(Interview by A.g. De Mesa. All photos by Siri Thompson)
Siri Thompson is a photographer based in Toronto, Canada. She constantly photographs her city in a manner inspired by her photographic heroes while putting her own unique twist. Siri also has a soft place in her heart for animals. Her photos feature a lot of imagination as seen by the layers of content in her frame but they can be easily understood. It is a mixture of mundane daily life and deceptively complex scenes.
Find out more about how she photographs and what keeps her fascinated with our interview below:
Getting my laptop stolen recently has been the best thing that happened to me recently. Let me explain why.
Not having a laptop the last week, I’ve been making all these excuses not to blog and write. I generally prefer working with a a laptop, having a keyboard, and the flexibility of having a “real” computer.
So the last week I’ve been just dependent on my smartphone. And damn, I’m pretty impressed and realize how much I can truly do with a smartphone. I can (obviously) check my email, plan my schedule, pay bills, but even better– I can record videos, take photos, process my photos, update my blog, and even “write” (actually “text”) articles on my smartphone (like I’m doing now on my smartphone).
Funny enough, I can probably text as fast as I can type. I use android and with the “SwiftKey” keyboard, I rarely make typos. Not only that, but I can write ideas while standing (not possible on a laptop with keyboard), while waiting in line at the store, or when in a cramped airline (Ryanair).
In fact, I’m starting to really wonder nowadays with the cloud and Google services what we really need laptops for. Of course for the power user (heavy video or photo editing) or Excel gurus you’re going to need a computer. But I really feel that 99% of “normal” people no longer need a “normal” computer.
Bringing the topic back to excuses, there were a lot of articles I wanted to write but I made the excuse that because I didn’t have a laptop, I couldn’t write it. But then I really wanted to write, so I used the only tool I had: my smartphone. And I’m able to “write” on my smartphone just fine.
So perhaps moving forward, I’m going to do less “writing” on a laptop, and putting down more ideas on my smartphone using Evernote. I really have no more excuses for my tools being insufficient for writing.
I also used to make excuses that my camera wasn’t good enough for street photography because I didn’t own a Leica. Now that I own a Leica I have finally leaned (the hard way) that the camera is an excuse. Not having a good enough camera is always a bad excuse. The only limitation is your creativity, inspiration, and vision of the world.
What other excuses have I made in my life and art?
I don’t have enough money to travel to shoot interesting street photos. Solution: shoot your own city.
My camera isn’t good enough. Solution: use the camera you already use.
I don’t know any other photographers to inspire me. Solution: buy photo books and make masters of photography your personal tutors.
I don’t have enough time to shoot. Solution: try to take at least 1 photo a day during your lunch break, before work, after work, or of people you know.
I’m too old. Solution: use your age as benefit (you have great wisdom that young people don’t have, which can aid your learning process). Jack Simon didn’t pick up street photography until he was 65, and at age 70 is one of the best in the world.
I’m not talented or artistic enough. Solution: educate yourself by investing in photography education (artists are made, not born).
I’m too lazy. Solution: use your laziness to your advantage and just use a smartphone and make “boring” photos of your everyday life.
I don’t understand technology. Solution: just use a disposable film camera and get the shots printed at the nearest drugstore as 4×6 prints.
I’m afraid to take photos of strangers without permission. Solution: start off by asking permission. If scared of asking for permission start off by asking friends and family to take their photos. Worst case scenario: your mom will never say no.
I’m not inspired. Solution: shoot first, the inspiration will follow.
Restricting to open up. How less can be more when going out to shoot.
I am strongly convinced that creating restrictions leads to more freedom and development when it comes to creativity. This may sound very counterintuitive but I have experiences to back up my claims. I just finished an intense week of photographing which led to an exhibition opening last night. It was a great experience and I would like to share some of the things I came across and learned during this week.
I think we all know how it sometimes can be hard to go out and shoot. We’re all very good at coming up with excuses and it can be tough to break the cycle of non-activity. Next to that it may sometimes feel like we’ve gotten used to a certain way of working which slows down our development so much that it feels like we got stuck and keep coming home with different but the same photographs time after time.
Work within a frame
What I like to do to work around this is to set up some rules and make agreements that involve others to push myself a step further. This past week I did exactly that, really enjoyed it and think this can be of help to others as well.
My project
I came up with the plan to shoot within a 1000 meter radius only, then pick one photograph each day to be printed and finish up the project by showing the outcome in an exhibition. I pitched the plan – Siting: Qlick Editions – to the nice people of photo gallery Qlick Editions in Amsterdam who were very enthusiastic about the idea and we set a date for the project to happen. As the moment to start came closer I made sure I had nothing else going on during this week and dropped all of my other routines so I could fully focus on this one-week project.
Each day of the past week I walked through the area, accompanied by my camera, for about 8 to 9 hours and would come back into the space to make my selection. Not always an easy task, but very rewarding as the photo would be printed and delivered to the gallery the next day. As you may know from your own experience it can be very tough to choose that one photo on the day you took it. That’s why I worked together with Eric: every day I would send him my final selection of around 8 images and he would get back to me with constructive criticism; very helpful in order to get to the pick of the day.
I also devoted a blog to this project on my website so anyone interested could be really involved in the process. I attempted to keep it as open as I could by sharing a lot of the images that did not make the cut, to give some insight into my way of working. Also I used geotagged images to place on a google map to make it possible to see where each image was taken.
I developed this project with the intention to explore different areas in different cities all over Europe and hopefully on other continents as well.
My experiences
Restriction leads to digging deeper into the possibilities that are at hand which may lead to some exciting new discoveries. I truly believe you can find beauty and interesting subject matter anywhere as long as you force yourself to look for it. By limiting the area to work in I did just that and it really gave me a clearer idea of what I’m looking for when I go out searching for interesting photographs. I had to look harder, but also learned to faster recognise the situations that trigger my attention. I had to pull myself through moments when I felt nothing was good enough and exterminate the fear of ending up with a shit picture getting printed. I had to go on when the weather was not as I prefer it when I go take pictures and learned to shoot when it’s a rainy day. I narrowed my scope but didn’t become closed minded, this project actually opened my view and made me see (and capture) things I wouldn’t have seen a month ago.
Make decisions
Dealing with the time constraint is a challenge but it keeps you from procrastinating to make decisions that have to be made regardless. Most of the time it really doesn’t help to postpone a decision. Do it now and you are relieved of one more thing that’s in the back of your head messing with your focus and concentration.
Develop your own project
I don’t think the boundaries I set myself are necessarily the right ones for you. Restriction can come in many forms and it’s only a matter of applying one or more simple rules to your workflow. For example shoot only between 6 and 7 am, use only one camera and one lens (less really is more and healthy for your back and wallet as well), shoot only in portrait orientation, shoot only one photograph of each scene (edit before shooting) etcetera.
Also think about restricting yourself in the process that follows a shoot: choose the one best image within an hour after coming home, don’t crop any of your images, make a print of your favourite image once a week and hang it someplace where others can see it (or give it away, people love getting a printed image). Involving others is a very good way to keep things going and stay sharp anyway!
Change it up
I believe setting up rules is a very effective way to boost your creative qualities, but it only works when you change it up. Don’t stick with the same rules and restrictions forever, in the end the most important things is to enjoy it and shed a new light on your photography.
Conclusion
By restricting you have less to worry about and more energy to focus on what you really want and love to do: make better pictures. It makes you look for other ways to achieve the result you have in mind. It also forces you to get better at working with the smaller amount of tools and possibilities you have left. You will learn to exploit what you have at hand and become better at what you do.
Go for it, I’m sure you will get something out of it!
About Maarten
Maarten Rots is an artist working with photography based out of Amsterdam. In his photographs you can see a sense of abstraction and surrealism found in everyday situations, captured by the camera. He loves printed photography and one of the ways he shares his work is through his self-published quarterly photography magazine March & Rock.
