How to focus singlehanded, when copying Bruce Gilden's style?

<p>A beginner question: I browsed the web & Youtube and saw folks like Bruce Gilden shooting Leicas in their right and flash in their left hand and am too dumb to figure out how focusing is done under such conditions, especially since Gilden seems to frequently crouch down to get his shots.<br>

I have a 35mm Hexanon with a focusing tab. I'm somewhat able to use the tab with my right thumb, middle finger on shutter release and palm of my hand facing my cheek but it feels awkward. <br>

Looking into the lens (landscape orientation) the Konica tab moves from 8 (infinity) to 4 o clock (0.7m). Are Leica focusing tabs elsewhere to make things easier? - How are you operating yours if you are shooting singlehandedly?<br>

Or is successfull assault portraiture based on zone focusing and leg work? <br>

Thanks in advance for your input.</p>

<p>Zone focusing indeed: focus is preset to a fixed distance, as is the aperture - one relies on DOF to get what one wants in focus (more or less). </p>

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<p>assault portraiture</p>

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<p>Good way to describe his style - not only having a cameras shoved into your face but be blinded by the flash going off to boot - the images he creates of his victims to me mostly show the reaction to the assault - a mixture of surprise, shock, fear, and anger. But I digress.</p>

<p>In the distant past we were taught to pre-focus our rangefinder cameras (SLRs were scarce). You anticipated where you wanted to be and your subject to be and prefocused on that distance...like zone focusing. I remember memorizing the size of floor tiles in some rooms where I did a fair amount of shooting for my school newspaper...you visualized your spot, counted tiles to where you wanted your subject to be and set that distance on your focusing ring, outside you knew the distance between sidewalk separation strips, the distance across the driveways, etc. Thinking back...f/8 and be there worked pretty well.</p>

<p>I think Lex Jenkins was the first using the "assault portraiture" term here. - I have absolutely no clue how a human being could be capable of displaying a reaction on a flash during 1/75sec or less. If I am recalling things properly the no red eyes pre-flash in some 80s cameras took quite a while till the final exposure happened? - I felt out of touch with the ongoing action when using it.<br>

Gilden appears to direct his subjects during his shots but I guess he is unusual and unexpected enough that surprise and anger haven't worn of the faces till he gets done. - I somehow like the merciless sharpness of his results, so I am getting tempted to give flash a go.<br>

Back to zone focusing: It seems an option but f8 might provide just 20cm at those distances and making a lunge to get the camera down to subject eye level adds complication to the distance guesswork. - Practising might be the key here.<br>

<br />I'm still wondering if somebody focuses singlehandedly and if the Leica 35mms are more suitable for that approach. </p>

<p>Why in the world would anyone want to copy Bruce Gilden? He is unique.</p>

I doubt if focusing single handedly is the answer. Too difficult to hold the camera with one hand, focus and

shoot, though I imagine it can be done. But if you're going to do that why not just get a fast auto focus camera? With flash, zone focus should be plenty adequate though. I'd guess that's how Gilden works if he shoots with an M.

<p>Sometimes one just has to resort to "tricks" to get the shots one wants. Here is an example from years ago (which has already appeared on his site). I saw several workmen in Malta sitting on the steps during a break, and although they were oblivious to passersby, it would have been very difficult to try to capture anything other than posed had I tried normal street shooting. So I determined where I wanted to shoot from, the approx distance to the subjects, set my focus and exposure and turned on the self-timer walking into the scene to that spot with the camera at my side. I knew my stride and where I would be at the instant of exposure. Results speak for themselves.</p><div></div>

<p>Congrats on your capture, Stephen! Marching in with a buzzing self timer didn't occur to me yet but it sounds like a plan to prepair.<br>

I somehow failed entirely shopping for fast AF in the past, Ray. - I'm also not sure if I'll end doing real street photography, but using a flash in my left hand while crouched down to certain subjects' eye levels seems a way to go with gear I already have. <br>

@ Bill: The advantage of unique artists is we can talk about them without linking a ton of images. - I was adviced picking masters and <em>learning</em> to copy them could help developing own skills.</p>

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<p>Why in the world would anyone want to copy Bruce Gilden? He is unique.</p>

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<p>Good question! Ask Eric Kim:)<br>

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Who the heck is Eric Kim?

 

Nice pic Stephen.

<p>I think Gilden pretty much shoots from the same distance in his shots. He is pre focused or zone focused. All he has to do is jump at you and scare you enough and blast you with the flash to get the OMG look on his victims. Myself I think everyone in New York should just follow the crazy fool around and take his picture until the end of time. </p>

<p>Erick Kim is on you-tube. He has that aggressive style of shooting but he does not seem to get the same look of horror and fear that Gilden can get. Kim is small and skinny and I imagine somebody will just punch him before long. </p>

<p> </p>

<p>Try Google Ray, you won't miss him..</p>

<p>Pre-focus, pretty easy when you take the same photo for your entire career. </p>

<p>Eric Kim appears in YouTube videos, often doing street photography with a Leica. I think he calls himself "DigitalRev."</p>

No, DigitalRev is a different dude, but both are interesting. DigitalRev ("review") guy does a lot of camera reviews. Google both of them.

Eric Kim: http://erickimphotography.com/blog/

 

DigitalRev: http://www.digitalrev.com/

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<p>Pre-focus, pretty easy when you take the same photo for your entire career.</p>

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<p>His focus ring is probably rusted frozen at this point.</p>

I know who Eric Kim is but what he does doesn't interest me.

<p>He likes to do the flash thing in people's face. Did I make it sound like I was? (interested)</p>

<p>A good friend of mine copied Gilden.<br>

Even did a workshop with the man!<br>

Friend was most abused student, but he persevered and they are friends.<br>

Even invited to some shoots with Bruce.<br>

Now the gritty!<br>

Carrying a flash in one hand, camera in another..<br>

I am a klutz. One or the other will fall.<br>

Friend wiped out his flash..:-)<br>

Now uses a ring flash contraption.<br>

You set a distance say 5ft.<br>

Move into that distance.<br>

I personally hate flash and esp. walk by shooting.<br>

B.G latest portraits with flash are awesomely horrible!<br>

Not all of Bruce Gilden's pix are this way.<br>

Thank goodness.</p>

No Barry, you didn't.

<p>Good point, Jason. - I wondered about carrying the 2 pieces of gear in hands + occasionally scratching my head too. Yes, "awesomely horrible" portraits would be what I'm after.<br>

Which kind of ring flash contraption works with the Ms?</p>

 

<p>Shoving a camera with a flash into someone's face is at best shows a lack of respect for the individual....at the worst just plain crude and nasty. It takes away respect for street photography and turns it into intrusive behavior....and we wonder why many countries have a ban on street photography....</p>