On April 5th, 2011 South African photographer Anton Hammerl went missing after coming under fire from Gaddafi loyalists near the oil port of Brega in Libya. The three journalists with him, Clare Gillis, James Foley and Manu Brabo were captured and detained for 44 days.
For 44 days Anton’s family was told repeatedly by the Libyan regime that Anton was alive and well. The truth is he was left to die in the desert.
Anton is survived by his three children – 11 year-old Aurora, 8 year-old Neo, and 1 year-old baby Hiro – and his wife Penny Sukhraj.
The “Friends of Anton” initiative was formed to raise money for the family of Anton. Photographers who have donated prints to the cause include: website which has the latest details about the auction: 6.30pm at Christies New York on Wednesday 15 May.
Bruce Davidson
Samuel Aranda (2012 WPP winner)
Alec Soth
Sebastio Salgado
Larry Fink
Marcus Bleasdale
David Alan Harvey
Ron Haviv
Susan Meiselas
Ed Kashi
Simon Roberts
Finbarr O’Reilly
Kate Brooks
Check out the “Friends of Anton” site to see how you can help support this noble cause!
(Above photograph by Jun Shen Chia from his “Tokyo” series)
Eric’s Note: This article is written my good friend, fellow street photographer, and gamer Jun Shen Chia. I met him in Singapore, and marveled at how he was able to shoot so quickly on the streets. I also found out he was a total nerd when it came to video games- and asked him to write this fun article! Enjoy it.
Jun Shen: People ask me, “Jun Shen, how do you shoot so fast on the streets?!?” I’m like a ninja, whipping out my camera, shooting it, and putting it away so quickly that my subjects don’t know what hit them. They walk away whispering to themselves, “What was that? Did he take our photo?
It’s thanks to video games, folks. Read on to find out why.
Thank you for your feedback and thoughts in my previous article titled, “Why Digital is Dead For Me In Street Photography“. The post I written has sparked a healthy amount of discussion and debate. However I would like to clarify some points which I made in the article which I feel was misinterpreted.
(Above image: Henri Cartier-Bresson, Naples, 1960)
Adam Marelli, a photographer based in NYC (also doing a street photography workshop with me in NYC [register intent] and Calcutta India [register intent]) recently wrote up an incredible series on composition, surrealism based on the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson. Make sure to bookmark all the pages below (they are very thorough and intense) and read them when you have some time on your hands!
(Above photo from my “Dark Skies Over Tokyo” series. Shot with my Leica M6 and Kodak Tri-X film)
I never really understood the appeal of film in the digital age. After all, shooting film was expensive, cumbersome, and a pain in the ass to do compared to digital. Not only that, but with digital I had all the instant gratification I wanted. I didn’t have to wait before seeing my images- they would come to me instantly. I could post-process them all I wanted- to give my images that certain ‘look’ that I desired.
For this post I will share how I first got introduced to film street photography, the pros of shooting street photography with film, and how you can get started shooting street photography with film as well. Keep reading to learn more!
Eric’s Note: Streettogs Gallery is an on-going feature and intiative by Manila-based street photographer A.G. De Mesa. Click here for more info.
AG: This week, let me share to you some thoughts on why having a body of work is important while showing a great work from Kip Praslowicz.
After years of studying, looking, and analyzing photographs I have to realize one thing: The body of work is the most important thing a photographer should have. However, the journey of making a body of work is not that easy. It is so consuming that at times, photographers sacrifice their personal lives in pursuit of the great work. More often than not, it results with a lot of emotional and mental stresses. With those reasons and a lot more, why then do we need to pursue a body of work?
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Eric’s Note: Tomasz Lazar, a very talented young street photographer recently has had the honor of being chosen by the jury of Emphas.is to present his project “Theater of Life” alongside with such great photographer as: Kadir van Lohuizen,Lynsey Addario, Christopher Morris, Paolo Pellegrin, Tomas van Houtryve, Laura El-Tantawy, Carolyn Drake or Joao Pina. Now he is trying to gather money for next part of my “Theater of Life“. With Emphas.is you can get access to the entire process of developing the project, tracking his every step from planning to research to the travel diary.
Tomasz: Theater of life is a very personal project about life – how I perceive of it. It is an exploration of surrealism in everyday life. Theatre of life is an essay that is a combination of my experiences and thoughts about what surrounds me.
Tokyo, 2016 (with “Eric Kim Monochrome 1600” preset)
I’ve been working on these presets for a long time. They’re mostly optimized for the Ricoh GR and when shooting with flash— but I figure they will look good with any camera (as long as you shoot in RAW).
There are two Lightroom presets included:
Eric Kim Color 1600 (gritty, high-contrast color preset)
Eric Kim Monochrome 1600 (gritty, high-contrast black and white preset)
Under the “Presets” drop-down menu (bottom-left) right-click (or on Mac, control+click) and click “Import…” and then select your presets from your “Downloads” folder
Apply to your image
Older Presets
Downtown LA, 2015. “Eric Kim Neopan 1600” preset.
Below are my Lightroom film simulation presets from 2015:
Eric’s Note: “Waiting For Haiti” is a long-term photography project by photographer Robert Larson that aims to help raise awareness and money to support smaller charities in Haiti. Read the story of Renaldo Fevilien, one of the friends that Robert befriended while in Haiti- and the horrific atrocities that he suffered. *Note that many of the photographs in this post are incredibly graphic and may not be safe for work.
Robert: This is Renaldo Fevilien.
Renaldo and I met during my last trip to Haiti. Our mutual friend Jeanmary Michel introduced us the night I arrived. We were watching The Boondocks and drinking whiskey. I remember looking at Renaldo sitting there with this I.D. card / bottle opener around his neck, and wearing his sparkly clean Lugz. My first impression was “damn thats a big son of a bitch!”.
TURKEY. Istanbul. 2001. View from a barbershop near Taksim Square. (c) Alex Webb / Magnum Photos
Photographs used with permission from Alex Webb
One of the street photographers who have had a strong impact on my street photography is Alex Webb. Webb is a Magnum photographer who uses strong colors, light, and emotion to capture beautifully complex images. After picking up a copy of Alex Webb’s “The Suffering of Light” I fell in love with his work and his use of color- and started to also make the transition from black and white to color.
If you want to see some things you can learn from Alex Webb and his work, keep reading below!
Suggestion: When you are out shooting on the streets, try to get subjects in your foreground, mid-ground, and background. Be patient and wait until all the elements come together, and think of how your photographs can lead viewers into your photograph, and then out of them.
2. Fill the frame
USA. New York City. 1983. Coney Island.
