18 7 September 2019 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I subscribe 0330 333 1113
Technique 24 HOURS IN THE CITY
Packing smart
Fortunately, my street photography set-up
is minimal in size and weight, but the gear
I use for my architecture or urban landscape
work resembles what I would generally take
out into the countryside. It is therefore far
too bulky and heavy for this trip, and as I am
planning to shoot both genres, sacrifi ces will
need to be made. Filters are the fi rst thing to
go. I won’t be able to consider any daylight
long exposures on this trip, and if the
dynamic range gets too great for the
camera, I will bracket my shots.
Next to go is my trusty tripod, replaced by
a much smaller, lighter carbon-fi bre travel
version and ball head. While frustratingly
fl imsy and short it just about copes with
most situations, and is essential at night.
For a shoot like this I will have two camera
bodies with me. Strapped to my wrist will be
my Fujifi lm X-Pro2 with Fujinon 35mm f/2,
ready for those unexpected street moments.
Stowed away in the bag will be my Fujifi lm
X-T2 with 16-55mm f/2.8 as a backup and
for urban landscapes. I will also pack 23mm
f/2 and 90mm f/2 prime lenses to give me
a little fl exibility. Note, all the lenses are fast,
which will help when it starts to go dark.
In addition, I fi nd room for my microfl eece
top (it gets cold once the sun goes down),
lens cloths and blower, spare batteries, and
a power pack to charge my mobile phone.
doable and easier to plan. The
daylight sections will generally be
spent doing street photography, whereas
the golden and blue hours will be spent
shooting some of the city’s fabulous
architecture. The night-time itself will
most likely be a mixture of both genres.
Although I’m not a Londoner, I have shot
in the city plenty over the past two years,
which helps a great deal. It would
be far too easy to fi nd yourself going
around in circles, walking unnecessary
miles or spending too long underground.
But it’s also important that your plan is
adaptable. I have a mental list of locations
that will work well in strong sunlight
(ideal for deep shadows), locations that
work great when it is wet (perfect for
refl ections), and also at diff erent times
of day, or even on diff erent days.The right gear
I am travelling light with only essential
gear I think I’m going to need. I’m using
a Lowepro Flipside rucksack, which must
be taken off to open – a much safer option
in a crowded city. I also have my Fujifi lm
X-Pro2 attached to my wrist at all times.
For comfort and safety reasons, I have
attached a Peak Design cuff -style wrist
strap, which has automatic, drop
protection (the cuff automatically cinches
down on your wrist). The X-Pro2 is my
street photography camera of choice, so
I want it to be ready for action as I walk
from location to location.
I have a selection of lenses to give me
a variety of focal lengths. I tend to go
wideangle when shooting architecture
and try to leave plenty of space around
my chosen composition to allow for the12.50am
The iconic black London
cab lit by neon lights
Fujifilm X-T2 with 16-55mm lens,
1/125sec at f/2.8, ISO 2000A colourful crossing works well
with the lady’s bright clothes
Fujifilm X-Pro2 with 35mm lens, 1/800sec at f/6.4, ISO 20010.10am