Tag: tips

  • In Praise of Shadows by Michael Dees

    In Praise of Shadows by Michael Dees

    Guest post today is by California based photographer and lover of Philosophy, Micahel Dees.

  • Video Lecture: How to Shoot Street Portraits

    Video Lecture: How to Shoot Street Portraits

    Dear streettogs, if you want to learn more of how to shoot street portraits, I just put together a 47-minute video lecture for you! In this lecture I cover what “street portraits” are (and how they differ from “street photography”), how to approach strangers, how to overcome the fear of rejection, as well as practical…

  • Presentation: Tips, Techniques, and Assignments to Conquer Your Fear of Street Photography

    Hey streettogs, I just uploaded some slides for a free talk I did for Chase Toronto the other day on tips, techniques, and tricks to conquer your fear of shooting street photography. You can also download the slides for free here. Enjoy! :)

  • The Art of Learning Street Photography

    The Art of Learning Street Photography

    I just re-read an excellent book titled: “The Art of Learning” by Josh Waitzkin. If you’ve ever watched the film “Searching for Bobby Fischer” (the movie about the kid chess prodigy)— that movie was based on Josh Waitzkin’s life. “The Art of Learning” is a rare book in the sense that he became world champion…

  • The Golden Rule in Street Photography: Photograph Others How You Would Like to Be Photographed

    The Golden Rule in Street Photography: Photograph Others How You Would Like to Be Photographed

    One thing I notice when I’m teaching street photography workshops is that a lot of photographers don’t like having their own photograph taken. This is a huge problem. If you want to build up your confidence in shooting street photography, I think you also need to be comfortable being on the other side of the…

  • The 5 Elements of Effective Street Photography

    The 5 Elements of Effective Street Photography

    My friend Todd Hatakeyama recently gave me a superbly refreshing book titled: “The 5 Elements of Effective Thinking”. It is a basic primer on how to think more effectively when solving problems– and can help students, teachers, and anyone trying to learn or improve their skills. Like always, I took away a lot from the…

  • How to Overcome Your Fear in Street Photography with “Rejection Exposure Therapy”

    How to Overcome Your Fear in Street Photography with “Rejection Exposure Therapy”

    This morning on the way to the gym, I was listening to the newest podcast episode of “Invisibilia” (a new NPR podcast on cognitive and behavioral science) and they had an episode titled “Fearless”. The episode was fascinating to me— as I have always been obsessive with this idea of conquering your fear of shooting…

  • How to Harness Your Fear to Become a More Confident Street Photographer

    How to Harness Your Fear to Become a More Confident Street Photographer

    Street photography is one of the most difficult forms of photography out there. Not only do you have to rapidly compose, frame, and approach strangers— but you have to do so with the risk of “injury.” They might injure you verbally (threaten to break your camera, give you a dirty look and call you a…

  • 5 Photography Friendly Places Where You Can Practice Street Photography

    5 Photography Friendly Places Where You Can Practice Street Photography

    (A.g.’s note: I asked some of the folks over at Streettogs Academy what part of their street photography they want to improve on. One of the many things that popped up was people are still shy going out to shoot or finding interesting places to shoot in. Hopefully this article gives you new ideas on…

  • 4 Ways of Introducing Street Photography to People

    4 Ways of Introducing Street Photography to People

    I’m sure that at one point in our lives as photographers shooting the streets, there was a time that we get asked to explain what street photography is. When I was starting out, I had no concrete idea what street photography is, let alone explaining to my family and friends. So here’s a simple list…

  • How to be Confident and Courageous in Street Photography

    How to be Confident and Courageous in Street Photography

    Street photography is the most difficult type of photography out there. There is so little we can control, and it takes a lot of courage and confidence to shoot in the streets.

  • Please Tell Me My Photos Suck (And How I Can Improve)

    Please Tell Me My Photos Suck (And How I Can Improve)

    We are insecure. We don’t want people to be brutally honest with us. We like feeling liked. We don’t want to hear the truth, or at least what people really think about us and our work. We like it when things are sugar coated (I know I do), and facing reality can be tough. I…

  • The Benefits of Constraints in Street Photography

    The Benefits of Constraints in Street Photography

    I always thought to myself: the day I had unlimited money, unlimited time, and unlimited cameras was the day I could truly be creative. Funny enough, I found out that wasn’t the case. Out of all photographers I’ve met, the ones that are most creative are the ones that are strapped on resources– the ones…

  • How to Avoid Boredom in Street Photography

    How to Avoid Boredom in Street Photography

    One of the most exciting ways to live life is to avoid boredom. By following what makes us curious, passionate, and have fun create meaning in our life. I think one of the great ways to guide our work in street photography is to avoid boredom.

