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Losing my Leica Virgnity in Paris

"Wrap Around" – Eric Kim

When I first got my feet wet in street photography and heard of Leica cameras, I couldn’t quite understand the hype surrounding it. Sure it looked like a cool and retro old-school camera, but why the heavy pricetag? After doing my homework, it seemed like everyone who owned one would rave and praise it. In Chris Week’s street photography documentary, “Documenting the Human Condition” he highly encourages everyone to try shooting with a rangefinder and noticed that the “haters” have never shot with Leica’s themselves. This piqued my interest, however I never even dreamed that I would have the chance to shoot with a Leica.

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5 Tips How to Shoot Street Photography Without People

Matt Stuart

A question I often get asked is whether or not street photography needs to include people. It was a topic that fascinated me, so I even posted it to my Facebook fan page for the community to discuss. I have talked to many street photographers about this, and the vast majority of the consensus is that street photography doesn’t necessarily have to include people. However if street photography doesn’t have to include people, how can we differentiate those types of images from any other genre of photography?

Simply put, I feel that effective street photographs without people show the uncanny of everyday life, while showing remnants of humanity. Keep reading to see how you can effectively shoot street photographs without people in it.

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Leica X1 First Impressions Review

Although I am very sad to say goodbye to my Leica M9, I just received a Leica X1 in the mail to test and review for about a week. Check out my first impressions in the video above, and please leave me any questions you may have about the camera by leaving a comment below!

*Edit: The body is made out of magnesium, although the outside casing appears to be made out of plastic (thanks to tribalknowledge for the clarification).
Should You Ask For Permission When Shooting Street Photography?

Currently the video that I shot with my Leica M9 and GoPro HD 960 has been getting quite popular on the web, and has been creating some interesting discussions on what street photography is/isn’t. In this video I discuss my definition of street photography and whether you should ask for permission when shooting street photography.

Also make sure to check out the articles How to Shoot Street Photography with Permission with Danny Santos and The Street Portraiture Project of Fulton Street by Chris Sorensen.

I welcome everyone to participate in the discussion and please leave a comment below! How would you define street photography, and do you think you should ask for permission or not–and why? Looking forward to everyone’s thoughts :)
Smile, You’re on Leica Camera

Damien Pot uploaded this awesome photo of his Leica M9 and flash to my Facebook fan page. How would you react if someone took a photo of you with this rig? ;)
BREAKING: Olympus Announces PEN EP-3 and Zuiko 12mm f2.0 lens (24mm equivalent)

Olympus PEN EP-3

Recently I reviewed the Olympus PEN EP-2 on The Phoblographer, and was quite impressed with this micro 4/3rd camera for street photography. Little do I know that about a week later, Olympus announces their new PEN EP-3 along with their new Zuiko 12mm f/2.0 Lens (24mm equivalent). From the looks of it, the camera looks great with an all-metal redesigned body, a reengineered autofocus system, a 1080p video mode, with a nice OLED touchscreen in the back. Sources show it will cost around $900 and will be available for purchase in August. Make sure to check out their full press-release here.

Review:

The New 12mm f/2 lens by Olympus (via The Phoblographer)

Make sure to check out the hands-on review of the Olympups PEN EP-3 and 24mm f/2.0 lens on The Phoblographer.

Live Q&A:

Olympus will also be holding a special three-hour Olympus Tech Thursday on their Facebook page from 12-3p.m. PST (3-6 p.m. ET) www.facebook.com/getolympus where Olympus spokespersons be answering a variety of PEN questions from fans and will be sharing additional new PEN content.
Shooting Street Photography With a Leica M9 and Flash in Los Angeles at Night [First Impressions]

Leica M9 and Off-shoe Flash

With my Leica M9 set up with my Canon Speedlite 430EX, I experimented street photography with a flash for the first time in Los Angeles (3rd Street Promenade). Despite what people say, I didn’t get punched in the face or my camera broken (although I did get shoved once hard in the back). Overall, it was quite a fascinating experience, and I learned a ton about the process. Keep reading to watch the video of my crazy stories, and also check out some of the photos as well.

