I took 4 shots of this guy, taking a few steps closer between each one. In the next image he’s looking up and around as though he feels someone looking at him. I like that in this image, he’s looking down at his phone, mimicking the angles of the art sculpture thing behind him. The colour of the plants pick up the colour of the art piece too.

Normally I would have wanted to isolate him as much as possible, but there’s something about the trees bisecting the image, and framing the guy walking on the extreme right of the frame that works for me. I don’t like the woman with the white shopping bag or the other woman just in behind the tree. They’re just visual distractions. Looking at it now, I probably should have removed the name of the building that’s just to the right of the main guy. It’s another distraction.


I’ve seen images like this so often, it’s probably a cliché. Giant cold, urban structure juxtaposed by a small bit of life somewhere in the frame. It’s a cliché I like though.

The lines of the building and even what appears to be a security camera draw your eye towards the woman.

I had another frame of this where the woman was directly under the security camera, but there’s a bunch more building in the frame, making the image less focused.

I was also aware of the big, dumb lamppost when I made the image, but it didn’t bug me as much at the time as it does now.


I love this shot. It’s one of my favourites from the day. The lines work, I love the vines on the wall, the poses of the people are interesting (he sort of looks pissed while she’s pretty chill), and the trees in the upper right help keep my eye in the frame.

 I have to confess I totally cheated on the zone focus thing though. I had plenty of time so I actually switched over to autofocus and ƒ/2.8 for this image.


Another image where I was playing with the trees bisecting the image. I think this one is significantly more successful than the first. I timed the guys on the right well.

I chose the black and white Film Simulation from Fuji’s fantastic Film Simulation bracketing for this image because the extra people in the frame are much more obvious in colour.


I was quite pleased that I spotted this image before it happened. I noticed these guys walking with the one guy in yellow, and I saw they’d be walking past these yellow concrete posts.

Again, I’m noticing distractions that I would nornally remove in post. The stoplight for sure, and maybe even the “No Parking” type.


I’m so frustrated by how much I failed on this image. I spotted this dude standing next to the giant “Love.” Not only did I mis-frame it (the left bit of the “L” is cut off), I couldn’t even hold my camera steady enough to avoid blur from camera shake.

Worse still, my focus was too far forward and I ended up getting the reflection of the stupid Fedex truck in perfect focus rather than my subject. Bleh. I shouldn’t even post this one. It’s just embarrassing. You can bet I’ll be more careful in the future though.


Reading, smoking, listening to music (or something) and pulling his pants up. Talented dude. And interesting looking. Love the red of his hoodie and the “Fire Exit” sign.


This is another image that falls flat. I like the, whatever it is, extending off screen for a sense of mystery, but the image doesn’t grab me. I wish I had waited just a moment longer so the pylon was in a better place relative to the guy. I cheated again and removed a logo from the white van in the background, which I still find it distracting.

Overall, not a very successful image for me.


Double cat-print might be an even bigger faux pas than double denim. Add that to the slippers and the pay phone, and how could one not take a photo?


Just missed the timing on this shot. I love where the guy is in his stride, but I wanted him a little to the right.

I think I was trying to say something with the junkie bike, the dude, and the meaningless Burberry poster, but I don’t quite know what that was. As a result, I’m not sure this image succeeds.