• The Best 17 Street Photographs from my Introduction to Street Photoraphy Workshop in Berlin

    The Best 17 Street Photographs from my Introduction to Street Photoraphy Workshop in Berlin

    Photo by Andreas Weeber. The winning image of the workshop!

    Just uploaded the best street photographs from my Introduction to Street Photography Workshop participants in Berlin! See all of the photographs here on Facebook.

  • Telling Stories from the “Everyday Milan” from Street Photographer Luca Napoli

    Telling Stories from the “Everyday Milan” from Street Photographer Luca Napoli

    Eric’s Note: I am pleased to share the work of Luca Napoli, a street photographer based in Milan. In this post are some photographs from Luca’s projects: [Commuters], [Taranto Vecchia], [Living the Provinces], and [My Milan]. Keep reading to hear more about Luca’s projects, his history, and further insights!

    Luca: I was born in Taranto, South Italy, on 1972. I got electronic engineering degrees in Ferrara and then moved to Milan, where I currently work. I live in a small town close to Milan.

    Self-taught, I was probably influenced by my father in 80s who always involved me during sessions of street photography in the old city of Taranto, my hometown.

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  • 8 Ways How Money Can Buy You Happiness in Street Photography

    8 Ways How Money Can Buy You Happiness in Street Photography

    Leica M9-P Hermes Edition

    (Pictured above: Leica M9-P Hermes Edition. Only $50,000)

    We are always told that money doesn’t make us happy. Although I like the saying, it isn’t entirely true. Scientific studies do show that money buys us happiness- but only to a certain extent. For example, if you literally make only $10 a month, of course you will be miserable. However making $10,000 a month compared to $5,000 a month won’t make much of a difference. According to some study I read, money can only buy you happiness to the point that you make $70,000 a year. After that, it doens’t make much of a difference.

    Money can make us happier in street photography. You also don’t have to be rich to reap these rewards. Curious on how money can buy you more happiness? Keep reading to find out.

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  • What’s In My Bag When I’m Traveling and Shooting Street Photography

    What’s In My Bag When I’m Traveling and Shooting Street Photography

    What's In My Bag (5-7-2012)
    I am currently in Berlin, and about to head out to Amsterdam tomorrow to teach a street photography workshop with Thomas Leuthard. A week afterwards, I will be teaching a 4-day street photography workshop for the Stockholm Photography Week with Fotografiska (the Swedish Photography Museum).

    I always try to travel light- and typically carry just my messenger bag and my North Face Recon Backpack. Considering I blog while traveling, I carry more stuff in my messenger bag than I’d like. But to me, it is still relatively light (still trying to find ways to cut down). For those of you streettogs who travel a lot- hopefully my bag shot can help give you some insight on what I just packed for my trip!

    Check out more cool bag shots at Japan Camera Hunter.

    Any questions about packing to travel for street photography? If so, leave your questions in the comments below! 

  • My Personal Experiences About the Leica May 10th Event in Berlin

    Just made a quick video about my travels and the May 10th event in Berlin!

    Also make sure to check out the GoPro footage below of the event!

  • “Arrivals and Departures”: Photographing the Legendary Trans Siberian Railway by Jacob Aue Sobol

    “Arrivals and Departures”: Photographing the Legendary Trans Siberian Railway by Jacob Aue Sobol

    Magnum photographer Jacob Au Sobol recently took an epic trip across the Trans-Siberian Railway, shooting Moscow, Ulan Batar, and Beijing using the new Leica M-Monochrom camera. Read my impressions about the new camera here.

    Read Jacob’s personal story of the epic journey here on the Leica blog.

    Jacob Au Sobol
  • My First Impression Review of the New Leica M-Monochrom Camera for Street Photography

    My First Impression Review of the New Leica M-Monochrom Camera for Street Photography

    Leica M Monochrom

    I recently had the chance to shoot with the new Leica M-Monochrom camera at the Leica May 10th event in Berlin, and was quite impressed. The High-ISO is amazing but the camera is quite expensive.

    Curious if the camera is worth the hype? Keep reading to find out more – and see the amazing b/w images taken of the trans-siberian railroad by Magnum Photographer Jacob Au Sobol.

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  • Orient Express: A Poem and Street Photography on South Korea by Jack Hubbell (1981-1983)

    Orient Express: A Poem and Street Photography on South Korea by Jack Hubbell (1981-1983)

    Eric’s Note: For this post, I am honored to feature the words and photographs of Jack Hubbell and his experiences in South Korea as a G.I. I thank Jack very much for sharing these personal stories that tell much about himself and the experiences of those in Korea. 

    From what I have heard,
    the aim is to follow the tracks
    and not cross them.
    Crossing achieves nothing.
    Simply scars the velvet landscape, and
    corrupts both soil and soul.
    No, if your objective
    is to reach the end,
    it is best to sink down
    deep into the tracks
    and ride the rails
    to your final destination.

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  • Capturing the Tension in the Streets of Athens: The Illuminating Street Photographs of Christos Kapatos

    Capturing the Tension in the Streets of Athens: The Illuminating Street Photographs of Christos Kapatos

    Christos Kapatos Street Photography

    Eric’s Note: I am pleased to share the work of Christos Kapatos, street photographer from Athens who utilizes strong color and sometimes a flash in his street photography. 

    Christos: I have been into photography since 2011. I had never been involved earlier and that came purely out of luck as I just bought a camera for a week’s vacation trip to Paris. It was love at first sight.  I am never leaving home without my camera anymore and I constantly and solely work on photography. I had a successful carrier as a salesman on international cargo transport and I decided to give it up and stick with photography. I came across some good Greek street photographers on Flickr and i intensively studied their style and technique.

    Now, I walk the streets of Athens, this so much “exhausted” city and capture moments and feelings. There is some grotesque feel to my photos as friends say but i can character study people that way. It’s hard to survive in the Greek crisis environment but the tension in the streets is so inspiring.

