The object of the assignment was to plan and execute a set of images of people in a meaningful activity.
I chose the Chinese New Year celebrations on February 6th 2011 in central London. The images depict different people (all strangers) at the event and I aimed to capture ‘telling moments’ as well as explaining and documenting the activity.
After being there for about an hour I closed my eyes and tried to narrow down some of the key elements which represented Chinese New Year celebrations to me and then actively sought to capture those images and moments. It was very difficult to get clear shots as there were so many people in some very small spaces plus it was a very overcast day so it ended up being quite a frustrating shoot. I wish I had experimented with different lenses more and perhaps used a fill flash. It would have been useful to have two cameras available at all times to switch more easily between wide angle and long zoom. I should also have found the nerve to get up onto the fountain walls in Trafalgar Square to get a better viewpoint.
1. Couple
Exposed: February 6th 2011
Equipment used: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF70-200mm, f2.8L IS USM
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter speed: 1/60
ISO: 100
Focal length: 200mm
White balance: Auto
Location: Trafalgar Square, London
Lightning: overcast
Processing in Lightroom:
Exposure +1.15
Crop
This shot was irresistible as the couple looked so happy and relaxed with a great energy between them. I was anxious to grab it quickly and was not entirely happy with the composition – I had to crop it tighter than I would have liked as there was a distracting leg and carrier bag in the top left corner. Even so, it clearly suggests a large-scale urban event, with the metal barriers in the background and the way the subjects are both sitting on the curb with their thermos flask. If this was a standalone image, I would have been tempted to make it black and white but I wanted this whole series to be in colour so they sit together as a set.
2. Woman Eating
Exposed: February 6th 2011
Equipment used: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF70-200mm, f2.8L IS USM
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter speed: 1/160
ISO: 400
Focal length: 200mm
White balance: Auto
Location: Chinatown, London
Lightning: overcast
Processing in Lightroom:
Exposure +1.43
Crop
It was striking how many people were eating on the street but it proved tricky to photograph without being seen and being too intrusive. I made about ten previous attempts before getting this shot which had been ruined by people walking between me and the subject. As a consequence, I was very happy to capture this moment of this person enjoying her delicious food but still looking dignified. I would have preferred her to be more to the right of centre as I really like the texture and colour of the brick behind her.
3. Rabbit Mask
Exposed: February 6th 2011
Equipment used: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF70-200mm, f2.8L IS USM
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter speed: 1/60
ISO: 400
Focal length: 200mm
White balance: Auto
Location: Chinatown, London
Lightning: overcast
Processing in Lightroom:
Exposure +0.60
Another striking thing about this event was the huge number of children (and mostly happy kids, which is fairly unusual at large events like this in my experience). Many of them were wearing these Lycamobile sponsored Year of the Rabbit masks. This child was being given toy ‘snap caps’ (tiny percussion fireworks that characterised the sound and one of the prominent smells of the event this year) and caught my eye in the crowd. Again, it took several frustrating shots to end up with this but I like the feel of the image – the cute smile, the way the bunny eyes are slightly creepy ‘looking’ at the camera and the sense that the event was heaving with people. I would have been happier if the subject was not so centered but it was very hard to make spaces to capture the telling moments so I am grateful that this one came out as being acceptable.
4. Hand Drum Man
Exposed: February 6th 2011
Equipment used: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF70-200mm, f2.8L IS USM
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter speed: 1/100
ISO: 400
Focal length: 140mm
White balance: Auto
Location: Chinatown, London
Lightning: overcast
Processing in Lightroom:
Exposure +0.87
Crop
There were lots of people standing outside shops and restaurants selling hand drums and this man’s interesting face caught my eye – luckily I managed to capture some of the character in his hangdog expression, while he was shaking his drum. I would instinctively have made this a B&W image as some of the lights are so garish and distracting here. In some ways the strong colours more accurately portray the mood of the event so I am hoping this works for the viewer.
5. Duck Chef
Exposed: February 6th 2011
Equipment used: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF70-200mm, f2.8L IS USM
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter speed: 1/100
ISO: 640
Focal length: 110mm
White balance: Auto
Location: Chinatown, London
Lightning: overcast
Processing in Lightroom:
Exposure +0.41
Altered colour temperature
Crop
I was in two minds as to whether to submit this image as I am not happy with the composition – his head/eye-level is too low in the picture and I find the reflections on the glass to be distracting. However, I have left it in the set as I feel it depicts well the mouth-watering temptations in so many windows of the restaurants in Chinatown - it is impossible to walk around there without feeling hungry! And I liked the look of concentration on the chef’s face as he works calmly during the busiest day of his year.
