(Old Ladies, Small Talk: I have one of the customisable MY settings registered with ISO 200 with the manual focus at less than 1m, which is the ususal distance I have found in going close to a subject on the street. I turned on my GX200 to the setting and set the exposure combo when I was at some 5 metres away. At the right distance, I paused slightly and shot this scene. The short focal distance diffused the background a bit)
The more pictures I have taken on the street (I'm very glad that I bought the GX200 which made this possible), the more I become aware of different faces. Young faces, old faces; pretty faces, not-so-flattering faces. People age. When aging happens, the result will not be seen for a good while, making the person less prepared for the aggregate traces appearing on the face at a certain old age seemingly at once.
At best, we are the combination of some arranged bones and skeleton, a sheet of skin and a soul. The bones will turn fragile and the skin loose as the days wear on. What is going to left in us which will give us the charm is our souls, where true beauty lie.
The following are some of the faces of different ages I have taken on the street. When I arranged the photos here, scenes of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button sprang to mind, hence the descending order.
(The Old Shop Lady: The grainy image at ISO 1600 does justice to the weathered face of this lady who was keeping a metalsmith store. This photo was taken with me pausing at the shop front and holding my GX200 at waist level)
(I saw this madam with the charateristic gray hair through the windows of the van stopping by the road junction. I held up my camera and waited for her to turn around the van, knowing that she would looking right into the camera. This photo is the answer to my guess)
(This madam waiting for the bus caught my attention because she had a face similar to the old man's on the poster behind her. I passed by and stopped as if I were waiting for a bus. The camera on a strap around my neck was turned to MY3, which is set at ISO 100 and snap focus, and I slowly turned around. I metered the scene secretly, locked the exposure and took this picture)
(This was done more directly. I just walked up to the girl, held up my camera and took the picture. I have found young people less bothered by candid photos by strangers. Maybe they think it a pleasure and a proof of their charm. I have been warned that I could find myself being beaten up if I go on doing this to people on the street)
(I posted this photo before. I walked behind her and made faces to her. It was in the morning and she must be still sleepy because she didn't respond to me. That's good because I knew she would stay her head that way even if I pointed my camera to her. So I did :))
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