2 Women in NYC
Jul, 2015Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was shot on the streets of NYC.Time
This was early afternoon on a cold overcast day.Lighting
Because this was an overcast day, the softer light minimized shadows and presented me with naturally diffused even lighting.Equipment
This was a handheld shot with my Nikon D800 and f/3.5 24-120mm lens.Inspiration
This was actually a "being in the right place at the right time" situation. My wife, Becky, and I were on an anniversary trip to NYC and just sightseeing. When we passed this gigantic poster of the model, I had the idea to stand my wife next to it. After no small amount of coaxing, she finally consented and I composed the image. Just as I clicked the shutter, the lady in the final picture, who was simply strolling along, inadvertently photo bombed my shot! I thought it was kind of funny at the time and simply waited till she passed to reshoot my original composition. After arriving home, I didn't think too much about it at the time. However, over a period of a couple of months, I kept reflecting back to this shot which actually had my wife standing in it also. It took me that long to consider cropping my wife out of the image to see what that image would look like, and "Voila", this lady was positioned perfectly with respect to the woman in the poster. This image has turned out to be one of my most viewed images ever! I think it causes at least a momentary pause in the viewer to think about both the contrasts as well as the similarities between the two subjects. I just wish now that I'd thought to engage this lady that literally 'walked into my life' to learn a little more about her.Editing
I processed both a color version as well as the final B&W shown. I like both - the color version had muted colors against the B&W street background, but I settled with the all B&W version to emphasize the subjects, two in this case. I think it more powerfully illustrates the juxtaposition of the two women, both elegant and sophisticated, one young and one older, one flamboyant hat and one more subdued, one envisioning and the other perhaps remembering where she's been, one staying and one passing by - the list probably goes on. B&W also presents as the more traditional street photography capturing 'life as it happens'. The more I look at this image, the more fortunate I feel to have been at the 'right place at the right time."In my camera bag
I always have my Nikon D800, along with one or more of my Nikon lenses - f3.5 24-120mm, f/4 70-200 mm, f1.8 85mm and/or f2.8 14-24mm, depending on what I am shooting. This image takes me back to my early days when I first started photographing people candidly on the streets of Richmond, VA during my lunch hour back in the mid-70's (yes, that was long time ago!) with my first film camera, a Nikkormat with two Vivitar lenses, which I still have. I have always loved capturing people as life happens!Feedback
When shooting street photography, Jay Maisel gives some of the best advice - find a great background and wait for a subject to walk into it. Patience is a virtue (as well as a necessity) in street photography. Remain as indiscrete and low-key as possible if trying to capture real-life moments, and when a subject spots you, a big smile and "thank you" usually goes a long way.