  • Advice for Young Street Photographers

    Advice for Young Street Photographers

    A few days ago I wrote a letter to my 18-year old self, and gave myself some advice on if I started street photography all over again. I told myself things I learned in the 8 years I’ve been taking street photos. I wish someone told me this when I started off. Similarly, I was…

  • Alec Soth Advice on Approaching Strangers, Working on Projects, Photographing Abroad, and More

    Alec Soth Advice on Approaching Strangers, Working on Projects, Photographing Abroad, and More

    While in NYC, I visited the ICP bookstore and picked up “Ping Pong Conversations: Alec Soth with Francesco Zanot” a lovely photobook/series of interview questions. I found it to have lots of great wisdom regarding photographing strangers, editing, and projects. I copied my favorite excerpts which I found was particularly helpful, especially to those of…

  • The “One Street Photograph a Day” Challenge

    The “One Street Photograph a Day” Challenge

    I think one of the most difficult things as a photographer is to stay inspired. How do we stay inspired to shoot everyday– when the boredom and monotony of everyday life sets in?

  • It is Impossible to Take 100,000 Bad Street Photographs in a Row

    It is Impossible to Take 100,000 Bad Street Photographs in a Row

    I recently read some advice by author Ray Bradbury for aspiring writers: “Write a short story every week. It’s not possible to write 52 bad short stories in a row.” I think the same applies for street photography. To change the numbers a bit– I think it is impossible to take 100,000 bad street photographs…

  • How to Embrace “Stream-of-Consciousness” in Street Photography

    How to Embrace “Stream-of-Consciousness” in Street Photography

    One of the best pieces of advice I got on writing is the importance of writing without editing. Which means, turn off the inner-censor in your mind and write freely. What or who is the “inner censor”? Well, the inner-censor is the little voice in your head which tells you “Oh don’t do that, that’s…

  • 10 Ways How to Have a Good Day in Street Photography

    10 Ways How to Have a Good Day in Street Photography

    Smile at and compliment a stranger. Surprise a friend with one of your favorite prints (for no reason). Give a constructive criticism to a street photographer with 0 comments online. Promote the work of another contemporary street photographer whose work you admire. Go out and only shoot with 1 camera and 1 lens (and turn…

  • 10 Things Not to Do While Traveling

    10 Things Not to Do While Traveling

    Don’t speak English (speak the local language) Don’t eat McDonalds or drink Starbucks (explore local food) Don’t travel with check-in luggage (keep everything to a small carry-on) Don’t keep to yourself (make new friends in the streets) Don’t try to see everything (it is better to see fewer places more thoroughly) Don’t travel without water…

  • 5 Tips For Really Busy Street Photographers

    5 Tips For Really Busy Street Photographers

    Nowadays. we are all really busy. We have countless commitments at work, at home, with our friends, and with our families. It is really hard to find time to shoot street photography. Not all of us can leave the obligations of the “real world” and just go out and shoot all the time. Ironically enough…

  • 10 Things Not to Do in Street Photography

    10 Things Not to Do in Street Photography

    Don’t chimp (let your shots marinate) Don’t look at bad photos (study the masters) Don’t spend time on gear review sites when you’re bored (buy books, not gear) Don’t worry about your camera (the best camera is the one you have with you) Don’t mix black and white and color in the same set (aim…

  • Listening to the Bass in Street Photography

    Listening to the Bass in Street Photography

    I recently read something quite interesting about music. The concept was when you’re listening to music, you tend to listen to the treble (high notes) and tend to ignore the bass (low notes). Therefore the author suggested to get a richer experience listening to music, focus on listening to the bass (not the treble). So…

  • You Miss 100% of the Shots You Don’t Take

    You Miss 100% of the Shots You Don’t Take

    Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”. I find this such a beautiful quote not only in life but also street photography. Many of us are afraid of taking risks, of taking chances. We worry about failure. We worry that others will judge us for our shortcomings. We worry…

  • Systems vs Goals in Street Photography

    Systems vs Goals in Street Photography

    One of the most interesting concepts I’ve learned recently is the concept of “Systems” vs “Goals” from a book written by Scott Adams titled: “How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big.” Basically Scott Adams says that in life we should focus on “Systems” instead of “Goals”. So what is the difference? Scott…

  • 5 Tips When Entering a Street Photography Contest

    5 Tips When Entering a Street Photography Contest

    The photos in this article are from my new “Detroit” series.  I’ve had the pleasure of being a judge for a handful of street photography competitions: including the International Street Photography Awards 2012, the Urban Picnic Street Photography Contest in 2013, and the International Street Photography Awards 2014. It was a fascinating experience being a…

  • 10 of My Street Photography Resolutions for 2015

    10 of My Street Photography Resolutions for 2015

    It is that time of the year again— to make resolutions for the new year. In 2014, I wrote a post, “40 Street Photography Resolutions Ideas for 2014” and I also wrote a post titled: “15 Street Photography Assignments to Re-Energize and Re-Inspire You” (inspired by the book: “The Photographer’s Playbook: 307 Assignments and Ideas”).…

  • Streettogs gallery Work in Progress: Minh Nghia’s Photobook “In Transit”

    Streettogs gallery Work in Progress: Minh Nghia’s Photobook “In Transit”

    Eric’s Note: Streettogs Gallery is an on-going feature and intiative by Manila-based street photographer A.G. De Mesa. Click here for more info. A.G.: Today’s feature is a bit different than the usual. As I said in the intro post for streettogs gallery, I would also love to see if you have a work in progress. Today…