The exhibition with the results of his one-week project Siting: Qlick Editions will still be on show during the coming week atQlick Editions in Amsterdam.
I’ve been shooting a lot of photos on my smartphone lately (Samsung Galaxy s6). It has been so much fun and I’ve enjoyed it so much, that I wanted to write an article about my personal experiences and thoughts about the benefits of shooting street photography (and any photos) on a smartphone.
I often get a lot of questions from aspiring street photographers or photographers in general what kind of advice I would give in terms of what camera to buy. Honestly, my frank answer? Just start off by shooting on your smartphone. There are so many benefits. Some ideas below:
1. You increase your rate of learning
Seattle, 2015. Galaxy S6 processed with VSCO b5 preset
Some of the best street photographers I know shoot with only smartphones. Not only that, but their rate of learning is incredible. Many talented street photographers on Instagram have only been shooting for a year or two, and have made incredible growth and progress in their photography.
How? They have constant feedback and quickly learn through shooting all the time, and by sharing images on social media.
The #1 excuse (and problem) that all of us photographers face is that we don’t shoot enough, and we don’t have our cameras with us.
But if you think about it, the smartphone is the ultimate camera. It is small, unobtrusive, always with you, and convenient.
A lot of people say that smartphones aren’t apt cameras because it isn’t “full frame” or whatever. But to be honest, the cameras in the modern smartphones (iPhone 6, Galaxy S6, LG G4, and many others) are pretty incredible. They’re just as good as high end point and shoots from just a few years back.
Of course a smartphone isn’t going to have the same quality as a full frame, DSLR, or any other “real camera.” But at the end of the day, it isn’t image resolution that makes a good photograph. It is the “quality” of your images, in terms of the emotion, composition, and feeling you give your viewers.
I shoot with several cameras at the moment; a film Leica MP, a digital Ricoh GR, and a Galaxy S6. Funny enough I’ve been uploading a lot of photos shot on my smartphone on Instagram (after processing in VSCO with the a6 preset), and people have thought they were film Portra 400 shots. Morale of the story? Photos shot on a smartphone can look good.
Another example: Michael Christopher Brown shot much of his work on his iPhone in Africa, and have made compelling images (that got him into Magnum as a nominee). He didn’t need a fancy or experience Leica to get him in.
2. You focus on the light
Paris, 2015. Galaxy S6
Another thing about smartphones that can help you become a better photographer: you need to focus on capturing good light.
The sensor of smartphones (while pretty good) still don’t compare to the dynamic range of most high end digital cameras. Therefore getting good light and exposure is even more important.
One of the biggest fundamentals in photography I wish I learned earlier on is how important light is. I remember when I got my first DSLR (Canon Rebel XT 350D) and was frustrated that my photos didn’t look as epic as the photos I saw online. My mistake? I only shot in shitty and harsh light, and didn’t know anything about good light (shooting at Golden hour or through windows).
No matter how expensive your camera is, you can’t fake capturing good light. Even if you have mad photoshop skills, you can’t fake good exposure.
Light can truly transform an ordinary image into an extraordinary one. Epic light evokes emotion, awe, suspense, and drama.
Therefore if you shoot street photography on your smartphone, really try to focus shooting in good light. Try to focus shooting sunrise or sunset, or just photographing people next to windows or open doorways (Steve McCurry style).
3. Keep your processing consistent
Paris, 2015. Galaxy S6
I think VSCO is the best smartphone app ever made for photography. The minimalist interface runs like butter, but even better: the presets look damn good. Their analog presets (the “a” series) looks the closest to Kodak Portra 400. Their black and white presets also look amazing.
I try to shoot with my smartphone like I’m shooting film; I try to stay consistent with one “look.” I am in love with the A6 preset, and always apply it to my images, and therefore all my smartphone images look consistent.
My advice? Play around with the presets and find one “look” that you dig and stick with it for a while.
A common mistake I see photographers make is that they have too much variety in their photos by using too many different presets or post processing techniques. Would we love Henri Cartier-Bresson’s work as much if he shot with 20 different types of film in his lifetime? Probably not, we love the consistency of his low contrast black and white images (focused on good composition). We also still remember and love the consistency (and beauty) of Kodachrome color film with Alex Webb and Steve McCurry.
It’s still fine to experiment with different “looks” in your photography. Just try to do it in different projects (like how a film director uses different equipment and film for different movies).
3. You can’t make excuses
Oakland, 2015. Galaxy Note 4
If you are like most modern people, you are probably connected more to your smartphone than your mother or first born child. I know I’m attached to this thing like a leash. I check it first thing when I wake up, and the last thing when I sleep at night. It is so bad that sometimes I get anxiety if my phone isn’t in my pocket (or a foot away).
In the past I have missed so many shots because I didn’t have a camera on me. But now that I have a smartphone I have no excuses. Sure I would prefer to shoot all of my shots on film. But if I’m at the grocery store or having dinner with Cindy, my smartphone is generally much quicker to take out and shoot with.
So really we have no more excuses for not having “time” to shoot. The only limitation we have is our own imagination, our curiosity of life, and ability to see the beauty in the mundane.
If you’re a photographer who owns a big ass camera (or doesn’t carry your camera with you wherever you go) try this experiment: only shoot with a smartphone for a month. Lock all of your expensive cameras in a drawer for that period of time, and you’re only allowed to shoot on your phone. Not only that but shoot everyday.
After a month, see if this liberates or frustrates you. It might liberate you (and you never end up shooting on a “normal” camera ever again) or you are frustrated enough that you build the diligence to carry your “better” camera with you everywhere you go.
4. Who cares what you shot it on?
Orange County, 2015. LG G4
The most annoying thing a photographer can ask (I’m guilty of this too) is: “What camera did you shoot that photo on?” Personally whenever I ask another photographer that question what I’m really saying is: “Wow I really love your photos, and I aspire to make photos as good as yours. But currently my photos isn’t good enough and I think it is because my camera isn’t good enough or suitable for the job. If I bought your camera, could I become as good a photographer as you?”
I had a friend (Misho Baranovic) who had a street photography show with my other mate Olly Lang. Both talented street photographers, and had their photos printed for the exhibition. Some random people came by and asked: “Wow, these photos look great. What did you shoot it on?” To pull their let they said: “On a Leica.” One photographer then said: “Oh yeah you can totally tell by the quality of the Leica glass! You really get that “Leica look”, depth, and three dimensional character.” When we told him he was joking and it was shot an iPhone, and we all laughed together.
If you make a memorable photograph, who gives a damn what camera you shot it on? Do you honestly care? Or are you worried that other people care? Do you feel insecure that if people “found out” you shot a photo on a smartphone, it would somehow devalue your photo?
For me, I actually respect photographers more when I see that they shot a certain photo on a smartphone. Why? They were able to make a beautiful image with such basic equipment.
When it comes to photography, sometimes it can be a big dick measuring contest (at least for men). Photography can sometimes be just about showing off your gear and how rich you are, or your status. It’s kind of how the most insecure people buy the most brand name clothes, watches, purses, cars, etc. Funny enough, as a general rule, the more expensive the gear a photographer has, the more insecure they are about their photography.
Personally one of the main reasons I wanted to get a Leica was because I was lured by the prestige, status, and the legend of Leica. I truly did think that buying a Leica would make me more inspired, creative, cultured, whatever.
But in reality, it hasn’t changed my photography much. The only real things that have helped my photography: reading photo books, learning from the masters, and shooting more. Sure at the end of the day, I still prefer shooting on a film Leica for the simplicity and ease of use, but at the end of the day, a camera is just a camera.
