Leo Laksi’s Bangkok And Back

Look for people working.

People are sometimes apprehensive to photograph people on the street.  To become more comfortable, aspiring photographers should consider different ways to overcome their shyness.  Several weeks ago, I recommended shooting food stalls in close proximity to people.  In doing so you can build up your confidence while shooting in public.

Another exercise calls for you to photograph people going about their work.  That’s what I’ve done in this series of photos.  Not only does this make for interesting shots, working people tend to be occupied going about their work and therefore they generally do not pay attention to you.   One word of caution.  Be careful when photographing police or military in some countries as levels of paranoia post 9/11 has created a bit of suspicion.

All photos taken in Hong Kong with a Nikon D700 and either a Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 zoom or Sigma 150mm f/2.8 macro lens.

Unloading beer

Too preoccupied to notice

Three phones on the dash

Ignored except by me

Ballet on scaffolding

Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time researching a macro lens that could do double duty as a medium length telephone.  I looked at many lenses including the Nikkor “micros”.   I finally decided to check out the Sigma 150mm.   I read a couple of reviews on the web that extolled that brilliance of the Sigma,  mainly revolving around its ability to capture a razor sharp image.  Yesterday I bought the lens at Man Shing Cameras in Mongkok, Hong Kong.  After playing with it for one day, it’s performance has surpassed my expectations.  One of my favorite lens is the Nikkor 135mm DC f/2 lens and this Sigma outperforms the Nikkor from f/2.8.  And the soft bokeh lacks some of the harshness of the 135mm.

These photos demonstrate the capabilities of the lens as a telephoto.  And I haven’t even begun to talk about its macro performance.  But that’s a story for another day.

These photos were taken with a Nikon D700 and Sigma 150mm f/2.8 macro lens.

Sweating it out

Man Shing Cameras salesman

Girl talk

The cat

Young and old

Hong Kong is one of the most vibrant places in Asia for street fashions.  While not exactly cutting edge like Tokyo, it has a certain look all its own.  It’s the combination of elegance and street sense that make it a standout city.  These photographs were taken over a span of four days last month in a couple of the more street fashion conscious areas in Hong Kong, Sai Yeung Choi Street South in Mongkok and Causeway Bay.

Photos taken with a Nikon D700 and Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 lens.

Waiting for a sms

Another girl, another phone

Shopper walking to MTR

Walking away

Two right, one left

Spotted from across the street.

Last month I posted photos of this same series. Well I happened to have more as you can see.  It was quite a treat to see this shoot unfolding before my eyes.

Photos taken with a Nikon D700 and Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 lens.

Another bus

Profile

Looking down

Look at the camera

Girl watchers

One of the best spots to take street photos is Sai Yeung Choi Street South which is located near Nathan Road and Argyle in Mongkok.  This area is a magnet for young people and, as  a result, it’s a great area to shoot people strutting their stuff, both wanting to be seen and looking at the competition.  The street is closed to vehicular traffic at night and therefore pedestrians are everywhere.  There’s also plenty to do from the many restaurants to shops of all persuasions and interests.  But the top activity is to pick a location and fire away.

Photos taken with a Nikon D700 and 85mm f/1.4 lens.

Sid Vicious fan

Poseur

What's up?

Hong Kong hips

Woman in kimono

The Temple Street Night Market near Jordan  is one of the busiest and the most interesting locales in Hong Kong.  The variety of goods, from clothing to home furnishings to various trinkets is enough to keep the visitor coming back for more.  To me, it’s a great venue for photographs.  Whether its street photos or still lifes, one finds a variety that would satisfy most photographers.

All photos shot with a Nikon D700 and 85mm f/1.4 lens.

Purveyor of shoes

What to buy?

The glow of the light

Bamboo steamers

Chinese brushes with bokeh

Joyful saxophonist

Hong Kong is a wonderful place to wander and one is never quite sure what one will see.  On this day while walking along the waterfront on the Kowloon side, a friend and I stumbled upon a youth orchestra competition of sorts.  We stood around for around thirty minutes, snapping a photo here and there before finally moving on to other sights to see.

As noted in my posting a couple of days ago, I used only the Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 during my five day stay.  No zoom lenses or multiple lenses.  Just kept it plain and simple.  Try it.  It works.

Photos taken with Nikon D700 and 85mm f/1.4 lens.

Flutes

Vibes

Sax boy

Trumpet man

Shot in the MTR

First of all, one of the best ways to test a lens’ capabilities and at the same time improve your skill is to use just one lens (or focal length if its a zoom lens), leaving the rest at home.  Take it out for a few days, shot lots of images and learn the strengths and weaknesses of the lens.

Through glass

That’s exactly what I did during a five day trip to Hong Kong.  Although I usually take several cameras and lenses on a trip of this length, on this trip, I just used the Nikon D700 and Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 lens.  I wanted to reconnect with the 85mm lens.  Although I’ve become accustomed to zoom lenses and their versatility, I was “raised” on Leica M cameras with fixed focal length lens so I was aware and experienced with a fixed focal length lens’ limitations.

Pretty girl

Although there will be situations where a fixed focal length will be too short or too long, you can learn to adjust to this and at the same time become a better photographer.  If you can solve this situation, you will become better.

Happy girl

Preoccupied fan

Seen from across the street

Today I just happened to be walking across Hennessey Street at the Sogo Department store when I spotted this shoot essentially on a traffic island in the middle of traffic.  It looked a bit dangerous but the model didn’t pay it any mind.  Amazing that there were no police officers to oversee a situation that could be distracting to buses and trollleys.

I ended up watching the shoot for a few minutes until it ended and the model and her entourage walked off.  I followed them for a while and somewhere along the way, she disappeared.

Photos shot with Nikon D700 and Nikkor 85mm f/1.4 lens.

Second bus

Head turn

Eyes have it

Downcast

Sideways

Walking to the restaurants

On the Kowloon side of Hong Kong is Lei Yue Mun, a small fishing village that is home to many seafood restaurants.  One never gets the impression that one is in Hong Kong when visiting Lei Yue Mun for it has kept its small village ambiance within the urban environment that surrounds it.  And its not very far from Central on Hong Kong Island or Nathan Road on the Kowloon.  We’re talking less than 20 minutes by taxi.

Variety of live seafood

And the sheer variety of “live” seafood is unmatched.  As you walk through Lei Yue Mun, you will pass numerous tanks of seafood.  You pick what you want to eat.  It’s carried to one of the restaurants.  You will then be asked how you want it cooked.  Simple as that.  No sweat.

Typical selection

The biggest problem is, “what to eat?” as the selection is huge.   So the best solution is to bring plenty of friends. And your appetite.

And by the way, the view from Lei Yue Mun can be breathtaking.

Photos taken with Nikon D700 and AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 IF ED G zoom lens.

One or two?

Lone fisherman

Yup. More fish.

View at night