Sony Diaries #1020: Kensington Market on a Monday night

It is always a treat to meet up with whom I affectionally refer to as the "Old Guys". "Older Guys" would be a more accurate term. Jeff, Allan, and Robin (we were missing Mike) seem to be the only guys within a wider circle of older photographers who are interested in street photography, esp night photography. Jeff is currently a Sony guy (a99II) with a long history with Olympus 4/3rd, M4/3rd, and Panasonic. Jeff is living the retired life that I hope to have: traveling around in a trailer, taking pictures of places. Allan is a retired engineer with a dry sense of wit and humour. We share a common experience: he used to work  in a paediatrics hospital (as a Medical Engineer). Robin, I don't know too much about. I know he dotes on his grandkids, and dawdles on our walks; he takes his time but he doesn't waste time.

These informal meetups are equal parts eating/having coffee/talking and taking pictures. The taking pictures part is in turn equal parts talking about the pictures we just took and taking pictures. It doesn't take a math whiz to figure out that taking pictures is only 1/4 of the experience.

But that's okay, because like a meal where the conversation is the best part, photography is just a catalyst for the talking and the walking

Invariably, the talk is on gear: specifically M4/3 for Allan and Robin, Sony Alpha with Jeff and myself. If Mike were around, the talk would include Pentax and assorted exotic lenses (Mike is a walking encyclopedia on this subject).

 All the photos above were taken with a Sigma 24f1.8Macro on a Sony a7III.

All the photos below were taken with a $50 Minolta 50F1.7 on a Sony a7III, set on Auto ISO with a maximum of ISO12800.

I'd love to know what is on their minds.

fallen angel?

how cool (and rare) is this? 3 payphones in one spot.

Sony Diaries #986: some black and whites

The Fields Institute. November 22nd.

Sony Diaries #975: B&W portraiture with the best coffee in the world!

Chenai, at Planet Bean Coffee. October 25th.

Sony Diaries #949: Fast and Wide Primes for Portraiture

Ask most photographers, amateur and professional (paid amateur?), what lens(es) they use the most for Portrait Photography and the answer is very likely the focal lengths ranging from 70-200mm. Perhaps 50mm for environmental portraits where the background is essential for describing the subject. Wider lenses usually don't enter into the equation since one loses shallow depth-of-field, subject becomes too small within the frame, and distortion becomes a factor.

The following photos will show that one can   negate the 3 "negatives"mentioned. Wide lenses can have more impact, a more "in-your-face" feel since by necessity, particularly for a 24mm lens, one has to shoot as close as 2 feet  away from the subject.

A few housekeeping items to remember: centre the subject, at least within the middle third of the frame, keep level to the horizon, and observe proper posing techniques to accentuate positive features (sparkling eyes), and deemphasize negative features (prominent noses). And as always with any portraiture shoot, elicit a spontaneous happy look from your subject.

Minolta 50 F1.7, shot at either F2 or F2.2

 Sigma 35 F1.4, shot at F1.6, F2

Sigma 24 F1.8 macro, shot at F2, F2.2

All photos shown full-frame, shot with a Sony a99, no cropping. Photographed for TrilliumWest Real Estate Brokerage, Guelph, ON.