Shooter Files by f.d. walker

Street Photography Tips, Interaction, Travel, Guides

Travel Photography

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week:
“Saigon Stretch”

Saigon Shooter Files-36

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam at September 23 Park (Công viên 23 tháng 9). This park stretches multiple blocks along Phạm Ngũ Lão street up to Ben Thanh Market. So it’s in the heart of the city right by the touristic backpacker district and ends at the city’s most famous market, making it one of the busier spots in the city. You get a mix of locals and tourists, different events, students looking to practice english, people playing shuttlecock, and people exercising like the man in this pic.

Saigon has these exercise stations in parks all over the city. They’re for very simple exercises that don’t take much strength and seem to be used by the city’s elderly more than anybody. This can create some humorous scenes. They rarely dress in exercise clothes, but they’re rarely breaking much of a sweat, either. This man was a different story, though. He was giving full effort in his button-up shirt. 

He was doing this ab workout where he’d bring his legs up and down, while also stretching them in and out at the same time. So I decided to capture a shot of this funny scene right when his legs were fully out and his facial expression showed all that effort he was putting into his routine.

Stats:

  • Camera: Fujifilm Xpro1
  • Lens: Fujinon XF 18mm 
  • Focal Length: 18mm (27mm full frame equivalent)
  • Aperture: f/11
  • Shutter Speed: 1/500
  • ISO: 1600

Saigon Shooter Files-36

33 Street Photography Photos from One Week in Kathmandu, Nepal

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After spending a month in India, I stopped in Kathmandu, Nepal before my full move to Vietnam.  I had no trekking planned so I devoted all my time to exploring the city with my camera. After walking plenty of dusty dirt roads, narrow streets, and river banks, I was able to find some of the more interesting spots that you can’t find online. Kathmandu is a unique city with its own atmosphere of Nepalese culture, architecture, crumbling buildings, and dusty skies. 

You need a little time to really discover the city outside of Thamel’s hippy tourist section, but it was worth all the walking. So here’s 33 photos that I was able to capture during my time in Kathmandu…

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Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week:
“Strange Surprise”

Kathmandu 33-48

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken by Ring Road in Kathmandu, Nepal. While walking around Kathmandu looking for interesting places for photography, I came upon this small mobile fair set in the middle of a dirt landfill. Next to piles of garbage, cows and an outside market was this set-up of old fair rides and food stands. The scene was a strange surprise, but in a very interesting way. Perfect for photography. 

The mobile fair also attracted plenty of locals so I looked to see what I could capture. While photographing the scenes around the colorful, broken down rides, I saw a man taking photos of it all from a distance. He was by himself in front of a background of garbage, cows, dust and the city above. He had his phone held out in front taking endless pics. I walked over closer and he didn’t seem to notice me, as he focused intently on his phone screen. It was a strange scene fitting for the strange place I had randomly come upon. So I took a photo just as the phone light went on for another pic. 

Stats:

  • Camera: Fujifilm Xpro1
  • Lens: Fujinon XF 18mm 
  • Focal Length: 18mm (27mm full frame equivalent)
  • Aperture: f/11
  • Shutter Speed: 1/500
  • ISO: 1600

     

    Kathmandu 33-48

7 First Impressions of Kathmandu, Nepal
(From a Street Photography Perspective)

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After a month in India, I flew from Mumbai to Kathmandu, Nepal. Outside of temples and a starting spot for mountain trekking, I was going in without much real knowledge of the city, especially for street photography. The internet was no help and I’d yet to meet a photographer that had shot there. So that was an experience in itself, but mostly a good one. Kathmandu is unlike any city I’ve been to, filled with culture, scenery and a unique atmosphere. With enough time spent exploring on foot, there’s plenty to find.

Kathmandu 33-31

So here are my first impressions of Kathmandu, from my personal Street Photographer perspective…

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Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week:
“Marine Blues”

Mumbai India-5-2

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken by Marine Drive in Mumbai, India. Marine Drive is a 3.5 kilometer C-shaped boulevard along South Mumbai’s bay. People come here for morning exercise, evening walks, young romance, to relax by the ocean, enjoy the skyline, hang out and more. A great place for people watching, it’s one of the most popular spots in the city and my favorite to come for a more relaxing street photography walk. While Marine Drive can be touristy, you still get plenty of local life and interesting scenes, all within an enjoyable atmosphere by the bay.

