Another one of my images selected by the Lensculture editors for their online gallery, this one for the street photography awards 2024. Dont know about being selected, I want to be elected 😀
I also have another street shot ‘Hull Fair 2023’ in the next open exhibition at Ferens Art gallery 2024. Hull, East Yorkshire, UK.
"Congratulations! One of the photos you entered has been selected by our editors to be featured in the Portrait Awards 2024 Competition gallery. The Competition Gallery is a highly curated group of images showcasing the best photos"
Hull Marina, East Yorkshire, UK. One I made earlier with the aforementioned Panasonic Lumix LX100. A camera also known as the Leica Typ 109 (strange name for a camera) the Leica dlux 7 and the Lumix LX100 mk2. All more or less the same camera, the “improvements” in the LX100 mk2 IMO are gimmicky and irrelevant.
Mirror mirror on the wall which is the best camera of them all, the right answer is of course whichever you prefer, because for years now most cameras are capable of producing good quality images, even some phone cameras! But I thought I would put my thoughts in writing because I often get asked why I don’t like mirrorless cameras, its not that I don’t like them, it’s just a matter of preference, and here’s why…
Firstly coming from the pre digital era, I have in the past used big bulky 35mm film cameras like the Canon EOS 1N with booster attached, (yes I know smaller 35mm cameras are available, I’ve used and had many different cameras over the years) I prefer the look, feel and handling of a DSLR, to me it resembles what I would describe as a real camera.
I much prefer an optical, see through the lens, 100% coverage viewfinder, its clear and precise and what I see I know I will get in the frame as I don’t like to crop my images, I prefer to use the whole data and resolution etc available, and I love the skill, discipline of getting it right at the time of taking. People with mirrorless cameras often show me how “great” the EVF is…sorry but I’m not seeing anything better, if anything it often looks worse!
Batteries last longer, I’ve not even purchased a spare battery yet for my Canon 7D because it lasts so long!
Lenses are cheaper, because everyone follows fashion, (I have always been a dedicated unfollower of trends and fashions) and must have the latest whatever, you can get some fine lenses for DSLR’s at cheap prices. I have an array of very good lenses which I like and rate, can’t see the point in spending a small fortune for more expensive lenses for a mirrorless system? I’m not even really interested in “full frame” cameras for the same and other reasons. Btw, I always shoot full frame because I don’t crop! Whereas most people I know who use “full frame” cameras heavily crop their images…ergo they are not shooting full frame!
Image quality, (read my first paragraph) people who use mirrorless seem to think the IQ is much better, again I’m not seeing it! I know plenty of people who use them and when I look at their images I’m not seeing anything better regarding image quality, don’t take my word for it, look for yourself @ streetshootetim. Having said that what constitutes a great image has little or nothing to do with image quality. And an average, boring image taken with the best equipment money can buy is still going to be an average, boring image!
Pop up flash, the pop up flash on the Canon 7D is very good… for a pop up, I often find myself using it for street portraits. Something you don’t get on mirrorless cameras, some might do I’m not familiar with every camera on the market, but most mirrorless cameras don’t have an inbuilt pop up flash, apart from compact cameras. My compact Lumix LX100, unusual for a compact doesn’t have a pop up flash, but I’ve got a good Olympus flash that matches up well with it after a little modification.
All things considered… why on earth would I ditch something I prefer for something a lot more expensive and for something that I don’t prefer! And that’s not going to benefit me artistically or any other way, only I can create better images not the camera.
The art of photography is fast becoming the art of “my camera is better than yours” or the art of focusing on the equipment over and above any other considerations? I dread to think where its all going, especially with this AI, will cameras of the future suggest better framing your image, alter and enhance it to such an extent that the person operating the camera might become redundant!?!
I would go so far as to say that there’s so many variables at play, peoples experience in processing being the obvious big one (I always shoot in raw, I enjoy processing raw files and it gives me all the dynamic range I need) but lots more variables too, that in fact it ALMOST makes the equipment side irrelevant! Personally I couldn’t care less what someone uses or doesn’t use, I only wrote this because I often get asked about it. Show me the results, at the end of the day that’s all that matters, its irrelevant how you got there. If anyone asks me what camera I use I feel like yawning! And reply with “my eyes” Update: 20/1/25 since writing this post I have got the Canon 6D, which I mostly use now. Another fine DSLR.