“It’s not just that that and that exists. It’s that that, that, that, and that all exist in the same frame. I’m always looking for something more. You take in too much; perhaps it becomes total chaos. I’m always playing along that line: adding something more, yet keeping it sort of chaos.” – Alex Webb
If I could categorize some of Alex Webb’s work it would be “orderly chaos”. He often fills the frame with so many subjects that it almost feels too busy. However many of the subjects in his photographs don’t overlap and there are many “mini-interactions” in his photographs. This is what makes his images interesting- as I think his photographs tell lots of small stories inside the frame.
Suggestion: When shooting on the streets, try to constantly add things to your frame – yet know when “too much” is “too much”. Try not to overlap the subjects in your frame, and try to have a nice balance between dark shadows and the light (shoot when the light is good- sunrise and sunset).
3. Walk… a lot
USA. Texas. Dallas. 1981.
“I only know how to approach a place by walking. For what does a street photographer do but walk and watch and wait and talk, and then watch and wait some more, trying to remain confident that the unexpected, the unknown, or the secret heart of the known awaits just around the corner.” – Alex Webb
The only way you are going to capture great street photographs is to walk on the streets… a lot. When you are out walking on the streets, you will open yourself up to many more opportunities to shoot on the streets, and also experience the feel of a place.
Back home in Los Angeles, nobody walks. In-fact I am guilty of it myself. When I go to the supermarket (which is about a five minute walk) I like to drive my car (which only takes one minute). However on the way I am missing potentially great photo opportunities.
Suggestion: Try to walk as much as you can. Even if getting to a place (grocery store, bookstore, shopping center) will take 30 minutes (instead of five minutes) try to walk. Bring your camera along, and you will open yourself up to many more photo opportunities.
4. Look for the light
USA. San Ysidro, California. 1979. Mexicans arrested while trying to cross the border to United States.
“Colors are the deeds and suffering of light.” – Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
“The Suffering of Light” is the title of Webb’s most recent book- a phenomenally beautiful book with smooth and thick white paper, velvety pages, vividly brilliant colors, and a great selection of Webb’s best work from the last 30 years.
From a recent interview he talks about the quote:
“My understanding – of course, I’m not a philosopher or a scientist – of an aspect of Goethe’s theory of color is that he felt that color came out of tension between light and dark. I think that is very appropriate when you think about the kind of color that I shoot.” – Alex Webb
He often describes when he is shooting in places- he looks for the tension between borders. For example, he found Istanbul a fascinating place because geographically- it is located as a hub for many different cultures. It is a melting pot in terms of socio-economic, political, and ethnic terms. He says about Istanbul, “I returned frequently between 2001 and 2005 to complete a book on this vibrant and melancholy city that sits between the divide between the East and west: Istanbul: City of a Hundred Names”.
He also refers to shooting at the U.S.-Mexico border and says:
“…There is something about the transience, the impermanence of the border that has always fascinated me. It’s a place where two cultures meet and intermingle and create almost a third country.”
From another interview when asked about himself shooting:
“When I am working, then I really have to work. I really have to work. I really have to stay attuned. I have to get up early in the morning, get out and I wonder and maybe the light is getting less interesting, then I eat my breakfast… I work in color, where light is really important in a very special way, so I work certain hours much more than others. I am always out at the latter half of the afternoon and in the evening.”
Suggestion: When shooting in color, don’t shoot color for the sake of shooting color. Think about what sort of message or meaning that shooting in color has. Also make sure when shooting with color – shoot when the light is good (morning and late evening).
5. Realize 99.9% of street photography is failure
MEXICO. Boquillas (Border). 1979. Jumping.
“Luck – or perhaps serendipity – plays a big role… But you never know what is going to happen. And what is most exciting is when the utterly unexpected happens, and you manage to be there at the right place at the right time – and push the shutter at the right moment. Most of the time it doesn’t work out that way. This kind of photography is 99.9% about failure.” – Alex Webb
It is rare that you make a great photograph. There are some many things beyond your control. How your subject looks, the intensity of the light, the background, the moment, and so forth.
Therefore realize that when you are shooting street photography, 99.9% of your images are going to be bad photographs.
Suggestion: Go out and shoot as much as you can. Although 99.9% of street photography is about failure, the more you go out and shoot- the more chances you will have to take great images.
If you go out and shoot for an entire day and shoot 100 photographs, you might get 1 decent photograph. If you shoot 200 photographs, you might get 2 decent photographs. If you shoot 300 photographs, you might get 3 decent photographs.
Of course if you machine gun when you are out shooting- it won’t make you a better street photographer. Shoot with intent, and after that – a lot of getting a great image is a numbers game. Remember you can make your own luck.
6. Work on projects
HAITI. Bombardopolis.1986.
“Most of my projects seem to start as exploratory journeys with no visible end in sight.” – Alex Webb
As written previously, I believe that working on projects is a great way to approach street photography. The reason is that working on projects will give you direction, purpose, and will allow you to create a narrative or story.
However working on projects is often difficult. We don’t know how long they will take, or what to shoot. When talking about his own projects, Webb states: “Different projects seem to have different arcs of completion”.
Suggestion: Think about how you see the world, and how your photographs reflect that. First start off by shooting your own life. What makes your city unique from others? If you want to go travel, go to a place with an open-mind and see what themes emerge. Then start focusing on those themes- and narrowing down.
Guanajuato. 1987. Child and statue.
There are times we may hit brick walls with our street photography, and don’t know what direction to head toward. Webb shares one of his experiences:
“In 1975, I reached a kind of dead end in my photography. I had been photographing in black and white, then my chosen medium, taking pictures of the American social landscape in New England and around New York – desolate parking lots inhabited by elusive human figures, lost-looking children strapped in car seats, ad dogs slouching by the street. The photographs were a little alienated, sometimes ironic, occasionally amusing, perhaps a bit surreal, and emotionally detached. Somehow I sensed that the work wasn’t taking me anywhere new. I seemed to be exploring territory that other photographers- such as Lee Friedlander and Charles Harbutt – had already discovered.” – Alex Webb
After this realization, Webb headed to Haiti, which transformed him- and also influenced him to change his work into color.
I experienced something similar myself. When I first started shooting street photography, I shot like Henri Cartier-Bresson – looking for the decisive moment, being patient, and juxtaposing interesting subjects and backgrounds. However after a while, I found myself hitting a dead wall- and being uninterested in that way of working.
I then found a video on YouTube about Gilden shooting street photography- and was fascinated. I experimented shooting with a flash – and found that getting close was more interesting to me, and a better way of working for myself. After all, I find myself to be much more of an outgoing and up-front person, rather than someone who is a more passive and “invisible”.
Suggestion: Experiment if you feel frustrated with your own work. If the way you are shooting street photography isn’t making you happy- try something else. Always shoot in b/w? Try color. Shoot digital? Try film. Always upload your photographs everyday? Try once a month.
Experimentation is very important- but try not to experiment too much. Experiment enough until you find yourself reasonably content, and stick with it!