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The Lessons of Shooting Street Photography in a Small City

"Take it inside…" – Keith Chastain. Berkeley

Eric: For this guest post I am pleased to feature Keith Chastain, an incredibly passionate street photographer who currently lives in a small city. Many of you in the past have asked me advice about shooting street photography in a small city and franking speaking– I wasn’t quite sure what to say. However Keith is able to balance his life in the small city, while scratching his itch for street photography while hitting up big cities like San Francisco. Read more to see his images and read his insight about the subject.

Keith: I’m thinking of an unoriginal analogy for street photography…Bear with me here…Street photography is a lot like fishing right? We have our favorite spots that usually guarantee us a few bites. Sometimes we come home with a few catches that are small and should have been thrown back, while other times we might return with the big one….A capture worthy of hanging over the fireplace like a fat marlin an old angler dreams of. The fundamental aspect of fishing is fish, just as people are the ones we street photographers set out to catch on any given day.

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You Thought Street Photography Was Scary: War Photographers on the Shots That Nearly Killed Them

War photographers have a crucial job to society that is not only important but extremely dangerous. Without war photographers, we would not see the true realities of war and the countless number of lives that it affects. History has even proven that a single photo has the power to even end a war.

Read more about these war photographers’ stories that are incredibly real and chilling: The shot that nearly killed me: War photographers – a special report

via PetaPixel
85mm and the City: Street Photography in the Big Apple

"Maturity…" by Thomas Leuthard

This guest blog post is from Thomas Leuthard (85mm) who is one of my dear fellow street photographers from Switzerland. Not only are we good friends, but we have taught two street photography workshops together–one in Beirut, Lebanon and the other recently in Switzerland.

In this blog post Thomas talks about his recent trip to New York City and about his experience shooting there. If you are curious to read what he has to say, read more and also see his great shots!

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5 Tips How to Capture Compelling Shadows in Street Photography

"Father and Daughter" – Eric Kim

Often times as street photographers, we are too focused on capturing what is right before our eyes, rather than looking up and especially down. Capturing shadows is a wonderful way to open up your eyes to things which are around you, and give the viewer a sense of the surreal. If you are interested in understanding how you can better capture compelling shadows in your street photography, read on!

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Inspirational Street Photography Wallpapers by Elliott Erwitt

Elliott Erwitt, Paris, 1989 Tour Eiffel

Need some inspiration when it comes to your street photography? Check out these beautiful black and white street photography wallpapers by Elliott Erwitt. Click on the images to see the full-resolution images, and keep reading to see more of his iconic images.

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How Thomas Leuthard Shoots Candid Portraits

Watch Thomas Leuthard (85mm) in action shooting his candid portraits in his first video! Also you can read more about his street photography portrait technique here.
Street Photography With the Leica M9 and GoPro HD 960 in Los Angeles

Many of you have asked me to record videos of myself shooting street photography. After a trip to Best Buy and picking up a GoPro HD 960 Videocamera, I rigged up an interesting POV camera to my Leica M9. Check out the video and let me know what you think. Read more to see some of the photos as well!

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Bruce Gilden: Asshole or Genius?

Bruce Gilden

On the day of the Leica Magnum Paris event, I had the huge pleasure of meeting Bruce Gilden. After the official product announcements of the Leica M9-P and the 21mm f/3.5 Elmarit lens, I headed upstairs for some small appetizers and some wine. After chatting it up with some fellow photographers and bloggers from the event, I spotted Bruce from the corner of my eye. My hands got clammy, and I could feel the adrenaline flowing through my body. It was my hero—Bruce Gilden in person! I knew that I had to talk to him.