Thought I would try the Sigma 17-50mm f/2.8 EX DC OS HSM lens having used the older incarnation for a while, initially I was put off it by people online saying that it makes a rattling noise as if parts are loose inside and that the AF is noisy…I sometimes wonder about these people, have they got a bad case of OCD? In real world use its not an issue, the AF noise isn’t noisy at all, I barely notice it? And in every day normal handling of the lens I don’t hear anything unusual? Don’t know about you but I don’t hold a lens up to my ear and start rattling it about, looking for a problem that’s not there! And it’s a fine lens, love it. Pin sharp wherever you focus on, and I love the fact its f2.8 throughout the zoom range, it operates not unlike a prime lens! I took this at Hull fair in low light, ISO 400, f5.6, 1/125s on my Canon 7D, and I didn’t even have the IS switched on! Take reviews of equipment online with a pinch of salt (unless you hear it from me 😂) you don’t know how experienced or competent these people are and the internet, especially Utube is awash with self appointed experts. I once fancied trying an old Canon EF 35-135 lens from film days on my crop sensor, everyone online was saying its pants, I got one anyway, absolutely nothing wrong with it! Quite a good lens for what it is. The main thing is to learn how to get the best from your equipment, after that its all about the Art. Unforunately the art of photography is becoming the art of my camera is better than yours!
”The photographer is the instrument not the camera” – Eve Arnold.
Photography wise the fair is getting boring for me, I never see anything new or different, even the rides are in the exact same spot. In fact I find it an assault on the senses, and not in a good way, but in a crass, vacuous way. There seemed to be a glut on all things Octopus this year?, 2023. Even as a kid I didnt really get it. My old Ma says I would never go on any rides, the best part for me was seeing all the varied stalls down Walton street (they look indistinguishable now) getting a goldfish in a plastic bag, a bow and arrow set, or a crossbow 😂 As toys they were pretty effective and fun...for a kid. We couldnt wait to get out the following day to get up to mischief playing with them. Ethics and political sensibilities together with addiction to screen time has taken away real fun for todays kids, IMO.
From my recent stay in London, one of my favourite places for street photography, obviously a bigger city makes for more opportunities to get good street shots. Though I have had one or two, or three good ones from my Home town of Hull in East Yorkshire, but I just love the vibe in big Cities, I kind of feed off the energy of it all. I saw this homeless guy begging in Central London, I know there’s many hustlers and chancers who spin a yarn but this guy seemed genuine to me, if not he puts far more work into it than whatever he gets from it! I watched him for a while from a distance and was incredulous to see some people blatantly filming him on their phones like he was some kind of tourist attraction! I was thinking how to approach it and decided to just show just his feet and the sign, which was all that was needed really. I did talk with him and asked if I could get him anything, he asked for a hot chocolate drink, I got him one and left a few quid for him too. In the words of … “When I see a man like this sat in a shop doorway cold and freezing. There’s no way I’m going to walk past him without making a statement” – Don McCullin. Only he was talking about Whitechapel in the 70’s, this is from central London in August, 2023!
This one, below, is a bar worker taking a break in Soho. The reluctant poser, she didn’t want me to capture her image and I had to give her some chat to let me take it. I couldn’t let it go, loved the colours going on here, reminded me of a classic painting, she had a real cigarette too, it's usually all vaping now. I had planned to have a wander around Soho and before I went came across this book ‘London after dark’ by Geoffrey Fletcher, which had a chapter on Soho, it’s a great read full of gems about all the old haunts and its characters, with some fantastic full page illustrations. I took it as a good omen, confirming my idea. Over 4 days I took approx 30 images, and will use less than half that. Though I save them all, I find editing as in choosing work to show is a skill in itself. Check out my instagram page @ streetshootertim for the rest. Btw, Geoffrey Fletcher is the guy who also wrote ‘The London nobody knows’ which was made into a short film, narrated by James Mason.