8. Follow your obsession
MEXICO. Oaxaca state. Tehuantepec. 1985. Children playing in a courtyard.
“I mean its an obsession, you follow the obsession but at the same time you have so many doubts, you know. Why am I wasting so much money going back to this place, taking more pictures? What’s the point of it? No one cares about it. I think I care about it but maybe I am deceiving myself.” – Alex Webb
If you want to become a great street photographer, I think obsession is important. Not all of us want to become great street photographers (we may just do it for fun or as a hobby) but if you take your street photography seriously – work hard and overcome your doubts.
There are times you might doubt yourself why you are out shooting. I experience it all the time myself. But working on projects can help you stay more focused with your photography, while also meeting other photographers, reading photo books, and constantly shooting.
Suggestion: To stay obsessive with street photography, constantly read books on street photography, meet other street photographers, and shoot. In sociology there is a saying that “you are the average of the five people closest to you”. Therefore if you hang around with a lot of passionate street photographers- by proxy- you will become a passionate and (healthily obsessive) street photographer yourself.
9. Capture the emotion of a place
Leon. 1987.
“Color is very much about atmosphere and emotion and the feel of a place.” – Alex Webb
Shooting in color is a great way to capture the mood and the atmosphere of a place. But once again mentioned before in this article- don’t shoot color simply for the sake of shooting color. Think about how shooting color can add context and meaning to your photographs.
UGANDA. Kampala. 1980.
Alex Webb shares about the experience that transformed him to shooting color:
“Three years after my first trip to Haiti, I realized there was another emotional note that had to be reckoned with: the intense, vibrant color of these worlds. Searing light and intense color seemed somehow embedded in the cultures that I had begun working in, so utterly different from the gray-brown reticence of my New England background. Since then, I have worked predominantly in color.” – Alex Webb
Therefore you can see one of the main reasons he switched to color was to capture the mood and intensity of the locations he was visiting.
Suggestion: Think about what kind of mood or emotion your project/photos are trying to tell- and choose the right medium. If you are interested in capturing the darkness and gloom of a place- b/w will probably work better. If you want to capture the energy, light, and excitement of a place- color might work better. Remember the saying, “The medium is the message.”
10. Travel
GRENADA. Gouyave. Bar. 1979.
Before I started traveling and teaching street photography workshops full-time, I had never traveled much. The negative thing about not traveling is that you can become close-minded. You only think about the values of the society you live in- and you forget about the outside world.
MEXICO. Ciudad Madero. 1983.
Traveling has helped open up my eyes to the rest of the world- and has transformed me as a person as well. I see the world from a much more global perspective- and have relished meeting new people while experiencing new cultures.
Travel can also help you get out of a rut in your photography (although not necessary). Webb shares one of his experiences:
“I happened to pick up a Graham Greene’s novel, The Comedians, a work set in the turbulent world of Papa Doc’s Haiti, and read about a world that fascinated and scared me. Within Months I was on a plane to Port-au-Prince.
The first three-week trip to Haiti transformed me- both as a photographer and a human being. I photographed a kind of world I had never experienced before, a world of emotional vibrancy and intensity: raw, disjointed, and often tragic. I began to explore to other places- in the Caribbean, along the U.S.-Mexico border- places like Haiti, where life seemed to be lived on the stoop and in the street.” – Alex Webb
Suggestion: Travel as much as you can. I know in the states, people don’t travel as much as they should. Part of it is the work-a-holic society we live in (and crappy 2-week breaks we get), but even a brief trip to another place in the world can be life changing. Traveling has taught me to be less materialistic, and also more appreciate of other cultures and ways of life- and thinking. It has also helped me explore new photo projects in different parts of the world (in Asia specifically with my “First World Asia” project which is currently underway).
Not everyone can travel- but if you can- travel and open your eyes to the rest of the world as much as you can.
Eric’s Note: I am pleased to feature this article by Colin Corneau, a Brandon, Manitoba based photojournalist and street photographer. Check out his article below explaining the strengths of shooting solo!
Colin: First off, let me make clear that my column is in no way making a case against working in groups.I’ve had the pleasure of shooting street with another fellow photographer many times, I don’t think creativity is a zero-sum game — just by getting out there and making an effort to create something, we make the world just a little bit bigger.
Hey streettogs, I am excited that this Thursday 4/12 (tomorrow) from 1-2pm I will be giving a free seminar at Michael’s Camera in Melbourne.
I will be telling the stories behind some of my most memorable images, giving tips on shooting in the streets, and will be open to any questions! I will also be available to do some portfolio reviews afterwards (so bring an iPad or some prints!)
Make sure to drop on by, and follow Michael’s Camera on Twitter @MichaelsCamera
Address: 265-269 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia – Google Map
(All photographs are used with permission from Junku Nishimura).
I just finished reading the book: The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business which was a fascinating look into how we build our behaviors and lifestyles through habits. The book argues that the majority of the lives we lead are nothing but a string of routines and habits – and that we could change our lives by changing our habits.
This got me thinking about street photography. The biggest hurdles that I used to be challenged with with my old day-job (and still am struggling with) is finding enough time to shoot street photography. This blog post in reference to the legendary book, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey will hopefully help you build better habits to spend more time shooting street photography, and how to get better!
Eric’s Note: Hey streettogs, I wanted to share this great opportunity hosted by Photovoice, a charity that combines social advocacy and photography! If you have ever wanted to give back to the community (while obtaining some great street photography prints) – check it out! More info below :)
Photovoice: Leading practitioners from across the world have come together to offer their work in an online sale to raise money for the charity PhotoVoice. The Street Collection includes beautiful, dramatic, comic and moving images that capture the energy and idiosyncrasy of everyday life on streets across the globe. Over 300 prints will be available at just £100 each. This is a unique opportunity to buy outstanding street photographs at an affordable price. Many of the prints available are well known but have never previously been available for purchase.
Eric’s Note: Streettogs Gallery is an on-going feature and intiative by Manila-based street photographer A.G. De Mesa. Click here for more info.
A.G.:I’ve been following Lem’s work over at Flickr for quite some time now. He is what I would classify as a classical street photographer with mastery of light, timing, and overall visual design. His terrific use of black and white reinforces that aesthetic especially when he utilizes it to for silhouettes.
I want to emphasize that Lem’s photographs are really good. Although recently, he is posting something that is really unique.
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Hey guys, if you happen to be in Melbourne (or closeby) check out the exhibition launch of the G-STREET Photography Contest on Thursday, 19 April, 6pm at No Vacancy Gallery, QV Building in Melbourne. Originally I couldn’t make it- but now extending my stay here in Melbourne just so I can attend!
Make sure to come out and meet other passionate street photographers, and chat it up with the judges of the contest, Michael Baranovic and Tamara Voninsky.
