Monday, December 30, 2013

Urban Juxtaposition #10



This is the kind of juxtaposition I imagined when I started this project. A giant, big and tall building, covering a significant part of the background, with a traditional houses as foreground depicting everyday life of its citizen.

I'm really excited to find this spot. The same thing happened again. At the moment I was busy composing, I can hear a foot step from behind. I've already accustomed with that sound. The only people walk with that kind of sound is almost certain is a child. I keep my eye on the viewfinder, waiting for the exact moment when subject entering the frame. I don't even know what the subject looks like. It comes from behind my back. I concentrate on the frame and the footstep sound .. and BANG. I think I'm a bit too fast :(

A little disappointed, but there's no second chance. Never mind. At least I got all the elements fit nicely in the frame.

Later at home I found an interesting point on that child's shirt. There's a written message "Lagu kita masih sama, Indonesia Raya". Literally it translates to "Our song is still the same, Indonesia Raya" **

24 Dec 2013
Nikon D700
AF Nikkor 35mm f/2D
ISO 400 - f/8 - 1/125s

Project : Urban Juxtaposition

** Indonesia Raya is the title of Indonesia's National Anthem

Urban Juxtaposition #9



I just arrived from Jakarta that day. Out of usual schedule, I reach Bandung around 3 PM instead of 7 PM. I jump on Caringin - Sadang Serang public transportation as usual and when it pass the Tamansari street for the first time I realize how close that Cihampelas apartment building to the nearby crowd of houses.

I grab my camera as I reach home and get back to Tamansari. Lurking around for a while and shortly after I found this nice spot. A traditional dine in shop with explicit "Nasi Soto, Nasi Pecel" billboard hanging on the roof, in perfect position against the Cihampelas apartment. This is what I'm looking for!

Several motorcycle rider passing, youth couple and few others. But I don't think they will make a good story. Until that boy coming out from the shop. I guess he is the child of shop owner. His innocent expression and the body language tell us that he enjoy his surroundings. He put both his leg in a "biopori", the hole drilled to enhance land absorption of rain water. At that time, this is one of Ridwan Kamil's (Bandung's Mayor) program to anticipate flood in Bandung.

Cihampelas apartment development is still in progress. Giving a stronger satire that biopori is an early anticipation about the future problem caused by the apartment.

24 Dec 2013
Nikon D700
AF Nikkor 35mm f/2D
ISO 400 - f/8 - 1/125s

Project : Urban Juxtaposition

Urban Juxtaposition #8



Pasupati from another vantage point. I got that decisive moment again! Yes!

The girl runs directly toward me. In few seconds before this shot was taken, I can see that she runs in a very rhythmic movement. Her left and right leg hit the street in a very predictable timing, and it's clearly seen there's a moment when both her leg are flying on the air. Instantly I know that I should snap on that exact moment. I waited until she close enough ... and BANG. I got it as I envisioned.

Remembering the mental process during this photo shot, I experience myself about how fast human brain could go in analyzing situation, make decision and act accordingly. It is amazingly fast that makes me feel like time axis is ticking slower than usual. I'm sure you have been in similar situation.

7 Dec 2013
Nikon D700
AF Nikkor 35mm f/2D
ISO 400 - f/11 - 1/320s

Project : Urban Juxtaposition

Urban Juxtaposition #7



Here is Pasupati, one of Bandung's landmark. This photo was taken from Gang Bongkaran, an alley stem from Cihampelas street. I have visualize in my mind, I want to take a picture of everyday life with Pasupati on the background. It tells a story about what is happening around this bridge which most people never know before.

It takes several minutes moving back and forth, left to right until I got the composition right. After then, as always I waited for something interesting happen.

A young family on a motorcycle came by. Husband driving, daughter sit on the front, wife sit on the back. On other occasion we can find the wife holding a baby in her arm, but not this time. Their presence make a strong character to the image. The two boys on the lower right under a shelter add a sense of "neighborhood gathering" that enhance the atmosphere of the whole story.

