Shooting protests: followup

<p>First, I would like to thank (in no particular order) John Sidlo,

Bueh B, Francisco Arcaute, CE Nelson and John Crosley for their

advices which turned out extremely helpful.

 

<p>The protest I attended took place at 6PM; for background

information check out my <a

href="http://journal.boblycat.org/varjag/">blog</a>. I took there

Zenit-E with Mir-1V 37/2.8, no flash, and Canon Powershot A60. The

plan was to take several rolls of Konica 1600 ISO film, but I was able

to find only one roll in the shops here, so I've taken a roll of ISO

800 film in addition. As it was suggested, I dressed into comfortable

clothes of dark colors and running shoes.

 

<p>Here I should tell that most of the shots I've taken on film were

of unacceptable quality: the ISO 800 film was unusable in the

available light conditions, and ISO 1600 was just barely resolving the

happening with the lens full open. Zenit also proven itself not very

suitable camera for the job: the winding mechanism was malfunctioning

when used in rush, the viewfinder was way too dark and of course being

a full manual camera it required too much attention to operate in

fast-changing conditions for a rookie like me.

 

<p>So, I went there along with Andrew, my companion. He was helping

when I was changing cameras, looked out around while I was shooting

and was securing the shot film. He was also using his p&s camera from

time to time, and a lot if his shots turned out better than mine :)

Having an assistant was extremely useful: e.g. I stop to change camera

settings, feel my shoulder touched and when raising my eyes I find

myself on an empty street with police line several meters away

charging in my direction.

 

<p>Behaving like a pro was also a good advice: police paid less

attention to me, and once I was even to sneak into a secured zone with

bold face and busy look.. they pushed me out in a minute though when

found out that I don't really have press credentials. I saw though

that some other wannabe-reporters with tiny shiny digicams were

treated without excessive kindness.. maybe my 'pro-looking' taped

Zenit was helpful in this regard.<div></div>

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Mmm.. I'll try to resubmit the first image..<div></div>

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So for me, the lesson of the day was: take a better camera and get the damn flash next time.

I read an article from someone who covered the WTO protests in Seattle and said on 2 occasions in one day someone sprayed black paint on his lens front, and his filter saved his lens.

That's an awesome series Eugene. Well done.

<p>Brainbubba, thanks. Still, I lost the most impressive shots from the event (e.g. police smashing protesters done in close quarters), since the were on the 800 ISO film.

 

<p>John, perhaps that could be helpful, but the lens I used costs about $10 here. I was going there with full understanding that my camera can be lost (like it happened to an NTV cameraman on another protest here yesterday), so the equipment was rather inexpensive.

sounds fun eugene. wish i was there to shoot this as well. what was all the protesting about?

 

i was there a few month's ago and recall being stopped near the kgb building for passport inspection. one paper was out of order and the officer got on the radio and made a call. my russian friend also made a call to a friend of his who is a high ranking officer. i guess that overruled my paper being out of order :)

 

hopefuly i'll be returning not too long from now. i love russia!

dosvidania

<p>Matt,

 

<p>This was not in Russia, but in Belarus, a former Soviet republic squeezed between Poland and Russia.

 

<p>October 17th a referendum was held to lift constitutional two-term limit on presidency. The voting was initiated, encouraged, conducted and counted accoring to the will of Lukashenko, the ruling authoritarian president, and according to the government it was won by Lukashenko. The voting went with countless violations and vote manipulations according to OSCE observers. You can read more about it in <a href="http://journal.boblycat.org/varjag/">my blog</a>.

ok. i wasn't sure that "on the steps of kgb" was how i remembered it in moscow, so now i understand.

 

still looks like a fun shoot. i'll read your blog now.

m

This subject has always appealed to me. Perhaps it stems from coming of age in America during the Vietnam war years. The last opportunity I had personally was during the WTO protests and riots in Seattle.

Eugene,

 

Thank you for the private communication -- for which I am most thankful.

 

I am grateful to see that acting professionally actually allowed you to approach the KGB and others and get behind lines -- not protesting or acting like a protester has its benefits, as the film tells the story for you as no protester could to a small group -- your film is now viewable worldwide.

