Watching People Walking

Trying Something New, Some Noticed

“Two, And One” — Image by Author

Yesterday I decided to try a new way of photographing strangers on the street. In a way that made me a little less conspicuous, at least that was my intent.

I pulled out my back up camera, a Fuji XT-1 with a short, 15–45mm zoom lens. My specific reason for choosing this setup was the XT-1 has a fold down LCD screen, similar to a waist level finder. The lens also has autofocus.

My thought was I could rest the camera on my lap and look down at the screen, instead of at what I was photographing. By watching people walk across the screen, I could press the shutter at opportune moments.

“Foreground And Distance, Separated” — Image by Author

This location is along the Alcala, near Santo Domingo. The street is closed to traffic and is always full of people walking. It is one of the great people watching spots in Oaxaca Centro. The Cantera stone wall makes for a lovely neutral background.

I parked myself on a low stone wall on the other side of this scene. As people walked by, I clicked the shutter whenever the composition looked interesting. The photos became about how people were unknowingly interacting with other passersby.