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How to Become a Fearless Photographer

Dear friend,

I want to share with you why I am a fearless photographer, and perhaps give you some tips, insights, and advice on how to become more fearless yourself.

So first of all, here are some tips:

1. Don’t hesitate

The biggest problem we have in photography: we hesitate before making a photo. We hesitate because we are afraid, because we take too much time compose, or we fear what others will think of us.

My suggestion:

Shoot before thinking.

The more you think before you shoot, the more you will fall victim to “paralysis by analysis”– thinking too much before shooting.

Sydney, 2016 #suits

I’ll tell you what I do. I use a Ricoh GR II digital camera, set it in P (program) mode, auto high ISO, center point autofocus. When I see something that interests me, I just “point and shoot”.

To me, point and shoot cameras or iPhones or smartphones with cameras in general are the best cameras.

What I think prevents us from being better photographers: we get too caught up with superfluous details, or technical settings that distract us.

For me, I write a lot. I like using minimalist writing apps like IA Writer or Ulysses. Less distractions on formatting, more focus on writing.

Same goes for photography. Fewer options, less concern with technical settings means more shooting. And the only way to make better photos: shoot more.

Assignment: “Set it and forget it!”

I still remember the great American rotisserie chicken maker commercial. You just took a whole chicken, stuck it in the machine and pushed a single button. You just set it and…

FORGET IT!

Do the same with your camera. Just use the default camera app on your phone, or set your digital camera to P mode, auto high ISO, center point autofocus, and just shoot. Shoot jpeg+ RAW, and focus more on capturing personally meaningful decisive moments, rather than distracting yourself with what aperture, or shutter speed to use.

Let the camera think for your technical settings. You think about composition, framing, and shooting with your soul.

2. Smile

I shoot street photography close, with a 28mm. I have no more fear. I don’t hesitate, I just shoot.

A thing I like to to: when I shoot (without permission), I smile, and make eye contact, and often laugh. I also show my subjects the photos I shot of them on my LCD screen. I don’t shoot like a creep, using a long telephoto or zoom lens from behind some bushes, like some DSLR users with long lenses. Remember the saying:

Creepiness is proportional to focal length.

Meaning, the longer your lens, the creepier you’re gonna look.

Assignment: ditch the zoom

Lansing, 2013

Shoot only with a wide lens with no zoom (prime) lens. I recommend a 28mm or 35mm lens. 28mm if you use a phone or a point and shoot compact camera with an LCD screen. 35mm if you use a viewfinder.

Stick with “one camera, one lens” for a year. And when in doubt, get closer to your subjects by using “foot zoom”.

3. Ask for permission

eric kim street photography downtown la
Photo by Rinzi Ruiz

If you’re scared to photograph someone, just ask for permission. It is better to ask for permission and get rejected than to not even ask at all.

Downtown LA, 2011 by eric kim street photography
Downtown LA, 2011

If I see someone with a face tattoo or someone who scares me, I will generally ask for permission. I will ask them:

Excuse me sir, you look badass. Do you mind if I made a few portraits of you?

Most people say yes.

Assignment: Only photograph people who scare you.

Downtown LA, 2011 / Photo by Rinzi Ruiz
Downtown LA, 2011 / Photo by Rinzi Ruiz

A good assignment from STREET NOTES: only photograph “scary” looking people for a week. You’re only allowed to shoot people you’re afraid of. This will put some steel in your huevos.

eric kim street photography - color - chroma-3
Shot on film Leica MP / 35mm f/2 lens / flash / Kodak Portra 400

If you like asking for permission, shoot more STREET PORTRAITS.

1-istanbul-metro-contact-1

Conclusion

eric kim street photography - Only in America-14 - san diego
San Diego, 2013

To gain more confidence, attend an ERIC KIM WORKSHOP, or read STREET PHOTOGRAPHY 101.

Above all, have confidence in yourself. You got this.

BE STRONG,
ERIC


START | BOOKS | EQUIPMENT


Street Photography 101

Tokyo, 2012

If you’re new to street photography, start here:

  • 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
  • How to Shoot Street Photography
  • Street Photography by Eric Kim

Street Photography Inspiration

  • How to Make Better Street Photographs
  • 12 ERIC KIM Street Photography Assignments
  • Meaningful Street Photography
  • 25 Street Photography Tips by ERIC KIM

Beginner Street Photography Articles

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Get started in street photography:

Definitions in Street Photography

  • What is Street Photography?
  • Why Shoot Street Photography?
  • The History of Street Photography

How to Shoot Street Photography

  • How to Shoot Street Photography
  • Street Portraits 101 by ERIC KIM
  • The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Street Photography
  • 70 Street Photography Tips for Beginners
  • 15 Street Photography Techniques and Tips
  • A Letter to My 18 Year Old Self: If I Started Street Photography All Over Again

Street Photography Equipment

  • What is the Best Camera for Street Photography?
  • What is the Best Lens for Street Photography?
  • What to Consider When Buying a Camera

See all equipment articles >

How to Conquer Your Fears in Street Photography

  • How to Conquer Your Fears in Life
  • Shoot What You’re Afraid Of
  • How to Channel Your Fear into Bravery

See all articles to conquer your fears >


Intermediate Street Photography Articles

eric-kim-street-photography-color-chroma-19

Take your street photography to the next level:

