It was right time, right place. I was hurrying up to catch the bus in Queen Street to go home (and luckily had one of 2 cameras in my hand) and saw this shaft of light (from in between a couple of office buildings?) hit the previous shopper and with no time to think, I raised my Sony ‘mirrorless’ and pressed the shutter button. Twice. This was the second shot.
And then the light changed.
Luckily I still had the camera on the Intelligent Auto setting (from a previous street shot) and it pretty much captured the light striking her head and shopping bag. The reflection on the left was a shop window and I must have been at just the right angle to get a replica of the light around her head & bag.
There was no time to change the camera settings, or line up another shot. No time to think. Just shoot.
Taking my shopping trolley everywhere means I can stop and bring the Sony a6000 up to my eye pretty quickly when I see a potential good shot. The Canon DSLR and short 17-50mm lens is always in my shopping trolley for other types of images when I have time to change settings or use manual mode.
I have been going through the city to my doctor, specialists & imaging place a lot in recent months, so it’s alway worth allowing an extra hour or so in the city before or after an appointment, except when its raining. I can’t do the aimless walking around for several hours like I used to though. Photography seems to be second on my priority list these days. For the previous 5-6 years it was top of my list when outdoors.
Also now, I’m taking 5-50 photos in an afternoon. Years ago I used to take 400-500 in an afternoon.
I even walked to the hardware store WITHOUT a camera today 🙂
Thanks Peggy. Right time, right place with the shaft of sunlight on each shopper as they walked through the ‘spotlight’, The ‘spotlight’ was only about 2 foot square (if that). The reflection in the shop window was a bonus.
This is a fantastic shot Vicki ~ I could see myself sitting down at this corner playing with the reflections for quite some time 🙂 Although the lighting here is what makes this shot. Perfect timing of the sun and subject, beautiful.
Thanks Randall. Not sure you’d get a lot of reflection unless the light was right as its a very narrow one-way laneway. I have to say this was a really lucky shot as I had my camera in my hand and the settings just right for the lighting conditions. The Sony a6000 does extremes of contrast/light really well on Intelligent Auto.
Such a beautiful shot, and the great thing about photography is every now and then the Gods look down on us and give the opportunity to capture something like this 🙂
Thanks Timo.
I really like this one myself.
One of those shots when you only have seconds to catch the small spot of light as the shopper walks into it.
“In photography there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.”-Stieglitz. Thank-you for letting us see the more real reality. Kudos
Thank you Jane.
I had to wait for each shopper to walk into that shaft of light. It was so small. I only had time for 3 shots and the 3rd shot was this one I’ve uploaded.
Vicki A Alford - Photographer 
Wow. How did you get the girl and the light and the reflection to all come together? And did you know it would happen like that?
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It was right time, right place. I was hurrying up to catch the bus in Queen Street to go home (and luckily had one of 2 cameras in my hand) and saw this shaft of light (from in between a couple of office buildings?) hit the previous shopper and with no time to think, I raised my Sony ‘mirrorless’ and pressed the shutter button. Twice. This was the second shot.
And then the light changed.
Luckily I still had the camera on the Intelligent Auto setting (from a previous street shot) and it pretty much captured the light striking her head and shopping bag. The reflection on the left was a shop window and I must have been at just the right angle to get a replica of the light around her head & bag.
There was no time to change the camera settings, or line up another shot. No time to think. Just shoot.
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Fantastic. But you must have had an idea it would make a good shot!!
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I think the first shot in this post https://vickialford.wordpress.com/2014/04/12/candid-shots-from-my-archives-that-really-got-me-interested-in-street-photography/ Is the very first street photo that had a shaft of light on the subjects at the right time and place (and that is often what I’m looking for when I walk through the city streets).
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That’s a great shot! Quick thinking and quick action. “Intelligent Auto” aptly describes both camera setting and photographer.
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Thank you, Terry. Kind of you to say so.
Taking my shopping trolley everywhere means I can stop and bring the Sony a6000 up to my eye pretty quickly when I see a potential good shot. The Canon DSLR and short 17-50mm lens is always in my shopping trolley for other types of images when I have time to change settings or use manual mode.
I have been going through the city to my doctor, specialists & imaging place a lot in recent months, so it’s alway worth allowing an extra hour or so in the city before or after an appointment, except when its raining. I can’t do the aimless walking around for several hours like I used to though. Photography seems to be second on my priority list these days. For the previous 5-6 years it was top of my list when outdoors.
Also now, I’m taking 5-50 photos in an afternoon. Years ago I used to take 400-500 in an afternoon.
I even walked to the hardware store WITHOUT a camera today 🙂
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Great and interesting picture.
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Thanks Robert.
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It’s a fantastic shot. Really makes one stop and study all the aspects.
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Thanks Peggy. Right time, right place with the shaft of sunlight on each shopper as they walked through the ‘spotlight’, The ‘spotlight’ was only about 2 foot square (if that). The reflection in the shop window was a bonus.
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This is a fantastic shot Vicki ~ I could see myself sitting down at this corner playing with the reflections for quite some time 🙂 Although the lighting here is what makes this shot. Perfect timing of the sun and subject, beautiful.
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Thanks Randall. Not sure you’d get a lot of reflection unless the light was right as its a very narrow one-way laneway. I have to say this was a really lucky shot as I had my camera in my hand and the settings just right for the lighting conditions. The Sony a6000 does extremes of contrast/light really well on Intelligent Auto.
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Such a beautiful shot, and the great thing about photography is every now and then the Gods look down on us and give the opportunity to capture something like this 🙂
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That’s really a great picture, Vicki – everything fits here!
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Thanks Timo.
I really like this one myself.
One of those shots when you only have seconds to catch the small spot of light as the shopper walks into it.
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“In photography there is a reality so subtle that it becomes more real than reality.”-Stieglitz. Thank-you for letting us see the more real reality. Kudos
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Thanks for your comment, Anthony. (and the quote from Stieglitz which I hadn’t heard before).
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Apologies for seeing this so long after the fact. I love the light, and of course, the reflection.
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Thank you Lynn.
I often wonder if I will see that shaft of light again some time – it was magical (in being such a tiny spotlight).
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I like this angle- you did a great job with it.
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Thank you Courtney. Glad you liked the angle 🙂
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Excellent capture, Vicki. Perfect moment, great composition. The light on her hair…
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Thank you Jane.
I had to wait for each shopper to walk into that shaft of light. It was so small. I only had time for 3 shots and the 3rd shot was this one I’ve uploaded.
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Beautifull street Phooigraphie Vicki! By this picture I like the reflection in the window!
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Thank you. Kowele.
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cool shots
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Thanks Noel.
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