 

The best advice for shooting at night is to get the 'fastest' lens available -- usually a Nikon with a f 1.4 although I have a f 1.2 for night shooting, but the focal plane is so tight it is difficult to use in a crowd setting.

 

Another available way is to use the widest angle lens you can find with the largest aperture -- although those get expensive, even for the old manual lenses. Say a 24 mm f 2.8(but stopped down for greatest depth of field) would get over any problems of focusing in difficult circumstances.

 

Henri Cartier-Bresson always pre-focused, as you should in the future. Your photos are actually quite impressive and your thought and preparation shows. Close quarter shots always require the widest angle lens you can get to isolate the subjects when they are scuffling -- otherwise you can't get back far enough to focus and isolate your subjects without interfering protestors/police/KGB/newsmen getting shoved between you and your subject. (See my photo of Richard Nixon and wife Pat in Black and White portfolio, taken with camera overhead, -- head ducked to avoid interference -- with a old prefocused, manual-stop-down 28 mm 'wide angle' lense -- then about the widest angle lens you could get and still be able to buy food.

 

Better to buy a very old, very wide angle f 2.8 lens for very cheap and have it smashed and use it prefocused (depth of field is very large with such a lens) than invest in something expensive for the same fate (smashed) for the luxury of auto exposure and auto focus.

 

Take test shots beforehand, of course. Everything should be prefocused, pre-estimated for flash. You hadn't said in your initial request you would be shooting after dark (the sun goes down earlier at end of Oct and perhaps you hadn't noticed when you posted). With flash, do test shots for flash strength/coverage area, fix your lens to prefocus and your aperture, and then just wade in and fire away, making simple adjustments as you go. You have to try it out with film beforehand.

 

Any B & W film not based on "color" film can be 'pushed' to a higher ISO I believe. Tri-X was rated at ASA (ISO) 400 but could be shot with much grain at 1600, even 3200, so using black and white could have been an alternative, and one stop isn't really much -- I don't detect subject movement in your photos -- albeit they're with flash.

If you have custom processing, color films often can be 'pushed' to higher ISOs also. (See your local custom photofinisher).

 

Only experience will teach you, (and a few helpful hints from old hands on Photo.Net). Just get your equipment, some friends or in a room or building or even outside in a forest and use your equipment, making note of settings and develop your film quickly -- then see what your prefocus, pre-set aperture settings should be and you won't be a slave to constantly changing settings.

 

Hope this helps for another time.

 

Be careful.

 

(I see you 'taped' your Zenit -- nice touch. Brings back old memories. No one wants to damage a camera that looks like hell, and electrical tape makes a good camera look just like that, although it cleans off well.

 

Keep in touch. Best wishes.

 

John (Crosley)

Eugene,

I want to say that for the political parts of this dispute, I am completely neutral -- my advice is technical only and it is photographic advice I would give to anyone going to any kind of a demonstration for any kind of a purpose, whether I agreed with them or their point of view or not. The purpose of my advice was NOT to agree or disagree with Belorus internal politics, but to aid you in an answer to your questoin as posted -- as I would do to all PhotoNetters who sought info about which I had particular knowledge. Although I recognize the name Lukashenko, I really don't know about him, or his politics or anything, and can express no opinion -- only how to get good photographs. Te ponymyish? John (Crosley)

Ha! Too late for that Crosley. Be assured your name has been added to the CIA, KGB *and* Homeland Security Watch List.

Eugene -

 

Congratulations, very good work, especially considering you were shooting at night.

 

I agree with the technical advice given, practice on your free time and learn to use your existing equipment better, rather than lusting after new equipment.

 

I have several Zenit cameras, and although they are a bit basic, with the right care they can produce good images. Remember that during the Vietnam war, Vietnamese photographers managed to get some impressive images from 1960's Practicas and under difficult lab conditions.

 

If you can, get a 35 mm wide angle, make that your basic lens.

 

If you will be using flash, remember to have fresh bateries, remember the recycling time so you don't lose good shots.

 

Try to have your focus range (2 - 3 metres, for example), a good working aperture F8 or 5.6, all pre-set so that when you see an image you like, you can fire away without have to waste time focusing or thinking about the shot.

 

Be careful in large public gatherings, because the tensions run high and all you need is one fool to start a stampede.

 

Sincerely,

 

Francisco Arcaute