A different kind of day. It was welcome. I mostly shot at night, and it was easier that I thought it would be, but that’s probably because I thought it was going to be very hard. The photos probably could not be blown up much, but they are fine for the web. Walking around at night was an existential experience. It was a whole new world of challenges, exploration, and observation. All that good shit. I worked from 8pm to 11pm. 110 photos.
- I shot at ISO3200, and the results varied quite a bit from very usable to grainy but still usable. I’ll try to shoot at a lower ISO next time.
- f2.8, -2 to 2.7 EV. If exposure is set from a very bright object (as it needs to get focus locks) -2 or less darkens the whole edges of the picture and that’s the look I want. I’m really trying to isolate the light and the people around it in the centre of the frame surrounded by a blackness.
- I received less attention when I was shooting as the camera couldn’t really be seen as I was walking around and I could get into a situation without being noticed. It was of course far harder to find things to shoot. What you’re far more worried about at night is finding the right light. The little store bulbs, yellow, white, fluorescence lights under stairs, high, odd street lights, car and bus headlights. You’re constantly looking at what these lights fall on. Who walks by them.
- There was of course far more abstract shots based around lights and lighting, but one of two nice ones around people. It’s an environment that I have to get used. Get comfortable with the vernacular. The tone, the feel, how people behave in the night. It’s all quite fascinating.
- Colours are far easier to shoot at night, as they are isolated and there is a huge suppression of detail in the night. Sometimes they can be a bit washed out under white fluorescence.
- Must think about program white balance, esp. for yellow light (fix to 2500K for example and see how that works.
Why tomorrow will be better
- Use a lower ISO at night
- Try a fixed white balance for yellow light
- Try to go out a bit earlier so you can capture a bit more of the action at night.
- Catch a bus all the way to Sadharghat and back so that you can see what the different areas are like at night.
Posted 2 years ago
