Hey streettogs,
Just came back from Seattle after teaching my Seattle MASTERWORKSHOP, and some street photography thoughts:
1. Street photography makes life better.
It has been a while since I traveled for a workshop (besides Chicago), and being back in Seattle was insanely re-invigorating. Needless to say, travel and street photography are a great pair.
Being in Seattle, on Capitol Hill — it was waaaaay better than I remembered it (last time I was in Seattle I think was 2014). And that is a great sign of a city:
If you loved it the first time, but the more recent time… you like it even MORE.
Certainly COVID has made traveling very restrictive for many people. However my thought:
I don’t think COVID will go away for at least 10 years.
We have the vaccine, yet fear is still abundant when it comes to traveling. The upside of traveling recently, and being at the airport and Southwest is that travel feels surprisingly normal again (especially for those with a vaccine). But alas, our ability to travel is greatly hindered.
If you’re in the states, just travel in the states. Chicago, New York, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, etc.
If you’re abroad, just travel to where you can.
2. Relaxing our definition for street photography
How to best advance in your street photography? Relax your definition of street photography. Don’t be a dogmatist or a purist when it comes to what street photography is or isn’t.
When you define street photography for yourself, you open up waaaaay more street photographic optionality.
And the more creative opportunities, the better.
3. Monochrome is king
Also in Seattle, I have a new re-awakened joy in monochrome. Color is a great exercise, but for me, monochrome reaches deeper depths.
One of the greatest benefits of monochrome is the ability to reduce. The more you can reduce, the more artistic photos you can make.
From a zen perspective, consider the street photographer as a sculptor. We start with reality (a huge chunk of marble), and we carve away the superfluous.
4. ARS BETA AS THE HOME FOR STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
arsbeta.com as our home for street photography. Instagram is boring. Facebook is boring.
ARSBETA.COM — share your best street photographs and get real feedback on your photos.
5. RICOH GR III is hugely under-rated (still)
RICOH GR III is really the best camera. Pair it with ERIC KIM NECK STRAP MARK II or ERIC KIM WRIST STRAP MARK II and you’re set.
Also you can check out my best street photography settings for RICOH GR III here >
6. Sharing your photos more efficiently
Make a slideshow of your photos. Or even write articles on street photography and use your own photos as an example.
7. Street photography is the apex art form
All street. We are the apex photographer. Let us take pride in the extreme difficulty and risk in street photography and love it.
90% of street photography as courage and risk taking.
8. Just shoot it.
Let us not forget our motto:
JUST SHOOT IT.
9. HAPTIC INDUSTRIES
FREE:
EXTRA:
Discover more in HAPTIC INDUSTRIES STORE and on AMAZON.
10. Artistic production over ‘happiness’
Lastly —
Our artwork is more important than our ‘happiness’.
I think happiness is overrated in life. Artistic productivity as supreme.
So as long as you’re still making art, you’re good!
MAKE ON!
ERIC
SEPT 11, DOWNTOWN LA STREET PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP MASTER WORKSHOP
Turbocharge your street photography in Downtown LA, Sept 11.
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