4: João Cabral B&W Street Photo
Photographer: João Cabral
As always, my own comments are in italics. Note that the AI seems to be assuming the whole way through that this photo was posed rather than candid. Looking at Cabral’s other photos, I suspect it was actually a candid photo.
Framing
Pose: The primary subject is a silhouette of a person holding an umbrella, walking in front of a brightly lit food stand or cart.
Angle: The camera is positioned at a low angle, capturing the reflection of light on the wet ground and emphasizing the silhouette against the bright background.
Composition: The subject is positioned off-center, following the rule of thirds, with the light source in the background creating a dramatic contrast.
Camera Settings
Aperture (f-stop): Use a medium to narrow aperture (e.g., f/5.6 to f/11) to ensure a deeper depth of field, keeping both the foreground silhouette and the background elements in focus.
Shutter Speed: A moderate shutter speed (e.g., 1/60 to 1/125) to capture the movement of the subject while keeping the rest of the scene sharp. Note the slight blur around his leading foot and ankle.
ISO: Set a higher ISO (e.g., 800-1600) to accommodate low-light conditions while keeping the image sharp. It might even be higher, but you can digitally de-grain photos now. Don’t be afraid to go higher on ISO.
Lens: A standard lens (e.g., 35mm to 50mm) is ideal for capturing street scenes with a natural perspective. This is correct is the photo was posed, which the AI seems to be assuming. The main thing the AI is missing here is that if it was candid, the photographer had to be using a longer focal length and standing further away, because you can’t get that close and not have people react to you.
Subject Directions
Silhouette: The key to this photo is the strong silhouette. Position your subject in front of a bright light source to create this effect.
Natural Movement: Have the subject walk naturally, holding the umbrella to create an interesting shape. Capture multiple shots to get the best stride and posture.
Lighting
Backlighting: The bright lights from the food stand or cart create a backlight that highlights the silhouette of the person. This contrast is essential for the dramatic effect.
Ambient Light: Utilize any available street lights and reflections on wet surfaces to add depth and detail to the scene.
Mist or Smoke: If possible, incorporate mist, smoke, or steam (e.g., from the food stand) to diffuse the light and add texture to the background.
Editing
Black and White Conversion: Convert the image to black and white to emphasize contrasts and textures. This can be done in post-processing software like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop.
Contrast and Clarity: Increase the contrast to enhance the silhouette and make the bright areas stand out. Adjust clarity to bring out details in the smoke or mist.
Dodging and Burning: Use dodging and burning techniques to selectively lighten or darken areas of the image, adding depth and drawing attention to key elements.
Noise Reduction: Apply noise reduction to manage grain, especially since higher ISO settings can introduce noise in low-light conditions.
Sharpening: Selectively sharpen the silhouette and edges to make them crisp and well-defined.
Additional Tips
Location Scouting: Find a location with interesting light sources and reflective surfaces, such as wet streets or alleyways with steam or smoke.
Timing: Shoot at night or during early morning/late evening when artificial lights are more prominent.
Experimentation: Take multiple shots with different angles and subject positions to find the most compelling composition.
Post-Processing: Spend time fine-tuning the black and white conversion, contrast, and sharpness to achieve the desired mood and atmosphere.
I asked the AI to re-analyze this photo based on the assumption that it’s a candid photo rather than posed. This is more on-point but see my note on focal length.
Framing
Scene Selection:
The photographer likely selected a busy street scene with interesting light sources, such as a food stand emitting steam.
Angle:
The camera is positioned at a low angle to capture the reflections on the wet ground and to emphasize the subject’s silhouette.
Composition:
The subject is off-center, likely following the rule of thirds, creating a dynamic composition with the background light highlighting the silhouette.
Camera Settings
Aperture (f-stop):
A medium aperture (e.g., f/5.6 to f/8) ensures a reasonable depth of field, capturing both the subject and the background elements in focus.
Shutter Speed:
A moderate shutter speed (e.g., 1/60 to 1/125) to freeze the movement while keeping the background sharp.
ISO:
A higher ISO (e.g., 800-1600) to manage low light conditions while maintaining a fast enough shutter speed.
Lens:
A standard lens (e.g., 35mm to 50mm) is suitable for capturing a natural street perspective. Here the AI is still forgetting a practical consideration of candid photography: the photographer has to stand far enough away that people won’t react to him. Of course he could have massively cropped the photo and suffered the loss of resolution that entails, but I suspect he was around to 90-150mm. Much longer and he’d need a faster shutter speed or a tripod (no good for candids) to avoid blurring the whole image from his hands shaking. But based on the blur around the subject’s foot, I agree that this had to be around 1/60 to 1/125 speed.
Capturing the Moment
Observation:
The photographer likely spent time observing the scene, waiting for an interesting subject to walk into the frame.
Timing:
Capturing the right moment is crucial. The photographer probably took multiple shots to ensure the subject’s position was ideal.
Stealth and Patience:
Being discreet and patient is key in street photography to avoid alerting the subject and to capture natural behavior.
Lighting
Natural and Ambient Light:
The photo relies heavily on available ambient light from the street and the bright lights of the food stand or cart.
Backlighting:
The bright lights behind the subject create a strong silhouette. The steam or mist from the food stand diffuses the light, adding texture and mood.
Reflection:
Wet surfaces on the ground reflect light, enhancing the overall atmosphere and depth of the image.
Editing
Black and White Conversion:
Converting to black and white emphasizes contrasts and textures. This can be done in post-processing software like Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop.
Contrast and Clarity:
Increase contrast to make the silhouette stand out against the bright background. Adjust clarity to bring out details in the steam or mist.
Dodging and Burning:
Use dodging and burning to selectively lighten or darken parts of the image, enhancing depth and directing the viewer’s focus.
Noise Reduction:
Apply noise reduction to manage grain introduced by high ISO settings, especially in low-light conditions.
Sharpening:
Sharpen the silhouette and edges to make them crisp and well-defined.
Practical Steps for a Similar Candid Photo
Location Scouting:
Find a location with interesting lighting, such as street food stalls, alleyways with steam, or places with strong artificial lights.
Patience and Observation:
Spend time in the location, observing the light and waiting for the right moment when an interesting subject enters the frame.
Discrete Shooting:
Use a small, unobtrusive camera and avoid drawing attention to yourself to capture natural, candid moments. This is certainly one option and compact cameras are good for candid photos. But again, a long telephoto lens makes full-sized cameras perfectly viable.
Multiple Shots:
Take multiple shots to ensure you capture the perfect moment with the subject in the right position.