The second he was about to pass my left shoulder, I politely leaned in and asked, “Excuse me, are you Bruce Gilden?” He then said with a grin in his scruffy Brooklyn accent, “Yeah I’m Bruce Gilden—who are you?” I then introduced myself that I was a street photographer and blogger from Los Angeles and that I was a huge fan of his work. He then told me, “Oh—I think I know who you are.” My blood froze. How could someone like Bruce Gilden know who I was? I then asked him how he knew me and he told me, “Yeah a guy named Charlie in my workshop told me about you. He said to keep my eyes open for this overly enthusiastic Asian guy.” I then grinned and started to chat with him.

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A Decisive Moment in Paris: Leica Camera & Magnum Photos [Video]

A video recap of the Leica Magnum Paris event last Tuesday. Guess who you see 30 seconds in ;)
Paris Day 5: Interview with Alex Majoli from Magnum and Love For My Friends (last day in Paris)

“Grimace” – Metro, Paris

Today is the last day that I am in Paris, and I wanted to give you a few last updates. I was able to interview Alex Majoli from Magnum, an incredibly passionate and down-to earth photographer. Once I get back home, I will post the interview for you to read. Also I had the chance to walk around with JJ from Leica and take photographs, and also have a great meal of crepes with him and William Yan. Lastly in the night, I met up with Damien Rayuela, Charlie Kirk, and Alexandra Uhart with William. We had a ton of fun (and drinks) — make sure to read more to see the video and the images from today ;)

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Paris Day 4: Leica Magnum Paris Convention and New Leica M9-P and 21mm f/3.4 Super-Elmar-M lens Announcement

Myself and Bruce Gilden at the Leica Magnum Paris Event. My hero!

Today was one hell of a day. It was the official Leica Magnum Paris event, and I was able to attend as a VIP attendee. I was able to meet Naseem (Political blogger), Magnus Froderberg (Photography magazine chief editor on Sweden), Cristina Garcia Rodero (Magnum Photographer), William Yan (Street Style Photographer), Thorsten (Overgaard.dk), Brett (Leica Workshop Photographer), Peter McCollough (SF Street Photographer), Jean-Jacques Viau (Leica Internet Head), Oliver Bachmann (Leica Camera Switzerland Head), and my beloved Bruce Gilden (Magnum Photographer). Did I also mention I met and took a photo with Elliott Erwitt? Watch the video below to read more about my day, and also make sure to check out the photos I took during the event as well!

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Paris Day 3: Street Photography with the Leica M9 and Tough Parisians

"Wraparound" – Luxemborg, Paris

For day 3 in Paris, I had another grand day shooting street photography with the Leica M9 and 35mm f/1.4 Summilux. Unfortunately I woke up super late (at 2:00PM in the afternoon) but still had a great day for shooting. The weather was a bit overcast and gloomy, but it was perfect in terms of lighting for street photography. Read more to see my video recap of the day (and hear the story of the old angry Parisian man who grabbed my arm) as well as see some of my best images.

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Paris Day 2: Street Photography with the Leica M9 and 35mm f/1.4 Summilux with Yaniel

"Left Out" – Leica M9 and 35mm f/1.4 Summilux

I just had my first full day of shooting street photography with the Leica M9 and the 35mm f/1.4 Summilux in Paris. The streets here are truly amazing, and the Leica M9 was definitely a great partner to help me capture memorable moments. I am proud to say that I had a very great crop of photos today and had the chance to meet the famous Yanidel— make sure to read more and watch my video below and look at my images!

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Paris Day 1: Street Photography with a Leica M9 and Flash with Charlie Kirk and Damien Rayuela

"Headlock" – Leica M9 and 35mm f/1.4 Summilux and Off-shoe Flash

I just arrived safely in Paris and spent an entire doing street photography with my Leica M9 and 35mm f/1.4 Summilux with Charlie Kirk and my host Damien Rayuela. We had a ton of fun, and Charlie even taught me how to shoot street photography with his off-shoe flash, and I got some pretty interesting results. Read more to watch all the videos I recorded and see all the images I shot!