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  • Why Instagram Is The Future of Street Photography

    Why Instagram Is The Future of Street Photography

    (Above image: “Carlton” by Misho Baranovic)

    When I was in Melbourne, I met up with street photographer and co-founder of the Mobile Photo Group (MPG), Misho Baranovic. For those of you who may not know Misho or the MPG, they essentially shoot street and documentary photography with mobile devices and share their work online through a number of platforms, including Instagram.

    Being an Android user myself, I never understood the hype of Instagram. To me it seemed just like another camera app where people would take photographs of flowers, sunsets, or lattes and add tons of crazy processing (lomo or vintage film anybody?). I essentially thought it was a platform only for Justin Bieber lovers or hipsters with too much time on their hands.

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  • Interview with Rinzi Ruiz, Los Angeles Street Photographer and Painter of Light

    Interview with Rinzi Ruiz, Los Angeles Street Photographer and Painter of Light

    Had a chance to interview Rinzi Ruiz, a phenomenal black & white street photographer based in Los Angeles (and one of the alumni of my LA street photography workshop!). I chat with him about his inspirations in street photography, how he finds the light, and advice he has for aspiring street photographers. We also geek out over his new Fujifilm X-Pro 1- and see how it likes it compared to his old Fujifilm X-100.

    Shots by Rinzi Ruiz

    Umbrella ella ella

    Frustration

    F Light

    Behind Glass

    Headless

    Cut

    Leaving

    Lady in the Water

    Away from the Sun

    Follow Rinzi

    Which of Rinzi’s shots are your favorite? And if you have any questions for him, leave them below! 

  • 11 Expressive Examples of Hands in Street Photography

    11 Expressive Examples of Hands in Street Photography

    Hands Street Photography

    (Above image by Mike Keevers)

    The street photography assignment for this week on my Facebook fan page was “Hands“. I always stress the importance of capturing hands in street photography – because so much of our non-verbal communication comes from our hands. In this post are some of my favorites that were uploaded from the Facebook community.

    Next week’s theme is going to be: “Food” – inspired by Gaston Trussi, one the attendees in my past street photography workshop in Sydney. I think that what makes “food” a great theme is that without it – we would literally be dead. It also brings friends, families, and acquaintances together – and has strong roots to the society we live in.

    How to enter: Next week, go out and shoot what you perceive to be “Food” – and upload your best (1) shot to my Facebook fan page by Thursday midnight. Why Facebook? It makes it easier to organize the entries and sort through them!

    Keep reading to see the other great examples of hands from the community, as well as timeless shots from the masters!

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  • Donate to “Friends of Anton”: Raising Funds For the 3 Children of Anton Hammerl, Photojournalist Killed in Libya Last Year

    Photobucket

    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.

    Photobucket

    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!

  • Interview With Dana Barsuhn, Film Los Angeles Street Photographer With Leica M4

    Interview With Dana Barsuhn, Film Los Angeles Street Photographer With Leica M4

    Had a quick chat with my buddy Dana Barsuhn, a fellow street photographer from Los Angeles and former attendee of my Intermediate Los Angeles Street Photography Workshop. For those of you geeks who are curious, he shoots B/W Tri-X film on his Leica M4, with a 35mm Zeiss Lens. Also featured in the video is his new toy, the Contax T3 he just picked up for snapshots.

    Dana was introduced to street photography from his friend (host of the podcast The Candid Frame), Ibarionex Perello. Also for inspiraitonal images, check out Stanko Abadzic (one of Dana’s huge influences).

    Photos by Dana Barsuhn

    Dana Barsuhn Film Los Angeles Street Photography

    Dana Barsuhn Film Los Angeles Street Photography

    Dana Barsuhn Film Los Angeles Street Photography

    Dana Barsuhn Film Los Angeles Street Photography

    Dana Barsuhn Film Los Angeles Street Photography

    Dana Barsuhn Film Los Angeles Street Photography

    You can see the rest of Dana’s work in his “Los Angeles” album on his website.

    Framed 2011 Book

    Dana also put together a book of his street images from 2011 as a personal diary. All the images in the book were shot with his Leica M4 rangefinder 35mm film camera, captured in and around the Los Angeles area,  developed in his kitchen sink and scanned to his computer computer!

    Feel free to download the PDF book and share it on your computer or iPad!

    Link to pdf: FRAMED 2011 – Dana Barsuhn

    For more info on book or images feel free to contact Dana.

    Exhibition at the “2Edgy Gallery” in Downtown LA

    Dana will also be showing some of his street photography at the “2Edgy Gallery” in Downtown LA. Make sure to come if you are in the area!

    • Location: “2Edgy Studio”
    • Date: Friday, May 4th in Downtown LA.
    • Time: 6:30-11:30pm
    • Address: 456 Seaston St

    Follow Dana

    Which of Dana’s images really speak out to you? Show him some love in the comments below! 

  • Video Interview with Filipino Street Photographers (FSP)

    This video was recorded a while back by the Filipino Street Photographers group. Thanks again to Rinzi Ruiz and Jeff Mercader for interviewing me and all the love for my Filipino brothers and sisters back in the Philippines! Watch the video large here.

    I will also be hosting a street photography workshop in Manila, Jan 11-13th (Introductory workshop) and Jan 18-20th (Intermediate/Advanced) in 2013. If you would like more information or register, please email Jeff Mercader at jeffren@titaniumsportz.com

  • Interview with Oliver Lang, Street Photographer & Co-founder of the Mobile Photo Group (MPG)

    Interview with Oliver Lang, Street Photographer & Co-founder of the Mobile Photo Group (MPG)

    “I believe that, more than ever before, photography is about a community and a culture, rather than the camera.” – Oliver Lang

    I had the chance to interview Oliver Lang, one of the founding members of the Mobile Photo Group. Oliver shoots street photography in the sun-drenched streets of Sydney with his iPhone, using the Pro Camera application and capturing phenomenal light and moments in his images. He makes it a point to shoot every single day and even post-processes his images in the iPhone with the Snapseed application.

