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Couples at Dam square

This triptych is my answer to the pushes by Bella Blue Star and Nikkonsnapper who in separate challenges pushed me in a similar way in the rolling challenge and round 15 of the Get Pushed group respectively.

 

"Bella" told me to photograph a stranger on the streets of Amsterdam. A mixture of street and portraiture. B&W or Colour.

 

"Nikon snapper" said: I had a brief look at your photostream and notice you have a G12. As this is an ideal street camera, I would like you to take a black and white candid street shot of a person (stranger). I don't want a long range shot, something nice and close.

 

I have also put one of my first attempts at this type of photography in my photostream with a bit more explanation of my quick development during my trip down town (Amsterdam). I chose the Dam square as it is never empty, not even on new year's day. The second reason to go here is the high concentration of people with cameras, so I would not stand out (easy option for candid shots).

 

After a while I found my method: just ask the people sitting around if I could photograph them. and everyone I asked was OK with that (from the type of 3-4m distance I was at). When I got home I noticed a possibility to do a theme: couples.

 

Nikkonsnapper, I hope it is close enough. I still think I need to get closer to the point that I can get a head shot in at 50mm lens distance. However I will need to do a lot more practice to get so comfortable in entering people's personal space and talking to total strangers. Not there yet...

 

On the technical side: all shots cropped (not just to square) I desaturated the middle shot except for the red.

All 2 pictures taken with the G12 at ISO 400-800 f/4 and around 1/40.

I sorted the 3 shots in order to show me getting closer

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Uploaded on January 1, 2012
Taken on January 1, 2012