# A Walk through Times Square



## Iron Flatline (Dec 28, 2007)

I had a little time yesterday, and being in New York I decided to go on a Jostle Walk. It's a terrible phrase, I know, but I've come to call it that in my mind. I walk through a crowd, with my camera to my face, and experience it all through my Viewfinder. I usually look at that thousand faces when I move through a place like Times Square, but this gives me the chance to capture as much of that as possible.

All of these were taken with my Leica dRF, not sure this could be done with a dSLR. I used the 35mm f/1.4, and shot close to wide open (most at f/2) - subsequently I didn't nail the focus every time. I basically just pulled the trigger when my rangefinder aligned, but the crowd moves so fast there's blur and range issues, even at 1/125th.

A young couple, one leading the other








Looking at the big bright Billboards







Schools's Out (and not everyone's happy about that)







One Family on Holiday







Another Family on Holiday:







On the way home:







Where did the Crowd go?







A Sea of Faces







Selling home-made hip-hop, one fan at a time







The Photographer


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## kundalini (Dec 28, 2007)

I really like this series.  The fact that you feel uneasy for not "nailing the focus eveytime" is inconsequential IMO.  It gives the impression of chaotic movement in NYC during the holidays.  I also like the color conversion you used.  Interlaces quite well with the images.

Well done.  Thanks for sharing.


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## Rick Waldroup (Dec 28, 2007)

That third shot is killer, my friend.

Interesting conversion techniques, too.

This is really a nice series that catches the hustle and bustle of New York City.


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## Iron Flatline (Dec 28, 2007)

Thanks everyone. 

The processing is not perfect, I will need to redo it when I get home to my primary photo computer - I'm on a laptop right now.

I use Photoshop Adobe Raw Converter and work up my files in terms of exposure correction and curves. Then I use two Fred Miranda applications: B+W Workflow, which is a series of filters that I can apply to get a good conversion, and then I create another layer for dodging and burning. Then I resize using SI Pro, a Stair Interpolation tool. Finally I sharpen using Nik Sharpener Pro. 

I want to rework the images. A lot are too contrasty.

...but I'm quite pleased with the outcome, I like the images. I have about 200 more, of course. That's the power of digital - you can keep on shooting.


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## Los Angeles (Dec 28, 2007)

THESE ARE REALLY GREAT...  My favorit is on the way home...

Really good idea just holding the camera to your face.


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## usayit (Dec 28, 2007)

Wonderful series Iron.  Nice that you are enjoying yourself.

For me the 4th one is my fav.  The expression and people around the guy in the center reminds me of NYC "feel".  My second favorite would be with the street vendor.  

Some are a bit more contrasty...

Why not process in Capture one LE and then put through the B*W filters from MIranda?

Oh how I miss NYC.. I've really got to make that train trip again soon.  (I need a baby sitter!)


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## Kazoo (Dec 28, 2007)

Great series, really get the "jostle walk" feel.

#3 - love the expressions you caught. 

Makes me want to go to NY and get a Leica.


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## Iron Flatline (Dec 28, 2007)

usayit said:


> Oh how I miss NYC.. I've really got to make that train trip again soon.  (I need a baby sitter!)


I forgot you live across the river. Next time we consolidate kids, and we can go shooting together. I'll be back in late February or early March.



Kazoo said:


> Makes me want to go to NY and get a Leica.


Mmm... yes. Expensive habit, but all are welcome to the club.


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## THORHAMMER (Dec 29, 2007)

Really great shots, !!

I think I like 1,2,3,4, and on the way home the best. 

half the trouble is holding the camera out there and having the guts to walk around and shoot like this. Good stuff. 

Gotta love the L Cameras !!!!


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## The Phototron (Dec 29, 2007)

Really nice series, looks like you got sort of busted in number 5, was there any confrontation? 

I want to try street photography, but always shy away from it in fear of confrontations. Some people just aren't comfortable with the idea that strangers are taking their photos.


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## Trenton Romulox (Dec 29, 2007)

Very interesting series! I really like the next to last one, it's my favorite (hip-hop CD sale). Great work.