    Make sure to follow him on Twitter @oggsie, on Flickr, and follow him on Instagram @oggsie.

    Photographs by Oliver Lang

    Oliver Lang Mobile Photo Group Street Photography

    Oliver Lang Mobile Photo Group Street Photography

    Oliver Lang Mobile Photo Group Street Photography

    Oliver Lang Mobile Photo Group Street Photography

    Oliver Lang Mobile Photo Group Street Photography

    Oliver Lang Mobile Photo Group Street Photography

    Oliver Lang Mobile Photo Group Street Photography

    Oliver Lang Mobile Photo Group Street Photography

    Oliver Lang Mobile Photo Group Street Photography

    Links

    Make sure to also check out the Mobile Photo Group Blog, where they talk about street photography, mobile devices, Instagram, and much more. You can also see all of the Mobile Photo Group Photographers here.

    Do you shoot street photography with an iPhone or mobile device? What do you think is the future of street photography and Instagram? Make sure to leave your thoughts below, and let us know which of Oliver’s photographs are your favorite! 

  • How Playing Video Games Can Help You Become a Better Street Photographer

    How Playing Video Games Can Help You Become a Better Street Photographer

     

    (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.

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  • Capturing the Emotional and Aesthetic: Interview with Street Photographer Tom Young (yotung)

    Capturing the Emotional and Aesthetic: Interview with Street Photographer Tom Young (yotung)

    Eric’s Note: This interview was conducted by Alex Coghe, a street photographer based in Mexico City. Check out his upcoming workshops and keep in contact with him! 

    Alex: I am happy to start a series of exclusive interviews on Eric’s blog with this interview with Tom Young (yotung on Flickr) – a “journeyman” street photographer based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Keep reading more how he combines his interest in the urban environment and society in his street photography!

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  • 5 Responses to my “Why Digital Is Dead For Me In Street Photography” Article

    5 Responses to my “Why Digital Is Dead For Me In Street Photography” Article

     

    (Pre-war Zeiss Contax III, via Peter Hennig)

    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.

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  • “The Surrealist Manifesto”: Decoding the Composition and Surrealism of Henri Cartier-Bresson by Adam Marelli

    “The Surrealist Manifesto”: Decoding the Composition and Surrealism of Henri Cartier-Bresson by Adam Marelli

    (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!

  • Why Digital Is Dead For Me In Street Photography

    Why Digital Is Dead For Me In Street Photography

    Eric Kim - Dark Skies over Tokyo

    (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!

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  • Behind-the-scenes at Jesse Marlow’s “Don’t Just Tell Them, Show Them (Part 3)” Street Photography Exhibition in Melbourne

    Behind-the-scenes at Jesse Marlow’s “Don’t Just Tell Them, Show Them (Part 3)” Street Photography Exhibition in Melbourne

    Title of Exhibition: “Don’t Just Tell Them, Show Them (Part 3)

    Fantastic show of In-Public and Oculi member Jesse Marlow at the Anna Pappas Gallery in Melbourne.

    Links for Jesse Marlow

    His exhibition will be open until May 26th, 2012 in Melbourne at the Anna Pappas Gallery.

    Jesse Marlow
    Click for full-resolution
  • Interview with Hong Kong Street Photographer Jonathan van Smit at the Leica Blog

    Interview with Hong Kong Street Photographer Jonathan van Smit at the Leica Blog

    Recently when I taught my street photography workshop in Hong Kong I had the great pleasure of having Jonathan van Smit as a guest speaker. Jonathan is a street photographer originally from New Zealand, and has shot the raw streets of West Kowloon for nearly four years now. Check out my interview with him over at the Leica Blog.

    In the interview he explains how he shoots the raw streets of West Kowloon, how he interacts with his subjects, and how he got his old Leica taken from him at knife-point.

    >> Jonathan van Smit: Raw Hong Kong Interview

  • Streettogs Gallery Talk: The importance of producing a body of work

    Streettogs Gallery Talk: The importance of producing a body of work

    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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  • Support “Theatre of Life”: An Introspection On Society & Technology by Tomasz Lazar

    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.

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  • Unboxing and Review of the Ricoh GR1s Film Point-and-Shoot for Street Photography

    Just got a new minty Ricoh GR1s film P&S camera in the mail from Bellamy Hunt (Japan Camera Hunter). Unfortunately the LCD screen got a bit damaged en-route from Tokyo to Australia. Bellamy is getting it fixed for me now!

    If you want to find out more about the Ricoh GR-series, check out this Ricoh buyer’s guide by Bellamy.

    Thanks to Misho Baranovic for recording!

    If you need a film Leica, lens, Ricoh, or whatever camera or lens from Tokyo, contact Bellamy Hunt at hunts.of.tokyo@gmail.com

  • Eric Kim Lightroom Presets

    Eric Kim Lightroom Presets

    Tokyo, 2016 (with "Eric Kim 1600" preset)
    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)

    Download:

    How to Install:

    Screen Shot 2015-12-07 at 11.31.40 AM

    1. Open up Lightroom
    2. Go in the “Develop” module (hotkey “D”)
    3. 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
    4. Apply to your image

    Older Presets

    Downtown LA, 2015. With "Neopan 1600" preset.
    Downtown LA, 2015. “Eric Kim Neopan 1600” preset.

    Below are my Lightroom film simulation presets from 2015:

    Download:

    Included presets:

    • Eric Kim Portra 160
    • Eric Kim Portra 400
    • Eric Kim Portra 800
    • Eric Kim Tri-X 1600
    • Eric Kim Neopan 1600
  • Interview With Stu Egan: Founder of Radiate Magazine For Street Photographers

    Interview With Stu Egan: Founder of Radiate Magazine For Street Photographers

    (Above photograph by Charlie Kirk

    Eric’s Note: I am pleased to feature this interview with Stu Egan, the founder and editor of Radiate Magazine – a magazine dedicated to street photography. Stu currently works in London as a book editor and works on Radiate Magazine to help the street photography community and feature talented photographers. Check out this interview with him below about how he got interested in street photography and how he started the magazine.