5. But what if my smartphone camera sucks?
Pacific Northwest, 2015. Galaxy Note 4
Unfortunately there are a lot of smartphone cameras out there with really low resolution.
In these cases, use that as a benefit. Dando Moriyama shot with a cheap film Ricoh GR and made super grainy black and white shots, while others were using fancy Leica cameras or sharp slr lenses.
So my suggestion: try shooting black and white and intentionally make your shots high contrast and gritty. Use the downside (low image resolution camera) to your benefit.
If you use an iPhone (older generations), I’m a big fan of Hipstamatic and the filters. If you use android, get the new snapseed app (which is epic and has great monochrome filters).
6. Practical tips shooting street photography on a smartphone
Some practical tips I’ve learned shooting on a smartphone;
a) Shoot a lot
The benefit of shooting digital is that it doesn’t matter if you shoot a lot. It doesn’t cost extra money. I also think it is generally better to overshoot a scene than undershoot a scene. Sometimes subtle differences can make the difference between a so so photo, and a great photo. For further reading on the importance of “working the scene”, watch my YouTube lecture or pick up a copy of “Magnum Contact Sheets.”
So if you see a good scene, keep shooting it until either your subject gets pissed off, walks away, or the moment is over. The problem is that street photographers move on too quickly and don’t shoot a scene enough.
When I see a good scene and shoot it on my smartphone, I’ll take 20+ photos whenever possible. Some of my favorite smartphone photos were shot with 50+ images.
b) Look like a dumb tourist
Shooting on a smartphone makes you look like a dumb tourist. Keep shooting and pretend like you’re not shooting your subject and you’re shooting something in the background.
For extra dramatic effect, flare our your elbows and knees. Fanny packs are a bonus, and make you almost invisible. I’m only half kidding.
c) Use the right apps
Every smartphone is different in terms of performance. I recommend trying out different smartphone camera apps to find what works for you the best.
For iPhone I recommend the “pro camera” app (you can prefocus and tap the screen to shoot). You can always use the default camera app too. Hipstamatic is also good for cool looking effects.
For Android, either use your default camera app, or download the Google camera app. Use whatever is faster and more responsive.
For editing and post processing, I recommend VSCO, Snapseed, or a combination of both.
If you don’t like sharing your photos as squares, use “Squaready” on the iPhone, or “Square InstaPic” on Android (to share your photos as a rectangle by adding a white or black border).
You can also try using mobile Lightroom on an iPad, but I find it still a bit clunky.
7. Instagram tips
Garden Grove, 2015. LG G4
To be honest, Instagram is by far the most dominant social media platform at the moment. For this reason, I think it’s the best platform to share your images on.
Don’t focus on getting a lot of likes. Seek to learn. Try to find a few photographers you admire, and seek to get critique or feedback from them by critiquing and giving honest constructive and helpful critique to them.
Focus more on engagement, communication, and interaction on social media. I would rather have 10 followers who is really active and helpful to me on Instagram, than 10,000 passive followers.
As a general rule on social media the quality of feedback you get on your photos is equivalent to the feedback you give others. The more you give the more you will receive in return.
As with hashtags? My personal philosophy: less is more. I try to limit my hashtags to 2 or less. Just try to follow a few hashtags to find good photographers to follow and engage.
Can’t find any hashtags you like? Start your own, like I did with #streettogs and #buybooksnotgear.
Conclusion
Berkeley, 2015. Note 4
Chase Jarvis once wrote: “The best camera is the one you have on you.” To expand on that, I think the best camera is the one you just shot a photo on. Meaning, a camera is only important insofar much as it is a tool to capture a certain image, feeling, or emotion you witnessed. The camera is just an intermediary tool for your eyes and heart.
Nobody gives a shit what camera you use to make images, and neither should you. Shoot with whatever comes is most convenient for you, and “image resolution” doesn’t really matter that much at the end of the day in street photography. Embrace grain, grit, and rawness.
Lastly, just remember to shoot and enjoy yourself. As large format shooters in the past looked down on medium format shooters, and as they looked down on 35mm shooters, and as film shooters looked down on digital photographers, and full frame digital photographers looked down on crop sensor photographers, looked down on compact cameras, looked down on smartphones. Everyone can be a snob with cameras, there is no end.
Let’s preach death to the camera. Long live photography!
Sorry for missing an entire. It has been a fiery and explosive month for me here. (I even lagged behind my Streettogs Academy duties) but all is well right now. Here’s another round of links, reads, and finds for all of you to digest.  Here you go:
Probably the most fun video I’ve done in a long time: a street photography “Shootout” with bigheadtaco in Vancouver. He used his iPhone 5s while I used my Galaxy S6. The point of the video was to show that smartphones are more than capable cameras for street photography, and often more fun, accessible, and easy.
What are your thoughts on shooting street photography on your smartphone? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Had a fun little interview and chat with bigheadtaco while I was in Vancouver. Hope you enjoy the video above, and make sure to also follow his YouTube channel!
Hey Streettogs, here is the last gopro video I got from Paris! I hope this gives you some ideas and insights on how I shoot street photography.
My ultimate lesson in Paris (as well in every country), as long as you shoot with confidence, a smile, and without hesitating, you generally have no problems. I shot there for about 2 weeks solid, and only had one negative incident of a confrontation.
I have found most Parisians to be very friendly and open (despite what foreigners have told me). I’ve picked up some French phrases, make an effort to try to speak French, and people are generally very happy to see me try.
Paris is certainly one of the most beautiful places to shoot street photography in the world. If you ever have the chance, come visit, and don’t forget to tell people: “Merci beaucoup” (thank you very much).
Recently I got my laptop stolen in Paris from my backpack. It kinda sucked, but the “blessing in disguise†was that I was able to replace my (slightly) aging 11’’ Macbook air (2012 model).
I started to consider a few options: the 13’’ Macbook Air, the 13’’ Macbook Pro, and the new Retina 12’’ Macbook.
I then did the typical thing: Google reviews of the laptops which are written by “experts.â€
I trudged through reviews on Engadget, The Verge, Cnet, etc— and became frustrated. All of their opinions contradicted another, and there seemed to always be pros/cons with each laptop.
Finally fed up, I disregarded all the reviews online and just decided to buy what I was interested in, and to try it out for myself.
I went to the Apple store in Aix-en-Provence, and picked up the new 12’’ Macbook Retina to try it out. I was happy to know that they had a 14-day return policy, so I could see if I liked the machine or not.
So the last two days I have been using the new 12’’ Macbook, and I like it a lot. Sure it isn’t the perfect device (it is a little bit slower than my 11’’ Macbook Air) and the lack of ports is a bit of a drawback. But for me, it works well. The majority of my work on a laptop is typing and writing (like I am doing now), and my priority is having the lightest and most compact weight (the 12’’ Macbook is surprisingly even lighter than my 11’’ Macbook air).
Everyone has their own preferences. No matter how many reviews of anything you resarch online (for a laptop, camera, lens, etc)— your experiences and preferences will always be different from that of a reviewer.
So for example, let’s say you’re interested in shooting with a film rangefinder. Sure you can read all this stuff online (even on this blog), but you will never truly know the experience until you try it out for yourself.
We are fortunate enough to live in a society that all of the decisions we make are (mostly) reversible. If you’re interested in a new camera for street photography, my suggestion is this: just buy it and try it out for yourself. If you don’t like it, simply return it. I know that BhPhotoVideo.com offers very generous return policies (30 days).
As a general philosophy whenever it comes to anything in life, it is good to ask for the opinion and experiences of others. Sometimes it is good to have a starting point to base our own ideas upon.
However at the end of the day, experience is highly personal. If you have never been to Paris, you can’t simply ask your friends how their experience was. You have to go there and experience it directly for yourself.
If you’ve never shot film, you will never truly understand how the experience is for you, until you actually try it for yourself.
