Take Your Pick, Olympus XA4

Take Your Pick, Olympus XA4

'Analog diary, the last leg of a mini-series post with images from the Olympus XA4 at the Ramadan Bazaar'

I am on the last leg of a mini-series with images from the Olympus XA4 at the Ramadan Bazaar, a series which took off with Squaring the 28mm, All Set and Ready, The Ladies Are All Smiles, and finally, this post. Though captured on a street-smart 28mm F3.5 lens of the Olympus XA4 on a single roll of negative film during a single outing, the images were squared off to the 1:1 aspect ratio from their original 3:2 via the desktop image post-processor.

The square format, or images in 1:1 aspect ratio, is a beautiful format to work with. It works well when you are trying to simplify the composition when eliminating superfluous elements or empty spaces. The composition itself can do away with the much-vaunted one-third rule, placing the subject in the center of a square frame, for example, or close to the edge, works just as well.

For a rather laid back novice street photographer like me, who is still timid to the idea of being right there, in the middle of it all, a 28mm focal length lens tends to draw in a lot more of the previously mentioned superfluous elements into the picture. Cropping the image to the 1:1 ratio means that you can cut away a third of the original, which can give you a better framing option.

As a street photographer's camera go by, the capsule style Olympus XA4 35mm film camera might be just the right choice for you. The camera is fitted with a 28mm F3.5 super sharp focal length lens and is highly recommended for landscapes, people at work, at play, or for when and where you can get in right into their midst.

The camera reverts the focus distance back to the optimum 3 meters when you close and re-opens the capsule cover, sets the AE system on automatically, and you are ready to shoot in the instant you slide back the capsule cover.

Resource Links:
Color or Black and White for Street Photography?
Olympus XA4 Macro, Sharp and Sweet