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  • Tour of the Camera Museum in Michaels Camera in Melbourne and Photos of My Exhibition

    If you live in Melbourne, make sure to check out Michael’s camera for their sweet camera museum (and some of my photos on exhibition!) Also make sure to check out Michael’s Camera for all your film processing, prints, and gear in Melbourne here: http://www.michaels.com.au/

    I’m heading out to Sydney this Friday – see you guys all soon! :)

  • Donate to “Waiting for Haiti”: A Project To Help Smaller Charities Support People like Renaldo

    Donate to “Waiting for Haiti”: A Project To Help Smaller Charities Support People like Renaldo

    Waiting for haiti

    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!”.

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  • 10 Things Alex Webb Can Teach You About Street Photography

    10 Things Alex Webb Can Teach You About Street Photography

    TURKEY. Istanbul. 2001. View from a barbershop near Taksim Square. (c) Alex Webb / Magnum Photos
    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!

    1. Layer your photographs

    Santo Domingo. 1980.
    ©Alex Webb/Magnum Photos

    Depth is a strong element in the work of Alex Webb. In many of his photographs, they have a strong foreground, mid-ground, and background. The great thing about this is that it leads you (the viewer) to invite yourself into the frame. You see what he sees. You enter the frame by looking at the things closest to you, and then you slowly make your way into the mid-ground, and then slowly out into the background.

    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.

    Also check out my past article on “How to Start Your Own Street Photography Project” for more ideas.

    7. If you are stuck, try something new

    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.

    Merida. 1983. Circus lion.
    ©Alex Webb/Magnum Photos

    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.

    Books by Alex Webb

    Kinshasha. 1982.
    ©Alex Webb/Magnum Photos

    Below are some incredible photo-books by Alex Webb. Make sure to order one and learn more of how you can paint with light in your street photography. Remember, buy books not gear.

    Links for Alex Webb

    MEXICO. Monterrey. 1985. Street scene.

    Interviews with Alex Webb

    HAITI. Bombardopolis. 1986. School prayers.
  • The Hidden Gem: Street Photography in Chicago by Scott Strazzante (from the Chicago Tribune)

    The Hidden Gem: Street Photography in Chicago by Scott Strazzante (from the Chicago Tribune)

    Eric’s Note: I am very pleased to feature the work of Scott Strazzante, a full-time staff photographer with the Chicago Tribune and avid street photographer. Check out how he started in journalism and got into street photography and check out his shots below!

    Scott: Although, I have been a full time staff photographer since 1987, the last 10 with the Chicago Tribune, I have only been doing street photography for the past two years.

    I squeeze in as much street time as I can between assignments or when I am on the road.

    Obviously, New York and London are the two capitals of street photography, but I think Chicago is a hidden gem.

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  • London Festival of Photography 2012

    If you are lucky enough to be in London this year, make sure to check out the London Festival of Photography 2012! Above is a teaser promo of the event, and the festival program is now available online.

    To stay updated about the festival, follow them on Facebook and subscribe to their mailing list!

  • 4 Reasons Why You Should Shoot Street Photography Solo

    4 Reasons Why You Should Shoot Street Photography Solo

    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.

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  • Free Lunchtime Seminar at Michaels’ Camera in Melbourne, Thursday 4/12 from 1-2pm

    Free Lunchtime Seminar at Michaels’ Camera in Melbourne, Thursday 4/12 from 1-2pm

    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

  • Street Photography Essay: “Korea Diary” by Juliane Eirich

    Street Photography Essay: “Korea Diary” by Juliane Eirich

    Click to read more

    Juliane Eirich was born in Munich, Germany. After two internships in Miami and Munich she studied at the Academy of Photographic Design in Munich. After graduating she moved to New York City and Honolulu to work and pursue her own projects. She spent 18 months of 2007-8 in Seoul, South Korea on a scholarship. She now lives and works in Berlin and New York. Read more to see the rest of the series.

  • Street Photography POV Video with Markus Hartel on a Rainy Day in New York City

    Street Photography POV Video with Markus Hartel on a Rainy Day in New York City

    Street photographer Markus Hartel recently rigged a Kodak Playtouch HD camcorder on his Leica M9 with a straight flash bracket and an additional camera hot shoe mount and recorded some footage of him shooting in the rain in New York City on his 28mm Elmarit. To keep his camera dry, he would hold his camera upside down or put it inside his jacket to keep it dry.

    Markus is also holding special 1:1 Street Photography Tours in NYC. Check them out here.

    Markus Hartel with his M9 and rig!
  • The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Street Photographers

    The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Street Photographers

    thinking of...

    (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!

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  • The Street Collection: A Sale of Affordable Street Photography in Support of PhotoVoice

    The Street Collection: A Sale of Affordable Street Photography in Support of PhotoVoice

    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.

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  • Streettogs Gallery Feature: Groupings of Lemuel Chanyungco’s Street Photographs

    Streettogs Gallery Feature: Groupings of Lemuel Chanyungco’s Street Photographs

    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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  • G-Street Photography Contest Exhibition, April 19th (Thursday) at 6pm at the “No Vacancy Gallery”, QV Building in Melbourne. RSVP today!

    G-Street Photography Contest Exhibition, April 19th (Thursday) at 6pm at the “No Vacancy Gallery”, QV Building in Melbourne. RSVP today!

    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!

