The other month I posted about photographing some tango dancers. This is a group that I've known of almost since I arrived in Armenia. The group getting together here and there and having their fun in various cafes and restaurants in the city going into the night. Sometimes this group invite me to come and take pictures, and this comes from my own request to be able to have the pleasure and practice of capturing such unique events that I'd otherwise miss. I mentioned the practice aspect because I really do see it as that sometimes. Where the opportunity to test my own creativity in different environments comes into play. Where I can run around and find my own perspectives, utilising environment and the lenses I have to mix things up.
Sometimes the lighting in these environments isn't the best. Sometimes it's really against me and doesn't result in much opportunity, though the other night the lighting was near perfect. A small wine bar in the very centre of Yerevan. Very nicely lit and without some harsh contrasting shadows. The space was generally a bit small, but there was a large window that opened up the interior from the outside. This allowed me to shoot in from the window and pursue some really unique shots that took advantage of the reflections. All the city life behind: artificial light from cars, streetlights, and the general reflections of people. Sometimes these reflections aren't wanted and a polarising filter would be used. Though here I intentionally removed it to maximise the reflections.
I did this to emphasise this outsider perspective, as if to have stumbled across this emotional group of dancers. As if to imply of some significant event. Adding another layer of passion to the images by removing myself from the perspective of someone actually part of this group and caught up in the middle of them. I really love the results of these. Though I didn't pursue these sorts of images the entire time. I did eventually run back inside and capture things without the reflections, though sometimes trying to find the moments in which things stick out the most. Finding emotion in the gesture, looking at ways to emphasise the passion of dance in a still, single frame. That's not all that easy when it comes to trying to capture something that holds such emotion through motion itself. I've often struggled with trying to mix things up in this regard, not having every image look the same as the previous regardless of the couple dancing or the style of dance itself.
This also included shooting through the gap of a door and its frame. Using the limited space on the sides to frame the people inside. Removing all detail beyond them, capturing that more intimate moment. I would've liked to have captured both of their faces in this image, but the idea still stands quite strongly, I think. And I love this sort of framing, taking advantage of whatever is around to add to the composition, or even remove things. Finding ways to be creative and feel like it's something more from a film rather than a singular image, like I mentioned before.
I think these are some of my favourite images that I have taken of the group so far, and primarily from the good light and environment that supported the creativity. I mentioned before that not all environments do. Sometimes they're a bit too dark. Sometimes the lenses don't quite fit with the focal lengths I have, but here I managed to constantly switch between the 35mm, the Helios at 58mm, and my 85mm lens. Each of them performing in their own ways, adding to the fun of it all. Especially the challenge of sometimes shooting this entirely manual. No autofocus to latch on to things.
Sometimes I still felt those limitations from focal lengths. It's but I think I'll always feel that until I have a huge line up of various prime lenses. I'm definitely not a zoom lens person. I enjoy the prime feel, and the wide open aperture it provides. I do want a wide and open prime lens soon, even if it remains manual. I've definitely got a thing for those vintage lenses which give unique characteristics, and I think in these environments they really add something more to the images. Instead of pursuing sharpness, getting unique bokeh and quirks that could even emphasise the magical and emotional aspects of the performances.
Either way, I think I did great with what I had. Even if I did have to shoot at a wide open F1.8 aperture and increase the ISO quite a bit. This mostly being from the Sony A6000 and its noisy ISOs above 400. And the generally lower light sensitivity the sensor has. I think at one point, even with all of the motion, I was shooting at a 1/45s shutter speed! But hey, I made it work. And I'm really happy with the results. Makes me want to get out there and find more events, more people, and really get the creativity (and ideally) money flowing as the business gets up on its feet.