Photography and The Coronavirus

Having just got over the flu and quarantining myself in the house for 14 days, I found my photographic pursuits rather curtailed during this period.  However, I can look back on it as performing the humane task of not wanting to spread my infection among those I came in contact with.

So if you are a person that is always out and about with a camera in one hand and eyes surveying the world around you, what do you do under a lock yourself up scenario?  My choice to keep my mind and eyes busy was work on some still life photography.

Still life photography began in the 19th century where photographers attempted to copy the style of painters who in paintings depicted inanimate objects as their subjects.  These items can be anything such as household items set on a table in a pleasing composition. 

So, with this type of photography in mind I decided to keep both my camera and eyes busy creating various still life images using simple window light.  I have the good fortune to have a kitchen area that at certain times has both direct sunlight and indirect as the sun changes its path.  What this affords, is a choice of hard light and soft light depending on my subject and what I wish to convey.

Mastering the use of light in photography is as basic as learning how to use the controls on your camera.  Before you consider composition, you should be looking at your subject and how it is lighted.  Because it is really the light that can make your subject stand out and pull the viewer’s eye into your image.  So with the ambient light available to me I used two sheets of black tile, various household objects and light from the window to explore still life photography.   Besides the abundance of light the windows have blinds that offered other benefits such as controlling how the light fell on my subject and patterns created by the slots of light falling on subjects.

All of the images were shot during 14-day isolation.  I particularly enjoy still life photography, because it allows your imagination to create and capture the every day objects you see daily.   Camera used is Sony A7 II, shooting mainly using ambient light.  Any comments can be addressed to nymacc@gmail.com

Faces of Exit 270 Part 26

Another collection of street shots of those who occupy this space called Exit 270.  A lot of the images I shoot are either grabbed shots and shots that I have waited for my subject to move into the frame.  However, if someone objects to being photographed I respect his or her privacy.

My basic technique is to preset the camera to f/8 and set my ISO depending on the street lighting I am faced with.  I move in quickly to my subject make the shot and move on. 

The key is to study the subject you are interested in, be patient and wait for the moment and click.  Sometimes aiming your camera at something near your subject and when the moment is right take the shot thereby avoiding confrontation.  These images are basically street snapshots of Exit 270 at a moment in time.