Shooting on location can be daunting. On this particular day it was a bit chilly, we were rushed to catch our train and there were people everywhere!! And you can't see but I have a large duffle bag my camera bag 2 purses and my camera! How I held it together for these shots really amazes even me LOL.
So how do you get past all these obstacles? How do we get to the shot we want.. Lighting , aperture ISO toppled on top of all of the other above mentioned issues. Forget it all!!!!!! That is what I say its to great of an opportunity to pass up.. So just seize the moment and start shooting.. Adjust what you can or shoot in auto if you need to. But get the shot.. To many great shots are missed because we spend so much time thinking.. Or in some cases over thinking.. ..
These shots were taken with nifty fifty and 6D.. Not so special lens in a not so special location.. Dirty ground.. tons of people.. There was even a pigeon that just happened to kamikaze a man that was walking up those stairs in the first photo.. I just kept shooting ... Forgetting all the people I found out later I bumped with my bags who were walking past me. I must have been such a spectacle ! But it was so worth it.. Loved this little shoot.. We were racing to the train station stopping for a few brief moments to catch a few great shots.. Some of my architecture shots were shot while running across the street..
The only serious thing you need to do before a shoot like this is be sure your shooting in RAW!!! I cannot stress that enough.. Raw is the savior to underexposed & overexposed shots. I also suggest to always shoot a little under exposed. Its easier to lighten up a photo than to darken one. The 6D does a pretty amazing job with Auto white balance but white balance can also be easily fixed in raw.
Even the most planned photoshoot can have its unplanned obstacles. The trick to making it perfect sometimes is to not work so hard at creating perfection, but accept the imperfections. Some of my favorite shots were when I was not thinking!! I also think that when you learn to shoot on the fly it makes it that much easier to shoot a more controlled shoot and be much more efficient.
We learn so much with photography.. There are always new knowledge to fill our heads with that it sometimes can make our heads spin in the moment. We are always trying to think in the moment and ten steps ahead. Sometimes Just getting out and shooting and forgetting the 10 steps ahead prepares you for shooting when you need to plan 10 steps ahead.. We get so worried of not getting the shot that we sometimes miss opportunities to push ourselves past our own abilities and fears..
Pick a day to go out and just shoot.. Dont pay attention to every little detail trust in yourself.. You might just be surprised!