Paris Day 1 Overview:

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Heading to Paris for the Leica + Magnum “Past.Present.Future” Event
I am excited to announce that I am heading to Paris tonight to attend Leica + Magnum’s “Past.Present.Future” event. I am busy packing up my things as we speak, and I made a quick video to describe what I’m bringing and my thoughts about the trip.

Packing List:
- Leica M9
- 16gb SD Card (2)
- 8gb SD Card (1)
- 13” Dell Laptop
- Timbuk 2 Commute 2.0 Messenger Bag
Please wish me a safe trip! I will try my best to blog when I am overseas, but not sure how my internet access will be. Stay tuned on my Facebook and Twitter as well! :)
Why Inspiration is for Amateurs

When it comes to street photography, it can often be very difficult to stay motivated and keep shooting on the streets. I told my problem to my younger sister, who recently got me a wonderful book titled “Spark: How Creativity Works” which illustrates the creative lives of influential artists ranging from novelists to musicians. One of the quotes that the author decided to include of Chuck Close inspired me in which he says that inspiration is for amateurs, and true greatness comes from the ability to stay consistent and be tenacious.

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Micro 4/3rd Street Photographers Rejoice: New LEICA DG Summilux 25mm / F1.4 ASPH Announced

I am a huge fan of micro 4/3rds cameras, as I think they are a wonderful compromise between DSLR’s and point and shoots for street photography. Therefore it is great news to see that Leica has just announced a new 25mm f/1.4 lens (which equates to 50mm on a 2x crop factor). This can be a great lens for anybody shooting with any of the Olympus EP-series or the Panasonic GF-series. Also if you didn’t know, Henri Cartier-Bresson shot mostly with a 50mm focal length ;)

You can see some shots from it here (in Chinese).

Press release:

The New LEICA DG SUMMILUX 25mm / F1.4 ASPH. Lens Compatible With Panasonic LUMIX G Series of Compact System Cameras, Including LUMIX GF3

SECAUCUS, N.J., June 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Panasonic today announced a new interchangeable Micro Four Thirds lens, the LEICA DG SUMMILUX 25mm/F1.4 ASPH. (H-X025), compatible with the company’s LUMIX G Series of compact system cameras (CSC), including the LUMIX GF3, which was also announced today. The LEICA DG SUMMILUX 25mm / F1.4 ASPH. lens features outstanding brightness of F1.4, and despite the high-performance, it also remains incredibly compact and lightweight. The lens’ brightness allows for a beautiful soft focus when shooting both photos and videos – without having to rely on a flash.

The LEICA DG SUMMILUX 25mm / F1.4 ASPH. lens adopts Panasonic’s Nano Surface Coating technology on the surface of the lens, which helps dramatically minimize reflection at the entire visual light range (380nm-780nm). The technology encompasses an extra-low refractive index coating with nano-sized structure and results in the super-clear photo with dramatic reduction of ghost and flare.

The new lens system comprises of nine elements in seven groups using two aspherical lenses and one UHR (Ultra High Refractive) index lens. The newly developed UHR index lens and glass mold aspherical lenses achieve uniformed description from the center to the edges.

The lens’ versatile 25mm focal distance (Equivalent to 50mm on a 35mm camera) is suitable for wide variety of occasions, giving users the flexibility in composition, perspective and aperture control. The lens is capable to take daily snapshots including scenic sunsets to dimly-lit indoor shots to the deliberately-creative shots using soft focus.

When mounted on the Panasonic LUMIX G Series digital cameras, the LEICA DG SUMMILUX 25mm/F1.4 ASPH. lens can take maximum advantage of Contrast AF system, which boasts both high accuracy and high speed for optimal photos. Furthermore, seven blades give the aperture a rounded shape that produces an attractively smooth effect in out-of-focus areas when shooting at larger aperture settings. The lens also features a metal mount, making it extremely durable – even when repeatedly changed.

