Being on 365 changes you. Because you see so many amazing photographs and, sooner or later, it sets you thinking, maybe I can do that too?
This is my first street shot. Let me tell you I was a nervous wreck doing it. 8P
I chose Chinatown as my first destination because I thought, hey, I could act like a tourist. (Even though I do not look like one at all!) Chinatown is where tourists take lots of pictures, so I figured I'd be less likely to attract any attention with my camera. Actually, I took mostly photographs of old buildings and avoided shooting people but this shot has people in it because, well, I didn't have a choice. Haha.
This shot shows a street in Chinatown with shops and restaurants. The closest buildings are old shophouses. It used to be that shop owners sold their wares downstairs and lived in the rooms upstairs. Further away, you see the newer, high-rise buildings. These are public flats built by the government. 85% of Singaporeans live in public housing estates. The block that is furthest in the background (the one with lots of vertical lines) is the newest.
That block is one of 7 blocks of flats called the Pinnacle@Duxton. Each 50-storey block is connected to another by sky bridges. These flats are not only the tallest public housing flats in the country but also in the world. Pinnacle@Duxton also features the world's two longest sky gardens. Each is 500m long, and situated on the 26th and the 50th floors.
Someday, I should venture where I can take clearer photographs of Pinnacle@Duxton. But there are already many spectacular shots of these buildings if you google for "Pinnacle@Duxton". ;D
Awesome Livia, well done for breaking out of your comfort zone, and proving that absolutely you can do it! Love the colours and comp, and especially the lone guy in front and the line of guys in the background. Fab!
came out really well! I like how colourful this is and also the sharpness is quite striking! That men walkin and turning his head like "I don't care" looks superb
Let me tell you that this is such a wonderful candid . . love the street action. When I had my p&s, I loved doing candid shots with people in them. Not so easy to do now with the larger Nikon. And alot of people here do NOT want to be in the photo. But you go for it girl, this is major great! So you live in Singapore. I have always wanted to see that city. I have read that it's one of the cleanest places over there . . that the laws are very strict about that. I LOVE that! How does it feel to be out and about with the camera, Livia? Are you ready to do more? It gets addictive, believe me. You've shown the exciting action of the city here. :)
Love the pov. Pulls your eye right down the street and good catch the tall back buildings. The bright chairs in the foreground and the poster are eye catching and a good contrast the the darker street. Well dome for being brave it's a great shot.
Well done Livia, you are so right, this project pushes and motivates, gets you using your camera in different ways, and venturing to take shots that you wouldn't normally take. For you first street shot, this is pretty special, I'm going to fav it, because the colours, composition, lead in and bakground are all spot on. You should google Lomography and look at their tips for street photography, and Eric Kim.
Great shot. Congratulations on your decision to branch out and try somthing new. Looking forward to more street pictures or anything else you decide to do.
I tried my first street stuff last weekend too, nerve wracking isn't it......you feel like someone is going to shout at you! :) This is a great though, i love the comp there's so much to look at.
Livia:
a) this is a wonderful photo. The colors, the signage, the lanterns, the people! I really like this capture! :-) Excellent first example!!!
b) I haven't worked up my nerve to do street photography yet...people around here don't seem to take too well to strangers taking their picture. I'll have to work on my "sneak approach"...
Vibrant, well composed, great contrasting tones. have you tried looking at this in black and white? It might not work but you could be pleasantly surprised.
I love the old with the hanging red lanterns and the new with the bright colored plastic chairs and people too! Well that was just a bonus!! congrats on your first street shot. It gets easier and the more crowded the area, the more tourist type spot, the less people notice.
@karenann No, I'm not ready to do more! 8P But I may have to. I have 272 photographs to go and I don't think I can do all of them at home. (Well, I think I can, but it'd be super boring even for me. 8D) We are pretty clean but that's only because you haven't been to Japan! Heh. When I was in Chinatown, between shots, I took the opportunity to see what souvenirs the tourists are being tempted with and there were all these T-shirts, magnets, etc with the theme of what a "fine" country we are. Because you'd get fined for littering, for spitting, for chewing gum, for not aiming properly in the toilet, for jaywalking, etc! 8D It was quite funny for me to see these things. Not all of it is true, actually, you won't get fined for chewing gum. It's an offence to sell chewing gum here but it's okay to chew it. I never got fined for chewing gum. (But I did get fined for jaywalking. Ack.)
Excellent street shot. There is nothing wrong with having people strolling the streets. I don't think the one nearest is aware you're taking his picture. It is very colorful and interesting and since I've never been there, it is an adventure of me.
Great shot, street pics are so exciting, I went out in Covent garden last week, at first felt like a twit but just ignored everyone and carried on looking like a twit.
for you first attempt do have doing great, Nice street view . China towns we have in our country to. ( in the big cities ) Also those big flats. They frighten me like all tall buildings
Fabulous colours and shapes - loads of interesting things to see here Livia - great choice for your first street scape. We have Chinatown in Melbourne too and I love wandering up and down there - as well as stopping off to buy the best dumplings in the world!
