Exercise: sequence of compositions

This started on my way to the market on a Saturday morning. I had no idea what to expect as I haven't been there for years and this morning, the temperature had dropped from 35 to 20 compared to the day before. Knowing that, I figured it wouldn't be too crowded this morning but I soon realised how wrong I was.






I'm getting to the stairs close to the market








My first view of the market from the stairs leading down to it.

 I zoom on to the few people hanging around the fountain










Another shot at it

Taking a vertical shot of the people walking  to the left of the previous shot.

Now moving into the center of the market.

Not a very attractive composition but I keep on shooting and decided to focus on the woman's face near the middle of the frame

following her makes her face in focus while blurring the rest of the scene. I think I'm a bit obsessed with the panning technique which I practiced earlier in this course. It might not be the best scenario for panning but it was worth trying.

shifting right I caught this couple in the background.

Taking another shot both women in the middle of the frame notice I'm taking their picture.

Another shot without thinking too much. I notice a man in the middle of the frame and decide to zoom in closer to him.

this shot is interesting, he clearly stands out of the moving crowd by staying still. He's looking at something, I then decide to take another shot.

Same shot a moment later, someone in the back is pointing at something, the man in the middle is looking the same way and we could imagine the woman with the box is going the same way

Further away I notice this asian lady looking worried while choosing her vegetables. I try a vertical shot.















I then try a horizontal shop as I wanted to include the old man in the background.

looking down the street I notice a musician on the left of the frame this could make an interesting subject.

Unfortunately, this shot is very blurry due to the small aperture at f/22 being used and shaky hands.

Decided to take shots of the musican.

This could have been an interesting shot if I had used a wider aperture. Unfortunately with f/22 my hands were too shaky and the musician too fast.

This one is more like it, less blurry but I'd like to get some of his face.

I like this one, it is kept quite sharp and the look on his face is interesting.

I now move on to another location.

On my right I saw 2 musicians. took a shot not thinking much about composition












In this shot, I tried a technique I had heard about and it came to my mind at this very moment. zooming in or out while taking the picture.
This didn't turn out bad, the hands of the musician are sharper and it focuses your attention into them while blurring out the surroundings.

taking a vertical shot with the musician off center, to the right.
This doesn't work out as he is looking away and we can't see any public.

including the keyboard player in the frame works out better. the angle is not bad but not quite right.

trying from the front I quite like it but it's a shame I cout out the cases in front of them









Zooming into the musician's hand playing on the keyboard

A close zoom at the case.

Then I decide to get a vertical frame of the singer

zooming in the singers instrument, only seeing part of his face makes it an interesting picture.

Moving on to another scene..

Photographing a  photographer is something I do unconsciously, I guess it's fair play.










Next to the photographer I catch this couple.

Then seeing those two men catches my attention, could they be brothers? I decide to zoom in..

They do indeed look like brothers.
I'll wait till they turn a bit to take another shot.

This is not bad. a crop in post production could improve it further.

Now moving back, getting a more overall view.
I decide to zoom into the vegetable stall on the far right.









Seeing this group of people all digging in their purses makes it an interesting shot.
I first shoot in in landscape mode then when the lady in black joins in I try a shot in vertical mode.

I then decide to stop it at this point.

My overall feeling about this exercise is it takes experience, confidence and good technical knowledge to be able to take full advantage of this type of situation. The fact that I didn't notice I was shooting at f/22 the whole time was a mistake someone unexperienced would make. Having so much going on in a small place requires attention and focus. I could have concentrated on one subject instead of trying to photograph everything around me.

At the same time, I feel that luck plays alot in these type of situations. I think the more I get familiar with these type of shooting situations the more I'll feel comfortable dealing with all the aspects of it.