The best contest entries (not just the winning ones) will be exhibited alongside the judges’ works. Come and see if yours has been put up for all to view and admire!
Canapés and drinks will be served. Please RSVP today as seats are limited. Family and friends are welcome!
Hey streettogs, FYI but the call for submissions for the 2012 Angkor Photo Festival is now open! There is currently no imposed theme, and no limit in terms of the number of images you can submit to be considered. Submit below!
Hey streettogs, I am excited to announce that my good friend Todd Hatakeyama (the owner of the Hatakeyama Gallery) is undergoing a plan of creating a dedicated classroom, to continue to nurture the local arts scene in Los Angeles! The Hatakeyama Gallery was used to featured numerous photography workshops, exhibitions, and is on the Downtown LA art walk route! The venue would be used as a hub for all photographers to meet and interact, while giving a location for up-and-coming photographers to display their work as well.
Note: Photos used with permission from Martin Parr
As of late, Martin Parr is one of my idols in street photography. I love his never-ending passion for street/documentary photography (Alec Soth recently called him the “Jay-Z” of documentary photography)- and the thought-provoking images that his photos tell. For this article I will share 10 things that I learned from Martin Parr and his work that I hope will help you in your street photography as well!
*4-2-12 Update: We have randomly chose a winner, and it was Julien Rath! His winning comment was below. Stay tuned for the next free giveaway! :)
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The good folks at Custom SLR (one of my site sponsors) has generously provided a Custom SLR Glidestrap + C-Loop($64.95 value) for a give-away on the blog! You can have the chance to either win this great strap which is perfect for street photography- especially on your DSLR, Leica, or rangefinder camera. It takes a ton of strain off your neck- while letting your camera hang to the side – perfect for getting ready for “the decisive moment”. You can see a sample video of it in action here.
To enter this giveaway, all you need to do is:
Share your tip on how to re-inspire yourself in street photography when you are feeling uninspired (in 7 words or less)
There are three ways to enter (the more ways you enter, the more chances to win!):
For those of you who may not know, this quarter I taught my first online street photography course with UC Riverside Extension titled, “All the World’s a Stage: Introduction to Street Photography“. Many of the students who enrolled in the class had no experience with street photography before, yet have done incredibly well in the course.
This Friday (3/23) from 6-9PM we will be exhibiting the best street photographs taken by the students from the course.
Editing in street photography is one of the most important aspects to know. When I refer to “editing“, I am referring to the act of choosing your best images, rather than “post-processing”. However nowadays when most photographers refer to “editing” their work, you can almost determine with 99% accuracy that they mean “post-processing” their work. Due to this confusion and interchanging use of the word “editing” – the true art of editing of choosing your best work is a lost cause.
For this article, I will attempt to explain why editing is so important in street photography and give practical tips and advice on how you can become a better editor of your work (and how to ask others for advice as well). Keep reading if you want to find out more!
Darkon Coan, one of the readers of the blog, recently shared me an image of Henri Cartier-Bresson’s famous “Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare” shot in 1932 compared to what it looks like now in Google Maps shot in 2008. Fascinating to see how little has changed in that period of time!
If you want a quality-education in street photography, I recommend either buying, borrowing, or browsing though some of the books below. Books that are bolded are some of my personal favorites.
Eric’s Note: Streettogs Gallery is an on-going feature and intiative by Manila-based street photographer A.G. De Mesa. Check out more info here.
AG: Photography is nothing without seeing. The light, colors, shadows, contrasts, patterns. Human life in general. And it is in seeing that a good photographer will be able to replicate what was seen in a photograph.
This is one of those works that really invites you to just see.
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Over the last few months, the amount of haters and online trolls I have attracted has increased exponentially. They are everywhere—on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Blogs, Online forums, and the worst—YouTube (I swear, half the things people say there…).
To be quite honest, I used to take a lot of these hateful things to heart—and it still does sting pretty hard time-to-time. Growing up, I always took criticism very personally—but through my experiences on the blog and my online social presence has helped me overcome (mostly) all of this haterade people on the internet love to drink.
For this post I will talk about a bit of my experience with haters on the internet, and some advice I would give to anyone else dealing with online trolls whose sole mission in life is to make you feel like crap (while they are still living in the basement of their parents’ house).
Eric’s Note: CritiqueMe is an on-going street photography critique series by Ollie Gapper, a photography student and street photographer based in the UK.
Ollie Gapper: So this week I thought I’d try and do something different with the CritiqueMe series, where, instead of trying to offer a full critique to a photographers work, I wanted to shape the critique around one particular aspect I feel the featured photographer and community in general may find useful.
Eric’s Note: Streettogs Gallery is an on-going feature and intiative by Manila-based street photographer A.G. De Mesa. Check out more info here.
A.G.: Gary Tyson is a great commercial photographer and has been in different locations around the globe. He is also the co-insturctor in Eric’s previously concluded street photography workshop in Hong Kong so I was really delighted whe he sent in a link of a collection of his street photographs.
What I usually do when a collection is sent instead of a series is I try edit properly to show things in common. It could be aesthetic similarities, strong themes, or repeating subjects. So I pointed out to Gary a subject that continually pops up in his street shots:
It now has been around 5 years that I have been shooting street photography- and I have learned an incredible amount through trial and failure. I made this recent list of things I have learned while shooting street photography– and some of my personal opinions. Remember, take everything in this list with a grain of salt! I simply made this list as both a way for me to self-reflect, and hopefully you can find some of these tips helpful.
Harness the power of groups/collectives to spread your photography
Don’t focus on aesthetics in your photos—but rather the message
Shooting film is magical
Never upload your photographs immediately—let them marinate for at least a week before sharing them
Good projects often take at least a year to complete
Post-processing your images digitally should never take more than a minute
Printing your photographs out large is immensely satisfying
Share your knowledge & technique with others – never hoard it yourself
It is better to shoot everyday for 10 minutes than to shoot once a week for 10 hours
Only show your best work
Photo-sets with over 25 images are exhausting to look through
It is great to constantly experiment with your technique and gear—but once you find something that works reasonably well stop and stick with it
When in doubt, ask for permission
People love to be complimented while on the streets
Don’t take photos of people who look pissed off or walk extremely quickly. These are the people who often get upset when you take their photograph
If shooting digital, always shoot in RAW
Look at other forms of art for inspiration
Take photos of people’s faces, not their backs
Eyes are the windows to the soul. Get photos with eye-contact in your images.