6. Child with Chinese Toy
Exposed: February 6th 2011
Equipment used: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF70-200mm, f2.8L IS USM
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter speed: 1/80
ISO: 400
Focal length: 200mm
White balance: Auto
Location: Chinatown, London
Lightning: overcast
Processing in Lightroom:
Exposure +0.14
I was determined to get at least one shot of a child on their dad’s shoulders holding a Chinese toy as this was a common sight at the event. Most of my attempts failed as everyone in the area seemed to be considerable taller than I and always in my way! I think this works though – a good expression, some interaction with an adult and a busy blur in the foreground plus the incredibly bright lights behind.
7. Fag Break
Exposed: February 6th 2011
Equipment used: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF70-200mm, f2.8L IS USM
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter speed: 1/50
ISO: 640
Focal length: 150mm
White balance: Auto
Location: Chinatown, London
Lightning: overcast
Processing in Lightroom:
Exposure +0.69
Crop, straightening
Adjustment to colour temperature
I tried to escape from the hordes of people and all the delicious food temptations by ducking down a back alley to see if there were some more ‘off-duty’ images to be found. Luckily I came across this chap having a no-doubt well-earned cigarette break. I like the way he is looking directly at the camera and the uniform colours of the background which seems to echo the brief respite from the intensity of the event.
8. Head
Exposed: February 6th 2011
Equipment used: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF70-200mm, f2.8L IS USM
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter speed: 1/125
ISO: 400
Focal length: 120mm
White balance: Auto
Location: Chinatown, London
Lightning: overcast
Processing in Lightroom:
Exposure +0.51
I didn’t quite understand why this man had been chosen to be interviewed by a small film crew when he clearly doesn’t look very Chinese but he was next to a float and was asked to hold the head to illustrate his involvement with the parade. It all seemed rather disorganised but made a rather interesting image. I was drawn by the jarring contrast of his Peugeot-sponsored jacket with the traditional Chinese headdress on the foam head. The man looks completely out of place but is rooted back into the scene by holding a giant float head.
9. Street Food
Exposed: February 6th 2011
Equipment used: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF70-200mm, f2.8L IS USM
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter speed: 1/50
ISO: 640
Focal length: 70mm
White balance: Auto
Location: Chinatown, London
Lightning: overcast
Processing in Lightroom:
Exposure +0.78
Adjustment to colour temperature
This image captures a young lad (a ‘hoodie’ no less!) ordering or asking about an item on a menu propped up behind some trays of food. I was very happy with the composition of this and the interaction of the two people on the right. It indicates some of the crowding on the street and also shows that it was rather cold to be standing outside all day.
10. Bunny Ears
Exposed: February 6th 2011
Equipment used: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF70-200mm, f2.8L IS USM
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter speed: 1/50
ISO: 640
Focal length: 130mm
White balance: Auto
Location: Chinatown, London
Lightning: overcast, late afternoon
Processing in Lightroom:
Exposure +0.32
Adjustment to colour temperature
Crop
I spotted this group posing for a photo being taken by their friend. They were laughing a lot and making bunny ears with their hands to indicate Year of the Rabbit. The image depicts the universal appeal of Chinese New Year across other cultures and just the joy of a little group of friends out in town on a Sunday. It made me wonder how these four people know each other – what are the relationships? How did they come to be in Chinatown that day? What did they say when they first saw their friend’s bright red hair?
11. Gerrard Street #1
Exposed: February 6th 2011
Equipment used: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF16-35mm, f2.8
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter speed: 1/80
ISO: 400
Focal length: 16mm
White balance: Auto
Location: Chinatown, London
Lightning: overcast, late afternoon
Processing in Lightroom:
Adjustment brush to decrease patches of over-exposure
Adjustment to colour temperature
Having taken a lot of photographs of individuals or small groups, I wanted to capture the impression of the relentless busyness of Gerrard Street and so used a wide-angle (but aiming to avoid distortion). I tried a number of vantage points and took a series of quick fire shots until this one seemed to have the right number of people in the right place. Light metering was a challenge as there were great contrasts but I think this gives a sense of the bright lights and all the human activity as dusk approaches.
12. Gerrard Street #2
Exposed: February 6th 2011
Equipment used: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon EF16-35mm, f2.8
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter speed: 1/50
ISO: 400
Focal length: 16mm
White balance: Auto
Location: Chinatown, London
Lightning: overcast, late afternoon
Processing in Lightroom:
Exposure +0.32
Adjustment to colour temperature
Crop
I have included this in the set as I liked the way it shows the litter on the ground and the range of different people in the crowds. It somehow has a feeling of the daytime event coming to an end, some people going home and a different crowd arriving for the evening’s festivities. I am not very happy with the colour temperature (I think it actually works better in black and white) and some of the ‘messy’ aspects of the capture – e.g. the feet of two front women being out of shot - but the eye engagement of the blonde woman and the contrast of her with the older black woman makes it an interesting ‘street photography’ image. Overall not a brilliant picture but I think it adds to the documentation of the event.
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