Dear friend,
What does it mean to be a streettog?
To me, to be a streettog is not to give a flying fudge ice cream sandwich what camera you shoot with.
You just shoot with whatever camera is convenient, small, and compact. Use your iPhone, smartphone, or buy a Ricoh GR II camera.
Shoot in “P” (program) mode, use center-point autofocus, ISO 1600, and just photograph whatever uplifts your soul.
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Don’t think when shooting on the streets. Follow your gut. Don’t self-censor yourself when you find something interesting you want to shoot.
Only use your brain when you go home and review your images. Then use your brain to judge your composition, emotion, and soul in your photos. Only share photos that have personal meaning to you.
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With composition, think of the edges of the frame. Try to get a clean background.
Work the scene. Take at least 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 50 photos of the same scene. Just choose your best 1 photo of the scene.
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Always ask yourself, ‘Do I like my own photos?’ If you need to ask for the opinion of other people (whether your photos are ‘good’ or not) they are not good. You need to judge your own photos with uncompromising sincerity.
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Benjamin button
Be the benjamin button of photography — think of yourself on your deathbed at age 90, and photograph backwards.
If you were going to die, what photos would you regret shooting, and what photos would you regret not shooting?
Would you photograph your loved ones with your iPhone, whereas photograph strangers with your $2,000 camera?
Or would you spend more time photographing your loved ones? Photographing your own Cindy, photographing your own mom, or photograph yourself with self-portraits.
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Above all, photograph with love and compassion. Spread positive vibes through your photography.
Know you can change the world with photography.
Be strong fellow streettogs,
Eric