RickSawThat 2013 Project 365

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RickSawThat

Senior Member
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Day 007 -- 01/07/2013 -- Street Portrait
 
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Moab Man

Senior Member
These street photos are great, but I'm curious... Are you sitting there snapping pictures of people out and about? Asking these people if they mind that you take their photo? Taking them hostage offering them freedom in exchange for allowing you to take their picture?
 
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RickSawThat

Senior Member
Moab Man said:
These street photos are great, but I'm curious... Are you sitting there snapping pictures of people out and about? Asking these people if they mind that you take their photo? Taking them hostage offering them freedom in exchange for allowing you to take their picture?
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I have been shooting these street portraits from the same spot since last Feb. The way I shoot is I shoot from the same location each time which is within a few 100 feet of the Chinese Theater in Hollywood, CA. I stand on the sidewalk and have a spot I can prop one elbow up for stability. I try to shoot in open shade for softer lighting on peoples faces. I'm on the sidewalk looking straight down the sidewalk as people walk right towards me. I use a 70-300 Nikon VR 4.5. I find a person I want to shoot. I start shooting them as they are about 12 feet from me and keep shooting until they are too close to focus. They see me just like I see them, I am not hiding or pretending not to be shooting them. I want them to notice me as I want to get eye contact. Because they are on public property as am I do not need to get releases.

Some people stop and ask what I'm shooting and I show them, give them a business card that has my website, email and Flickr site on it so they can look for images of themselves if they want. I upload to Flickr almost every day.

Over the past 11 months of doing this only a handful of people have either asked me not to shoot them or seemed in any way upset I was shooting them. Also after 11 months of going to the same spot I am as much a local there as anyone else. I am completely comfortable there for hours at a time.

I shoot people who live and work in the area, homeless people and people who are visiting to just see what Hollywood is really like. My goal is to show the real people of Hollywood. I have been published a few times and been in some local LA galleries with this project. It all started with the Nikonites Project 365 and with it I became focused on Candid Street Portraits in Hollywood.

Tech side:
I shoot with a D5100, 70-300mm VR 4.5. I shoot in "S" mode and set my shutter to at least 1/250. I set the exposure to +.3 or +.7 since this helps as I convert my images to B&W. I try to set my shutter as high as possible as I want to be about f/5 to blow out focus on the background and only have the person in focus. For post processing I use a combination of Aperture 3, Photoshop CS4 and a plug-in called Photo Tools.
 
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Moab Man

Senior Member
Thanks for sharing. I love the pictures because they are so real.

A little disappointed there wasn't something more exciting like the hostage taking, but then again maybe you're just not sharing all of your trade secrets.:cool:
 
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Carroll

Senior Member
Rick, the talent you have is unique.

The camera, lens, spot on the sidewalk, length of time there, software, etc., is great, of course. Your talent is expressed through the tools and material.

I, for instance, could stand there with the same equipment, shooting the same people, and do everything you do, and I know that I could not match your art. I don't have that talent and never will. I have other talents, as does everyone. Same tools, same material would equal a much different product.

However, your posting what you do and how you do it, and the product of your art, may actually help those of us that do not have your talent/experience to possibly become a little better, within the realm of our own talents. That is what this forum if about, and obviously, what you are about...

Talent is something you have or you don't. One may have talent in different area's, and excel there, of course. We can see examples of this all over the forum.

I have not seen images such as yours with that RickSawThat quality anywhere, and I do not expect to find them. They just have your touch.

You are unique. Thanks for sharing your images and posts. We are all the better for it.

I believe we all know you will be very successful wherever your art leads you, and will be in your fan section!
 
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piperbarb

Senior Member
I'm with Carroll. You do have a unique talent. My father had that same talent for people pictures but he couldn't photograph a bug or flower to save his life. I think you have to like photographing people. I love watching people, but have a hard time taking pictures of them. I always feel self-conscious doing that. Bugs, critters, and nature are not a problem. :)
 
Katie1987

Katie1987

Senior Member
Hopefully someday I can walk by the Chinese Theater and see this in action! Not sure I'll be that photogenic :) Truly remarkable stuff, I'll look forward to your photos throughout the year!
 
RockyNH_RIP

RockyNH_RIP

Senior Member
Rick, both of todays look really good. (he does not look too happy) He is looks a liitle grizzled.. and she has such a soft look and the eyes are like a portrait!! Were they similar or different parts of the day (asking because of the lighting..)

As always... Good job!

Pat in NH
 
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RickSawThat

Senior Member
RockyNH said:
Rick, both of todays look really good. (he does not look too happy) He is looks a liitle grizzled.. and she has such a soft look and the eyes are like a portrait!! Were they similar or different parts of the day (asking because of the lighting..)

As always... Good job!

Pat in NH
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That's looking two different directions from the same spot. One in front of me and the other I turned around and saw the man so I got his very "pinched face looked" :)
 
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