Do you have an idea for a photography project? Don’t ask what others think about your idea. Just try shooting the project. Perhaps after you’ve tried shooting that project, you can show others the photos and ask for their opinion.
Long story short: disregard camera reviews from others (including mine), opinions and experiences of others, and just try things for yourself.
Live a life of self-experimentation, and have fun.
“Geometry is the language of man… he has discovered rhythms, rhythms apparent to the eye and clear in the relations with one an- other. And these rhythms are at the very root of human activities. They resound in man by an organic inevitability, the same fine inevi- tability which causes the tracing out of the Golden Section by chil- dren, old men, savages, and the learned.â€
– Le Corbusier (1931, Towards A New Architecture)
Are you a street photographer and want to learn how to use your intuition to capture better “decisive moments” on the street? Do you feel frustrated that your photos tend to be cluttered, uninteresting, and lack emotion and magic?
This book will teach you the fundamentals of composition in street photography: the importance of diagonals for dynamic images, strong contrast to separate your subjects from the background via “figure-to-ground,” how to juxtapose your subjects, color theory, and how to create compelling stories.
“Composition must be one of our constant preoccupations, but at the moment of shooting it can stem only from our intuition, for we are out to capture the fugitive moment, and all the interrelationships involved are on the move.â€
– Henri Cartier-Bresson
This book will also provide you with contact sheets and a behind-the-scenes look to some of my most iconic images, and how you can create similar images.
Furthermore, you will learn how changing your perspective will totally transform your images. A subtle change to your approach will make all the difference in your images:
“The photographer’s eye is perpetually evaluating. A photographer can bring coincidence of line simply by moving his head a fraction of a millimeter. He can modify perspectives by a slight bending of the knees. By placing the camera closer to or farther from the subject, he draws a detail– and it can be subordinated, or he can be tyrannized by it.â€
– Henri Cartier-Bresson
This book is a distillation of all the lessons I have learned about street photography and composition over the years. I dispel some of the myths of “the decisive moment,” how you can often see composition after-the-fact, and the secret for making memorable street photographs.
This is a unique book and no other resource exists quite like it. Consider it your practical one-stop guide and manual for improving your composition in street photography. Furthermore, it is open and free for you to download, print, share, distribute, translate, remix, to help support the community of street photography.
I have written this out of pure love, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed putting it together.
Love,
Eric Kim
@ Aix-en-Provence, France / July 1, 2015
Table of Contents
Below is the overview of all the chapters and sections in the book:
I’m on a train to Aix en Provence, to the south of France and wanted to share my experiences shooting street photography in Paris.
If you read on the internet, apparently there are more strict regulations about image copyright and street photography in France. To my understanding, you can take a photograph of anybody in public, but there are restrictions on publishing a photo of a stranger.
I have a mantra in life: “It is better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission.” So generally speaking, I don’t worry much about image copyrights and street photography.
Shooting street photography has been an absolute pleasure in Paris. Despite the fact that a lot of people say that Parisians are mean and rude, I have found the opposite to be true. I know a tiny bit of French (Cindy is fluent), and whenever we went to restaurants and spoke French, they didn’t default to English (only at a few touristy food stalls near landmarks). People were friendly helping us find where to go, with food recommendations, and great service in general.
When taking photos of strangers, it was totally fine too. After shooting when I smiled and said “merci beaucoup”, most people smiled back and said no problem. I also asked a lot of people to take their portrait while here, and 90%+ of people said yes.
I had one experience when I was in a more “ghetto” part of Chatlet and took a photo of some rough looking kids after they asked me not to (my fault). The kid (around 16 years old) approached me and tried to take my camera for me and got a bit aggressive (he had his posse with him). He kept asking me in French to delete the shot, and I tried to explain I shot film. He didn’t understand and was quite angry and refused to let me leave.
Fortunately there was an onlooker who told the kids to back off in French (once again the friendly French). The kids finally relented, and one of the kids gave me a light backhand to the face and walked off.
Getting my backpack stolen
Another fun story: the other day I got my backpack stolen in Republique during the gay pride parade. I finished a super fun day of the workshop and was with my students at a cafe having a beer. We were all laughing, having a good time, and I had my backpack literally right next to my seat. But suddenly I turned away and it was gone. I guess somehow a thief took it while all of us were distracted. None of us saw the thief. We only saw that one of the pins I had on my backpack (a silver airplane pin my friend Jonathan gave me) was on the ground (with a wing bent).
What did I get stolen in my backpack? Fortunately I had my passport, film, and other valuable belongings back in my airbnb apartment. I lost my laptop (2012 macbook air 11 inch), 3 rolls of film I shot that day, my Leica sf20 flash, some batteries, and not much else.
Thank God my students jumped to my rescue. Emmanuel, one of the workshop students (who speaks French), took care of me and Cindy by taking us to 3 police stations to file a report, and paid for our uber taxi rides. Unfortunately that day (because of the terrorist bombing in Lyon) we couldn’t file a report. But the next day we did successfully.
Other good news? I have travel insurance (covered up to $10,000 with GEICO and only pay around $20 a month), and my stuff is covered.
Honestly I am surprised it took me this long to get my stuff stolen considering how careless I am about my stuff, and how much I travel. I’m just happy I didn’t lose my passport, wallet, and smartphone (I’m typing this out on my phone in Evernote).
What about my data in my laptop? 95% of my photos and video is backed up in dropbox (premium membership FTW), and 99% of my other data is backed up in the cloud (Gmail, Evernote). I lost some gopro pov films I shot in Paris, but the next day I was inspired to shot more footage (will upload soon). I also changed all my passwords and reset my laptop remotely via the apple “find my phone” application.
I hope the guy who stole my laptop uses my laptop, maybe learns how to code, and is able to stop his life of crime.
For a new laptop, I might buy the new MacBook 12” retina (90% of my laptop work is writing and blogging), and I don’t need much speed (I shoot mostly film). Also I think the gold color is pretty sexy haha. Plus the retina screen should be nice for photos. And the weight is super light (.5 pounds lighter than my 11 inch). So perhaps getting my laptop stolen was a blessing in disguise.
Morale of the story? If you’re traveling, keep your bag or backpack wrapped around your leg or under the table. Always have your important documents back at your hotel or apartment, always backup your files (both to an external hard drive and to the cloud). Also have an extra photo or photo copy of your passport (if it gets stolen, this makes it easier to get a new copy). Also be careful of scammers, and when your intuition says someone seems or looks fishy, follow your gut.
If you’re traveling, just assume sooner or later you’re going to have your importance stuff stolen. So be prepared in advance what to do if it happens.
If you shoot digital, buy lots of SD cards, an extra external hard drive, and keep your photos secure (you can always buy a new backpack, laptop, camera, but you can’t recover your photos).
Thank God I didn’t get my Leica stolen.
Places to shoot in Paris
If you’ve never been to Paris, the best places to shoot aren’t in the city center, but around the edges.
For my airbnb I stayed in both Place d’Italie and Bercy, both great places to shoot street photography (fewer tourists). In Bercy there is a cool Park (bercy Park with a skatepark inside), and the “bercy village.”)
Near the Gare de lyon train station is good and also inside the station (lots of interesting characters).
Favorite neighborhoods : the marrais (Jewish neighborhood with the best fallafel and trendy stores, go to las du fallafel), the canal saint martin (cute boutique and bookstores with a beautiful view of the canal, go to “chez prune” for food).
A bit outside of Paris, highly recommend going to “la defense”, where there are mostly businesspeople and an epic cube arch. Great for architecture street photography.
Also for architecture and composition, go to the French National Library (BNF).
For a lot of people, go near the Lafayette gallery, Chatelet, or near Opera.
My favorite photo gallery? The polka photo gallery (they have a Bruce Gilden exhibition going on, and a great bookstore).
