Human artist blog / Street photography / Philosophy
(A.g.’s Note: We’re glad to have Observe Collective back on the blog again with some highlights of their recently held Under Construction exhibit in Germany. Check it out!) Observe Collective from Cut Production Germany …
Dear fellow streettog, I want to live my life to the fullest. I want to die without regrets. Often I piss away my days, live a life according to the opinion of others, and …
Hopefully by now, you already know what this means! If you don’t know what we do, check my introductory post of Streettogs Academy Here! For those of you already know, read on!
I am currently loving my “boring”, humble, yet simple life back in Berkeley. Everyday my life with Cindy is like this:
Original post from Nick’s blog. Looking Back on Life So it’s that time of year again when I look at my life and all of the things that I’ve accomplished, or in my case, haven’t. …
(Cover Photo by Assignment No. 15 Community’s Choice, Salman Taseem Haque) While sifting and reading these pictures, I constantly have a smile on my face. This has got to go down as one of …
(This was initially sent to my newsletter) Dear friend, Long time no talk! I am excited to share that I just got back safely from New Orleans after an epic two-week trip there. I …
Dear friend, I wanted to give you a new “no bullshit” review of the Ricoh GR II (new version, Mark II). I can honestly say that the previous Ricoh GR is the best value camera for …
Dear friend, I wanted to write you this letter on photography and life. I just finished an epic week-long street photography workshop here in New Orleans, and it was an absolutely incredible experience. I …
Dear friend, It is 7:20am in New Orleans, and I just downed a “Miss Tracy’s Addiction†(Double espresso, Cayenne pepper, Thai coconut milk) at Addiction Coffee and I’m feeling good. Had a nice chat …
Check out the updated book: “100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography.” Dear streettogs, I am excited to announce my new free “open-source” e-book: “Learn From the Masters of Street Photography.” This book …
Street Photography Quick Links is a compilation of Links, Projects, News, Videos, Events, or anything that is related to street photography or photography in particular that I have personally consumed. Perhaps these might interest …
Eric: This article is by John Hall, a photographer and human being I respect deeply. John Hall was one of my students at a week-long street photography workshop in SF, and since then he …
During my street photography workshop in SF this weekend, I experienced something that touched my heart. Peter Zhang, one of my students, was having a lovely chat with this woman in the Tenderloin of …
A post taken from Josh’s blog. He doesn’t always say much, but like this post talks about, simple things are sometimes good ones. Enjoy. The end of a long weekend. I used to travel …
(Editor’s Note: Words and Photographs by Steve Simon. Steve is a very passionate photographer, author, and an educator that has traveled the world shooting for various brands, companies, and organizations. His work focuses on …
How much is enough? How much is superfluous in life? What is excess baggage that holds you back? What are some demons from your past and mental baggage that holds you back? What are …
Let’s keep things going and get to more shooting with the latest assignment for Streettogs Academy! For avid readers of Eric’s blog, you’d notice he’s on a relentless pursuit towards zen, stoicism, and minimalism. …
Dear friend, I wanted to write you a letter about “Wu-Weiâ€, a Taoist philosophy and concept that I learned from the “Tao Te Ching†(recommend the version by Stephen Mitchell). So let me pose …
Dear friend, I wanted to give you some advice on bouncing back from negative and debilitating experiences when you’re shooting street photography.
Dear friend, I wanted to write you a letter on the concept of “killing the masters of photographyâ€. It is kind of a Buddhist philosophy, as well as a philosophy I gained from Seneca, …
Dear Eric, I want to write this letter for you, as a reminder of sorts to meditate upon some of the thoughts running around in your head. Remember when you used to work in …
About a month ago I gave a talk on street photography at EyeEm headquarters in Berlin. During the question and answer session, there was a member in the crowd who asked me the question: …
“If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything, it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few. †― …
(Cover photo by Assignment 14 Community’s Choice, Michele Berlingeri) This has got to be one of the assignments that got the most number of beautiful pictures so far! The number of interpretations given to …
You can download this essay for free as a PDF or Microsoft .DOCX file. Dear friend, I wanted to write you a personal letter on innovation. Not to say that I am the most …
Read as a Google Doc (where you can suggest edits, and also download as a PDF). I recently came across the excellent book: “Mary Ellen Mark on the Portrait and the Momentâ€, an educational workshop book …
I’m still afflicted with GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). I want new shit all the time. I’m always dissatisfied with the technology I have (smartphone, tablet, laptop, camera, espresso machine) as well as my car, …
Dear friend, I’m currently sitting at my desk, facing outside. There are beautiful trees, a soft breeze, the sound of birds chirping. I have a “HappyLight” on my left (which helps me wake up …
Dear friend, I want to share a story with you. It is an important life lesson that I learned from Greg Lowe, my tennis coach from high school. Okay let’s start from the very …
So I met Harry Benz when I was in Toronto. My buddy Adam Marelli (probably the most knowledgeable guy about composition and photography) introduced me to him. I shot Harry an email, and we …
(Words and photos unless otherwise stated is by Maarten Rots.  Maarten is an artist working with photography based out of Amsterdam. In his photographs you can see a sense of abstraction and surrealism found in …
Dear friend, I am excited to share that after nearly 3 months on the road, I am finally back at my beautiful home in Berkeley. I just wanted to use this opportunity to share …
Dear friend, You might have heard the term “YOLOâ€, which stands for “you only live onceâ€. However I think most people misconstrue the word. They think that it means to live a life of …
Dear friend, I wanted to write you this letter, sharing with you some of my personal thoughts that here is no one “right” or “wrong” way to shoot “street photography.” I think when most …
