ノーファインダーで適当に撮る / Taking photos without looking through the view finder

ストリートフォトで腰の位置からノーファインダーで撮るというのはよく使われる手法。僕がいつもやっている適当なスナップを、さらに適当にしたらどうなるか。

結論として、さらに適当にしかならなかった（笑）。

Shooting from the hip is one of the popular method for street photography. What would happen when I went with it for my random shots? I tried it in the streets in Shimokitazawa at night.

The results are more random than ever.

今回のお気に入りは下の写真。窓に映った「鈴なり横丁」の灯り。

One of my favorite photos from that evening is below. The reflected lights from Suzunari Yokocho, which is one of the oldest alley with small bars and theaters in Shimokitazawa.

今回の機材

Drink & Clickで仲間と歩く下北沢 / Walking in Shimokitazawa with my pals at a Drink and Click Tokyo event

「仲間と歩く」と書きながら、仲間は写っていない。一人で歩くことが多い下北を、仲間が選んだ道をついていく。そんなに大きな街ではないから、ついて行ったところで、歩く道はいつもと同じ。でも、進む順番が違ったり目をつける場所が違ったり。当たらな発見をしながら歩けるのが楽しい。

I wrote I had walked with my friends, but they are not in the photo. The point is that I walked with them. I often walk in Shimokitazawa alone, so when I followed them that night, it was fun to see what route they took and what things they got interested.

この日はDrink & Clickのイベントだった。テーマは「ライトペインティング」。ほとんど撮らなかったけれど、友人は「鈴なり横丁」の前で「下北」の文字をがんばって書いていた。永遠に終わらないかと少し心配したけれど、完成したようでよかった。

I walked in Shimokitazawa in a Drink & Click event that night. The theme of the event was "light painting." I didn't take such photos at all, but friends tried really hard in front of the Suzunari Yokocho, where there are small bars and a theater. I was afraid the trial would never end, but it looked like they succeeded in painting the character of the town. I hope someone will show that photo on an SNS.

今回の機材

人の痕跡が交わす会話 / Conversations of the traces people have left in town

東京の街はどこでもそうなのだが、多くの人の記憶がそこかしこに刷り込まれている。実際の生活では交わることがなかった人と人の、東京今昔物語。

People leave their traces here and there. They might not have been interact with one another in their real lives, but their traces often do. I'm curious to know what kind of conversation are those traces enjoying.

今回の機材

変わりゆく街 / A changing town（SIGMA 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM）

下北沢駅はだいぶ前に北口がなくなって、この前、南口がなくなった。駅を含めた周囲は再開発の真っ只中で、駅周囲の仮設の通路も日に日にその形を変えている。

駅の北口にあったマーケットはすでに姿を消した。小田急線の線路があったところにも着々と駅舎が建設されている。一段高いところを走っていた京王井の頭線の盛り土は取り除かれ、コンクリートの高架になった。道の上を渡してあった橋も、先日新しいものにかけ替えられた。

そろそろこの工事中の姿も飽きてきた。小田急線の新しい駅が完成するのは来春とのこと。周囲の再開発はいつまで続くのだろう。

The north gate of the Shimokitazawa station has long gone. The other day its south gate was closed too. The station and the area around it were under development now, and temporary paths are changing their routes almost every day.

The old market located near the north gate was totally torn down. The land formerly used for the railway tracks will soon be filled with the new station building. The earth used to elevate the Keio Inokashira Line's track was replaced by the concrete and iron bridge. The bridge over the nearby street was replaced with the new one last month.

I'm getting bored with the city under construction for ages. I heard that the new station facility will be completed next spring. I'm not sure when the development of the surrounding area will be finished.

今回の機材

Petzvalと行く、シモキタの夜 / Taking an Evening Walk with the Petzval Lens

夜の散歩は35mmか50mmがいい。それより長いとブレ対策が大変になる。僕の場合、85mmだと1/200秒のシャッタースピードを稼ぎたいから、暗い夜道だとほとんどがISO3200になる。

もうひとつ、普通の距離感で歩いていると、85mmだと被写体が近すぎる。切り取り範囲が狭いから、後で見返してどこで撮ったかわからないという事態になることも少なくない。

とはいえ、頭を切り替えれば、街をいつもと別の視点で切り取れるから、楽しくはある。

さて、この夜はそんな85mmレンズで、久しぶりにシモキタ一周。かなりの数の店が入れ替わっていて、新しい発見とともに散歩を楽しんだ。

When I take a photo walk in the evening, I tend to go out with a 35mm or 50mm lens. When the focal length is longer than that, camera blur will be more frequent. I want to use faster shutter speed than 1/200 sec. if I use an 85mm. This results in the higher ISO such as 3200.

Another problem is subjects are too close with an 85mm lens. The angle of view is so narrow that I can't often remember exactly where I took the photos.

Having said that, it still is fun to use a different focal length because I will be equipped with a different view thanks to the narrow angle of view that the lens can offer.