Favorite meals in Paris (not expensive): Auberge Saint Roch, “cafe constant”, chez Lili et Marcel.
My shooting
For this trip in Paris, I shot some for my “Suits” project near la defense, but most of my shooting was on my film Leica on tri x pushed to 1600 with a yellow filter (from my friend Karl Edwards from StreetShootr.com).
I don’t know why, but suddenly this trip I was inspired to shoot more gopro pov videos, hope you enjoyed them. I plan on doing more of them.
Most of the shots in black and white are just random photos of interesting things I saw for fun.
I’ve also been shooting a lot on my smartphone (Galaxy s6), and processing them in color (Vsco a6 preset). Actually really love the colors that come out, they look like portra!
Honestly, traveling with all this film is kind of a pain in the ass. When doing the gopro video with the Ricoh GR, I fell in love with that camera again. I thought how nice it would be if I did all my traveling with the Ricoh GR (and just leaving the Leica and film at home). Maybe next trip.
Books I’ve been reading
I’ve recently become a huge fan of Matthieu Ricard, French scientist turned into Buddhist monk. On my kindle, I’ve read his book “Happiness” (great book that taught me true happiness is serving others), and a new book “Altruism” (inspiring me to devote my life to help others as well).
Krishnamurti’s “The first and last freedom” was recommended to me by a friend, and his philosophy on creativity and the mind is fascinating.
Reading “the magic of thinking big” (for inspiration), and for health I read “brain maker” (learned the importance of a healthy stomach).
My life purpose
The biggest thing I’ve been meditating on this trip is how to live a meaningful life. My new favorite quote:
“To live is to be useful to others.” -Â Seneca.
I am fortunate that now through my workshops I’m doing comfortably well financially. Of course I still stress out about money, my future family, security, etc, but I have faith that as long as I keep working hard, helping others, everything will be taken care of.
I don’t want to die the richest man in the grave. I want to continue to contribute to society, and devote my life to “be useful to others.”
“The Street Photography Compositional Manual”
I’ve finished a new ebook on street photography and composition that I was tempted to charge money for. My problem is that 95% of my income is dependent on traveling and teaching workshops, and I wanted to create a new income stream that could allow me to spend more time at home with Cindy, my loved ones, and my future children.
But then this goes against my philosophy of “open source”, and I need to practice what I preach.
So upon much deliberation, the book is going to be open source. A suggestion that someone gave me: “Why not make it a ‘pay what you want’ model or accept donations?” I think this is much better.
I personally feel information should be open, free, and used to empower people.
You can download the pdf for free below on Dropbox (you don’t need a Dropbox account to download it, just click the download icon from the top bar):
Or you can use this fun form below to help support me and the blog!
I wrote the book all from scratch, and distilled all of the lessons from composition I learned. I had a ton of fun writing it on the Apple iBooks author platform, and I hope to write more books with it.
When you download the book, feel free to share it with anybody you think it will help. Also feel free to change it, remix it, translate it, or whatever you think will benefit others.
Upcoming travels and workshops
The week long workshop in Paris was awesome. I loved getting to know all the students personally, showing them to areas “off the beaten path”, all the good food, beer, wine and coffee, fun laughs, daily critique sessions, and their improvement! I like the more relaxed pace of a week long workshop, plan on doing more of them in the future.
So I’m heading down to aix en Provence with Cindy (she’s going to study at the archives there), then off to Lisbon with my mom and Cindy’s mom. In aix I hope to do more writing (doing a new book on the masters of street photography). Lisbon is to have fun with family (I’m excited, it’s my first time!)
Then off to Amsterdam, Prague, Vienna, Berlin, London, and Stockholm for more workshops!
There are still a few spots open, don’t miss out! Spots are quickly selling out, and I won’t do workshops in Europe for probably another 2 years (next year is focused on America and Asia).
If you’ve been enjoying these POV videos, I got more of them for you! This is of a recent street portrait session I did in Seattle with this beautiful woman we met in the streets during a workshop. I recorded a video of me directing her on my Samsung Galaxy S6, and also shot while recording. Post-processing done in VSCO with the “dramatic black and white” preset.
Hey streettogs, thanks for your feedback. Just recorded a new GoPro POV street photography here in Paris with my Ricoh GR (and edited in the shots as some of you asked).
My recording setup
Here are some of my favorite photos from the video:
Other Paris GoPro Street Photography POV Videos
Both videos are shot with my GoPro and Film Leica MP:
Hey streettogs, just put out another new Paris GoPro Street Photography Video (been having a lot of fun making these). You can see the previous video I shot in Paris here.
Hey streettogs, I just put together a new street photography GoPro POV video here in Paris on my film Leica MP. Unfortunately can’t edit in shots (shooting film), but plan on doing more of these to show my working process, as well as the streets of Paris.
Almost 12 months ago, during Eric’s trip here in Manila, he pitched me an idea that he wants me to handle. He told me that I am good at looking at photographs and at the same time he needs a little help running this blog so he told me to start an assignment group. Here we are 12 months on, about to start our 12th Assignment!
I can’t thank everyone enough for participating and responding positively to our efforts. All we hope is that everyone is picking up something new or is motivated to start shooting and getting out there again.
Our current assignment is also appropriate because this is the reason why I do the things I do. So let’s keep this going!
Inspired by Jerry Seinfeld’s “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” I interviewed bigheadtaco, a local Vancouver-based street photographer driving around. Take (his real name) gives great practical advice on Instagram, branding, street photography, life, and following your own voice and vision.
Enjoy this interview, and make sure to follow him on his channels below:
Leica has just released one of their most ambitious cameras yet, the new Leica Q. Long story short: full-frame sensor, 28mm f/1.7 uninterchangeable lens, macro functionality, compact body (slightly smaller than Leica M), electronic viewfinder, and 35mm and 50mm crop modes, and $4,250.
Personally I think the camera is an engineering marvel. Solid, well-built, thoughtfully constructed (from a photographer’s standpoint). Also it would be ideal for street photography, as it has a focusing tab (ideal for zone-focusing), and blazing-fast autofocus (as fast if not faster than the Fujifilm x100T). Furthermore if you’ve ever wanted a digital Leica, it is more affordable than a Leica M (as the Leica Q comes with a lens as well).
The size is actually not as “compact” as you think it is. I only found it slightly smaller than the size of my Leica MP. The weight is also pretty solid– I liked how it isn’t as heavy as a Leica M, but it still feels solid and substantial in the hand.
In terms of handling, there is a new indentation (similar to a “thumbs-up”) which makes it very easy to handle. I think the camera is awesome in all regards– the only thing that will deter buyers is the price.
In short, the Leica Q is almost like the “rich man’s” Fujifilm x100T. I think if you have disposable income and really find the features of the Leica Q to be helpful, I’d say go for it. Otherwise, I would personally pick up a Ricoh GR and save the rest of the money to travel, buy photography books, and invest in education.
If you’re interested in the camera, check out the two videos I’ve done with the Leica Q:
First impressions of the Leica Q
Review of the Leica Q with bigheadtaco
So what are your thoughts about the Leica Q for street photography? Worth the money, or overpriced? Would you get one? Leave a comment below!Â
I am very proud of my students at my recent Seattle Conquer Your Fear of Shooting Street Photography Workshop. They all pushed themselves out of their comfort zone, approached strangers, got rejected, but also got accepted. They all did an amazing job building their confidence, learned how to better interact with strangers, and the coffee and experiences we had in Seattle were amazing!
I’m also quite proud of their before/after photos, see them all below!
