Blog

The photographic blog of Sean Wood (aka motionid)

Choices

I went out for a bit of practice on Friday. Need to brush up the skills for the upcoming Awa Odori event in Koenji in August. This also gave me a chance to try out a few Ai servo modes to find what worked and what didn't. Kind of impressed with the iso on this shot. Difficult to tell because of the size but at 2000 iso this is pretty clean. I'd suggest looking at the tags below for details about what was used to practice with.

Ponies

For what could possibly be a happy title I've managed to make a pretty dark image.Went out after a few drinks this evening and found myself a few Ponies with owners. Somehow through the rain and umbrellas I managed to get something I liked. Or maybe it's because I haven't shot this way for more than a year it feels new again. Either way it's different to the clichés I'm known for apparently.

Mirror realities

I started to shoot this series and felt it lacked depth but it has been siting on my computer for a while and I thought it should see the light of day. Inspired by Jon, it's trying to find a different way to look at the same space I use to visit many times a week. Anyway, now that it's out I can leave it alone and get on with trying to find a new subject (which is seeming to take a very long time).

Station raw

Station photo fail unedited.

Gathering

I have not shot a lot of candid street images for a long time. I've needed a break and a steady income to be able to have time to spend for this part time. This shot literally fell between the cracks. I missed scanning the whole roll and it's about 2 years old. Nothing else really worth keeping. I think I'm posting this for nostalgic purposes more than it being a shot of any substance. I might have to make a regular attempt to shoot a bit more of this once my other series' are done.

Shibuya back streets

In the recent past I have had a bit of a discussion with a follower of the blog. Conversations through the comments system that I have enjoyed have culminated in him sending me reference pictures of what he has suggested I shoot or post. This image is a reply to his recent mail.

I'm hoping (but not sure) that this shot hit's the mark. I might have to go digging in my archives a bit to find some more (or just go shoot a few new ones).

The Chair series

Took the same train to work for two years and started to notice the different thing's people did while seated in a chair that seemed to be quite out of the way of any trains. What I like about the collect is the randomly different thing's most people are doing at any one time. The series has only been edited to keep the basic format the same (seems I shot more using 35mm than asselblad 120).

Blind man

Blind man – Koenji

This is almost the depth of field that I feel can give an image a movie like atmosphere. There is this sweet spot with different lenses used and finding that sweet spot (the distance between the subject, the camera and the f stop) is always that challenge. Especially when you have no control over the subject. In the previous post I speak about colour pallettes. While this shot is lacking what goes a way to helping is the film used to achieve or at least shift the temperature of the shot. Is this shot feeling warm or cool to you?

Scene from a film

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The difficult part about these shots is the colour pallette. I don't particularly like the pallette in this shot but you need to start with something and finding a minimal pallette on the street is not an easy task let alone hoping the right subject matter will enter the frame with the right attitude. I'm interested to know if anyone who reads / looks at this blog considers such thing's.

Salary man

I was about to post a similar but lesser image and realized that this shot was not in my main 50mm.jp collection. What an omission! Shot using a Voigtlander Bessa R2A I have tried to repeat this shot countless times with other cameras with no success. This image really describes how Tokyo can feel sometimes or at least feel to the locals.