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## Iron Flatline (Dec 29, 2007)

The Phototron said:


> Really nice series, looks like you got sort of busted in number 5, was there any confrontation?
> 
> I want to try street photography, but always shy away from it in fear of confrontations. Some people just aren't comfortable with the idea that strangers are taking their photos.


No, I was not busted at all. There's several factors at work here:

A: the look on his face probably has more to do with being on a family holiday than my photography. Understand, everyone here is walking, and relatively briskly at that. And almost EVERYONE has a camera in their hand. It is FULL! By the time he could even said anything, might he seriously been inclined to do so, I would have been twenty feet further on, and another hundred people between us. 

B: I am always smiling in a friendly way. After all, I'm having fun and being creative. 

C: Don't be afraid, most people don't really mind having their picture taken. Just don't ask them. If someone ACTUALLY says something, then just talk your way out of it. This will happen very rarely, and is worth getting good pictures. No one is actually going to get physical with you, unless you lack all charm and sense for whom and what to shoot when. And don't spend too much time taking the picture, which you do by...

D: Learning to use your gear, learn to shoot. Turn off auto-focus, and all the auto-settings. Get an acceptably high ISO, set it 1/125th, and your f/stop as high as possible. Heck, on a walk like this you can even pre-focus, and the smaller your f/stop, the bigger your DOF, so higher a margin of error. Then just shoot and score. If you're going to be carefully composing, adjusting your camera, and then checking the image, you deserve to have your camera rectally inserted. AND DON'T CHIMP - don't look at the images on the back of your camera - turn that OFF. You're not going to get to re-do the shoot _anyway_, so you can wait till you're home to see what you got. All it does is eat up batteries. And leave those st#p!d zoom lenses at home, they're too big. Get a medium-wide prime. Best would be a 35mm or a 50mm lens.


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## Iron Flatline (Dec 29, 2007)

Trenton Romulox said:


> Very interesting series! I really like the next to last one, it's my favorite (hip-hop CD sale). Great work.


Thank you for the compliment. Yeah, that is one of my favorites, but it REALLY needs to be reprocessed. I've completely lost the guy on the right, and I love his hair and mouth. It's too high contrast, too much grain, and I want to dial all that back in. I also love the texture of the jacket. Thank Goodness for RAW...


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## Trenton Romulox (Dec 29, 2007)

Iron Flatline said:


> Thank you for the compliment. Yeah, that is one of my favorites, but it REALLY needs to be reprocessed. I've completely lost the guy on the right, and I love his hair and mouth. It's too high contrast, too much grain, and I want to dial all that back in. I also love the texture of the jacket. Thank Goodness for RAW...



But at the same time, this makes the child more the subject because he's the  better exposed one in the picture. Know what I mean? I know what you're saying though too. Regardless, I still think it's an awesome picture. It's just so interesting to look at. I gotta try some street photography next time I get into Boston, although people there are assholes (no offense Bostonians), so I might get hit or something.


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## The Phototron (Dec 29, 2007)

Iron Flatline said:


> No, I was not busted at all. There's several factors at work here:
> 
> A: the look on his face probably has more to do with being on a family holiday than my photography. Understand, everyone here is walking, and relatively briskly at that. And almost EVERYONE has a camera in their hand. It is FULL! By the time he could even said anything, might he seriously been inclined to do so, I would have been twenty feet further on, and another hundred people between us.
> 
> ...


Wow thanks for the mini-guide I'll put it to use as soon the as there's a sunny day.


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## Iron Flatline (Dec 29, 2007)

Actually, slightly over-cast is better


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## The Phototron (Dec 29, 2007)

Iron Flatline said:


> Actually, slightly over-cast is better


Wait you prefocus or manual focus? And if the latter, that quick!?


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## usayit (Dec 29, 2007)

The Phototron said:


> Wait you prefocus or manual focus? And if the latter, that quick!?



It is relatively quick with a rangefinder.... It is one of the advantages of a rangefinder.  Other than directly focusing on a subject, you can also pre-set the lens and wait for subjects to step into focus.  There is also hyper-focal.  

Many DSLRs don't have the quality viewfinder necessary to completely satisfied with manual focusing.  So I generally don't even try... then again.. I don't carry my SLR on the street.

