Graffiti Alley #1

The other day I joined our photography group to visit Graffiti Alley in nearby Toronto.

In preparation of the outing, I put together some tips:

Composition

Objective: Capture the art
- Graffiti comes in different sizes:
  - Capture the real essence of the graffiti art; try to understand the message of the work and capture it
  - smaller pieces may benefit from context; incorporate other elements into the frame to add more interest, to expand on a storyline
- Use closeups to show detail, texture, etc. of the work
- Use focus:
  - Shallow depth of field to highlight portions of the work
  - Deep depth of field to capture whole work in focus
Objective: Street Photography
- Graffiti offers an interesting background for street photography
- It gives your images a “grungy” look
- Shows neighbourhood quirks / personality
- Include People in the Frame
General
- Straight on vs. angled view of the art
  - straight on (i.e., standing perpendicular to the art) provides a more “documentary” (i.e., descriptive) point of view
  - angled view will distort the image (if done well, might be more artistic)
- use leading lines: leads viewer’s eyes into the picture
- Horizontal vs. pitched view
  - tilting the camera (a pitch view) can be more artistic
- “Rule of Thirds”
- Check background for distracting (unwanted) elements
- use your imagination!

Technical Notes

Challenges:
- Keeping the whole thing in focus usually requires a high depth of field (F8 +), which is hard in low-light conditions
- To compensate for low light options include one or more of: [1] may need high ISO [2] wide-angle lens [3] tripod
- Graffiti is usually in tight spaces so options include one or more of: [1] use a wide angle lens [2] take panoramic shots (either in-camera or stitched together later in software)
Tools
- wide-angle lens (20mm range) to capture a full work, provide depth of field at low shutter speed
- zoom lens to capture detail
- UV filter if shooting while the artist is painting
- Use HDR When Shooting Graffiti to cover wide variations in light
- Avoid digital zoom
Other:
- Pay Attention to the Weather: what conditions work best for the location
- Pick the Right Time of Day: day (natural light); night (street lights / flash)

Find a location

Ethics

you can’t claim a picture of graffiti as your own work (and try to sell it, publish it, etc.)
- if the graffiti takes up more than half the picture you are copying it
- Seek permission if possible before selling …

References

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