  • Streettogs Gallery Feature: Ms. Helen Hill’s Mise-en-scène

    Streettogs Gallery Feature: Ms. Helen Hill’s Mise-en-scène

    Eric’s Note: Streettogs Gallery is an on-going feature and intiative by Manila-based street photographer A.G. De Mesa. Click here for more info. A.G.:There is a fine line between cinema and photography. Good cinematography and good photography shows when you have a good arrangement of elements such as light, composition, and subject. But more often than not, a cinematographer…

  • An Introduction to Zone Focusing for your Leica, Rangefinder, or DSLR

    An Introduction to Zone Focusing for your Leica, Rangefinder, or DSLR

    When I first started shooting street photography, I was always frustrated that my autofocus would always be too slow to capture the decisive moment. After trudging around the internet, I was first introduced to the idea of “zone focusing” by Markus Hartel on his blog. For those of you who aren’t familiar with zone focusing…

  • 35 Magnum Photographers Give Their Advice to Aspiring Photographers

    35 Magnum Photographers Give Their Advice to Aspiring Photographers

    Hi  (Above image copyrighted by Alex Majoli) Bill Reeves, a passionate photographer who is fortunate enough to have Magnum photographers Eli Reed and Paolo Pellegrin as his mentors, told me about a blog post that Magnum had a while back regarding advice to young photographers. It was put together by Alec Soth, who has done…

  • 10 Street Photography Tips from an Anonymous Street Photographer

    10 Street Photography Tips from an Anonymous Street Photographer

    I recently got these 10 street photography tips from an anonymous street photographer who wanted to share this information with you. I found these tips to be very insightful, and I hope you will too! Keep reading more to learn about all the goodness.

  • 10 Famous Street Photography Quotes You Must Know

    10 Famous Street Photography Quotes You Must Know

    (Above image by Garry Winogrand) If you want to get a deeper insight into street photography and take better photos, I feel it is very important to study the work of the street photographers who came before us and paved the way for the rest of us. Not only that, but reading the quotes and…

  • Getting Close: Does It Really Make You a Better Street Photographer?

    Getting Close: Does It Really Make You a Better Street Photographer?

    Eric’s note: The following guest blog post is by Simon Garnier, part scientist and part street photographer who lives and works in New Jersey. Read about his experiences in getting close in street photography–and how he grapples with the idea of getting close in street photography. Interestingly enough this post was written before Fabio Pires’…

  • 10 Things Henri Cartier-Bresson Can Teach You About Street Photography

    10 Things Henri Cartier-Bresson Can Teach You About Street Photography

    Don’t forget to order the new re-print of “The Decisive Moment” by Henri Cartier-Bresson! I have been doing quite a bit of research into Henri Cartier-Bresson, the godfather of street photography. Although my current approach in street photography is more like Bruce Gilden and less of Henri Cartier-Bresson, HCB influenced much of my earlier work…

  • 6 Photographers Assert Their Right to Take Photos in London (and how you can too)

    This morning Fabrice Drevon told me about this video that has been getting quite a bit of buzz online about 6 photographers who stand their ground and take photos in London of private buildings from public property. Long story short, all 6 photographers get confronted by private security who assert that they have no right…

  • 6 Tips How to Master Shooting Street Photography with a DSLR

    6 Tips How to Master Shooting Street Photography with a DSLR

    When it comes to street photography, I am a huge proponent that it doesn’t matter what camera you use. Each camera has its own strengths and weaknesses, and as long as it takes photos it works for street photography. When I asked a while back on my Facebook fan page, I found out that the…

  • How to Become a Fearless Street Photographer

    How to Become a Fearless Street Photographer

    I believe that getting a good street photograph is 80% balls and 20% skill. If you look at the work of such street photographers as Bruce Gilden and Charlie Kirk, you will see that they have incredibly memorable images. Why is that? It is because they get close to their subjects—uncomfortably close by most people’s…

  • 9 Tips for Aspiring Street Photographers

    9 Tips for Aspiring Street Photographers

    Recently I asked on my Facebook fan page I asked the members of the community what tips they had for aspiring street photographers. They gave some quite insightful/fun answers that I would love to share with you.

  • Street Photography 101 Guest Post on 7×5

    Street Photography 101 Guest Post on 7×5

    Hey guys, Hope you guys had a great weekend and are ready for the rest of the week! Anyways recently, I had the great pleasure to write a guest blog post for a photography site called “7×5.” I wrote a somewhat easy-to-read post written very colloquially how a beginner can get started with street photography.…

  • Only Show Your Best Photos

    Only Show Your Best Photos

      This is a general tip which is quintessential to photography. Like they say, you are strongest as your weakest link. The same applies to photography; your photography is only good as your worst photo. If your audience sees all your work and stumbles upon a photo that doesn’t seem “as good” as your other…

  • 25 Things I Have Learned Traveling While Backpacking in Europe

    Hey guys, In lieu of my popular post on the “100 Things I Have Learned about Photography,” I originally planned on writing a “100 things I have learned about traveling in Europe” post as well. However this time around, I decided to embellish more on each of the points that I presented. Therefore, I realized…