7 Dec 2013
Nikon D700
AF Nikkor 35mm f/2D
ISO 400 - f/11 - 1/200s

Project : Urban Juxtaposition

Urban Juxtaposition #6



The first time I found this spot, I knew this will be a strong image. I came at the afternoon, the light was good enough, but no people around. A week later I came back again, this time in the morning. From a distance I can see there's several people in front of the house. A middle-aged lady who seems upset to a little kid, with three young men surround her. There's a drama is happening here.

I take the shot before they notice me. In a rush for decisive moment, I don't have time to put GND filter, hence the sky is too bright compared to the ground. Thanks to D700 capability to handle this large dynamic range.

I like the elements in the foreground giving a strong hints of traditional life. The triangle of the roof, laundry hanging on the rope, chicken cage. All those details create a strong power against the big and tall Ciumbuleuit apartment on the background.

After I got this shot, they started to notice me and the drama is over. They let me come closer, take another shot but it is completely uninteresting. Candid shot is what makes this image interesting.

7 Dec 2013
Nikon D700
AF Nikkor 35mm f/2D
ISO 400 - f/11 - 1/500s

Project : Urban Juxtaposition

Urban Juxtaposition #5



I walk to Sangkuriang street, a place near home but I seldom visiting. Honestly, this is the first time in my life to come to this spot. A banks of houses along Dago hillside facing the Ciumbuleuit hillside. The two hills are separated by a valley with Cikapundung river on the bottom. Bandung is topographically interesting indeed.

I'm shooting from the Dago side, with Ciumbuleuit apartment on the background. As HCB has taught, I work my composition first. I find a laundry being dried in a very familiar local hanger structure, a concrete stairs going downward and houses along the alley. Nice. I just need human element to create a story.

Few minutes later, a middle-aged lady and a girl is coming. I think the girl is her grand daughter, considering the age gap. I give them a smile, they smile back, seem not disturbed by my presence. I like the girl's dress color, it makes a good combination with the laundry, but unfortunately not with the grandmother. Never mind.

I know in advance that I can't get them full body, side by side with the laundry. I let them pass over the laundry one or two step, and then I take the shot. I take several shots more after that, but I find the first one is the strongest.

30 Nov 2013
Nikon D700
AF Nikkor 35mm f/2D
ISO 400 - f/11 - 1/160s

Project : Urban Juxtaposition

Monday, December 9, 2013

Urban Juxtaposition #4



Here is another shot of Dago Butik apartment. This time I take a walk to Cisitu area, facing the building from another direction. I found this nice juxtaposition of a mosque against the apartment. The mosque located at such a right distance from the apartment and from the position I shot I get just the right perspective. I move around one or two step to the side to get the composition right. When I already get my composition, I hear a foot step coming from the mosque. I can't see the person but I can feel there's somebody is running towards me.

I said to myself, "Calm down, concentrate, be ready for a decisive moments". This is the kind of photo taking as taught by Henry Cartier-Bresson. Get the geometry first and wait until some interesting moment unfold. That's how he explains the shot he got in Greece alley.

Few seconds later I see a girl wearing hijab coming out from the mosque. I carefully wait until she enter the frame at the empty space on the lower right ... and ... BANG. I got her! I'm very lucky to have this shot.

7 Dec 2013
Nikon D700
AF Nikkor 35mm f/2D
ISO 400 - f/11 - 1/800s

Project : Urban Juxtaposition

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Urban Juxtaposition #3


This photo was taken in the same spot as the Urban Juxtaposition #2. By coincidence that kid is passing by and hike the concrete stairs, making a good foreground. I wait several minutes here and have another shot with the same kid going down the stairs. But I think the going up is stronger visually.