    >> RSVP on Facebook

    Also the first 200 to arrive at the event will each receive a FREE 8GB Hitachi GST thumb drive

    Location: 

    • No Vacancy Gallery, QV Building
    • 34-40 Jane Bell Lane, Melbourne 3000. (enter from Russell St): Google Map
  • Interview with Detroit Street Photographer Brian Day and Review of the Fujifilm X-Pro 1

    Had some time to catch up with my good friend Brian Day, a street photography local in Detroit. We chatted about shooting street photography in Detroit (the pros and the cons) as well as his new Fujifilm X-Pro 1 – which is a fantastic camera – with its quirks (like every other camera out there).

    As discussed in the video, apparently the Fujifilm 35mm F1.4 Lens gets “aperture chatter” which is pretty damn annoying when in broad sunlight. If you are interested in getting the X-Pro 1, I’d probably get the Fujifilm 18mm F2.0 Lens which is roughly a ~28mm full-frame equivalent that supposedly doesn’t get “aperture chatter”.

    However some of the pros of the camera mentioned include the ridiculously clean high-ISO (I shot at ISO 12,800 in JPEG and it looked better than my old Canon 5D at 3200 ISO) as well as the great image quality. However considering that the body is starting at around $1,699 – the camera isn’t cheap. If having an optical viewfinder is important to you, I’d get the Fujifilm X-Pro 1 and the Fujifilm 18mm F2.0 Lens and stick it in manual focus (1.2 meters) and zone-focus at f/8-f/16 all-day.

    If you want a camera that is a bit more affordable, has incredibly-fast auto-focus, as well as great image quality + high-ISO – check out the new Olympus OM-D with the Olympus 12mm f/2 lens. The great thing about the 12mm lens is that it has “real manual-focus” on the lens, as well as hyperfocal marks for zone-focusing. Not a big fan of the Electric Viewfinder (the refresh rate is apparently twice as fast as the old model) but I prefer optical viewfinders.

    Both are great cameras, but remember not to get sucked too much into GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome)! If you already have a Fujifilm X-100 or any other Micro 4/3rds, I wouldn’t upgrade. But if you own a DSLR and want less weight and bulk when you are out shooting on the streets, both cameras mentioned above are great cameras.

    Also make sure to check out Brian Day’s recent interview on Vesper Magazine for his “Time Traveler” series.

    For those of you who have the new Fujifilm X-Pro 1- have you experienced this “aperture chatter” and what is your take on the camera? Share your thoughts in the comments below! 

  • Call for Submissions: 2012 Angkor Photo Festival in Siem Reap

    Call for Submissions: 2012 Angkor Photo Festival in Siem Reap

    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!

    Deadline: May 31st, 2012

    Submit: Angkor Photo Festival 2012 Festival Submission Form

    Links

  • Building a Visual Language: The Cinematic Street Photographs of Mike Aviña

    Building a Visual Language: The Cinematic Street Photographs of Mike Aviña

    Mike Avina Street Photography

    Eric’s Note: This week I am pleased to share the work of Mike Aviña, a street photographer based in Northern California. His images have a strong film noir style, and exuberant swagger. Check out his thoughts about his work and images below.

    Mike: I like taking pictures, obviously. I think it is rooted in some sort of drive to capture and freeze reality and hold on to a piece of time—probably ultimately not a healthy instinct but if it is channeled well maybe I can make some strong images. These thin little slices of time we get in pictures are difficult but the shots that work are sort of like gasoline on the fire. I can’t really explain it more than that.

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  • How to Start Your Own Street Photography Community

    How to Start Your Own Street Photography Community

    szarkowskiwinograndfriedlander

    Recently I met Colin Westerbeck, the author of “Bystander: A History of Street Photography” and he shared some great stories with me. One of the stories he shared was the great friendship that Garry Winogrand and Joel Meyerowitz shared. They would hang out a ton, go shooting, eat with one another, and critique one anothers’ work at each others’ houses.

    When it comes to street photography, I personally like to shoot with other people. Although you probably get the “best” photographs when going by yourself, going along with a buddy or a couple of friends is a great way to stay motivated, have fun, and still get some great shots. Imagine like having a gym-buddy (they will get your ass out of bed to go workout). Same thing with having street photography buddies (they get your ass off the computer at home and go out and hit the streets).

    For this blog post I will describe how you can start your own street photography community, and the benefits that it will bring you!

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  • Put Yourself Into the Picture: How You Can Help Grow the Hatakeyama Gallery Center for the Photographic Arts

    Put Yourself Into the Picture: How You Can Help Grow the Hatakeyama Gallery Center for the Photographic Arts

    Hatakeyama Gallery

    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.

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  • The Best of March: 15 Inspirational Street Photographs From the Community

    The Best of March: 15 Inspirational Street Photographs From the Community

    Street Photography

    (Above photo by Daan Loeff)

    I know it has been a while since I featured street photography from the community – but here is the last batch of great shots I have noticed on Facebook! If you would like to get one of your shots featured in the future, make sure to upload them to my Facebook fan page! (I prefer using Facebook because it is easier to sort/look through all the photographs).

    Some tips to get included in the next post:

    1. Don’t use watermarks on your photographs or white/black borders. They are often distracting to the image and take away from the power of the photo.
    2. Don’t over-process your photographs. Once your photo looks too “HDR’y” you should tone it down.
    3. Street portraits are great – but try to incorporate the subjects/backgrounds more.
    4. Get good lighting. Try not to include shots that have been shot mid-day.
    5. Think about balance and composition. Don’t have your subjects too center-focused.
    6. Don’t shoot people’s backs. Sometimes they work but typically they don’t.
    7. Think about the statement your photograph is trying to say. Is it just a person of a person walking on the streets, or something more?
    8. Generally photos of street performers/homeless people are cliche and not very original. Try to find the extraordinary in the ordinary- rather than capture ordinary photos of extraordinary people.
    Keep reading to see if your photograph got included in the post, and see all the great images!
  • Featured Street Photographer: Stéphane Daniel from Montreal

    Featured Street Photographer: Stéphane Daniel from Montreal

    Eric’s Note: I am happy to feature the work of Stéphane Daniel, a street photographer based in Montreal. Check out his background in street photography and his images below! 

