Don't take the stairs
An alley way in Seoul
An alley way in Seoul
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Nov, 2015Views
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Awards
Staff Winter Selection 2015
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Magnificent Capture
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken on a wandering stroll along the streets in Seoul, near the Dongdaemun market area. I was walking along when I passed this narrow alley way where a man had just slipped through. I had to stop and snap a few shots before moving on.Time
I remember this being sometime after lunch, probably around 3pm. I was exploring some of Seoul with my mom, who was visiting during our summer vacation. We had eaten quite a big lunch and were working it off by strolling the streets.Lighting
The ally way looked very dark, it was closed off on the top, I remember it was an overcast day but there was still quite a bit of glare. The light coming from the other end was as well as from the opening I was standing at provided perfect natural light, and still allowed for me to get this dark mysterious look.Equipment
Nikon D7100 Nikkon 18-140 mm f/3.5-5.6 No Tripod or Flash Indigo marble sling strapInspiration
I get very little opportunity to practice street photography. On this day exploring Seoul I found so many interesting places and some that were worth a photo. The darkness, Graffiti and grungy characteristics of the ally were really appealing from a 'behind the lens' perspective.Editing
I think a little post-processing is always necessary. I use Lightroom, its simple to use and does everything one needs. I also sometimes use photoshop for the more complicated processes. With this photo i added a bit of clarity and vibrance to make it pop a little more. I also darkened the shadows just a little and brought down the highlights a tad. That's basically it.In my camera bag
Currently I travel quite light. I want to be able to move around freely and not have my kit weighing me down. Although it has been very difficult not to buy the shiny new lenses/ filters and additional cameras I want. My bag holds a Nikon 35mm 1.8 prime lens, it's a cheap and durable prime that takes pretty decent pictures. Then my go to lens has been the Nikon 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6 lens, it is an overall great lens and has kept surprising me. My arsenal also includes two simple screw in filters, the Kenko ND400 filter and a polarized filter. I don't have much but I make it work for me.Feedback
Walking with camera in hand, in big, busy cities like Seoul can be overwhelming to the senses. Keep your eyes open and rely on your artistic side to find the places and moments to photograph. Anytime of day in a city is great for photography because you have light coming in at all different angles as it reflects off buildings. Also when shooting low light locations like this ally, make use of the side walls and such to rest the camera on so that you get a clear image if shooting with a low shutter speed.