Anyway,  I walked with my favorite Petzval 85mm around Shimokitazawa, Tokyo. A lot of shops and restaurants had been replaced with new ones. It's fun to discover such places.

そう、この夜のいちばんの発見は、「山本のハンバーグ」がシモキタにできていたこと。以前、
「山本のハンバーグ」は「俺のハンバーグ 山本」という名前で、自由が丘の店を見たときから行きたいと思っていた店。

ここで「山本のハンバーグを注文して、これ、俺の、俺のハンバーグ」と言いたかった（でも、この散歩の翌週にはこの店に早速行ってきた）。

それはともかく、散歩の続きをどうぞ。ちなみに、Petzvalというレンズをご存じない方は、こちらのオフィシャルサイトでご確認ください。 https://microsites.lomography.jp/petzval-lens/jp/

The first thing I discovered that evening was a hamburg stake restaurant that had just opened. The restaurant has the same family name as mine, which part I loved about the restaurant most. Since I had found a chain in another town, I wanted to try it someday. (Actually, I tried this place the following week and it was good.)

Talking about the walk, I enjoyed the lights and shadows of the town as usual.

Photo Data
Place: 東京・下北沢 / Shimokitazawa, Tokyo
Camera: Nikon D810
Lens: Lomography Petzval Art Lens 85mm f/2.2

床に映る光。さあて、どこで撮ったかな。
Light on a floor. I don't remember where I captured this.

グラスがきらきら。こういうショーウィンドは、夜に見ると特に楽しい。
Glasses were shining. Seeing this kind of window display in the evening makes me feel good.

形を見るだけでレイバンとわかる。
Ray Ban is Ray Ban. I can only tell from their look.

アンティークっぽい加工がいい雰囲気。
Liking the antique-style atmosphere.

店が閉まった後だと安心してウィンドウシューティングができる。
Window shooting is easier later in the evening.

室内からの暖かい光が恋しくなる季節はもうすぐ。
The cold season when such a warm lighting looks inviting is getting closer.

新しい店ができてた。あのマークから想像するにメガネ屋かな。
Found a new shop. It looks like an optical glasses shop judging from the sign.

食事してからの散歩の場合、店が閉まっていてそこが何なのかわからないことが多い。
It's often hard to tell what kind of store it is after it has closed. I should have taken a walk in the earlier hours.

店先に自転車が置いてあることが多い。皆さん、近所から通勤するのかな。
Bicycles are left in front of many shops. People commute to the shop from its neighborhood, maybe.

DIEではなかったと思うけれども……。candleかなぁ。
It shouldn't be "DIE." It might be "candle." I'm not sure.

かつ、勝つぞ！
Red lanterns with names of foods they serve on it.

店のロゴを見て歩くのも楽しい。
Just walking around looking at the logos of shops is fun.

いつも通る花屋の前。この夜は、花より光のボケの勝ち。
I always pass in front of this flower shop. That night, the bokeh lights were more beautiful than the flowers they sell.

あれが本物なら……。
I wish that diamond was real.

草むらからブタが出てきた。
Suddenly a pig came out of the bush holding a ... uh ... I don't know what that was.

ぼんやり、いい感じの光。
Dim lighting makes everything looks comfortable.

床屋のサインはいつも撮りたくなる被写体のひとつ。
A sign of a barber is one of the things I can't resist to capture.

この自転車は、通勤用ではなくてオブジェだと思う。
This bicycle should not be for commute.

超昔ながらのシャッター？
An old style shutter of a store. I couldn't figure out its type of business though.

いつまでも大事に使ってほしい扉だね。
They should use such old door handles for coming years.

そのうちカツラが必要になったら……ここに？
When it's time to wear a wig, should i knock the door of this store?

前はなかったと思う店。かわいいシャツとワンピース。僕は着ない。
This shop wasn't there when I walked the street last time. I don't wear such a pretty shirt or dress.

別の床屋。ここの前は、よく、ポートレートスポットにもしている。
Another barber shop. I often take portraits in front of this place.

また自転車。おしゃれすぎ。
Another bike. It is too fashionable.

寂しそうなナプキン入れ。
A lone paper holder on the table after business hours.

ここはおでん屋さん。あのマークは店の名前にちなんだもの……かもしれない。
The mark on the curtain should be made after this restaurant's name.

いい光。落書きは読めないけど。
Good light. I can't read that graffiti.

ガラスか畳を運ぶ支えか何かだろう。軽トラの荷台にあった。
I found this on a small truck. It's used when carrying a large glass or a tatami mat.

自撮り。遠かった。
A distant selfie.

駅の北側は、夜、静かで好きなエリア。
I like the quiet atmosphere of the north area of Shimokitazawa.

井の頭線の高架下に店と広場ができていた。これはシトロエン。うちの車と同じロゴ。
A new shop opened under the railroad tracks. My car has that log on it, too.

ピンクの光が色っぽい街角。
Sexy pink lighting had filled the area though there was not such a place there. 

夏の名残り。
A remnant of summer.

じゃあね、また。
See you around!