Achim Soelter
Before:
After:
Bob Munoz
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Chris Dowling
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Damon Saylor
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Daniel Petrzelka
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Darren Curtis
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Diane Civic
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Frank Hahnel
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Jason Evans
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Marcia Latta
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Marcus Phung
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Mita Reischrdt
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Nicole Ramirez
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Richard Reed
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Ryan Mower
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Ryan Pham
Before:
Processed with VSCOcam
After:
OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
Conquer Your Fears in Street Photography
If you want to conquer your fears and meet new peers in 2015, invest in an experience you will never forget! Check out my full list of upcoming street photography workshops below:
Complementary Colors is a tricky thing to pull off since you need to have that mental color wheel in your head and at the same time, making sure you have a strong point of interest in your composition. Weather also needs to be in your side to pull off those nice contrasty colors that will make your Complementary Color stand out. Despite those challenges, I think this group of images pulled it off!
Here’s the latest results and Analysis for Complementary Colors!
I hope you enjoy a new free ebook: “Zen in the Art of Street Photography.” This is a compilation of all of my favorite articles on Zen, Taoism, Buddhism, gratitude, and other random philosophical musings.
There isn’t a “correct†order to read this book. You can skip around the chapters, and read the book out of order.
I personally have faced a lot of discontentment in my photography and life, and writing these articles have been a form of self-therapy. I also hope these articles helps shine some light and insight into your life and photography too.
Love,
Eric Kim
June 9, 2015
Compiled @ Vivace Cafe in Seattle
All of the content in this book is “open sourceâ€â€” meaning you can edit, translate, remix, or distribute it openly and freely however you would like.
Hey streettogs, pretty cool stuff: Magnum is selling signed 6×6” prints for only $100 at the Magnum Store! You can browse all of the photos here.
Over 50 Magnum photographers have submitted images that fits the theme: “An Image That Changed Everything.” Not only that, but they shared their personal stories related to the images.
The sale is only going on until Friday, June 12th at 8pm. Once the sale is up, they will no longer sell them. So get them while they’re hot!
“In 1982 I bought the newly released Makina Plaubel 55mm fixed-lens camera. With this shift from 35mm to 6 x 7, I also changed from black and white to colour. Later that year, I started my project on New Brighton called The Last Resort. However, the first project I shot in colour was composed of urban scenes from Liverpool. This image was on the second roll of film. It’s the first good photo I made in this new chapter of my work.â€
“This photo, which was the cover of my book (based on a true story), changed the way I worked forever. After this successful book in 2012, I totally changed my methodology. From that point forward, I focused only on my self-published books. I dropped doing assignments, and simply worked on personal projects and artworks. I never plan a change. Things just happen. I think recognizing when something revolutionary is going on in your creative life is the key. One needs to realize when a turning point is right before your eyes. It’s just like photography itself. Fleeting. Carpe diem. Miss it, and you’ve missed it forever.â€
“The sad, vibrant, tragic, beguiling country of Haiti has been key to my photography. After reading Graham Greene’s The Comedians — a novel set in Haiti that both fascinated and scared me — I made my first trip in 1975. But, photographing in black and white, I soon realized that something was missing: I wasn’t capturing a sense of the searing light and the heat — physical and, perhaps, metaphysical — of this country, so different than the grey-brown reticence of New England, where I grew up. I wasn’t dealing with the emotional intensity of my experience of this vivid and troubled land. So, when I returned to Haiti four years later, I decided to work in color. As I wandered through the porticos of downtown Port au Prince in 1979, I remember spotting this man with a bouquet of bulrushes — strikingly outlined against a vibrant red wall — just as a second man, in shadow, rushed by. I took the photograph and slowly began to realize it was time to leave black and white behind.â€
I am excited to share this new presentation I just put together on the theory of composition in street photography, drawing from the wisdom of Henri Cartier-Bresson. You can see the entire presentation below:
I am excited to share that I just touched down here in Seattle! Absolutely beautiful weather (all of the other times I’ve visited were in January), and have already had some amazing espresso— and feeling pretty pumped up (the coffee here is seriously the best in the world).
Dear streettogs, I am excited to announce my new free book: “The Street Portrait Manual.” If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to build your confidence approaching strangers, how to direct your subjects, and not make photos that look “posed” — I think you will enjoy this one!
Download:
You can download this book for free below in the following formats:
This version has only text, no images. Use these files if you want to read the book on a Kindle, e-reader, or if you want to edit, change, translate, or modify the text (as this book is “open source“).
Upon reading all these headlines, I knew that there was more to Daniel, both as a photographer and as a human being. I checked out more of his work on his website (where he now posts mostly film shots), and was blown away by the humanity, humor, but also the complex emotional images he captures in NYC.
In this hour and a half interview we delve deep. We talk about the process of shooting film (versus shooting digitally on an iPhone), his favorite photography books, how he overcame his fear of shooting street photography, thinking about life and death, and what ultimately brings him happiness in life (clue: it isn’t about the followers).
You can watch the video interview above, or listen to the podcast below (you can see all the episodes on my iTunes podcast channel):
I just had a recent chat with my manager and good friend Neil Ta. Neil is a professional photographer based in Toronto (shoots wedding and commercial work), and his passion is photography. He has dabbled in many different genres of photography, including “urbex” (urban exploration), “rooftopping” (getting to really high places), documentary photography (he is working on a long-term project on “Alexandra Park“, a public-housing complex for low-income families which is being gentrified for expensive condos), and street photography.
In this video interview, we delve deep into lots of different topics. Neil shares how he first got into photography, why he decided to quit his job and travel the world for 6 months+, how we met, not being pigeon-holed in photography, his love (and hate) relationship with film, and why he is currently shooting on a Hasselblad Xpan.
In this video I talk to Karl Edwards from StreetShootr on why I plan on switching back to black and white film (Kodak Tri-X pushed to 1600) and we just geek out about black and white film in general, enjoy!
If you want to learn how to shoot street photography on film, I recommend reading these articles below:
I just did a fun interview with my good friend Karl Edwards (he runs StreetShootr) and has a blast chatting about his start in street photography, his tension between shooting film and digital, practical tips on how to shoot with a Leica, his favorite photography books, and why he likens shooting street photography to playing a harmonica. The format is similar to when I “ambush” interviewed him in Provincetown as a part of the Magnum workshop.
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 tips for shooting street portraits.
I am excited to announce that I just finished writing a new book titled: “How to Overcome Photographer’s Block.” If you have ever felt lack of motivation, inspiration, or direction– this is the book for you!
If you’re in a creative rut, learn how to break out of your “photographer’s block” with this comprehensive and practical manual. In this book, I share practical tips, guidance, and assignments to break out of any creative barrier you have with your photography, no matter how severe.
You will learn how to overcome perfectionism, “paralysis by analysis”, giving yourself the permission to make “imperfect photos”, learn how to integrate your life with photography, how to focus on the process (not the outcome), how to add more novelty and randomness to your life, and more.
The book is “open source,” meaning you can share it, remix it, and do anything you want with it for free. Feel free to share it with a friend, print it out, or even translate it into a different language!
You can download the book for free in these formats:
Life is good in Berkeley! Just finished a fun 1-day intensive street photography portrait crash course workshop in SF, and after meeting all the great students, I’m more pumped up to write articles, produce content, and share what’s in my neck of the woods!
11th assignment of the Streettogs Academy! We are nearing our 12th assignment that might be just in times for the anniversary as well. Congratulations to Monika Jaskowska Bablok for getting the editor’s choice for the previous assignment! Let’s keep cracking on the next one. This one is going to be a bit of a challenge but should be a great change of pace especially for those shooting in black and white.
In “The Artist’s Way†by Julia Cameron, I came across this interesting idea: that creativity is like a shark. If sharks stop swimming, even for a minute, they will sink to the bottom of the ocean and die.
A lot of things in life are about momentum– about creating positive habits, that allow us to achieve our dreams.
