We have been enveloped in thick fog all day, not interesting mist to photograph, but thick, depressing Twilight Zone like surroundings. So, I spent a few hours processing images from the march, pretending to be a photojournalist on assignment. Interesting how taking a stance like that changed the way I looked at the images and thought about processing for both event and place.
I took this just after Andie and I had joined the march and put our cameras down. I heard the train (Elevated or "L") coming and quickly pulled off the lens cap, quickly focused the frustrating lensbaby, and shot a few, just hoping the train would be in focus in at least one of them.
@lesip You've hit exactly the reason I don't like LB as a lens. Here is had the choice of a sign or the train. I actually got a bit bored with the photography aspect of the march as every photo is sort of the same to me. I like the effect and how lightweight the lens is but it's hard to stay with it.
This is brilliant Taffy! The movement you have captured and the train in focus is perfect! We can see immediately where the march is taking place - great story telling! Fav!
I love it, the train in the shot brings another dimension to the picture and I feel as though I am marching along with you and watching what is happening around me.
It works for me - the train and tracks are well focussed, giving us the"where", the people are out of focus, giving us the sense of movement, giving us the "who" the sign is just legible enough to give us the "why". I guess that makes you a photojournalist in my book!
It worked! The "story" is better told because of the L showing the location, and the crowds in LB focus really works here. I know what you mean by "frustrating lens baby" but I think it's because we have the accordion version where you have to hold it to keep its focus and the slightest shift takes it out of focus. Maybe I should give my accordion focus one away and go for the one I've wanted since long before -- the one that northy uses that's more atmospheric
I think we were both attracted by the train, the bright shiny object, but can't help think that we both chased after the wrong focal point. Would the shot (and I have some too) be better if the focus was on the crowd with a blurred train passing above? Feel free to disagree with me!
I like the focus on the train. The blur for the marching crowds gives a powerful sense of movement. My lens baby is a manual focus with a twist... I saw those "bellows" type of Lensbaby lenses and was pretty sure that I lacked the skills to work it. Kudos to you, for being able to get any kind of focus at all!
@ukandie1 I don't know...I kind of like the way the train serves as a frame and the crowd is all about movement. But then, I'm not as drawn to taking images of people so maybe that's why I'm okay with the way it turned out. It would have a different meaning I think if the focal point had been the people ahead of us.
I will never be tempted to buy a Lensbaby as I really don't like the effect. But I'm not into crowd shots either. However, I do like that you caught the train and think maybe I'd like this if everything was in focus because it just seems a busy street should look that way. But take all this with a grain of salt because all of it is subjective!
@taffy@ukandie1 Taffy, Andie - your comments and reflections got me thinking so I thought I would share my musings with you both.
Generally, I believe, if anything is going to be in focus it should certainly include the subject of the image... there may be certain 'arty' exceptions but I don't think that's the case here. If we take in-focus subject as a basic tenet, then the train is the subject of this photograph... which is not what you wanted I think.
Had you put the point of focus on the women marching then some would have been in sharp focus and some not so which might suggest that the image was only about some of the women. My gut-feeling is that the image would work better with the sign in sharp focus as the subject and all the rest out of focus which then sets the scene as women generally (and not some in particular) have taken to the streets to defend their rights. The out of focus train would still clearly indicate the location.A conventional lens would have done this better than the LB I think.
Finally, I accept that it's easy to be an armchair critic!
Generally, I believe, if anything is going to be in focus it should certainly include the subject of the image... there may be certain 'arty' exceptions but I don't think that's the case here. If we take in-focus subject as a basic tenet, then the train is the subject of this photograph... which is not what you wanted I think.
Had you put the point of focus on the women marching then some would have been in sharp focus and some not so which might suggest that the image was only about some of the women. My gut-feeling is that the image would work better with the sign in sharp focus as the subject and all the rest out of focus which then sets the scene as women generally (and not some in particular) have taken to the streets to defend their rights. The out of focus train would still clearly indicate the location.A conventional lens would have done this better than the LB I think.
Finally, I accept that it's easy to be an armchair critic!
@joansmor