Any feedback/tips warmly appreciated ...

It's been more than 5 years since I last tried anything different or creative with amateur photography. I know just enough about exposure, composition, post-processing and "moments of interest" to get by.

People (situations, expressions, relationships, emotions) interest me more than say, Landscapes or Architecture. So I gravitate towards concert/street photography. Inspired by @Allen Herbert's post on Chinese photographer Fan Ho in the street photography forum, I became motivated to (re-)learn again. It's perhaps laughable but it's only now that I've tried 'following the light' in street photography rather than wandering around hoping for 'street photo opportunities'!

The past couple of days, I deliberately tried to take photos that I could use for "high contrast" B/W photos: mostly low-key with one high key, and few mid-tones. I fully realize that 'high contrast" is just one of many styles in B/W photography. Still, it;s good to start somewhere :)

I prefer not to offer each and every 'try-out' photo up for "critique". They're not my best. I just thought I'd just invite anyone who's interested to take a peek at my "Street" portfolio and give me some feedback/tips via this thread. My photos are generally very small crops so the ISO grain/noise is quite visible.

Things I already know:

- I need to get closer (or use a telephoto lens)

- A high contrast (with few mid-tones) is a legitimate - but easy style: how do you retain contrast and mid-tones?

- I'm copying styles (which I can never hope to match) rather than creating my own

My motivation in posting this is neither "attention seeking" for photos" nor "fishing for compliments. I'm genuinely interested in learning from any feedback and tips from members who have much experience in B/W photography than I do. I'm much more interested in feedback on technique and 'style' than on individual photos.

Thanks,

Mike

I think you did a nice job working with this style. I'd look at some different ways to get the high contrast look to see if you can lessen the metallic feel of some of it. That might also help you keep some mid-tones, since you asked about it. It takes a bit of finessing, but I think you're on a good track.

Nothing wrong with copying styles. I'd add, though, that style is best when suited to content, which I think in some of your photos works better than others. The fountain and birds, for example, and also the bicycles, don't seem as suited to such a high contrast style as some of the others, because they're a bit more of classic in terms of content and composition. The stark contrast style works well with the seagull shot and Hitchcock 3, the window shot. I like the way you handled Hitchcock 7 a lot and the contrast is not as intense as in some of the others but gets the point across in a more understated yet still effective way. That's my favorite of your "street" shots. Good story-telling and dynamics between the two people and between the two people and the alleyway. The accordionist is also a really nice shot, though I don't know that it needed such heavy shadows on his face. I think a little less intensity in the processing of that one would work because he's more pensive than intense or foreboding. Your perspective definitely enhances the scene and there's an uplifting quality to that which, again, the heavy shadow works a bit against.

I'd just keep going in this direction, feeling your way and determining which ones work for you. That would be my question? Which feel the most complete and tell the story you want to tell.

I do think working with style and keeping style in mind when you go out shooting is a great idea and exercise. I generally find that content (the character of the street, the characters on the street, the story unfolding, the timing) is where street photography is at and style is important as it supports that content.

@The Shadow, many thanks for taking the time to review the photos and posting your extensive feedback! You've helped me see the photos from a different perspective. I see what you mean about the metallic feel. I also agree that stark contrasts can be effective for some content but less for others.

The main things you helped me realize are that:

- I've (implicitly, unthinkingly) assumed that dramatic=stark contrasts make photos interesting; I now realize that this has been a kind of 'tunnel vision'

- I'm usually (and unthinkingly) too heavy-handed in dealing with contrast in B/W conversion; Better judgement and more finesse is definitely the way forward

- I've been using Silver Efex pro too much as a 'blunt instrument' by always selecting one of the 'stark contrast' presets as a basis for further adjustment

So I really have learned a lot from your feedback. Thanks also for your encouragement!

I'll play around with B/W conversions of the original photo's a bit more just to see whether I can improve them.

Thanks again,

Mike

I think you did a nice job working with this style. I'd look at some different ways to get the high contrast look to see if you can lessen the metallic feel of some of it. That might also help you keep some mid-tones, since you asked about it. It takes a bit of finessing, but I think you're on a good track.

 

Nothing wrong with copying styles. I'd add, though, that style is best when suited to content, which I think in some of your photos works better than others. The fountain and birds, for example, and also the bicycles, don't seem as suited to such a high contrast style as some of the others, because they're a bit more of classic in terms of content and composition. The stark contrast style works well with the seagull shot and Hitchcock 3, the window shot. I like the way you handled Hitchcock 7 a lot and the contrast is not as intense as in some of the others but gets the point across in a more understated yet still effective way. That's my favorite of your "street" shots. Good story-telling and dynamics between the two people and between the two people and the alleyway. The accordionist is also a really nice shot, though I don't know that it needed such heavy shadows on his face. I think a little less intensity in the processing of that one would work because he's more pensive than intense or foreboding. Your perspective definitely enhances the scene and there's an uplifting quality to that which, again, the heavy shadow works a bit against.

 

I'd just keep going in this direction, feeling your way and determining which ones work for you. That would be my question? Which feel the most complete and tell the story you want to tell.

 

I do think working with style and keeping style in mind when you go out shooting is a great idea and exercise. I generally find that content (the character of the street, the characters on the street, the story unfolding, the timing) is where street photography is at and style is important as it supports that content.

Mike, I went to your portfolio, hoping to give advice, but I was humbled. I now remember, I visited your portfolio before, because I ‘admired’ your photo with the Hitchcock theme. Motion blur and shadows appeal to me a lot and I am planning to do some experiments with these elements in future. Your photos have great drama and careful execution in them. I have a feeling that you will discover your own unique style soon, if you keep at it. Many artists have started their careers emulating someone else’s style who inspires them and that helped to give them their own voice later on. In this context, I am curious which photographers inspire you?

If I can give any advice at all, i have found great success with using Silver Efex from Nick Collection for BW conversion (it used to be free until a year ago). Silver Efex has two settings to ‘protect’ shadow and highlight clipping and allow you to increase contrast without blowing highlights. It also has the ‘soft contrast’ feature that can give rich mid tones in high contrast scenes. Another cool feature is the emulation of the characteristics of different BW films. For instance, I like high contrast from Tri-X which can be emulated in Silver Efex. Attached is an example of high contrast BW from Silver Efex where the shadows and highlights are preserved.

The other option to control the contrast in different tonalities in a scene is to play with the curves tool in Photoshop. You can define control points to fix the tonality in a certain brightness zone, while adjusting the brightness of other zones. This helps to increase contrast without clipping shadows or highlights. Using control points can help to boost mid tone without changing the shadow or highlight areas in a high contrast scene. Curves is a very powerful tool and proper mastery will help you to bring out the best in your photos. I wish you all the best in your future photo pursuit and will keep an eye on your portfolio.