Your photos are only as good as the photos you look at. Avoid the internet and look at photo-books for inspiration
Giving helpful critique to others will make you a better judge of your own work
“If your photos aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough” – Robert Capa
After a whole day of shooting, I am lucky if I get 1-2 good photographs
The more time you spend on online forums, the less you will shoot
Don’t think too much while taking photographs. Avoid “paralysis by analysis”
Don’t chimp while shooting on the streets (checking your LCD screen). You will lose many decisive moments
“Luck is when preparation meets opportunity” – Seneca
You can get luckier in street photography by spending more time out shooting in the streets
Don’t crop. Get it right in-camera
Look for the light
You will take the best photographs in the least-likely places
Always carry your camera with you everywhere you go. Everywhere
The smaller your camera is the less intimidating you will look
Don’t shoot from the hip if you have a camera with a viewfinder. Use the viewfinder—that’s why it’s there
Good composition alone doesn’t make a good photograph. A great photograph needs soul.
Don’t let inspiration be your main source of motivation for shooting. Go out and shoot even when you don’t feel like it—and the streets will re-inspire you
Street photography doesn’t have to have people in it
“Creepiness is proportional to focal length”. Don’t shoot street photography with a telephoto/zoom lens
The best place to shoot street photography is your own backyard
Crouch often when shooting to get at least eye-level (or lower) to get a natural (or unusual perspective)
The lighter your camera bag, the more you will enjoy shooting
Don’t forget to look down and up when shooting
When in doubt, click
Don’t try to just take photos of interesting people, but try to take photos of interesting gestures
It is better to take an extraordinary photo of something ordinary, rather than taking an ordinary photo of something extraordinary
The way people react to street photography (all around the world) is often more similar than dissimilar
There is no perfect camera for street photography. Every camera has its own strengths/limitations
Learn to memorize a focal length so you can frame your shots before even bringing up your camera to your eye
The best combo: one camera and one lens
Focus on hands – they communicate strong messages to the viewer
Contrary to popular belief, most people don’t get pissed off when you take photos of them (most people actually quite like it)
Street photographs are well-balanced with an odd-number of subjects (1 person, 3 people, 5 people, etc)
“Realize that most of your photographs are crap” – Charlie Kirk
Shoot to please yourself, not others
The best response to internet trolls who criticize your work (without helpful critique) is to ignore them completely
If you have the opportunity, don’t just settle for one photograph. Take multiple photographs if possible. “Killers shoot twice” – Thomas Leuthard
If you don’t ask for critiques, nobody will ever give it to you
If you are going to ask someone for permission for a photograph, always preface your question with, “I know this may sound weird, but…”. Works like a charm.
If you don’t make time to go out and shoot, you will never go out and shoot.
Learn to judge distances well- so you can prefocus before you anticipate the shot (1.2 meters is roughly two arms-lengths, and 3 meters is roughly half the distance of a room)
76. Spend less time arguing over the definition of street photography, and go out and shoot more
77. You only remember 5-10 photographs from some of the most famous street photographers who have ever lived. Aim to take 5-10 great photographs before you die.
78. Photography is incredibly difficult
79. If people notice you taking a photograph of you, tell them, “Ignore me—pretend like you don’t see me” and most people will laugh it off and continue doing what they were doing
80. If confronted by a person on why you took their photograph, take a step toward them and be open and honest about your intentions. Stand your ground and know your rights.
81. Simplify your photographs. Less is more.
82. Don’t put watermarks on your photographs. It cheapens your work.
83. Street photographs don’t sell
84. Travel as often as you can to open up your views to the rest of the world and society
85. Always carry an extra memory card and battery (in war two is one and one is none)
Don’t always hunt for shots—if you are patient enough, they will come to you
Shoot at ISO 1600 or above (keep your shutter above 250ths/second)
f/8 and be there
Black cameras draw less attention to you
It is more interesting to take photos of rich people than poor people
Never delete any of your photographs (you can rediscover hidden gems later in the future)
Silver Efex Pro 2 is the best black and white conversion software for digital
“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take” – Wayne Gretsky
Don’t aim to take pretty photographs, aim to take meaningful photographs
Don’t be sneaky when shooting—you will get in twice as much trouble if you get caught
A great street photograph both has strong composition and story
When it comes down to it, composition isn’t as important as the story
99.9% of the photographs online are crap
Love your critics
100.Offer to email your subjects their photographs (they love it)
101.Break the rules
102.Make your own list
Foreword by Ollie Gapper: CritiqueMe is still alive and well, I just haven’t had time to produce a good, in-depth critique this week, it will be returning soon!
Its been thrown at you pretty relentlessly over the past few months: the notion of shooting film and its merits over digital, but what should you know before/during your time spent shooting this marvellous medium? This is a short list of things that I have personally found useful learning in shooting film, things I hope will help you as much as me!
Eric’s Note: Streettogs Gallery is an on-going feature and intiative by Manila-based street photographer A.G. De Mesa. Check out more info here.
A.G.: I always defined street photography as “Photographing people in a public place with or without permission”. That is how I go about shooting but when I encountered the work of William Eggleston, my definition shattered.
It seemed that his work doesn’t fit how I understood and read about photography. His photos are so simple, mundane, and very uninteresting. So much so that I think Eggleston’s War with the obvious is the anti-thesis of Bresson’s philosophy The Decisive Moment.
Recently at the Downtown LA Art Walk, some of my fellow LA Streettogs and myself showed our work at the Hatakeyama Gallery. Lots of awesome people came out and supported and checked out some of the work by our group.
In the video I use my GoPro video camera to take you behind-the-scenes of the gallery, and right in all the fun! You can also get a sneak-peak on 3 of my photographs from my series: “Dark Skies over Tokyo” (shot with my Leica M6 and film). I will be sharing the full series later on, so stay updated!
The “What Photographers Actually Do” meme has been spreading like wildfire as of late. Danny Santos just put together a one for street photographers which is pretty hilarious (and true to a certain extent).
What would you add/change in the image above? Leave your thoughts in the comments below!
Update 2-27-12: Congratulations to John Barduhn for winning the giveaway! His tip was: “Always say “Thank You“. Stay tuned for our next giveaway soon ;)
thinkTANK Photo has generously provided a Retrospective 20 Shoulder Messanger Bag($167.75 value) for a give-away on the blog! You can have the chance to either win a version in Pinestone or Black (I prefer the Pinestone color). They make fantastic street photography bags, as they don’t look like camera bags (thus you can be more discrete). If you want a smaller bag, also check out the Retrospective 5 (good for street photographers with a Leica or Micro 4/3rds system).
To enter this giveaway, all you need to do is:
Share your #1 street photography tip (in 7 words or less)
There are three ways to enter (the more ways you enter, the more chances to win!):
Eric’s Note: This feature is by Trevor Marczylo, a Winnipeg-based street photographer who has made the move to Korea! If anyone in Korea wants to meet up with him- drop him a line! Follow his blog as well.
Trevor: I ‘ve gotten a ton of emails over the last few weeks regards to how I get that black sloppy border around my images in the darkroom. I simply just took a file and hacked into it until I was happy.
So for this week’s article I thought I’d write a quick and simple discription on how to file out your negative holder so you can have your own signature negative border style.