    Stéphane: During my childhood in France I first learned photography from my father, who showed me how to make a right exposure on his Ricoh. To be quite honest, I remember it as somewhat boring. I also remember for Christmas one year, I received a an ugly red full automatic camera. As a student I used to record “souvenirs” on disposable cameras.

    The day I finally had a decent salary, I bought an EOS300 and start to travel with it. Until that moment my life changed. I discovered on photo-magazines the way to shoot with a 24mm, I visited photo exhibitions in Paris and fell in love with Depardon, Salgado, Cartier-Bresson and Nachtwey’s black and white pictures.

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  • 10 Things Martin Parr Can Teach You About Street Photography

    10 Things Martin Parr Can Teach You About Street Photography

    Martin Parr
    © Martin Parr / Magnum Photos

    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!

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  • Beer, Gear Porn, and Street Photography with Bellamy Hunt, Eddy Boom, and Darren Wong

    Beer, Gear Porn, and Street Photography with Bellamy Hunt, Eddy Boom, and Darren Wong

    Having fun with the boys in Koreatown in Los Angeles. Showing Bellamy Hunt (Japan Camera Hunter) a great time during his last night here!

    People featured in the video

    Bellamy Hunt
    http://twitter.com/jpncamerahunter

    Eddy Boom
    http://twitter.com/lazyedt

    Darren Wong
    http://twitter.com/sticboy

    Cameras mentioned in the video

    • Ricoh GR1v
    • Ricoh GR21
    • Leica M9-P
    • Leica M6
    See you back in LA soon Bellamy!
  • UC Riverside Extension Introduction To Street Photography Student Exhibition

    Some behind the scenes footage from my student exhibition at the UC Riverside Extension Course I taught this quarter (I showed some of my photos as well!) Many of the students had never shot street photography before, and I was very proud of the images they were able to create during the quarter! Thanks to Colin Westerbeck (author of Bystander: A History of Street Photography) who helped edit and sequence the student photos as well!

    Enroll in the Spring course here: https://www.extension.ucr.edu/enroll/catalog/olr_course_details.php?crsid=27030

  • FREE Giveaway! Win a Custom SLR Glidestrap + C-Loop!

    FREE Giveaway! Win a Custom SLR Glidestrap + C-Loop!

    *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! :)

    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!):

    1. “Like” me on Facebook and share your tip on my wall!
    2. Tweet your response, and include the following text anywhere in the tweet:
    3. Leave a comment below!

    This contest will end Friday, March 30th, 2012. We’ll randomly pick a winner and announce it on the blog!

    *Credit to PetaPixel for the contest idea! 

  • Travel Update: My Adventures and Street Photography Workshops in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and London!

    After a month-long trip in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, and London – finally had some time to sit down and think about my travels, my friends, family, and what I want out of life. Traveling has been tough on me mentally, physically, and emotionally – but it has been through the support of the community and those close to me who have helped me keep on going!

    Also watch the video above to hear about my crazy story of leaving my luggage at home (and surviving a month on the road without it!). Thanks again so much for everything guys :)

  • Fujifilm X-Pro1 Review + 18mm f/2, 35mm f/1.4 & 60mm f/2.4 Macro by Kai Wong from DigitalRev TV

    A nice and fun review of the new Fujifilm X-Pro 1 from Kai Wong from DigitalRev TV. Check it out and subscribe to their awesome show today – or else Kai will hunt you down ;)

    Lenses reviewed:

    Still haven’t had the chance to play with the new Fujifilm X-Pro 1- but have been hearing great things about it so far! Hopefully I will have the chance to shoot with it on the streets soon and let you guys know what I think!

  • Behind the Scenes: Street Photography Workshop in Kuala Lumpur with Leica Store Malaysia

    Behind the Scenes: Street Photography Workshop in Kuala Lumpur with Leica Store Malaysia

    I recently taught a street photography workshop in Kuala Lumpur at the Leica Store Malaysia and had a phenomenal time. Huge shout-outs to Shannel and rest of the Leica Store Malaysia crew for making it such a successful workshop! The above video include some snippets shot with my GoPro HD camera in the streets of Kuala Lumpur during the workshop. As you can see, nobody got punched in the face – and most people in the are are extremely friendly!

    Also check out my upcoming street photography workshops below, and click more to see all 162 snapshots from the workshop!

    April

    4/14-4/15: Melbourne, Australia – Introductory – Info – Register now – Sponsored by Michaels –Only 2 spots left!

    4/21-4/22: Sydney, Australia – Advanced – Info – Register now

    May

    5/12-5/13: Berlin, Germany – Introductory – Info – Register now – NEW!

    5/31-6/3: Stockholm, Sweden – Introductory – Info – with Fotographiska (The Swedish Museum of Photography) – Only 3 Spots Left!

    June

    TBA

    December

    12/9-12/15: Calcutta, India – Week-long Immersion Course – Info – (with Adam Marelli and Jason Martini) – NEW!

    You can also stay updated with my future workshops by signing up here.

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  • Insightful Hour-Long Interview with Street Photography Master Henri Cartier-Bresson

    Thanks to Martin-Neep who found this hour-long interview with street photography master Henri Cartier-Bresson. If you have time later today, grab a nice cup of hot cocoa- kick back- and enjoy!

    Share some insights you find interesting by leaving a comment below!

  • UC Riverside Extension Street Photography Exhibition Friday, 3/23

    UC Riverside Extension Street Photography Exhibition Friday, 3/23

    saki tanaka
    Photograph by student Saki Tanaka

    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.

    The exhibition will be held across the street from the extension Center (1200 University Ave in Riverside).

    Location

    1299 University Ave. Suite 203
    Riverside, CA 92507
    (Room 2303)

    The event is open to the public. Please feel free to bring your friends, family, and fellow photographers! Looking forward in meeting all of you!