I got up early one morning to catch the sunlight facing the water so I could capture the people in the light.  While the morning is more quiet, it can be better for photography. People aren’t back lit, the boulevard isn’t as crowded with tourists, and all the morning exercise can create some interesting scenes. Since Marine Drive has been photographed so much, it can be a challenge to capture something different. Luckily, if you spend enough time here, opportunities can still arise. 

On this morning I noticed this group of young men all wearing matching blue dress shirts. They were walking towards the end of the drive where you can walk on tetrapod shaped concrete blocks. I decided to sit down on one of the blocks and watch for a while to see if I could capture them all spaced apart. I liked the pattern of matching colored outfits they created against the backdrop of sea and skyline. After waiting a while, they finally separated and I captured this shot. Almost like a skyline of people against a skyline of the city.

Stats:

  • Camera: Fujifilm Xpro1
  • Lens: Fujinon XF 18mm 
  • Focal Length: 18mm (27mm full frame equivalent)
  • Aperture: f/14
  • Shutter Speed: 1/500
  • ISO: 800

Mumbai India-5-2

33 Street Photography Photos from One Week in Mumbai, India

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Mumbai was my last stop on my last trip to India. Not only did I spend some extra time here, but I was able to meet up with some talented local street photographers who helped show me around. Mumbai is so big and full of life that it feels like there are endless places to explore, but I packed in as much of the city as possible. For street photography, it’s as concentrated with action, character and variety of life as any city in the world. 

So here’s 33 photos that I was able to capture during my time in Mumbai…

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City Street Guides by f.d. walker:
A Street Photography Guide to
Bangalore, India

bangalore-guide-cover

*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, safety concerns, street tips, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for. So you can be ready to capture the streets as soon as you step outside with your camera!

Bangalore

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Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week:
“Worli Workers”

Mumbai India-1

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken in the Worli district of Mumbai, India. The Worli fishing village here has become a popular area to visit in Mumbai. The Koli people have lived and fished here for thousands of years and walking around it takes you back in time. It feels preserved within the rapidly developing city and has a nice, relaxing atmosphere to walk around and explore among the friendly people.

The village is very colorful with brightly painted walls and I was out with some local photographer friends when we come up to this spot in the photo. It was nearing sunset and the light was shining nicely on a few men working by a red wall. Two men were working with some metal coils and I liked the shadow of one mirroring the other. I decided to place another man’s hands in the foreground, which hid the man creating the shadow, while also including the woman and some of the yellow wall in the far background.

Colors, light and layers are always fun to play with when shooting in India. Just watch out for your own shadow trying to sneak into the photo :)

Stats:

  • Camera: Fujifilm Xpro1
  • Lens: Fujinon XF 18mm 
  • Focal Length: 18mm (27mm full frame equivalent)
  • Aperture: f/13
  • Shutter Speed: 1/500
  • ISO: 1600

Mumbai India-1

33 Street Photography Photos from 3 Days in Hyderabad, India

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On my way from Bangalore to Mumbai, I stopped in Hyderabad, India for a few days. From its rich history and culture to its royal architecture and amazing cuisine, there’s plenty to see and experience in Hyderabad. Many streets, especially in the Old City, take you back in time, while the city as a whole is in rapid growth with a booming tech industry. There’s a diverse mix of atmosphere to explore in Hyderabad if you have the time. 

Unfortunately, some travel problems forced me to make a shorter stay than planned, so I was only able to spend three full days exploring the city with my camera, but I tried to make the most it. So here’s 33 photos that I was able to capture during my short time in Hyderabad…

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City Street Guides by f.d. walker:
A Street Photography Guide to
Chennai, India

Chenna-City-Guide-Cover

*A series of guides on shooting Street Photography in cities around the world. Find the best spots to shoot, things to capture, safety concerns, street tips, and more for cities around the world. I have personally researched, explored and shot Street Photography in every city that I create a guide for. So you can be ready to capture the streets as soon as you step outside with your camera!

Chennai

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