If you are in Toronto (or closeby) and want to take your photography to the next level, check out the upcoming Magnum Photos Editing Masterclass in Toronto as part of the Contact Photography Festival 2015. You will get the help of acclaimed Magnum photographers Michael Christopher Brown, Mark Power, and Larry Towell.
For photographers who are starting a project, mid-project, or if you’re stuck shooting and want to move your project forward.
A monthly compilation of interesting reads, videos, books/zines, or portfolios to follow about street photography or other related genres. Check out the April 2015 edition.
I just finished reading an excellent book on art, creativity, and following your passion titled: “The Crossroads of Should and Must†by Elle Luna. The original idea was written on Medium here, and then blew up on the internet.
The premise of the idea is this: in life you are pulled between things you “should†do vs things you “must†do. But what brings real happiness? If you want to learn more, read on.
I recently met up with Ryan Lum, one of the awesome guys at Narrative, a wearable camera startup. I joined them in their office last week, and talked about my beginnings in street photography and my blog, how it was getting fired (and running this blog full-time), how to shoot street photography (and not get punched in the face), and more. I hope you enjoy the video interview above (and pardon the immature masturbation jokes).
I am currently reading “The Artist’s Way†by Julia Cameron— an interesting book that links creativity, spirituality, and overcoming your artistic self-censor.
I know a lot of photographers who are perfectionists or have a lot of self-doubt. This causes them to not pursue their dreams of becoming a photographer. Not becoming a full-time photographer, but to be someone who makes photography a part of his or her everyday life, soul, and existence.
Many milestones have been hit for the tenth assignment! We just crossed 3,000 members, implemented new rules for the group, and have the ninth assignment translated in russian and german! The community is growing and we have to keep on going!
I love attention. I hate criticism and negativity. I want everybody to love me, to love my photography, and my writing.
Contrary to popular belief, I actually have very thin skin when it comes to criticism. I pour my heart and soul into my work— whether that is my blogging, my photography, or teaching.
But I still get criticized a lot despite my good intentions. Every since I was a kid, I always wanted to please other people. More often than not, pleasing other people was more important than pleasing myself.
But I think it is impossible to go through life without pissing someone off. Even if you have the best intentions in the world, you will always inadvertently hurt somebody, offend somebody, or upset somebody.
I often have a hard time going out and making “street photosâ€â€” and I have a lot of other friends who face a similar difficulty. A lot of street photographers disdain their busy lives, and how they aren’t ever able to make time to go out and hit the streets and shoot “street photographyâ€.
But being really inspired by my friend Josh White— I realized that you don’t need to be a “street photographerâ€, you just need to be a “photographerâ€. Or better yet, don’t even be a “photographerâ€, be a human being with immense amounts of curiosity about the world, with the passion and drive to document it.
Eric’s Note: I am excited to feature the work of Ximena Echagüe, a street photographer based in Brussels, Belgium. I’ve been doing online 1:1 lessons with her the last year, and have been amazed with her progress. Below is an interview I did with her, check it out and her projects!
Dear streettogs, I am excited to share that I have a new free e-book to share with you guys: “On Being an Artist and Photographer“. The chapters include:
Chapter 1: How to Succeed and Survive as an Artist and Photographer
Chapter 2: The Role of the Artist and Photographer
Chapter 3: How to Express Yourself as an Artist and Photographer
Chapter 4: How to Have a Creative and Flexible Mind as an Artist and Photographer
Chapter 5: How to Break Out of Your Comfort Zone in Art and Photography
Chapter 6: How to Be Self-Compassionate as an Artist and Photographer
Chapter 7: Conclusion
This free e-book is a compilation of all of the previous blog posts I’ve been writing on the book: “Akademie x Lessons in Art and Life“. I know the blog posts are a bit difficult to download and access, so I put them together in an easy-to-access free download file.
Free download:
This book is “open source†meaning you are free to distribute, edit, change, remix, or share this with your friends (freely and openly). Enjoy:
I think as artists and photographers we often put a lot of pressure on ourselves. We always put pressure on ourselves to improve our photography, to take our work to the next level, and to make “original†work.
In “Akademie x Lessons in Art and Life†artist (and our tutor) Shirley Tse gave lots of interesting ideas on art that are quite taoist/buddhist in nature. Her ideas reflect on self-compassion in art, and some of her lessons include loving (not judging), being critical without being judgmental, sharpening one’s visual intelligence, and not worrying so much about being original (but more focus on being authentic).
I think one of the most exciting things about being an artist is following your curiosity, passion, and to pursue a life-long path of learning.
Continuing from my “Akademie x Lessons in Art and Life†series, here are some lessons I learned from the Raqs Media Collective in how you can constantly transform yourself through art, how to step outside of your comfort zone, and thrive in a life-long pursuit of learning:
Continuing my series on “Akademie x Lessons in Art and Lifeâ€, I thoroughly enjoyed an essay titled: “Me and Marcuse†by Michelle Grabner. She exposed me to a lot of new ideas that I want to explore below on the following topics: what art is for, the importance of filtering images, undoing and re-doing your world-constructs, and the importance of learning:
Continuing the lessons I’ve learned from “Akademie x Lessons in Art + Lifeâ€, I want to share some thoughts I’ve learned from Carol Bove, one and the artists and “tutors†from the book.
Carol expresses ideas on self-expression, what work means to her, time and information management, as well as uncensoring and finding yourself. I hope you enjoy these ideas:
(Editor’s Note: Words and Photographs by Ryan Tacay)
In a world of instant-gratification and disposable media, it’s hard to take something like instagram as a serious way to share something artistic and long-lasting. Going past the jokes about it being all about the bathroom selfies, things I ate today, or this afternoon’s sunset, it’s actually one of the best ways to get one’s work out there and seen.
For starters, with instagram claiming they have about 300 million active users compared to the 92 million that Flickr has, it’s safe to say that although the images are displayed no larger than a 640×640 pixel square format, there’s a larger audience. Having come from Flickr since 2005, I get more traffic and activity on instagram these days. It has become my preferred method of sharing my street photos.
Continuing my education with “Akademie x Lessons in Art + Lifeâ€, I wanted to share some thoughts I have gleaned from Piero Golia, one of the artists and “tutors†in the book. Here are some of his ideas that stirred my thoughts and creativity, and how I think we can apply these concepts as a photographer.
I just gave a free street photography webinar, and here are some of the slides that I shared on practical tips, assignments, and “traits of great street photographers”. The video recording of the event will be available in a week or so, will also make sure to share. In the meanwhile, enjoy this presentation!
You can also see the presentation on Slideshare here. You can see the full list of all of my presentations here.
Other Free Video Street Photography Lectures
You can also see some of my other free video street photography lectures below:
I am currently reading: “Akademie x Lessons in Art + Lifeâ€, which is probably one of the most inspirational art/life books I’ve picked up as of late. It is a beautifully printed and bound book, folding open like a school instructional manual.
I personally never went to art school. I entered college as a Biology major (to become a doctor like a good Asian kid), but upon going into school (and realizing I hated science and math), I switched to the exact opposite: sociology.
Epic bokeh photo of me by my buddy Tyler Hayward in Toronto.
Hey streetogs, after my 3-week trip in Chicago, Toronto, NYC, I am excited to finally be back home in Berkeley. It is wonderful to enjoy sleeping in my own bed, being back at home with Cindy, and the lovely weather of Berkeley. Unfortunately, I think I caught a mild cold while traveling, and will spend the next few days recuperating. Fortunately, caffeine and green tea has been my new friends (gonna take a break from the coffee for a while until I get better).
