A slideshow of People of Prague in the Czech Republic. Photographs were taken without looking in the vewfinder to capture natural expressions.
To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.
lidé z Praha from Richard Burke on Vimeo.
Over the years I have developed my technique for photographing people without looking through the viewfinder. In the 1970’s I first became aware of The Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Although it really has nothing to do with the observer effect it does help to mathematically corroborate that principle. Simply stated the act of observing something changes that thing. I knew when I pointed my camera at people their behavior would change.
I thought to not have people react to me I had to photograph them in a stealth mode. First I employed telephoto lenses but since going digital I have began shooing without looking through the viewfinder. Wasting bits and pixels is a lot different than wasting film. I set the camera to a wide angle and select automatic focus and exposure. I get a lot of crap but then I also get shots like this one which make it all worthwhile. Next a mirror-less camera because people do react to the shutter noise if they are close enough.
People of Prague #5
Over the years I have developed my technique for photographing people without looking through the viewfinder. In the 1970’s I first became aware of The Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Although it really has nothing to do with the observer effect it does help to mathematically corroborate that principle. Simply stated the act of observing something changes that thing. I knew when I pointed my camera at people their behavior would change.
I thought to not have people react to me I had to photograph them in a stealth mode. First I employed telephoto lenses but since going digital I have began shooing without looking through the viewfinder. Wasting bits and pixels is a lot different than wasting film. I set the camera to a wide angle and select automatic focus and exposure. I get a lot of crap but then I also get shots like this one which make it all worthwhile. Next a mirror-less camera because people do react to the shutter noise if they are close enough.
To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.
People of Prague #4
When I think of Prague (Praha), I think of large castles, architecture, churches and the Holy Roman Empire. One of the things that makes the city so fascinating, is the contrasts. A blend of young stylish people of a young democracy contrasted with a grim faced older population that has spent most of their lives living under communism or dictatorial rule. The architecture reflects that contrast.
Ancient bridges, castles and historic architecture contrast with buildings and sculptures by the likes of modern artist David Černý. These two intertwined office buildings were constructed to display that contrast and are known in the city as “Fred and Ginger” because they evoke the dancing shapes of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers.
To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.
Fred and Ginger
Over the years I have developed my technique for photographing people without looking through the viewfinder. In the 1970’s I first became aware of The Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Although it really has nothing to do with the observer effect it does help to mathematically corroborate that principle. Simply stated the act of observing something changes that thing. I knew when I pointed my camera at people their behavior would change.
I thought to not have people react to me I had to photograph them in a stealth mode. First I employed telephoto lenses but since going digital I have began shooing without looking through the viewfinder. Wasting bits and pixels is a lot different than wasting film. I set the camera to a wide angle and select automatic focus and exposure. I get a lot of crap but then I also get shots like this one which make it all worthwhile. Next a mirror-less camera because people do react to the shutter noise if they are close enough.
To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.
People of Prague #3
Over the years I have developed my technique for photographing people without looking through the viewfinder. In the 1970’s I first became aware of The Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Although it really has nothing to do with the observer effect it does help to mathematically corroborate that principle. Simply stated the act of observing something changes that thing. I knew when I pointed my camera at people their behavior would change.
I thought to not have people react to me I had to photograph them in a stealth mode. First I employed telephoto lenses but since going digital I have began shooing without looking through the viewfinder. Wasting bits and pixels is a lot different than wasting film. I set the camera to a wide angle and select automatic focus and exposure. I get a lot of crap but then I also get shots like this one which make it all worthwhile. Next a mirror-less camera because people do react to the shutter noise if they are close enough.
To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.
People of Prague #2
Over the years I have developed my technique for photographing people without looking through the viewfinder. In the 1970’s I first became aware of The Heisenberg uncertainty principle. Although it really has nothing to do with the observer effect it does help to mathematically corroborate that principle. Simply stated the act of observing something changes that thing. I knew when I pointed my camera at people their behavior would change.
I thought to not have people react to me I had to photograph them in a stealth mode. First I employed telephoto lenses but since going digital I have began shooing without looking through the viewfinder. Wasting bits and pixels is a lot different than wasting film. I set the camera to a wide angle and select automatic focus and exposure. I get a lot of crap but then I also get shots like this one which make it all worthwhile. Next a mirror-less camera because people do react to the shutter noise if they are close enough.
To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.
People of Prague #2
We had been touring for a month and the last thing I wanted to see was another European Church. It was our last day in Europe and we had spent about five hours at Prague Castle. I was tired. However my bride of 45 years insisted we had to see The Child of Prague. I had no idea what it even was but have learned Happy Wife, Happy Life so I grudgingly agreed. It is truly one of the most interesting religious artifacts I have ever seen.
The Infant Jesus of Prague or Child of Prague is a 16th-century Roman Catholic wax-coated wooden statue of child Jesus holding a globus cruciger. It is on display at a very small Church of Our Lady Victorious in Malá Strana in Prague. It is very beautiful and difficult to photograph due to all the reflections.
To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.
The Child of Prague
Recently we took a four week trip through Europe. We started in Amsterdam and finished in Prague. I made a vow to myself that I would take video of every street musician we saw. Some were great, some not so great but all provided an interesting taste of the countries we traveled through. What I like as much as the music is the action in the streets around the performers. Watch until the end and take a look at the “gold statues” behind the performers.
To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.
Prague Castle is the largest and oldest castle in the world. It is actually not a castle but a complex of buildings including two cathedrals, the most famous being the St. Vitus Cathedral.The castle dates back to the early ninth century and is currently the official residence of the President of the Czech Republic. The castle was previously a seat of power for kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman emperors, and presidents of Czechoslovakia.
This view is from the lower garden. It is too large to capture in one image and worthy of a panoramic photo project and is probably best viewed from the air.
To see other images and buy apparel or prints, please visit my commercial gallery.
Prague Castle
Imagery Photography 