Hi all,

I just got back a roll of Delta 400 from the lab. Wow, the dip'n dunk guys sure take their sweet time! Anyways, I was trying out a technique where I put little orange markers on some distance settings on my 50 Cron that correspond to the distance from the subjects for different vantage points on our local subway. This shot was done "grabshot style", at f2.8.

Anyone else have a preferred "grabshot" technique that they are willing to share with the board? And of course... a picture speaks a thousand words!

Cheers,

-- John Chan (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), February 02, 2002

Answers

John, John - many of us have been doing this for years. Even HCB used to mark his lenses at 4m. Me, I mark my 50mm at 2.5m and the 35mm at 1.8m, then approach the subject until they are at the appropriate distance and then take the shot. I've already posted a link to my images in the "Available Light Photography - B&W vs. Color" thread a couple of days ago, so there's no need to post it again.

-- Andrew Nemeth (azn@nemeng.com), February 02, 2002.

Andrew, I don't know if what I'm doing is any different but I'm trying to compose in my mind. The camera doesn't make it to my eye. I've been doing these excercises for the last 9 months where I'll look through the viewfinder at a scene in my den, then try to visualize where the framelines were. So the shot is framed in the mind and not in the viewfinder. It is not my intention to come across as a "know it all"... I just want to know if others on the board have used this method and how long did it take to master it? (Still lots o' mastering to do on my part). And do others have shots from this technique that they are proud enough of to post?

Respectfully,

-- John (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), February 02, 2002.

The best advice on blind framing is to remember that with a 35mm lens, the horizontal span is the same as the distance to the subject.

-- (bmitch@home.com), February 02, 2002.

Hi John, I actually think thats a great shot. First, I think that the lack of clutter in the picture is great, you see very little else than the two girls. Secondly, the girls are dressed almost identically. Also, the pole between the two of them almost serves as a boundry, it almost looks as if it is like the two girls could be the same person , but at different ages. Also, I had never thought of doing what you did with the little marks on the lense. I ride the T (the Boston subway, called "T") everyday, and would love to take grab shots like that (but would probably be arrested or killed for doing so...). But maybe I'll start trying it, just discretely.

__ What subway/city was the pic taken on?

Phillip

-- Phillip Silitschanu (speedin_saab@hotmail.com), February 02, 2002.

The camera doesn't make it to my eye

Neither does mine. How do you think I can get so close to people (1.8m!) and they don't notice? Haven't taken a candid shot with the camera near my face since 1998... ;?)

-- Andrew Nemeth (azn@nemeng.com), February 03, 2002.

Here's a little tip for focusing if like me you have a 35mm almost permanantly on your M.

With a 35mm lens a person of average height fills the frame at 2 metres in portrait format or 3 metres in landscape format - prefocus and move in.

-- Giles Poilu (giles@monpoilu.icom43.net), February 03, 2002.

John-

While I have not physically marked my lens (current 50 Summicron w/added tab)I have memorized some lens settings. I can preset the lens to 7' and 10' without looking and I know what my DOF is for f8, 11 and 16 at those discances. These zones provide the necessary coverage for me when street shooting. If I'm at 5.6 or wider then I have to focus a bit.

I think the best practice is learn to visualize your len's coverage at various distances and to learn to estimate distance without looking through the camera. Once you have that down the only real hard part is overcoming the fear of putting the camera to your eye.

-- jeff (debontekou@yahoo.com), February 04, 2002.

They never knew about this photo until they saw it printed a couple of weeks after the party. I was sitting on a sofa in front of them. My M3 was held on top of my knees to avoid camera shake at 1/30s. Obviously no way to look through the viewfinder.

Easy to remember: a 50mm, f2 Summicron is focused at close to 3m when the tab is at its lower point.

Happy shooting !

-Iván

-- Iván Barrientos M (ingenieria@simltda.tie.cl), February 06, 2002.

. . . I meant this one

And forgot to say "great shot, John" which I really feel.

-Iván

-- Iván Barrientos M (ingenieria@simltda.tie.cl), February 06, 2002.