My Street: Nanjing

[Stephane Tougard]

I open the topic about the theme "My street" with the streets of a city where I lived between 2007 and 2010, Nanjing. Starting with a few photographs about Chinese people riding motorbikes and bikes.

Two wheels are an important part of the Chinese culture, not so long ago, it was a tradition to offer to young couples a bike. On this first photograph, the driver is doing exactly what you're expecting him to do in such situation, he's typing a SMS.



Motorbikes and bikes may be used to carry unexpected things.
















Rain is no excuse, Chinese are incredible in their ability to ride two wheels in worst weather conditions (even being at risk). Note as well the kid wears a mask, this photograph has been shot in 2010.



No car to carry the family, no worry, a simple bike will do.



As far as I remember, all those photographs were made with a Nikon D700 in RAW (I've never been found of the JPG from Nikon cameras). In most cases, the post processing has consisted in using a filter to give to the photo a style close to what I would get with a film camera loaded with Kodak Tri-X. Though I can not ensure it for each of them, the lens I was using the most at that time was the 50mm f1.8 from Nikon (the lens who carries 2 records by being the cheapest and the best of Nikon at the time).

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

That's a lovely set of images Stephane. I think the very last is my favorite. The 50mm f1.8 - is that the D version? I have one and love it. I don't use it as much as I could but I'm very fond of it.

 

[Stephane Tougard]

That's a lovely set of images Stephane. I think the very last is my favorite. The 50mm f1.8 - is that the D version? I have one and love it. I don't use it as much as I could but I'm very fond of it.

Yes, it was this very one. Even by today's standards, the couple D700 + this lens is a cheap and wonderful kit that I would advise to anyone serious in photography with a small budget.

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

Yes, it was this very one. Even by today's standards, the couple D700 + this lens is a cheap and wonderful kit that I would advise to anyone serious in photography with a small budget.

I have to agree. That lens on a 35mm sensor is just lovely and so versatile. Mine came with my D750 (second hand) and I'm very glad to have it. The focus ring on mine is a little stiff... never been sure it's supposed to be or not, but it functions fine.

I've never had a D700, but I've seen so much terrific work done with it - much better than I could do with any camera! I nearly bought one last year, but ended up going for the D750 instead.

 

[Stephane Tougard]

I've never had a D700, but I've seen so much terrific work done with it - much better than I could do with any camera! I nearly bought one last year, but ended up going for the D750 instead.

I don't think the D700 is more capable than the D750. I think it's more of an historic reason. The D700 is really an historic camera as it's the first of its kind (as usual, Nikon leads the photographic world since the legendary F). So many very serious photographer jump on this camera.

Today, the D700 is still a very capable camera with astonishing performances. While competitors from other brands from 2008 are all obsolete (except Leica who already was obsolete at that time, but Leica is Leica). (be careful, troll ahead) The Canon 5D is maybe the only compromise I would have done at this period of time, but the overall quality could not compare with the Nikon.

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

I don't think the D700 is more capable than the D750. I think it's more of an historic reason.

Yep, I'd agree with that. I didn't actually intend to imply otherwise - although in hindsight it kind of read that way.
That's why I went for the D750!
Apart from anything else I very much like the extra resolution of the 750 as when shooting sports the ability to crop comes in very handy. (at least in my case it does...)

In some circles the D700 has bit of reputation for 'better' colours and tones... whatever 'better' means. I think it's mostly down to personal preference, combined with the historical reasons you described.

As for trolls... I'm not too worried about them!

Edit: apologies for dragging the thread slightly off topic!

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

I open the topic about the theme "My street" with the streets of a city where I lived between 2007 and 2010, Nanjing. Starting with a few photographs about Chinese people riding motorbikes and bikes.

Two wheels are an important part of the Chinese culture, not so long ago, it was a tradition to offer to young couples a bike. On this first photograph, the driver is doing exactly what you're expecting him to do in such situation, he's typing a SMS.

View attachment 18348

Motorbikes and bikes may be used to carry unexpected things.

View attachment 18349


View attachment 18350


View attachment 18351


View attachment 18352



View attachment 18353

Rain is no excuse, Chinese are incredible in their ability to ride two wheels in worst weather conditions (even being at risk). Note as well the kid wears a mask, this photograph has been shot in 2010.

View attachment 18354

No car to carry the family, no worry, a simple bike will do.

View attachment 18355

As far as I remember, all those photographs were made with a Nikon D700 in RAW (I've never been found of the JPG from Nikon cameras). In most cases, the post processing has consisted in using a filter to give to the photo a style close to what I would get with a film camera loaded with Kodak Tri-X. Though I can not ensure it for each of them, the lens I was using the most at that time was the 50mm f1.8 from Nikon (the lens who carries 2 records by being the cheapest and the best of Nikon at the time).

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

I really enjoyed this eminent series of bikers in the streets and its variety

 

[Stephane Tougard]

After the two wheels, time to see the usage of the tricycles in China. The tricycles is the truck of the cycles there, they are used to carry people (like a taxi)



Or to carry heavy things.







Or just because they are more stable and old people prefer it this way.





All those photographs were taken in Nanjing, China in 2010. The situation has changed tremendously in China in the past 10 years and I did not recognize the place at all back in 2019 when I spent a few months there. This is history that happened before my very eyes and I'm glad that I could record it while it still existed.

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

Great pictures again and for us Westerners quite uncommon, which adds interest to it all.

 

[Stephane Tougard]

Great pictures again and for us Westerners quite uncommon, which adds interest to it all.

Remember that as much you don't know the places where I've lived, we don't know the place where you live. I'll be very glad to see some photographs from your own surrounding.

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

Remember that as much you don't know the places where I've lived, we don't know the place where you live. I'll be very glad to see some photographs from your own surrounding.

Coming up soon. My office is cold at the moment, it is cold up here. I wish that Pete would have allowed a few more pictures than 5. But naturally we may avoid that by posting several times.

 

[Len Philpot]

I've been thinking about the "assignment", but it's raining and fairly raw here today, even as far south as I live. Plus, my daughter just traded her car on a new(er) one so we've been an audience as she shows it to us. Hopefully next week.

 

[Stephane Tougard]

I've been thinking about the "assignment", but it's raining and fairly raw here today, even as far south as I live. Plus, my daughter just traded her car on a new(er) one so we've been an audience as she shows it to us. Hopefully next week.

The change of weather conditions allow us to renew ourselves, we, photographers, take any opportunities to get shots of our surrounding when they face conditions that we're not going to see again.



The winter in Nanjing can be rough, with cold temperature and snow.



What's better than snow to draw all the background of the picture in black and allow us some highly and funny contrasts.











Those photographs were shot in 2010 in Nanjing, China with a Nikon D700. Raw files were processed with a Tri-X filter (most of the time, that's the only post processing done).

 

[Len Philpot]

No snow, just rain ...and no weather-sealed gear. But probably next week.

 

[Stephane Tougard]

The rest of this thread is to be found on below link

The streets of Nanjing

This thread is the continuation of this one. Let's discover the street food in China. Street food is common in all Asia, from Thailand, Chine, South Korea, Malaysia ... I've always seen people selling food in the street. "À la sauvette" or from small shops, cooked or raw...

realphotographersforum.com

 

[Brian Moore]

What a wonderful set of images.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

What Brian said! Another very enjoyable thread.