Crazy Nights & Lonely Days

Dropped my wife and kids off at the bus station for their through the night journey to London visiting friends for a week. It didn't surprise me that after taking about three photographs in the bus station, I was aproached by an employee and told that I couldn't take photos without a permit. Sadly, this has become the norm in the UK. Big Brother loves to watch us, but doesn't like to be watched.

This guy was in my last post in the exact same place. Does he stay here? Does he have mail delivered here?

Shooting street photography at night is a lot different from during the day. Alcohol makes the world a crazy violent place, plus women don't wear a lot of clothes. Sometimes you feel that people think you're a pervert with a camera.

I've no idea how long this guy was waiting here for...or why

Subways, train stations and airports always have some sort of tractor beam. I don't know why!

I loved this shot of the Rogano Oyster Bar as soon as I put my eye to the viewfinder. It's like a time warp, due to the traditional dress of the employee

First Day On The Street With The Fujifilm X100

My first day shooting on the street with the Fujifilm X100 and I'm blown away by how good it is for street photography. It's size is perfect and hardly anyone notices the camera when you walk around with it in your hand turned inward by your side. Set it on silent mode by pressing and holding the Disp/Back button for a couple of seconds and it's even more stealth than a Leica.

The contrast is nice and although there is no RAW conversion via Lightroom or Aperture yet, the JPEG's are pretty fantastic straight out of the camera. The meter does a good job almost all of the time and I'm surprised at how little I'm bothered about not shooting RAW.The X100 is a joy to walk around the streets with. It hangs over your shoulder nicely with the grippy camera strap and when you hold it in your hand, you can tuck it in towards your leg and nobody even notices it. The focus is not always locked on the area you think, but this is because of the parallax between the viewfinder and the lens. It doesn't take long before you get a feel for how much you need to compensate depending on your distance to subject. The X100 is not a point and shoot, it's a serious camera for serious photographers. If you've always wanted a Leica, but can't afford one,  the X100 is your dream come true!