In a series of stories named “One Photo, One Story” I will describe the picture and how it was done. Hopefully, this will inspire you when you are out taking photographs.
People are the story
As a street photographer, I find endless fascination in the people I encounter on the streets. Each individual I photograph carries a unique story, a glimpse into their world that I strive to capture through my lens. It is a story that disappears in a fraction of a second but is held by the image captured.
I have no particular plan when I walk the streets. It’s just about being open-minded and grasping the opportunities when they show.
For me, street photography is more than just taking pictures; it’s about connecting with people and uncovering the rich tapestry of human experiences. Each photograph is a story frozen in time, a powerful reminder of the diverse lives that intersect on the streets. These moments of genuine human connection make street photography so profoundly rewarding.
I seek people standing out from the crowd mostly. Situations or purely the expression of the individual. The light is what it is. We can’t always manage changes in a short time, we have to react to what happens around us. It is here. It is now. Waiting for better light or finding a different position is too late to grasp the moment.
In this case, a couple was found in Copenhagen. Their clothing matched and their attitude was attractive to capture. I don’t explain the story in the pictures. I think it is up to everyone to translate what they see and in the best pictures, it is obvious what the story is.
Against the light
This picture is shot against a bright background with the Leica M 9 and 50mm Summilux 1.4 ASPH. Luckily reflecting light from a shop window hit the two people, and I waited a few seconds for them to walk in that zone.
Having a shallow depth of field helps blur out the overexposed areas making it more pleasing to look at. Shooting wide open at low aperture, in this case 1.4, means only a shallow area will be in focus.
Would this picture work as well with a wide depth of field, keeping most of the picture sharp? Maybe? In these situations, one rarely has time to think about changing the settings of the camera. It has to be ready and one must go with the settings set because things move fast and a moment later the picture will not be there anymore.
