that the quality of the images produced by this camera make it ideal for just about any type of photography, and that includes landscapes as I recently found out after spending a week hiking in the high peaks region of the Adirondacks.

This camera excels in black and white mode. I have added a custom setting for black and white so that I can quickly transition when the mood strikes me. 1/550 @ f8, ISO 400.

For this trip, I was prepared to take my DSLR, assorted lenses and tripod. But the more I thought about that, it became clear that this trip was more about getting away and while I enjoy taking photos outside of work, I didn't want to put the pressure on myself that sometimes comes when I bring all my gear. And after all, one of the reasons I decided to purchase the X100S after reviewing it for ten days was because the quality rivaled my DSLRs.

Rocky Falls is a two-mile hike from the Adirondack Loj. Hand holding the X100S was easy even with a slow shutter speed in order to add motion to the waterfalls. 1/25 @ f16, ISO 200.

Because of the size and weight, I was able to carry this camera over my shoulder while hiking and by running the camera strap through a carabiner attached to my backpack harness, I did not have to worry about the camera hitting the ground if it happened to slip off. Another reason it stayed on my shoulder is that I replaced the manufacturers strap with a double-sided non-slip strap from Think Tank Photo.

Panoramic view of Heron Marsh located at the Paul Smith's College Visitor Interpretive Center. I'm sure this would be spectacular with early morning or late afternoon light, but the X100S did just fine at noon. 1/850 @ f8, ISO 400.

This was also the first opportunity I had to really use the panoramic settings on the camera and was impressed with the results. The features are not much different than other cameras, but the setting is easy to get to quickly and understand. You decide camera orientation and direction of the pan, along with how many degrees you want to cover. Once set, you pick the starting point, press the shutter and the camera provides visual cues needed to maintain the correct speed as you complete the pan.

The early evening light highlights swimmers at the public beach on Lake Mirror located in Lake Placid, N.Y. 1/300 @ f8, ISO 200.

Something else that really impressed me was that almost all of these photographs were made between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., normally not the best time to photograph landscapes. So what did I do to make up for the lack of golden hour light? Well not much, but nature did help by providing cool crisp air, nice big clouds and plus I underexposed most shots by a third to one full stop. This helped deepen the colors, eliminate bright spots and add some contrast.

Lake Placid, N.Y.  1/1100 @ f8, ISO 200.

All of these photos did pass through Adobe Lightroom 4, however only minimum corrections were applied. The results straight out of this camera are so close to perfect, post production is a breeze.

So while I don't think the Fuji X100S will replace my DSLR camera for all my landscape photography, it was an attractive alternative knowing I had miles to hike and was looking to shed some pounds. I think the results speak for themselves.

Previous Fuji X series cameras posts:

- TEN DAYS WITH THE FUJI X100S

- TIME FOR AN UPGRADE? FUJI X10 or X100S

- INTRODUCING MY FUJI X10