All of Iron's pointers up top are what you naturally end up doing on a street with a manual rangefinder... sounds a bit awkward but it quickly becomes natural....  For me, 28mm and 35mm become favorite focal lenghts.  Rangefinder lenses can be small enough to carry a 28-35-50 lenses in your pocket and leave the camera bag at home.


Oh yeh.. NYC is probably one of the best places to learn and practice.   Everyone is used to seeing cameras, such a diversity, and the city is huge.


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## pm63 (Dec 29, 2007)

I love them, I love all of them actually. Black and white candid images that capture the hustle and bustle of NY. Love the one where the guy is pushing through, as well as the so called "confrontational" one with the black guy. Some of these capture moments are wonderful.

So you just literally walk through with your camera up, and take snaps?


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## Iron Flatline (Dec 30, 2007)

Yup, keep it stuck to my eye... looks ridiculous, no question about it. But a Rangefinder is smaller (and lighter!) than an SLR. You can even try for a series of people whom you're having "eye-contact" with. 

Phototron, I pre-focus, but I keep my hand on the lens, so I can adjust focus slightly.


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## bhop (Dec 30, 2007)

These are all very cool.  I like "on the way home" and "schools out" the best.  Great stuff going on.

I love this kind of photography and try to do it myself here in L.A.  I've thought of buying a rangefinder, but the price is too much for me.. I just use my Pentax K1000.  It's way smaller than my d70 and I find that manual focus actually makes this stuff more fun, and it's easier to do when there are big crowds.  You just look like another tourist, which is probably the excuse i'd use if I was ever confronted.. hah  (even though i'm not a tourist here)


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## nerdyD (Jan 6, 2008)

The first one is my favorite. It looks like it was taken in the 60s or 70s to me for some reason. All of them are fantastic though. The blur is a good thing!


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## Iron Flatline (Jan 6, 2008)

Hey, thanks for the comments.

I actually reworked them all, and added a number of shots. They can be seen at my LFI Gallery. Just click on my name and it will be one of the two galleries.

You can also see them on my blog (link below) ...although I'm only publishing one a day there, and I still have a week to go before they've been fully released.


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## abraxas (Jan 7, 2008)

Very impressive series.

A year or so ago I attended a presentation from an NG photographer where he used an SLR prefocused to shoot while walking through crowds.  I like your 'obvious' method and its results much better.


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## jols (Jan 7, 2008)

Kazoo said:


> Great series, really get the "jostle walk" feel.
> 
> #3 - love the expressions you caught.
> 
> Makes me want to go to NY and get a Leica.


 

quite the opposite here.

looks like hell on earth.

all those people i prefer the quiet life and countryside.


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## Jeff Canes (Jan 10, 2008)

Wow, I like them all, but Hip-hop is my favorite, to me it has some magenta tone to it (maybe it is just me or my monitor):thumbup::thumbup:


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## photo_guy (Jan 10, 2008)

Thanks for sharing the pictures, it really shows a different side to Times Square. What time of day was it? I can't believe all the people.


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## Puscas (Jan 11, 2008)

wow, great series. Looks like they were taken a few decades ago (which is a good thing). Love what you did to the pics. Thanks for sharing!

:thumbup::thumbup:


pascal


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## Iron Flatline (Jan 11, 2008)

Hey, thanks for taking a look.

The Hip-Hop one is actually the one I liked the least in terms of processing. That shot is the reason I reworked them all (which can be seen at my photoblog.) There's also several more images than I posted here...

Here's the reworked shot. Basically I did a B&W Conversion, and then added a slight sepia tint... but then did a bunch of Dodging which did a weird color thing to the sepia. 

Here's the same image after some more sophisticated conversion:


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## ScottS (Jan 11, 2008)

I like that one a lot! Sweet PP skills on your part!


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## Ls3D (Jan 11, 2008)

Very Nice, experiential.

Looking at the big bright Billboards &  A Sea of Faces are gallery pieces. :thumbup:

-Shea


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## eravedesigns (Jan 16, 2008)

I really like number 4 there is a feeling of confused emoition in it I almost see a dysfunctional family.


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## Helen B (Jan 16, 2008)

jols said:


> quite the opposite here.
> 
> looks like hell on earth.
> 
> all those people i prefer the quiet life and countryside.