“You can’t control the results, only the effort.” – Ryan Holiday Ryan Holiday is a guy I admire very much he’s about my age, and has accomplished a lot. He’s a best selling author, …
Dear friend, I have a problem I need to share with you: I have a huge ego. I love compliments, I love external validation, and I absolutely hate being criticized, judged, or ignored. Recently …
Dear friend, I want to share some meditations and thoughts that are currently on my mind– and perhaps tell some stories. Thank you for being a good friend and listening :) Okay, so I …
Street Photography Quick Links is a compilation of Links, Projects, News, Videos, Events, or anything that is related to street photography or photography in particular that I have personally consumed. Perhaps these might interest …
Dear friend, I want to tell you the exciting start of my day today. I want to share with you as vividly how it felt, and what is on my mind. I woke up, …
Dear friend, I want to share you with excitement a new idea that I got, from William Eggleston. The concept is quite simple (and I know I have shared this with you in the …
Just finished an incredible “Conquer Your Fear of Shooting Street Photography” here in Stockholm, and wow– this is one of the most awesome before/afters. I was so impressed to see how much all of …
SPonatanea is a very active and organized street photography collective based out of Italy. In the interview, I talked to them about their formation, activities, and upcoming projects. This interview also has a …
Read as a Google Doc (feel free to suggest edits), or download and print out the PDF. — I am a slave. I am a slave to others’ opinions of me. I am a slave …
Read as a Google Doc or download as PDF. — There is so much negativity and bullshit out there in modern life. I always hear people bitching and moaning about the difficulties of their …
Read as a Google Doc. — “Over the last 10 years, what has interested me in taking photographs is the maximum — the maximum that exists in a situation and the maximum I can …
Eric Kim Draft v1 (8/28/2015) Special thanks to Paul King and Alan Morris who have contributed lots of edits! Introduction Dear streettogs, I am excited to share you the first draft of my upcoming …
Read this article as a Google Doc (would love your comments/edits), download and print as a PDF, as an .epub (e-reader), or .mobi (for Kindle). I also recommend reading the original: “On the Shortness of …
This article is written by Neil Ta, originally posted here. The views posted here are his and his alone and may or may not be shared by Eric or any other contributors to the website. …
Read as a Google Doc or PDF. — Dear Friend, I wanted to share with you some thoughts that are on my mind: The first thing that came to mind: “small is beautiful.†So …
Dear streettogs, I am excited to share my new upcoming street photography workshops for the rest of the year! If you want to conquer your fears in street photography and meet new peers, don’t …
(Words and Photos by Pierre Belhassen) I’m Pierre Belhassen. I started photography 10 years ago. After studying cinema, I was given a camera. I wanted to discover New York City. It became a revelation in …
Read as a Google Doc or download as PDF. — Dear Ming, I wanted to write you this letter regarding all the trolls and “haters†you have been getting over on your blog. I …
Read as a Google Doc or download as PDF. — Hey Josh, I just wanted to write you this letter wishing you a happy (belated) birthday, and the lessons in life you’ve taught me, …
Cheers to another assignment wrapped and here’s a new one to keep everyone in Streettogs Academy moving, shooting, and perhaps for this assignment, following the beat!
Read as a Google Doc or download the PDF. — Dear friend and fellow streettog, I went to sleep last night, and woke up this morning in beautiful Leeds, England, and suddenly this story …
Read this as a Google Doc or download a PDF. — I have a problem. I often get too attached to my photos, especially my bad photos. I look at all of my photos …
(Cover Photo by Community’s Choice, Jomel Bartolome) In order for a photograph to exist, it has to have light but for this assignment, we are going to focus on the other side of the …
Read this article on Google Docs or download as a PDF. — I believe photography (and life) is more about subtraction (instead of addition). I’m re-reading “Antifragile†by Nassim Taleb, and his chapter on “Via …
(You can also read this as a Google Doc, or PDF) Dear friend, I just finished reading a book by Roman philosopher Epictetus, titled “Of Human Freedom.†It got me thinking a lot about …
I am currently working on a new book: “Learn From the Masters of Street Photography”, which is a distillation of all of the lessons that I’ve learned from the masters of street photography. You …
Jack Simon, a good friend and a street photographer I greatly admire shares what he thinks makes great street photography in the 2 minute video above. Check out my video where I shoot with …
“One should not spoil what is present by desiring what is absent. Rather, realize that what we have were among the things we might have prayed for.” – Epicurus (via the “Epicurus reader“) I’m …
Dear friend, I want to share with you something that has been on my mind for a while: whether a photographer should take a photograph everyday, or only when he/she feels like it. I …
Hey streettogs, just gave a free talk at EyeEm in Berlin last night titled: “7 Lessons from the Masters of Street Photography.” You can see and download the slides for free here.
My friend Josh White made a great point to me about cameras in photography: why is it that we as photographers always talk about the camera we want (that will apparently make us more “creative”) …
“You are not supposed to be a slave of mechanical tools, they are supposed to help you and be as small and unimportant as possible not to disturb the communication.†– Anders Petersen There …
This article is written by Josh White, originally posted here. The views posted here are his and his alone and may or may not be shared by the website as a whole ;) Disclaimer: …
“Rather than catching people unaware, they show the face they want to show. Unposed, caught unaware, they might reveal ambiguous expressions, brows creased in vague internal contemplation, illegible, perhaps meaningless. Why not allow the …
“Sometimes photographers mistake emotion for what makes a great street photograph.†– Garry Winogrand Imagine this situation: it is a cold and rainy day. You are out shooting on the streets, and you are …