(Editor’s Note: Words and Photographs by Jared Krause)
I started shooting in June of 2009. I had causally been thinking about photography and decided to buy a camera. I started posting to a photo blog because I felt like photography was a good way to share my experiences with other people. Shooting street photos gave my photography purpose, a goal and a style to pursue rather than just taking random shots of anything. It was a edgy and new to me. I decided to start posting photos to my blog every day, and did so for over a year. In that period, I got very comfortable using my camera, and quite familiar with light, contrast, colour and the other elements involved in photography. Even though I wasn’t shooting street, I was learning.
I just finished reading a new book titled: “Becoming Steve Jobsâ€, which is a new biography on the life of Steve Jobs. I also read the other (more famous) Walter Isaacson biography: “Steve Jobsâ€, and found this to be a great refresher to the life, work, and passion of Steve Jobs.
In “Becoming Steve Jobsâ€, one thing I found fascinating was how Steve Jobs was a practicing Buddhist. Although he could be a ruthless businessman, he balanced that with meditation, mindfulness, and Buddhist practices.
I love music. I love listening to music when I’m writing (like I am doing now), I love listening to music when I’m driving, and I love having music play in the background when I’m with my friends.
I have a lot of favorite artists and I have found one thing that separates the “successful†artists and from the “unsuccessful†artists: the “successful†artists continue to produce work (and don’t die off).
(Editor’s Note: Interview by Eric Kim. Photographs by Nick Gervin.)
Eric: Hey Nick great to have you. Can you start off by telling us a (brief) life story and how you first picked up a camera?
Nick:Â Thanks for having me, Eric. I first picked up a camera in 1992 at the age of twelve. I wanted to document the graffiti art I was discovering in and around Portland, Maine. At that time, the city was in poor shape and it had a lot of derelict buildings that I would skip school to explore.
I really had no clue what I was doing when it came to photography; I was more of a point-and-shooter then. Still, I felt that the documentation was important and, later on, it would prove to be. Like all things in life, the graffiti didn’t last forever and the photographs I had made then helped document a subculture. I continued to point-and-shoot over the years, mostly with disposable cameras.
It is inevitable. Sooner or later, someone will give you shit for taking their photograph. No matter how good your intentions are, there will always be someone who will be offended.
You can smile, be friendly, and use all the right techniques — but there are just some people who won’t respond positively.
There will be some people who will give you dirty looks, tell you to fuck off, or threaten to call the cops on you.
In my street photography workshops, I often give the students a “5 yes/5 no†assignment. The concept is simple: you approach a bunch of strangers and ask permission to take their portrait. You intentionally try to get 5 people to say “yesâ€, and 5 people to say “no.â€
Sometimes students struggle to get all 5 people to say “yesâ€, and sometimes students have no problem.
So what are some good strategies to quickly develop a rapport with strangers, and have strangers to say “yes†to having their picture taken?
One thing to remind myself: street photography is supposed to be fun. If you’re not having fun, why are you doing it?
We all have the stresses of everyday life that we have to deal with. We have to deal with stressful commutes, unreasonable bosses, difficulties at home, drama with friends and family, and financial stresses and worries.
Street photography is supposed to be the exact opposite of that.
Street photography is therapy for the mind, soul, and body. Street photography is a chance to (momentarily) escape all the bullshit of everyday life. Street photography is the chance to empty our minds, and to simply stray the streets without a single oppressive thought in our mind.
Street photography is the chance to wander, to explore, and to feel like a child again.
Street photography is the chance to meet interesting strangers on the streets, to enjoy nice and fun conversations, and to meet other like-minded passionate people.
Street photography is having the thrill of the “huntâ€â€” of trying to find an interesting image (in an area that might be boring).
Whenever street photography becomes like a chore or stressful for you, take a break. You’re doing something wrong.
You shouldn’t treat street photography like a job. Treat it like leisure. Treat street photography as an activity that brings you supreme happiness and joy in your life. Treat street photography as an outlet which makes you feel truly alive.
Don’t compare yourself to other street photographers. After all, their life circumstances are different from yours. Perhaps they don’t have a family and have much more free time to shoot than you. Perhaps they live in a more “interesting†city than you do. Perhaps they are better connected, and therefore are more “famous†than you.
Strive to become the best street photographer you can, and enjoy the journey and the process.
Be like a kid again— have fun like a child in the playground for the first time.
One of the most interesting ideas that I’ve got from Nassim Taleb’s book “Antifragile†is his concept of “via negativaâ€. The concept is this: when describing something, negative descriptions often work best.
What is a negative description?
Well, describing what something isn’t can better define something.
From here on out, Photography Quick Links will now be known as Street Photography Quick Links. Just like from last month, a compilation of interesting news, write-ups, videos, and other things about street photography and other related genres that I have personally consumed. Since it is international women’s month last March, there’s a special section on the work of great female photographers!
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! :)
So after a long trip in Stockholm, Dubai, and London I wanted to share some of my experiences shooting medium-format (Hasselblad 501c + 80mm lens and Mamiya 7 + 80mm lens) for street photography (and traveling in general).
To start off, I have been really fascinated with shooting square-format photographs recently. To be honest, my first real fascination with shooting squares was from Instagram (and of course photographers like Lee Friedlander and Vivian Maier).
So I first started shooting a lot of squares on my smartphone (squares in-camera, post-processing in VSCO, and uploading to Instagram and social media). Then I realized I had a Hasselblad that my friend Jeroen Helmink gave me about 2 years ago (which was collecting dust on my shelf) that I wanted to try out. Dutifully while living in Berkeley, I carried around my (quite heavy) Hasselblad while on my daily chores and just exploring the neighborhood.
OBSERVE is holding their first group exhibit in opening on June 12, 2015 in the Städtische Galerie in Iserlohn, Germany, and will run through July 26, 2015.
The exhibit will feature the works of the 13 members of the collective. Several members will be present in the opening as well.
In line with the exhibit, OBSERVE will hold their first ever street photography competition with a total of over €1000 in prize money. The theme is “Under Construction”. The competition is open to all photographers of all ages worldwide.
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 not only in chess, but also later in competitive Tai Chi “push handsâ€. In the book, Josh breaks down how he was able to learn at an incredible pace, how he was able to push his own creative boundaries, and how he achieved excellence at a master-level.
For this article I want to break down some lessons that I’ve personally learned— which can help you in your street photography or life in general. Let’s go:
I’ve always believed that good work will stand out on its own and it will spread. That is pretty much what happened in our assignment No. 9. given by Harry Fodor. Everyone gave out great black and white work which in turn gave a bit of limelight to the group attracting new members.
Streettogs Academy is pretty much close to 3,000 members now. With that in mind, there are new policies and guidelines implemented so that everyone will be guided on how to interact and post in the group. As always, I am in deep gratitude for everyone’s participation in the group and its assignments.
So let’s jump straight into the next assignment Editor’s choice Chilun Leung gave us!
The other night here in Chicago, I woke up in the middle of the night. I was tossing and turning (put on the heater too hot at night).
In a state of being half-asleep, I started to have all of these random ideas for blog posts. One of them was: “measure your life as a photographer in decades, not years.â€
I recently got 164 rolls of Kodak Portra 400 developed after a year of shooting (and not looking at any of the images). I would have to say— I was so impatient towards the end. I wanted to see my images, and I started to get frustrated. There have been many times when I’m frustrated waiting for my film to get developed that I think of just switching all of my work to digital— to get that sweet, blissful instant gratification.
This is a guest post by Josh White, a street photographer based in Seoul, Korea.
Josh: Yesterday (and sort of the day before) I took part in the 24 Hour Project. For those of you that don’t know, it is a street photography initiative that involves photographers worldwide.
Basically, how it works, is you take one photo per hour for 24 hours in your given city (cities in my case). So, from 00:00 on Saturday, March 21st, until 11:59 I was to stay awake and take and post one photo per hour. By the time 00:00 rolled around I felt more like #fml than #24hourproject.
Introduction to Composition in Street Photography