  • How to Become a Stoic Street Photographer
  • The 10 Principles of Good Street Photography
  • 7 Tips How to Capture “The Decisive Moment” in Street Photography
  • The Importance of Social Skills in Street Photography
  • The Street Photography Code of Ethics
  • “Taking” vs “Making” Photos in Street Photography
  • Follow Your Gut in Street Photography
  • 10 Reasons Why You Should Never Chimp While Shooting Street Photography

Advanced Street Photography Articles

eric-kim-street-photography-suits-color-kodak-portra-400-2

Find deeper meaning in your street photography:

  • How to Master Street Photography
  • How to Be a Zen Street Photographer
  • Personal Street Photography
  • The “Bookend” Technique in Street Photography
  • Street Photography is Self-Therapy
  • Zen in the Art of Street Photography
  • Taoism and Street Photography
  • How to Find Your Style in Street Photography
  • Follow Your Gut in Street Photography

Street Photography Tips & Technique

laughin-lady-contact-copy

Learn how to shoot on the streets:

  • 70 Street Photography Tips for Beginners
  • 15 Street Photography Techniques and Tips
  • Take More Risks
  • Don’t Think About Composition When You’re Shooting Street Photography
  • 7 Tips How to Capture “The Decisive Moment” in Street Photography
  • 7 Tips How to Make a Great Street Photograph
  • Tokyo Street Photography Contact Sheets
  • Video: Why it is Important to “Work the Scene” in Street Photography
  • Shoot Less, Better
  • Make Shitty Photos
  • Shoot Effortlessly
  • 10 Tips for Candid Street Photography
  • 103 Lessons I’ve Learned From Street Photography

See all street photography tips and techniques >

Street Photography Guides

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In-depth guides on street photography:

  • How to Shoot Candid Street Photography
  • How to Shoot Street Portraits with Permission
  • How to Shoot Black and White Street Photography
  • How to Shoot Color Street Photography
  • How to Shoot Street Portraits with Permission
  • How to Shoot Layers in Street Photography
  • How to Shoot Urban Landscapes

Street Photography Equipment

0-eric-kim-street-photography-sweat-downtown-la

The best equipment for street photography:

  • What is the Best Camera for Street Photography?
  • What is the Best Lens for Street Photography?
  • Why I Love Cameras with Non-Interchangeable Lenses
  • The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide for Cameras in Street Photography
  • What to Consider When Buying a Camera for Street Photography
  • In Street Photography, The Smaller the Camera, the Better
  • Why Sharpness is Overrated in Street Photography
  • How to Shoot Street Photography on a DSLR

See all equipment articles >

Street Photography Editing and Workflow

  • Video: Introduction to Editing, Processing, and Workflow in Lightroom
  • How to Edit (Choose Your Best Photos) in Street Photography
  • How Studying Contact Sheets Can Make You a Better Street Photographer
  • Debunking the “Myth of the Decisive Moment”

How to Start a Street Photography Project

  • Free E-Book: The Street Photography Project Manual
  • How to Start Your Own Street Photography Project
  • How to Come Up With a Personal Photography Project Idea

Learn From the Masters of Street Photography

Prague, 1968. Josef Koudelka / Magnum Photos
Prague, 1968. Josef Koudelka / Magnum Photos

“He without a past has no future.”

If you want a distilled version, read the free ebook:  “100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography.”

  • Alfred Stieglitz
  • Alec Soth
  • Alex Webb
  • Anders Petersen
  • Andre Kertesz
  • Ansel Adams
  • Araki
  • Blake Andrews
  • Bruce Davidson
  • Bruce Gilden
  • Constantine Manos
  • Daido Moriyama
  • Dan Winters
  • David Alan Harvey
  • David Hurn
  • Diane Arbus
  • Dorothea Lange
  • Elliott Erwitt
  • Eugene Atget
  • Eugene Smith
  • Garry Winogrand
  • Helen Levitt
  • Henri Cartier-Bresson
  • Irving Penn
  • Jacob Aue Sobol
  • Jeff Mermelstein
  • Joel Meyerowitz
  • Joel Sternfeld
  • Josef Koudelka / Part 2
  • Josh White
  • Lee Friedlander
  • Magnum Contact Sheets
  • Magnum Photographers
  • Mark Cohen
  • Martin Parr
  • Mary Ellen Mark
  • Rene Burri
  • Richard Avedon
  • Richard Kalvar
  • Robert Capa
  • Robert Frank
  • Saul Leiter
  • Sergio Larrain
  • Sebastião Salgado
  • Shomei Tomatsu
  • Stephen Shore
  • The History of Street Photography
  • Todd Hido
  • Tony Ray-Jones
  • Trent Parke
  • Vivian Maier
  • Walker Evans
  • Weegee
  • William Eggleston
  • William Klein
  • Zoe Strauss

Free Downloads

  • Lightroom Film Street Photography Presets
  • Street Photography Presentations

See all free downloads >

Free Street Photography Ebooks

eric-kim-street-photography-only-in-america-14

Distilled information on street photography:

  • 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
  • Street Photography Contact Sheets
  • Street Photography 101
  • Street Photography 102
  • Film Street Photography Manual
  • The Street Photography Composition Manual
  • The Street Portrait Manual
  • 31 Days to Overcome Your Fear in Street Photography
  • Zen in the Art of Street Photography

For more resources on photography, Start Here >

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