    Link to Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/252298181531296/

  • Street Photography Essay: “160 Yen” by Fabrizio Quagliuso

    Street Photography Essay: “160 Yen” by Fabrizio Quagliuso

    Fabrizio Q Yamanote Line Tokyo

    Eric’s Note: I am very pleased to share the work of Fabrizio Q on the blog this week. I met Fabrizio while I was in London, and saw his “160 Yen” series – a project he worked on while living in Tokyo. It is a strong project full of the idiosyncrasies of Japanese life– all jammed inside the Tokyo Yamanote Line. See more about Fabrizio and the project below. 

    160 yen

    Fabrizio: I have always been fascinated by the pulse of Tokyo life, by its pure, elemental energy, by how the city and its inhabitants embrace each other like partners in a dance: naturally, gracefully, in perfect unison.

    In April 2010 I had the opportunity to spend a whole month in this great city. While I had been shooting in the streets there previously for photographic projects, this time I set off with a very precise purpose – documenting the countless aspects of Tokyo life by photographing commuters throughout the day.
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  • 15 Tips How to Choose Your Best Photos

    15 Tips How to Choose Your Best Photos

    "Nails" by Eric Kim

    (“Nails” from my City of Angels series)

    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!

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  • Insights from Street Photographer Martin Parr on Google+ Hangout

    In this Google+ Hangout video, Magnum Photographer Martin Parr talks to Aaron Schuman, photographer and curator about his own personal work, capturing the uniqueness of boring objects, how to take non-cliched photos, and his general insight about photography. You must check this video out, probably the best 18 minutes you will spend all day! :)

    One of my favorite quotes from the video was when someone asked him what one phrase of advice he would give aspiring photographers (14:18 mins in):

    Find the extraordinary in the ordinary” – Martin Parr

    See more interesting insights over at Martin Parr’s blog and check out his book, “Common Sense” (which is mentioned in the video).

    Which quotes from Martin did you find most inspirational? Share them in the comments below!

  • Henri Cartier-Bresson Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare 1932 vs Google Maps 2008

    Henri Cartier-Bresson Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare 1932 vs Google Maps 2008

    Henri Cartier-Bresson Behind the Gare Saint-Lazare Then And Now

    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!

    See it large here.

     

  • Video Interview with Gary Tyson from F8 Photography in Hong Kong

    Eric Kim interview in Hong Kong from F8 Photography Ltd.

    While I was teaching my street photography workshop with Gary Tyson from F8 Photography in Hong Kong, I had the huge pleasure of being interviewed as well. In this video I talk a bit of my reflections on the workshop, as well as general questions about my approach and thoughts on street photography in general. Great production by Gary and the rest of his team!

    F8 Photography runs workshops and training in Hong Kong and Cambodia for photography enthusiasts, more information can be seen at the website, f8photography.com.hk or on the blog at f8photography.com.hk/blog

    Any other questions you got about shooting street photography in Hong Kong or anywhere else in the world? Leave me your questions in the comments below! 
  • 75+ Inspirational Street Photography Books You Gotta Own

    75+ Inspirational Street Photography Books You Gotta Own

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    Buy books, not gear.

    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.

    1. Magnum Contact Sheets
    2. Magnum: Degrees
    3. Magnum: Stories
    4. Mark Cohen: Grim Street
    5. Street Photography Now
    6. Bruce Davidson: Subway
    7. Bruce Davidson: East 100th Street
    8. Diane Arbus: A monograph
    9. Helen Levitt
    10. Lee Friedlander: Friedlander
    11. Elliott Erwitt: Personal Best
    12. Richard Kalvar: Earthlings
    13. Andre Kertesz (Editions Hazan)
    14. Robert Frank: The Americans
    15. Garry Winogrand: Public Relations
    16. Garry Winogrand: Figments from the real world
    17. Garry Winogrand: The Animals
    18. Bruce Gilden by Stern Magazine
    19. Bruce Gilden: A Beautiful Catastrophe
    20. Bruce Gilden: Haiti
    21. Bruce Gilden: After The Off
    22. Bruce Gilden: Facing New York
    23. Bystander: A History of Street Photography
    24. Joel Meyerowitz
    25. Jun Abe: Citizens
    26. William Eggleston: Chromes
    27. William Eggleston: Guide
    28. William Eggleston: Before Color
    29. Stephen Shore: Uncommon Places
    30. Daido Moriyama: The World Through My Eyes
    31. Alex Webb: Istanbul
    32. Alex Webb: The Suffering Of Light
    33. Jeff Mermelstein: Sidewalk
    34. Walker Evans
    35. Fred Herzog: Photographs
    36. Vivian Maier
    37. William Klein: Contacts
    38. Joel Sternfeld: American Prospects
    39. Martin Parr: The Last Resort
    40. Martin Parr: Small World
    41. Tony Ray-Jones: Best Of
    42. Josef Koudelka: Gypsies
    43. Anders Peterson: French Kiss
    44. Anders Petersen: Cafe Lehmitz
    45. Zoe Strauss: America
    46. Henri Cartier-Bresson: “The Decisive Moment”
    47. Josef Koudelka: Exiles
    48. Anders Petersen
    49. The Education of a Photographer
    50. David Hurn: On Being a Photographer
    51. David Gibson: The Street Photographer’s Manual
    52. Siegfried Hansen – hold the line
    53. Matt Stuart: All that Life Can Afford
    54. The Photographer’s Playbook: 307 Assignments and Ideas
    55. Trent Parke: Minutes to Midnight
    56. Trent Parke: The Christmas Tree Bucket
    57. Trent Parke: The Black Rose
    58. Harry Gruyaert
    59. Gus Powell: The Lonely Ones
    60. Alec Soth: Songbook
    61. Ping Pong Conversations: Alec Soth with Francesco Zanot
    62. Constantine Manos: A Greek Portfolio
    63. Constantine Manos: American Color
    64. Constantine Manos: American Color 2
    65. David Alan Harvey: Divided Soul
    66. Photographers’ Sketchbooks
    67. Harry Callahan: Retrospective
    68. Slide Show: The Color Photographs of Helen Levitt
    69. Mark Cohen: Frame
    70. Saul Leiter: Early Color
    71. Saul Leiter: Early Black and White
    72. Dan Winters: Road to Seeing
    73. Todd Hido: Photography Workshop Series
    74. Mary Ellen Mark: Photography Workshop Series
    75. The Open Road: Photography and the American Roadtrip
    76. Jason Eskenazi: Wonderland: A Fairytale of the Soviet Monolith
    77. Kaushal Parikh: “Fragments of a Spinning Rock”
    78. Sunlanders by Sean Lotman