There really isn’t anything to it and all you need is a small flat file and your negative holder, some black paint or nail polish and the will to destroy your neg holder.
I am excited that issue #2 of Radiate Magazine is out. Radiate is a street photography magazine edited by Stu Egan, and features work, interviews, and features from up-and-coming street photographers from all around the globe.
You can get hold of printed copies here which costs $21 + shipping. It will make a great addition to your street photography library!
You can also download free PDFs from that page, or if you don’t want to register with Magcloud just head over to www.radiate-magazine.co.uk and get one there.
Long before director Stanley Kubrick directed influetial films such as Lolita, Dr. Strangelove, 2001: A Space Odyssey, A Clockwork Orange and The Shining — he took incredible street photographs in New York City since he was 17. He worked until the 1950’s for Look Magazine before he decided to pursue filmmaking.
Keep reading to check out incredible street photographs taken by Kubrick – which are comical, intruiging, and full of energy and excitement! Make sure to also check out Twisted Sifter for all the images!
*Florian Dirks from my Facebook fan page has let me know that not all of the photographs included below are unposed- some of them are elaborately staged. Incredible photographs nonetheless. Also big thanks to Rinzi Ruiz for directing me towards these photos!
My good colleague and fellow street shooter Thomas Leuthard currently has a street photography contest running titled: “Street Self Portrait” running on Flickr. Some of the rules are below:
These are some of the prizes for the contest as well!
1st prize – 3 years of Flickr Pro
2nd prize – 2 years of Flickr Pro
3rd prize – 1 year of Flickr Pro
If you have any further questions about the contest, please post them in this thread on Flickr.
Good luck to everybody and excited to see the winner!
Enter the contest by uploading your photograph here.
I am excited to announce that my good friend and Mexico City-based streettog Alex Coghe has recently published a free e-book on street photography. He goes over practical tips & techniques, philosophy, and general thoughts about street photography. It has a great wealth of information and inspiration – so make sure to check it out!
You can download a free copy on Scribd or directly here.
If you want more free e-books on street photography, make sure to check out Thomas Leuthard’s free ebooks on street photography as well.
Below is the text pulled from my Yelp review of Steve’s Camera Service to fix my broken Leica M6.
—
So here is the story:
About 3 months ago, I inherited a Leica M6 from a good friend of mine. I had only shot digital (with a Leica M9) and shooting film was a huge blast. I took that baby through half of Asia (Tokyo, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu, etc).
Then about a week ago I was shooting with it in Downtown LA and suddenly at around 20 shots in- my film advance lever would get jammed. I was scared crapless- because I had to get it fixed ASAP (heading to Hong Kong in 3 days to teach a street photography workshop).
Anyways, I asked on Twitter about the broken M6 problem- and a bunch of guys referred me to Steve.
“Sharpness is a bourgeois concept” – Henri Cartier Bresson
In the modern age of photography, everyone seems to have an unhealthy obsession with how sharp lenses are, how much bokeh they produce, and how “3d” they can make their images appear.
Ignore these statements. Anyone who talks at excessive length about any of these topics are misled into thinking that what makes a great photograph are the effects that expensive lenses can give you.
I recently read a critique on Severin Koller’s blog regarding the ethics of street photography and shooting street photography close, with a wide-angle, and a flash (similar to Bruce Gilden). He brings up issues that I think that all street photographers should consider when they think about why they shoot street photography and whether there is a “right or wrong” approach in street photography.
For this post, I will try to type out some of my personal thoughts on the topic at hand. There will be many flaws in my argument but please bear with me—I consider it more of a personal essay that will help me explicate my own thoughts. I will try to draw from street photography books, my personal experiences, as well as some pseudo-philosophy to back up any of my claims.
My ultimate claim is that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to shoot street photography (as there is an abundance of street photography styles out there). However when it comes to street photography, we should argue less about the aesthetics, styles, technique, and approach and —and concentrate on the question: “Why do we photograph?” It doesn’t matter if you use a wide-angle lens or a normal lens or if you use a flash or not. In the end the most important question remains: “Am I creating images that makes a statement on humanity, and will my images have the power to influence others to see differently?”
This is the tenth Instruction for the Year 2 of the Street Photography Now Project, written to inspire fresh ways of looking at and documenting the world we all live in. Photographs you contribute should be new work made in response to the Instruction.
The group will open on Friday 03.02.12 at 10.00 GMT. You have until 10.00 GMT on 17.02.12 to upload one photograph in response to this instruction.
Ollie: Let me start this with an apology. I haven’t had time this week to produce a nice in-depth interview or to find something or someone to write massively about, (the reason is stated below) so as much as I dislike talking and promoting my own work, this week I haven’t really got a choice.
So, as a lot of you will have known from observing my Twitter and Google+ accounts, I have recently spent a night in hospital whilst undergoing tests for a sleeping disorder. It was nothing major, just an uncomfortable night of being hooked up to a computer that monitors my brain activity. I decided to make use of this situation and bring a few cameras with me to enable me to produce some work.
Eric’s Note: This guest blog post is by Alex Coghe, a passionate street photographer from Mexico City. I had the great pleasure of meeting Alex in Los Angeles for the ThinkTank Gallery “YOU ARE HERE” street photography event sponsored by Leica. See this post why he loves street photography, and see how it echoes with you too!
Alex: Street Photography for me is all about the photography. There are so many genres of art, but street photography is the most powerful to me.
Street photography is one of the biggest passions in my life. My mind is always on street photography. I spend a large amount of time either shooting on the streets, blogging about street photography, networking with street photography, and thinking about street photography.
Eric’s Note: I am pleased to announce the great concept of the “Streettogs Gallery” — a concept by A.g. De Mesa, a passionate street photographer from Manila in the Philippines. Hopefully his idea can help bring more great photo series, documentary series, and photo essays!
So what is this about?
A.g.: Stemming from Eric’s piece on making a series, Streettogs Gallery is a column appearing every Wednesday wherein I will showcase street photography based photo series, documentary projects, and photography essays together with my thoughts on the stories and the artist which could hopefully contribute to the aesthetic and knowledge of you, the readers.
I also hope to encourage a healthy discussion and show our opinions about the work presented and to judge it not whether if it is good or bad technically (an area in which Ollie’s CritiqueMe series is all about) but rather if it contributes to the art form that is street photography and to push it further.
Read more to see how you can get your work featured here!
Eric’s Note: I am pleased to have street photographer Kramer O’Neill share in this guest blog post his experiences about self-publishing two of his books. It is an incredibly difficult process–check out what he learned through the process in the post below!