Street shots are way out of my comfort zone too so kudos to you for tackling this subject. I think the coloured chairs and the sign on the righ really contrast well with all the high rise buildings in the background. Love the'mini tour' you gave of these spectacular public housing buildings.
This is what I love about 365! Seeing and daring. Great job! I used to take street photography, and it has been so long. Maybe 365 will get me back there!
I really agree with what you say, it is such a good place to come and get ideas and share attempts at photos and how they came out or could be improved. I just hope people don't get annoyed when I half inch their ideas to try them myself. I haven't dared any street photography yet :-s
Livia, you've realy stepped out of your comfort zone. Love the photo and brings back memories of when we visited in December 2010. Spent more money than I should have in those stalls !!
What a neat scene! This is great. The colors are what first caught my attention. I still get so nervous when doing street shooting, but when you capture the ambiance of the place, it is internally rewarding. Way to venture out of your zone!
Kudos to you for branching out of your comfort zone. I love the colors and the lines in this photo. But more than that I love the photo because you challeneged yourself. I wish I had the guts to do that...one day.
oh, i so miss singapore. that was the first country i've been to when i first travelled on business. i have a lot of wonderful memories. your zoo is the only one i've been to that didn't smell so bad. even the chinatown was very clean (there are some parts that weren't, at the time). singapore was my measuring stick whenever i travelled anywhere after that. i loved it there. this is a wonderful street shot, livia. you very well captured what i remember and love about singpore - orderly and clean. yay!
I am on vacation and trying to catch up after a long day of travel so didn't have a chance to read your narrative with this one. the pic is great. comp is wonderful and I love the pops of bright color.
Going out on a limb was worth it! This is a great street shot. I'm really intimidated by street photography for some reason. But, Livia, your photography is inspired even when you stay in your home. You just have a natural eye. :)
Hey Livia! When I first opened this I thought how unlike you. But, it's fabulous and your skills carry over. This is such a nice colorful street shot - well composed and lively.
What a great photo. I am hesitant to take photos of people and if in a good situation, I get ready to take a photo and people wait for me to do so. I like this one so much as it brings this area to life with people in it and you can get away with a small camera, quick and put it away. Nicely done, Livia.
@peterdegraaff The Malays inhabited the island long before the migrants from China and India arrived. Today's Chinatown is still relevant because we are still experiencing an influx of workers and students from China.
I think it's a beautiful street scene, Livia. You're not alone to be shy of taking candid pictures of people. When I do try I take them from as far away as possible - at least not to show at what I'm aiming.
I agree, Livia!. It's inevitable for us to step outside the lines and try new things. You've always been an inspiration to many and I am sure many will follow in trying new genre of photography. I am one of them :)
Tiger Beer is iconic Singapore indeed! I popped over to singChinatown over the CNY which I haven't done for over a decade, but somehow what the gov't (gah'men in Singlish?) is doing to it in the name of 'restoration' I find just heartbreaking.
A big, bright, colorful, dim sum-infused, Chinatown-flavored "THANK YOU!" to everyone! I am bowled over by your encouragement! Street photography is tough. I have to fight myself to get my camera out. Thank you so much for your supportive words. I am very grateful.
Awesome, Livia! I love seeing your place - and I want to see your version of it! I live in a tourist city (at least for Germans) and I don't mind how many people have taken great (or not so great) shots of the place before. I just want to go and explore it myself. I will certainly follow your adventures.
@equinoxe Chris, that was the one thing that nagged at me! Every time I took a photograph, while in Chinatown, a little voice said, but there are thousands of photographs out there of the same subject and you cannot be doing something new or better, so why bother? I kept going because I wanted to see what I would get, I wanted to see if I made different pictures and if those different pictures are different because of me. Did that make any sense? But, yeah, all the time that little voice nagged. I'm sure the next time I step outside again, it'll be there, asking me why. I want to thank you for what you have written, because I find a lot of encouragement in your words. Thank you so much.
@myautofocuslife Hi Livia, you are so welcome - I believe discovering your own place is a wonderful trip. It certainly does not give you fantastic pictures every day but a lot of fun and experience. (And some of the usual frustration of not being a perfect photographer :-) ). I have never been to Singapore, not sure I will ever make it. So everything you consider ordinary may be exotic for me. And your words made total sense!
Good on you for getting out and trying something new. It's a fav for me, I love the busy busy atmosphere, the lovely alleyway and the colours really just burst out at you!
February 25th, 2012
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a) this is a wonderful photo. The colors, the signage, the lanterns, the people! I really like this capture! :-) Excellent first example!!!
b) I haven't worked up my nerve to do street photography yet...people around here don't seem to take too well to strangers taking their picture. I'll have to work on my "sneak approach"...
Again, thank you!