The LEICA DG SUMMILUX 25mm / F1.4 ASPH. lens will be available in August 2011 and pricing will be announced approximately 30 days prior to shipping. For more information about Panasonic LUMIX G Series digital cameras and Micro Four Third lenses, please visit www.panasonic.com/lumix.

-Via Leicarumors

Micro 4/3rds users–is this a lens you would want to add to your camera bag?
First Test Shots of the Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux Shot Wide Open

Hey guys, I have been able to do a few test shots of the Leica 35mm f/1.4 Summilux wide-open at f/1.4 and the shots truly blow me away. The images are tack-sharp, and the bokeh is so deliciously creamy. All of the shots are taken in RAW, and unedited straight out of the camera. Check out some of the shots below and make sure to click the images for the full-resolution images!

Test Shot #1:

Test Shot #2:

Test Shot #3:
Leica M9 and 35mm f/1.4 Summilux Unboxing and First Impressions

You guys may have heard that Leica has generously sent me a Leica M9 and 35mm f/1.4 Summilux to test out and review. Here is a quick and dirty video I put together unboxing the work of art, and giving my first impressions. I have already taken a ton of great images, and have many exciting things to say about the camera. Stay tuned for more images and a full-review of the Leica M9 and 35mm f/1.4 Summilux.

Got any questions about the M9 or the 35mm? Leave a comment below and I’ll try my best to hit all the questions you may have!
15 Inspirational Images of Shoe Street Photography by the Community

Thomas Leuthard

On Monday, I wrote an article about how to shoot street photography of shoes which got tons of great feedback. To play off of the theme, I suggested that this week’s street photography assignment was to be of shoes. I announced the weekly assignment on Facebook, and many of you submitted some amazing images. Here are the best 15 that you uploaded–congrats to everyone who made the final cut! :)

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The Ricoh GRIII: The Ultimate Compact Camera for Street Photography Review

The Ricoh GRIII Digital Compact

Hey guys, you might have heard me doing all my raves for the Ricoh GRIII for street photography. I put together my thoughts and review over on The Phoblographer, and have put in some of my best images as well. Long story short, I highly recommend everyone to purchase one, as it can be a great primary street photography camera or back-up. Make sure to check out the review, and leave me any questions you may have below in the comments!
“Trapped” – Street Photography Exhibition by Josh White in Seoul, Korea

Hello everybody, I am excited to announce that Josh White (who I interviewed on my site and the Leica blog) will be having a street photography exhibition of his finest work on June 12 – July 3, 2011 in Guillaume in Seoul, Korea. Read up more information on Josh White’s Blog. If you are in the area, definitely check it out!
The Street Portraiture Project of Fulton Street, Brooklyn by Chris Sorensen

Eric: While surfing the web, I came upon the work of Chris Sorensen, who had an amazing portfolio of black and white street portraits. I was captivated by the depth and humanity of his images, and I feel that every face he captured had a unique story to tell. If you look at each of these images, they show the true character and soul of the person that Chris captures. I extend a warm introduction to Chris, and I hope you enjoy this feature.

Chris: The studio where I live and work is on the edge of Bed-Stuy, a historically African-American neighborhood in Brooklyn probably best known outside of New York as the setting for Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing. It is to Brooklyn what Harlem is to Manhattan. Over the years it’s also become home to large numbers of immigrants; originally from the American South, Latin America and the West Indies, and more recently from Africa and Haiti. It’s a very culturally diverse neighborhood where, unlike my previous apartment in Manhattan, I am the minority.

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Black and White or Color in Street Photography: How Do You Make the Decision?

"Green Umbrella" – James Maher

Eric: Quite often I am asked by the community when it is appropriate to have a street photograph in black and white or color. It is a question I grapple with myself daily as well, and I enlisted the help of James Maher, a talented New York street photographer to help write an article on it. I hope you enjoy it!