Kramer: In 2011, I designed, printed, and distributed two photo books: Pictures of People and Things 1, an A5-sized paperback, and Till Human Voices Wake Us, a large-format hardcover. The two books are quite different: Pictures of People and Things is an associatively-edited, diverse collection of photos that work as two-page diptychs, while Till Human Voicesis a narrowly-focused, abstract, semi-narrative aquatic series in the street photography tradition, about swimming and the dark pull of the ocean. In both cases, though, I had no idea what I was getting into. In the interest of spreading some knowledge to other would-be self-publishers, here are a few things I learned.
Eric’s Note: This article is by Trevor Marczylo, a street photographer based out of Winnipeg. He is actually heading out to Korea soon, so after reading this article, make sure to wish him a safe trip!
Trevor: The other night I stayed up until 5am printing. I was working on this one shot that took me about 4 tries to get right; burn here, dodge there. I couldn’t stop till I had just the right print. In this digital age where I could achieve what I want on my Mac in just 5 minutes, why should street photographers continue to print black and white in the darkroom? Read more and find out!
Something I have becoming more focused on is working on street photography projects. Street photography projects are important because they help you stay focused when shooting, and help you make more of a statement with a collection of images (rather than just individual images). If you have never started your own street photography project (or want some inspiration), keep reading to learn how you can start your own street photography project!
I consider myself first a sociologist, then a photographer. If anything, being a street photographer allows me to synthesize these two loves. On top of that, I am a lover of knowledge, theory, experimentation, as well as teaching. Fortunately being able to teach street photography for a living makes my life fulfilled.
I am currently reading an essay by Howard Becker (a famous sociologist) who also happened to be interested in art worlds (and especially photography). He is the author in which most of the sociological backbone of my upcoming UC Riverside Online course is coming from when teaching some of the theory behind street photography.
Recently when I went to Tokyo, I had a ton of fun shooting in the streets with Charlie Kirk and Bellamy Hunt—both who shoot film. I never really understood the rationale why people shot with film. To me at the time, it seemed like a burden. First of all, you had to buy the film. Secondly, after you took the photos you couldn’t see them instantly. And lastly, it was expensive to develop it (and even more money to scan). For these three reasons, I was mostly put off by film. Although I did shoot a bit with my Contax IIIa film rangefinder and did enjoy it—at the end of the day I preferred my digital camera.
Nevertheless, I was intrigued with film once I came to Tokyo. In Tokyo, the analog culture is strong. There are tons of used film camera shops, and tons of other places where you can buy film as well. Not only that, but there are many photographers who shoot film who support one another as well and have their own communities. I had no idea how much influence the analog culture would have on me when I was in Tokyo.
Mike Peters from his collection "Pursuit of Happiness"
In this article I was fortunate enough to be able to conduct an interview through email with NY-based photographer Mike Peters. His style of street portraiture is one that has been attempted many times by many names, but never quite to the extent or success of Mike’s work. He is consistent and his work flows well together, but he is not held down by his style and does not limit himself in what he creates. I hope you guys enjoy his work and words as much as I have, and that you may find some inspiration in this article that will help guide and refine your work, I know I certainly have.
One of the books that has profoundly changed my understanding of the world is “The Black Swan” by Nassim Taleb. His thesis is that much of what happens in the world is by pure luck and randomness. He uses The analogy of the “black swan” is that scientists for hundreds of years assumed that because only because white swans were seen, no black swans existed. However the day that a black swan was discovered, their understanding of swans changed dramatically.
In life there are two types of black swans: positiv black swans that bring us fortune, and negative black swans that bring us misfortune.
Recently every book I have been reading (whether it be a finance book, an economics book, a sociology book, or philosophy book) I have been able to always link it back to street photography.
Eric’s Note: I am pleased to announce Trevor Marczylo, a street photographer eating, living, and surviving in Winnipeg, Manitoba as a new weekly contributor to the blog! He is a full-time photographer, making a living selling prints that he takes on a daily basis. Make sure to check out his last feature on my blog with his photos here. Also keep posted for his Friday features!
I think a “subjective street photograph” contains the attitude of photographer.
The pure photographic image without thinking of any composition but only capturing the moment of a situation with limited time to only think or react and relay on his/her trained eye and how they view/see through their own camera in a moment.
That being said… It all comes down to the street photograph and how that photograph was taken. I’ll try my best to explain myself and using a few of my photos in this article.
I am excited to announce I will be teaching my first university-level course on street photography at the UC Riverside Extension program! The course will be an online/offline hybrid class- with the majority of the coursework being online, with street photography outings, exhibition outings, as well as a final student exhibition in-person.
Jan. 16 – Mar. 23 (Two field trips to be arranged.)
Preregistration:
Requested by January 13th
Location:
Online
Textbook:
“Looking at Photographs: 100 Pictures from the Collection of The Museum of Modern Art,” John Szarkowski ISBN: 0870705156 Buy Online
Credit:
3 units
Fees:
$375
Course Description
Have you ever seen somebody on the streets and had the irresistible urge to take a photo of them? Whether it was their face, the shadow they cast, or the background they were standing in front of. In this introductory course, you learn how to: capture the beauty in the mundane of everyday life and “decisive moments,” shoot candid photos of strangers up-close and personal, study street photography in a sociological context, use the camera to explore society.
Develop your eye for street photography by studying the masters such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Frank, Garry Winogrand, and others. The class is a hybrid of an online and offline course. Utilize online tools to study the work of the masters and create an online community where you critique & comment on one another’s images.
The offline aspect will go on field trips to photography museums/galleries, to go out and shoot with one another, and have a final exhibition of all the student work.
Sign up before it’s too late–and let me know if you have any questions by leaving a comment below!
I just finished reading “The Black Swan” by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, where he discusses many misconceptions and fallacies that we face as humans. He talks from a scientific-philosophical viewpoint, and has many fascinating insights.
One of them was about knowledge—and that it isn’t necessarily additive—rather something subtractive. For example, a good stock-broker won’t tell you what to do, but rather what not to do.
Therefore for this blog post I will share some of my insights and experiences in street photography in terms of what not to do. Hopefully this will help you get more compelling images when out on the streets!
Eric’s Note: This article is by Ollie Gapper, a street photographer based in the UK- and now a weekly contributor to the blog. Stay tuned for more of his “Ollie Gapper Thursday” posts!
With any genre of photography its easy to become saturated in your work and the work of others around you. In street photography, regardless of the numerous variations in individual photographers approaches and the wealth of locations and types of people we are granted visual access to, we still, slowly, become numb to the photographic impacts that once enthralled us. This is why I, for one, enjoy periodically dabbling in different genres of photography, whether it is shooting or viewing, to allow my mind to refresh and recharge from the relentless practice that is street photography.
I just finished the behemoth of a biography on Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson and I gotta say—I am deeply moved. The biography was not only brutally honest, but gave inspirational insights into the thoughts and motivations behind Steve Jobs and Apple.