I like the green nuance of the moss on the concrete wall at the lower right. Combined with the green painted curtain on the left and the green-brown of the roof. If the house was painted in yellow, I think it will create a stronger color combination. Nevertheless, it still convey the story about how different the life in a traditional houses to that in apartment. Look at the bird cage. Will you have a bird in apartment ?

24 Nov 2013
Nikon D700
AF Nikkor 35mm f/2D
ISO 400 - f/9 - 1/200s

Project : Urban Juxtaposition

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Urban Juxtaposition #2


This is the scenery that put a spark in my mind about juxtaposing high rise building and the crowded houses nearby. The Dago Butik Apartment is very prominent and visually distracting as seen from Tubagus Ismail street walk, the street where I live.

In this photo, I put Dago Butik and Posyandu side by side, to create a sense of un-harmonize forces between the two. It's like a big guy lurking in the background, trying to intimidate the peaceful life at the foreground.

30 Nov 2013
Nikon D700
AF Nikkor 35mm f/2D
ISO 400 - f/11 - 1/160s - fill in flash

Project : Urban Juxtaposition

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Urban Juxtaposition #1



This is the tail end of Pasupati flyover. I came to this place one day before, looking for photos to submit to Bina Marga photo contest. I don't find any good enough shots from that evening walk. I came back to the same spot on the very next day (Sunday) after shooting around Dago Car Free Day, and I found this very interesting juxtaposition between the crowded side of Pasupati and the relatively peaceful side of artery street.

I like this scenery. Those people with their leg on the median, the similar color of motorcycles (it's a coincidence) and the green leaves on the opposite.

Technically it is not a difficult shot, just wait for the right moment and you get it. I have to cross the street and stand right on the median, but it's not a big deal either. Another proof of the benefit using a prime lens, it forces you move until you get the right angle. (This is the first photo walk using the just-newly-acquired 35mm f/2D)

24 Nov 2013
Nikon D700
AF Nikkor 35mm f/2D
ISO 200 - f/8 - 1/200s - GND filter

Project : Urban Juxtaposition

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Project : Urban Juxtaposition

In this project, I want to re-learn the basic of composition. About the rule of third, leading line, foreground vs background, all those stuff we found on many basic composition tutorial. Why urban ? Because I live in urban environment, it would be much easier for me to hunt for good picture. It takes zero cost too, just walk from home.

I've learn that to get a good "content", many great masters take advantage of juxtaposition. They put dissimilar objects into the frame in such a way to create contrast. A strong imagery emerges from the conflict of its element.





Click the hyperlinks below to see my notes :

In Retrospect

19 Apr 2014

At the beginning, I previsualize the juxtaposition to be a high rise building surrounded by the daily life around it. I seek for the contrast between a modern building with its traditional surroundings. In the first month, I take 5 photowalks going into various alleys I've never been before. It's quite exciting. There's so many interesting places within 3 km radius from home. I got those unique images which 99% population never seen before. By the end of one month period, I've got 10 shots which I considered good enough,with shot #10 being the one that I envisioned at the start of this project.

At this point, I already got what I wanted but I don't want to close this project yet. At the same time, I started to get bored with the high rise building subject matter and try to find another subject. Several weeks later, I completely loose interest on this juxtaposition idea. I still take photowalks focus on another subject, with occasionally take one or two random shot aimed for this project. By the end of three month period, I decided to terminate this project. I think I've exercised myself enough around this theme.

I shared most of the shots to Street Photographers G+ Community. Photo #7 and #8 got the most +1's (around 30-40). Not bad huh? I think those two photos got such significant attention due to its pictorial aspect. Other photos tend to be more of a photojournalism/social documentary than pictorial. This kind of picture has more potential if presented as a photo story with properly scripted narratives instead of presented stand alone.

I use 35mm f/2D lens on 13 out of all 16 shots. Mostly in f/8 or f/11. I found this focal length to be very practical for street photography. I even bought another one, the Nikkor AI manual focus for use on film camera. I planned to shoot film in near time soon.

All in all, I think this project has been a good learning for me.