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narang99 In reply to angelcurls [2003-10-27 14:52:31 +0000 UTC]

ha ha thankz, for the +fav
the aperure i used was f/5.6 with 6x6, dof is quite somthing..
most the time, i use f/22.if u open up wide open, u get a very small dof.


In Delhi, one of my favourite spots was what I like to call ''Potters road''.

I woke up as normal at 11am, had my milkshake, put the TV on, and started to pig out, and watch hours of TV. In India, I didn’t really start to shoot till six o'clock. I didn’t shoot earlier as I felt it was to hot, I also preferred the light at six o'clock. I couldn’t wake up early, I just couldn’t bring myself to open my eyes or had the energy too.

On that day, I left around 5:30, I was going to see my aunt, but made a stop at this potter colony. This became my favourite place to photograph, as I really liked the people their. As I walking round the colony I saw a granny next to her grandson, she was making statues out of clay. I approached her, and asked her ''could I take your photograph''. I was welcomed with a warm smile.

I put my tripod down and started to get ready, what I found amazing, is that the granny, didn’t notice me as if I didn't exist, she just continued as normal. So I had to be quick. I wiped out my light meter from my pocket, took a reading.

Then set the aperture and exposure. This medium was more manual to use, and slows u down, but it makes u think 1,000 times more

The sweat-started pour down my neck. I took my first frame, but focused on the granny, at first I thought the kid was a distraction. The thought of telling him to move came into mind, but as I looked through the camera, he added an interesting element to the overall photograph.


After I took my first frame I waited, for the moment, where I felt everything was perfect. My fingers hit the shutter realise button


Now I had taken the photograph, doubts started to fill in my head, ''Will it come out? Is it underexposed? Should I have cropped out the kid ? Did I focus propel, is the composition ok?''.

I couldn’t wait to see the results, so the next day I dropped off the film, when I left the lab, I kept asking those questions that scare us photographers.

From previous experiences, going to the lab, I kept seeing problem such as not focusing properly. I kept making mistakes, I was going through a week of taking bad photographs. I wanted to redeem myself.


I walked into the lab, their was some new fresh sweat, I was really nervous, when I picked up the film. The envelope was opened by nervous hands. To my amazement it came out ok, I suddenly felt a sigh of happiness, and demanded a print!

I waited for fifteen minutes, took the print, after weeks of coming up with nothing decent, I finally had a decent photograph.

Time passed, and as I was watching TV, the National Geographic program was on the box , their was a program about how photography gave back to the subject. This amazed me, I looked at my print, and thought to myself ''Why don’t I give this to them?''

The next day, I went round six o'clock, I felt like Steve McCurry for a moment, I was looking for the subject I had photographed. I went to the first stall, and asked them, have u seen this women? She said, yes, she's at the end of the stalls, I progressed forward. Thoughts ran through my mind, ''Will she like it? Will she be happy with it? It's slightly out of focus, will she mind?''

Then suddenly I saw her, I stood there nervously, fighting with the envelope, trying to get the photograph out. Then finally I got it out, And handed it to her as I did,

I looked at her and thought to myself ''She doesn't look the same! She looks really bad'' she had red teeth, (She had been eating an Indian sweet which makes your teeth red)

Then as I gave her the print, a gang of children came over and crowed the place, everyone wondered what she got. I was going to take a picture, but decide not to, I was to overwhelmed by the moment. She said thank u and had a smile of gratitude on her face. It was a moment where I felt pride in my hart and myself, as I walked away, the kid in the photograph came up to me, and shook my hand and said ''Thank u''. It was such an emotional moment for me

I had made someone happy I had given back to the subject. I slept very well that knight, with a smile of pride

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angelcurls In reply to narang99 [2003-10-28 07:48:57 +0000 UTC]

personally i use 2,8 or less most of the time, because i love to get a small dof. especially at 300mm you get a great blurred background if you do street shots and thats what i go for. i dont want to see a clear background, i want to focus only the persons.
f22 is too much. there isnt enough light then and youve got to slow shutter speeds then.

i like the text youve written. very enthusiastic and with your fullest heart.

thanks!

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