Although controversial, he made some of the most revolutionary products this generation (the Mac, iPod, iPhone, iPad, etc) and had the vigor, discipline, and drive to do it.
Whenever I read books, it always helps me inspire in both my personal life and even more—my own photography. Although Steve Jobs was not a photographer (he actually dabbled in the idea of getting Apple more into photography) his vision, drive, and passion are all things we can learn from. For this article I will outline 10 traits of Steve Jobs which I feel could make you a better street photographer.
Eric’s Note: This article is by Ollie Gapper, a street photographer based in the UK- and now a weekly contributor to the blog. Stay tuned for more of his “Ollie Gapper Thursday” posts!
Over the past few months it’s fair to say I’ve spent a lot of time and money on printing. Though it wasn’t entirely through choice, it’s an element of my university course I absolutely would not change. It’s enlightened me, allowed me to look at my work in a totally different way. Being able to hold an image, move it around in the light, hold it close to my face and scrutinise every inch of it, it feels like its making me a better photographer. Seriously.
I’ve learnt a lot in terms of traditional, darkroom printing, both colour and black and white, and in doing so, I’ve learnt a lot about my film and my photographs.
Ive also been reading through the Ansel Adams technical guide books (The Camera, The Negative and The Print) which has taught me to reverse this method of only ever printing for your negative, it instead teaches you to expose your negative for your print. I shant go into the specifics of the Zone System or anything, as thats not what I want to say in this article.
I was at Charlie Kirk’s apartment in Tokyo, when he turned me onto a book he recently bought and was moved by, which was a book by Alec Soth—a Magnum photographer. It a lovely book, with a yellow cover and several of his photo projects inside, including excerpts from his blog which discussed the role of gear.
He said he constantly got questions about his gear for his projects, and then made the remark that he didn’t mind the question that much—considering that most photographers are nerds/geeks anyways. Therefore he listed a long list of his equipment (mostly large-format stuff) and how he processed his film—specifically for each project he did. He then ended the post mentioning that he wrote the post specifically with an Apple iBook. Funny and snarky way to end the post.
In this blog post my thesis is that we should quit wasting money on gear (lenses, bodies, etc) and more money on photo-books. I feel that the best way to improve your vision as a street photographer is to look at great photography (which is nearly impossible online) and readily found in photo-books. If you are curious about why, please continue reading! (as this post is damn long).
After seeing Eric becoming ever more inundated with his workshop work, videos, Leica work and all the associated travel I decided to get in touch and say “Hey, how about I help out on a more regular basis?”. The result of the following email conversation? OG Thursdays. (My middle name is Mathew (with one ‘T’) but I thought “OMG Thursdays” may have been easily confused with one of the millions of Perez Hilton-style gossip blogs).
What is this all about?
Ill be submitting guest posts every Thursday on a plethora of subjects relating to lifestyle, documentary and of course street photography that I think you guys will enjoy reading. Photographers I have met, people I think you should know, projects I’m working on, experiences I’ve had, equipment I’ve used, you name it and I’ll endeavour to cover it one way or another.
I’m studying a BA (Bachelors) in Contemporary Photographic Practice at the University for the Creative Arts in South East Kent, UK, which – along with supplying me with vast spectrums of information, inspiration and experience – also gives me access to lots and lots of rather lovely gear! A vague list for your delectation:
Mamiya RZ67 Pro ii (Just about every lens for it too)
Wista 5×4 (and an incomprehensible number of lenses)
Horseman 5×4 (same as above)
Bron Color light packs, Pocket Wizards, etc
The idea is that you guys put in a request for the gear you want to see reviewed (Ill let Eric handle the Leica stuff..for now) and I’ll get the gear, buy some film and I’ll write up as comprehensive a review as I can.
Im happy to answer any questions regarding my past work or current projects, take a look at www.olliegapperphotography.com www.flickr.com/photos/olliegapper and olliegapper.tumblr.com.
Comment below for what gear you’d like to see reviewed or any topics you’d like to see me review/cover.
Having fun camera shopping with Bellamy Hunt in Tokyo. If you need a camera, lens, or film case from Tokyo check him out athttp://www.japancamerahunter.com/
There is approximately one month left to submit for the International Street Photography Award in London for 2012. The deadline is Jan 5th, make sure to submit before it’s too late! I am also excited to announce I will be one of the judges on the international panel :)
A funny story of how I got interrogated for shooting street photography at a racetrack for horses in Tokyo, an interview with Bellamy Hunt (how to best shoot in Tokyo), and fun antics with Charlie Kirk in the background!
(Fibonacci spiral above a photo by Henri Cartier-Bresson)
One of the questions that I have been pondering for quite a while is how much a great street photograph is objective versus subjective. I would say that the general consensus is that great photography, like most of art, is purely subjective. As what they say, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
However I would disagree with this opinion, and argue that great street photographs are more objective than subjective. This is much more of a controversial position to hold, but I argue it is more fun to play devil’s advocate than just go with the traditional way of thinking.
Many of my thoughts will stem from studying the works of Cartier-Bresson, in which most of his iconic images that an average person will call “great” is based on strict composition from geometry – based out of compositional theories from paiting. After all, Cartier-Bresson did start off as a painter and referred to his images as “instant sketches.” I will also draw upon some of my own personal observations and opinions—which you may or may not agree with.
I will make an attempt to try to discuss how much of composition, story-telling, forms, balances, objectivity, subjectivity, ratios, etc play into great street photographs. Take everything you read with a grain of salt, as this article is more of a personal essay for me to traverse some of my thoughts on the subject.
Be warned, this essay is ridiculously long (4,000+ words) so maybe bookmark this post and find the time to read it. You’re not going to agree with everyone I say, but if you read the entire thing I can assure you that you will start thinking more analytically about what makes a great street photograph.
“There is a big difference between a photographer and someone who clicks a shutter. One learns his craft and the other looks for a quick fix.”
– Winslo
I am an old school photographer born and bred on film. I have been shooting for a long time. When I was in photo school, it was mandatory to shoot 4 x 5 or medium format. Being a stereotypical ‘poor and starving’ student, I did not have a lot of money to spend on film, processing, and development. Every shot had to count. My medium format camera at the time was a Bronica ETRs with an 80 mm lens and one film back. It gave me 15 shots per roll. It had no meter and was manual focus. Shooting street with that camera forces you to shoot with purpose and discipline.
When I do my street shooting, today, with my current DSLR, I applied the same principle of making every shot count. I do not shoot for quantity I shoot for quality. Is every thing I shoot considered good? Of course not, but it makes culling the images easier because I know what I was aiming for when I shot. This is what Ansel Adams’ call “pre-visualization;” knowing what your photo will look like before you shot it. See his classics series on photography, Book II “The Negative,” for more info. The following is how I shoot on the street using one photo as an example.
This is the thought process that occurred as I shot my dog walker photo.