Yes, looking at these pictures makes me very grateful that I live a full five blocks from Times Square, where life is much quieter and nothing like what you see here. Our sidewalks are much less interesting, apart from the pimps, hookers and dead bodies being wheeled around in office chairs.

Best,
Helen


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## M1M (Jan 16, 2008)

Kick A$$ work man! 

I like your style!


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## Iron Flatline (Jan 16, 2008)

Helen B said:


> Yes, looking at these pictures makes me very grateful that I live a full five blocks from Times Square, where life is much quieter and nothing like what you see here. Our sidewalks are much less interesting, apart from the pimps, hookers and dead bodies being wheeled around in office chairs.
> 
> Best,
> Helen


LOL, yeah, I read that story too.

Do I remember that you live in Hell's Kitchen? I lived on 48th and 9th for several years in the 1980s, when it was still "caps and vials" on the sidewalks. Then I moved to glamorous Brooklyn Heights (well, Cobble Hill/Court Street) after that. 

Now I have a place on the Upper West Side, where I fit right in with my three kids and the stroller. Who knew we could recreate suburbia so perfectly - without the use of fences. Plenty of SUVs though...


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## Iron Flatline (Jan 16, 2008)

eravedesigns said:


> I really like number 4 there is a feeling of confused emoition in it I almost see a dysfunctional family.


Thank you. Yes, that one has become one of my favorites. It is hard not to wonder what the dynamics are within that family...


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## jasonkt (Jan 17, 2008)

wow great series - I live in brooklyn and I'm definitely going to try your suggestions for a "jostle walk", sounds like great advice!  

my favorite is the hip-hop one, the kids "family" hat is great as well as the other teen's hair.  the rework on that photo was amazing.


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## Iron Flatline (Jan 17, 2008)

LOL, agreed. How cool is the "Family" hat?!?


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## Helen B (Jan 18, 2008)

Iron Flatline said:


> ...
> Do I remember that you live in Hell's Kitchen? I lived on 48th and 9th for several years in the 1980s, when it was still "caps and vials" on the sidewalks. ...



Yes, I live in Hell's Kitchen. 48th and 9th. I moved here from the Chelsea Hotel a few years ago. People who have been here since the 60's and 70's have told me a lot about how much the area has changed. How much of your time do you spend in New York?

I'm still undecided about whether or not to get the M8. As you point out, there is an inconsequentiality about Leica Ms that monstrosities such as the D3 may never have. 

Best,
Helen


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## danir (Jan 18, 2008)

Wow, what a series.

Dani


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## Iron Flatline (Jan 18, 2008)

You know, I really like the M8 - I like Rangefinders, and I like working digitally. But at that price you have to really be into it. I have also found it uncomfortable to switch back and forth between RF and SLR, and subsequently use my big camera far less frequently. But there is certain subjects (like my fast-moving kids) that I prefer to shoot using auto-focus. There's something much more deliberate about working with a Rangefinder though, and it really appeals to me.


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## Helen B (Jan 18, 2008)

Leica Ms have been the cameras I've used the most since I got my first in the mid 70's, and I have no problem switching between an SLR and a rangefinder. Oddly enough I think of an SLR as being right for the more deliberate work and a rangefinder as being right for the more immersed, responsive work - it's something to do with the way one sees through the viewfinders. I'm just not convinced that the M8 has enough advantages _for me_ over the M6s and M7s I already have.

Best,
Helen


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## Iron Flatline (Jan 18, 2008)

I'm not an evangelist for any style of work, camera, or medium. That said, In your case it's simply a question of work-flow, because you already have lenses - thus reducing the cost factor. If you like working with digital files then the M8 is a great combination of your RF experience together with a workflow you like. 

Regardless of digital or film, a Rangefinder is so much smaller and easier when shooting people, at least for me... and that's how I spend my free time these days. And I love the fact that I can get the camera and several lenses into one tiny bag when I travel.  

  In the case of traveling, digital is an advantage for me as well. It's just a lot of memory chips, not rolls and rolls of sensitive film... and I can fire away without worrying about running out of stock. I'm going to Cambodia for two weeks, and am glad it's digital for a trip like that.


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## Sirene (Jan 26, 2008)

I love them !!


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## RKW3 (Jan 26, 2008)

I love "A Sea of Faces".

Nice work.


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