Street Photography Experiment

[Peach]

So I was in Seattle for the weekend doing some shopping and yesterday we headed to Pike Place Market (awesome place) and then went to the original Starbucks (close by). There was a guy outside clapping, making his own music, and singing hyms. Beautiful voice. I got a few pictures of him too. This one though, is my favorite. This gentleman was seated on a stool, just next to Starbucks, his rucksack on the ground against the building, eating a grilled sandwich. I saw another tourist, a Japanese guy with a Nikon D80 take his picture. I commented to mom that he would make a great photo (the guy with the sandwich, not the Japanese guy). Mom said "ask him!" So I did. He nodded and I took a picture. He didn't pose, or even really acknowledge that I was there - just went about eating his lunch. I looked at the picture and didn't like it - the angle was off so I stepped back and waited. Again, he didn't even pay me any attention, and when he turned his head slightly I snapped the photo. This has got to be my favorite picture of Seattle and maybe, my favorite of all time.



EXIF data is:
Exposure: 10/300
F Number: 56/10
SO Speed Ratings: 200
Focal Length: 550/10

Editing was to make it black and white, adjust the contrast etc and add in the slight saturation (blue and brown). It looks good without the saturation too.

So as much as I love this photo - what could I have done differently? And what, if any, tips do you have regarding street photography with a great big DSLR rather than a small camera?

In terms of the photo - is there anything that would have made it better? Should I have gotten more of his back into the photo? Maybe a different angle to get more of his eyes?

[cjaegel@hotmail.com]

I like your portrait as much as you do. That is the hardest thing to do photographing strangers. You did the only right thing to do by asking his permission. Good on you.

[Digidave]

This is a fantastic shot! I like the cropping you have. I like the blueishness around his head, but I don't like the yellowness around the bottom corners. Is that the result of the saturating you did? Could you show us the shot without the saturation?

[Jamesc359]

Wow, I don't think I could find anything you could have done better. If it weren't for all the holes in the wall behind him I'd have almost believed it was a drawing.

[RexK_Cozumel]

Very nice portrait you got here. I would get rid of the blue and brown saturation tho. play around with some different black and white conversions and maybe sepia as well. I think a a standard b&w with just a tint of blue would look great here.

[subrataofkris]

The capture and processing makes the shot a remarkable portrait. The face and the beard takes us back in time, the spots on the wall is in harmony with the untidyness. Brilliant, I must say. I would love to see it in sepia.

[Peach]

Ok. I've taken all the advise here and these are the results.

Photo in Sepia

Photo in B&W

Photo with touch of blue

Personally, I'm partial to the strict black and white after playing with the curves, adding more sharpening to it, and adjusting the brightness and contrast.

[Robin Sarac]

This is a fantastic photo. Really with an interesting subject (the story doesn't hurt the technicalities aren't as important. I love this photo. Nice job, and thank you for asking him first.

[Robin Sarac]

Not that I think there is anything wrong with the photo...I thought I should make that clear!

[xxpinballxx]

amazing shot...this is exactly the type of portrait I am looking to play around with using the Dragan effect.
That subject has such a presence in the photo. Its a person I think regardless of the setting would demand attention and attract he viewers eyes.
Great shot and I do like the B&W best but the original has a nice graphic artist type of feel to it with teh gradient or two colors at its edges....really good job peach!