Run for Cover

Nottingham City Centre a few weeks ago.

I uploaded a detailed description of how I took this on another website. I thought I might as well include it below if anyone's interested.

Critique welcome.

" Nikon D700, 24-70 Nikorr @70mmF2.8, 1/1000, ISO2200, RAW, Nottingham, UK

(1) CONTEXT
I live near the city center and had seen huge thunderclouds forming. Anticipating stunning light, I rushed into town intending to shoot architecture on a tripod, possibly some long exposure images. The light never really got going. Instead it started pouring within a few minutes, raining as hard as anything I can recall in the UK. I had been thinking of shooting this sort of image for sometime so changed approach. I had a 24-70mm fitted and was trying to shelter under a flimsy umbrella. I used this to keep the camera just about dry and walked through the busy city center looking for candid shots of shoppers and office workers running for shelter.

(2) THE PICTURE
This was a single RAW file. The conditions were so difficult my main priority was keeping the camera dry. Holding an umbrella in one hand and shooting one handed meant I couldn't really change the focal length of the zoom or change camera settings. I tried a number of wide angle candid?s, and whilst the subjects expressions were great, the images didn't really capture the extreme rain. I zoomed to 70mm, and the torrential rain was much more accurately recorded. I had just emerged from a dark alley so the ISO was already at 2200, shooting in aperture priority at f2.8. My dodgy one handed camera technique, using a heavy body/lens, required a fast shutter speed. I also let the camera select the focus point, I don't normally do this, but having to shoot one handed it was easier to do so. With hindsight I would have selected a lower ISO for better image quality. That said, the D700 copes so well with noise that I don't really think it's much of an issue, particularly in mono.

Conditions were so difficult that most of the shots I took, including this one, were instinct shots e.g. limited time for composition and limited opportunity to select camera settings. I was initially shooting the crowd huddled on the left with the rain bouncing off the floor in the foreground. A man ran though the frame from behind me and I recomposed. By luck this frame had him in mid air as he ran. The telephone box on the right was also in the image by chance. I didn?t crop it out as it creates depth in the image. The tram acts as a lead in line to the main figure. How much was luck and how much was instinct I?m not sure. Often instinct shots are the best.

(3) PROCESSING
I converted the RAW file into a reasonable mono image in lightroom. I used the Black and White Mix tool in the same way as I used to used the Channel Mixer Tool in photoshop. I then used the curves tool in photoshop to adjust different areas of the image in photoshop, using layers. I also used the curves tool to lighten the rain droplets in a few areas of the image.

(4) OUTCOME
I think the image accurately captures the conditions. Capturing the man in mid air running towards shelter adds a human element to the image, circumstances that most viewers will be able to relate to. I suspect that?s why people seem to like it.

(5) 4 HINTS
1) Nobody notices a photographer hidden under an umbrella if they're getting soaked in the rain. I was standing next to people talking pictures of people and they had no idea.
2) Use a long lens. When I get a chance to do this again I'll have a telephoto zoom on the camera.
3) Use a lens hood, I forgot mine on this occasion and it would have been invaluable at keeping rain drops of the front of my lens.
4) Use a decent golfing umbrella, not some flimsy thing you pickup as you rush out of the house "

Title:	Run for Cover
Username:	dandeakin
Uploaded:	31 Jul 2011 - 8:30 PM
Camera:	Nikon D700 Check out Nikon Nation!
Lens:	24.0-70.0 mm f/2.8
Recording media:	JPEG (digital)
Date Taken:	8 Jul 2011 - 6:04 PM
Tags:	1x tutorial, Black & white, Nottingham
Votes:	Voting Disabled
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