My month in New York City

Hi Ray, forgive me for encroaching. You may recall that you thought I ought to produce a book regarding my street shooting experiences. My interest in this fantastic art began in New York in 2011. I took your advice and had one printed through "Blurb". The book is entirely comprised of my NYC street stuff. I like to think I have moved on a tad since then, and my style has become more mature....

Anyway, as it was your recommendation..........here is a link to a preview of the book. I am very pleased with the quality of the finished item and it feels very good in my hands.

So, thanks for the suggestion and keep on keeping on.....love your stuff.

The book.......



cheers

Pete
 
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Hey Pete - have you thought about making it available for purchase as an ebook? Its really easy to do and then I could buy an electronic copy and really peruse the book. What I can see looks WONDERFUL, but the photos are tiny and I can't read the text at all. Let me know if you enable ebook purchases and I'll be the first in line. Otherwise I'm gonna have to wait until I get home in May to look at it on a larger monitor. What I can see looks really really great.

-Ray
 
Hey Pete - have you thought about making it available for purchase as an ebook? Its really easy to do and then I could buy an electronic copy and really peruse the book. What I can see looks WONDERFUL, but the photos are tiny and I can't read the text at all. Let me know if you enable ebook purchases and I'll be the first in line. Otherwise I'm gonna have to wait until I get home in May to look at it on a larger monitor. What I can see looks really really great.

-Ray

Thanks Ray.....glad you like it, especially as you suggested it. I am so jealous of you right now. A whole month in my favourite city! I retired a couple of weeks ago and apart from a week in France this month and a few days in Amsterdam and Berlin......nothing else is on the cards. I am going to get some bail from my Mrs and book me an economy flight and spend a long weekend there this fall maybe. The place has an incredible vibe and my favourite bit is on the freeway from JFK and you see Manhattan skyline in the distance. My heart literally pounds with anticipation of mixing it in a rumbuctious, riotous, noisy city.

Will let you know when I have e-booked it.

Have a great time there.

Best

Pete
 
Shot with the EPL3 and 12mm lens today. I have some great street cameras in my little arsenal. The GXR, the GRD3, the X-Pro 1, and X-100 have nothing to apologize for. But some days the EPL3 is the best of the bunch. And other than its loud shutter (which isn't loud enough to matter on the streets of NYC), it might just be the perfect street camera, for me at least. I brought the X-Pro today and took a few non-street shots, but the EPL3 is all I shot with on the street today. All in that wierd ill-defined run-together area consisting of Soho, the Bowery, Little Italy, and Chinatown. There are no boundaries that I could make out. All sorts of different cultures, foods, income levels, shops, etc. The only common thing is its ALL sort of a funky underbelly of the city. Even Soho, which has become really trendy and spendy is STILL really funky. And, of course Canal Street is just a sprawling mess of a down and out street marketplace. Quite an area to spend the day. Anyway, here are some from the day:

My favorite - Captain America or something. I also did a really grunged out mess of a version using every weird trick snapseed has at its disposal. Maybe I'll pull that one out someday, but for now, the sort of straight version that's only sort of over the top...
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Tell me this isn't Yoko Ono... She lives in the city. its pretty easy for celebs to blend in there and she's not exactly a household name any more. Probably not, but DAMN it looks like her...
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An odd little moment. I didn't notice the bird when I took the shot and I don't think she did either. But there's no photograph without it...
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-Ray
 
Friday Night (the 13th)

No shooting during the day yesterday, but a couple hours last evening in mid-town, waiting for my wife's train to arrive. This camera continues to amaze me in low light, opening possibilities I hadn't considered before. I was actually able to stop down to f5.6 and shoot with zone focus in most parts of the area last night, just keeping the ISO pegged at 6400. Never even thought to try that at night before.

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-Ray
 
Do you ever get in trouble for taking pictures of people? Do these guys know that you are shooting?

I can't speak for Ray, but my experience is that no one has ever objected in a negative way. The worst I have experienced is that some people will turn away when they see the camera. Some will smile and openly welcome the picture, and of course many never notice it is being taken. In public places here in the states it is legal to take photographs of people. I think most people here know that. When I was in Charlotte a few days ago there was a Fox news camera man set up at the main intersection filming. I watched him pan his camera very close to passing people with no sign of engaging them in conversation or asking for permission. I think in cities people get used to that. I have found it a little different in small towns, but never yet a serious problem.
 
Do you ever get in trouble for taking pictures of people? Do these guys know that you are shooting?

Great photos btw.

In the better part of two years I've been at this street shooting thing, I've had exactly two people object. One was kind of a jerk about it and the other was very nice. In both cases I offered to erase the files and that was that. In the US, its totally legal as long as everyone is in a public place. So I wouldn't get in "trouble" in any real sense, but on the rare occasion people are both aware of it (most aren't) and object to it, I'm happy to acommodate them...

-Ray
 
I have to admit that some times I hesitate when shooting children, some people have become just a little paranoid, but otherwise no one seems to care enough to have any problems
 
Your timing is amazing Ray. Do you stand still and watch things unfold or do you keep moving slowly?

Thanks Christina. For most of my shooting, I'm moving, watching, and anticipating. And, as noted in a discussion in another thread, I miss the timing far more often than I get it right, but you almost never get to see those! On some shots, I pre compose and wait for something to happen, but those are the exception.

Here are a few from yesterday - my wife and I went back to SOHO, Chinatown, Little Italy, the Bowery, etc. and then we walked through NYU and Washington Square Park on the way back - a zillion people in the park - great scene, lots of music being played, etc. Beautiful spring day!

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Little Italian ladies in Little Italy:
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West Village shoppers with a sense of purpose!
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A Noho condo building. I think!
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Creative dining options:
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And a couple of the several musical acts in the park:
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