    Free Books by Eric Kim

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    If you love learning, read the books below:

    1. 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
    2. Street Photography by Eric Kim
    3. Photography by Eric Kim
    4. Personal Photography Manual
    5. Street Photography Contact Sheets Volume II
    6. Street Photography Contact Sheets
    7. Monochrome Manual
    8. Street Portrait Manual
    9. Street Photography Composition Manual
    10. How to Overcome Photographer’s Block
    11. Street Photography 101
    12. Street Photography 102
    13. Zen in the Art of Street Photography
    14. Film Street Photography Manual
    15. 31 Days to Overcome Your Fear in Street Photography

    Street Notes

    eric-kim-street-notes-a-workbook-and-assignments-journal-for-street-photographers

    Street Notes is a pocket-sized assignment journal to break outside of your comfort zone:


    Photo Book Reviews

    See all reviews >

    Recommended photo books

    See all recommendations >

  • Streettogs Gallery Feature: “Surreally” by Nico Chiapperini

    Streettogs Gallery Feature: “Surreally” by Nico Chiapperini

    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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  • Mini Review of the Fujifilm X-Pro 1 by Mijonju

    My good friend Mijonju from Tokyo recently got his hands on the new Fujifilm X-Pro 1 in Tokyo and made this little mini-review on it. Hope you find it entertaining and helpful!

    Make sure to subscribe to him on YouTube and follow him on Twitter.

    More info:

    X mount to M mount adapter
    http://www.petapixel.com/2012/02/09/fujifilm-showing-off-leica-m-mount-adapte…

    All the specs
    http://www.dpreview.com/previews/fujifilmxpro1/

    What do you think about the new X-Pro 1 for those of you guys who have shot with it? Worth the hype or not? Share your thoughts in the comments below! 

  • Street Photography Essay: “Theater of Life” by Tomasz Lazar

    Street Photography Essay: “Theater of Life” by Tomasz Lazar

    Tomasz Lazar

    Eric’s Note: For this feature, I am pleased to feature the work of Tomasz Lazar to the blog. Having seen tons of street photographs, I don’t see photographs that often move me. However looking at the work of Tomasz takes me to another world– one full of energy, excitement, and darkness. Quite possibly one of the best street photographers out there, and has had the recent honor of winning the World Press Photo of the Year for News, 2nd place. All of these photographs in this post are from his “Theater of Life” series. 

    Tomasz Lazar – freelance photographer. He was born in 1985 in Szczecin. Graduate West University of Technology, Computer Science. First year student at the Univesity of Opava – Photography. He participated in many workshops such as Tomasz Tomaszewski, Edddie Adams Workshop in the USA. Winner of photography competitions in Poland and abroad (including the Sony World Photography Award, International Photography Award, BZ WBK Press Photo, World Press Photo).

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  • Behind-the-scenes Video of My London Street Photography Workshop with Charlie Kirk

    I just finished my street photography workshop in London with Charlie Kirk (two cute dogs) and thought I’d make a quick GoPro video on the behind-the-scenes action! The footage shows us shooting in Brick Lane in London, with the students shooting on the streets (with a little bit of encouragement from myself and Charlie!).

    Below are some of my upcoming street photography workshops. Register if you would like to attend, and sign up to stay updated with future workshops!

    April

    4/14-4/15: Melbourne, Australia – Introductory – InfoRegister now – Sponsored by Michaels

    4/21-4/22: Sydney, Australia – Advanced – InfoRegister now

    May

    5/12-5/13: Berlin, Germany – Introductory – InfoRegister now – NEW!

    5/18-5/19: Amsterdam, Netherlands – Introductory – Info – SOLD OUT! – with Thomas Leuthard

    5/31-6/3: Stockholm, Sweden – Introductory – Info – with Fotographiska (The Swedish Museum of Photography) – Only 5 Spots Left!

    June

    (Date TBA): New York City – Info TBA – Register now (to reserve your spot) – with Adam Marelli

  • How To Deal With Haters On The Internet

    How To Deal With Haters On The Internet

    Haters gonna hate

    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).

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  • Review of the Olympus OM-D EM-5 For Street Photography

    Recently when I was in Kuala Lumpur, I had the great pleasure of meeting Robin Wong, a passionate local street photographer. He was also lucky enough to get a test-unit of the new Olympus OM-D EM-5 directly from Olympus, and tested it extensively the past few days.

    As mentioned in my last post, you don’t want to fall victim to GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). However if you are using a DSLR and find it too bulky or have a point-and-shoot and want something a bit beefier yet compact, I found the Olympus OM-D EM-5 a pretty solid option paired with the Olympus 12mm f/2 Lens (which is great for zone focusing). However if you already have an Olympus EP-3 or any other relatively Micro 4/3rds camera out there, I wouldn’t recommend an upgrade.

    If you got any questions about the camera, make sure to ask Robin Wong over at his blog.

  • CritiqueMe: “Beautiful Silence” by Irwin Lewis and The Importance of Editing

    CritiqueMe: “Beautiful Silence” by Irwin Lewis and The Importance of Editing

    Beautiful silence

    Eric’s NoteCritiqueMe 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.

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