James: Street Photography has been around for a long, long time. And for all but the last 10 years, the photographer has had to make a choice before walking out the door: should I use color or black and white film today?

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6 Tips How to Shoot Street Photographs of People’s Shoes (that don’t stink)

Eric Kim

Thomas Leuthard, who is one of my close friends and fellow street photography workshop teachers, suggested a theme to me a while back that revolved around shooting street photography of people’s feet. At first I was a bit skeptical, but after looking at his images I was quite impressed. As street photographers, we can often get too preoccupied by looking forward that we don’t take the time to look up or down. Although shooting street photographs of people’s feet may sound weird (and a bit stinky), it can make for some fascinating results. Keep reading to find out how you can shoot street photography of people’s feet.

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The 9 Best Street Photographs of Bags by the Community

Chun Tong Chung

This week I announced on my Facebook fan page that the street photography assignment for the week would be “bags.” The theme was inspired by Thomas Leuthard, who has a great ability in creating strong themes. Below are some of the best images that you submitted–please stay tuned for the next week’s assignment! Congrats to everyone who made the final cut :)

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Name that Street Photograph, No. 1

It is always important to know photographs by great street photographers to improve your eye and your technique. So let’s see if you know the image above. Leave your guess by leaving a comment below and tell us who the photographer is, and the story behind the image. Let’s see what you guys got!
Fujifilm FinePix X100 Available at B&H Right Now, Act Quick! [Edit: SOLD OUT!]
Hey guys just wanted to let you know that the Fujifilm FinePix X100 is available RIGHT NOW at B&H Photo! Act quick before it’s sold out!

Check out some of our great Fujifilm FinePix X100 reviews below:
Featured Street Photographer: Paolo Patrizi, on the Streets of Ginza with a Toy Camera and Cosmopolitan Japanese Women

Allure- Paolo Patrizi

Eric: For this week, I am honored to announce this street photography feature by Wayne Ford, an internationally renowned media neutral and art designer. His work has received international acclaim and has been featured in books, exhibitions, and magazines including D&AD, Type Directors Club, Art Directors Club, Society of Publications Designers, Print, Graphis and Creative Review. You can read more of his thoughts on the photography he is looking at on his website or follow him on Twitter.

Wayne: A self-taught photographer, Paolo Patrizi was born and raised in Italy, before moving to London in the mid-1980s where he began his professional career working as a
photographic assistant, and undertaking freelance commissions for various design groups, and numerous magazines. From the very earliest stages of his career, Patrizi has pursued and develop his own personal projects alongside these various commercial assignments, and it is these personally assigned projects that have become a signature of his oeuvre.

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What Makes a Great Composition? Adam Marelli Analyzes Famous Street Photographs by Alfred Eisenstaedt

Adam Marelli, who recently did a wonderful guest blog post on his experiences on shooting with a Leica M9, has recently written a great article on dissecting and analyzing famous street photographs by WWII photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt. In the article, he is able to skillfully dissect images from a geometric standpoint, something that great artists and painters have been using for centuries. The post is a bit technical, but definitely worth the read if you want to understand more about composition and street photography.

Check out the article here.

So what do you think? Do you think that understanding a good composition is artistic talent, or something that can be taught and analyzed? Leave your two cents by writing a comment below!
“Beauty in the Mundane” Street Photography Exhibition by Eric Kim this Saturday at 5:00PM in Tustin, CA

Click here to RSVP on Facebook

I am pleased to announce that I will be hosting a street photography exhibition this Saturday, June 4th, 2011 from 5:00-7:00pm at the Long Hai Restaurant in Tustin, CA. Join me as I share some of my finest black and white street photography from all around the world including Paris, Seoul, London, as well as Los Angeles Click here to RSVP on Facebook.

Admission is free, and complimentary drinks and appetizers from Long Hai Restaurant will be served.

Also, I will be raffling off all of of my images to help fund-raise for the Sukhee Chung Photography foundation. 100% of the proceeds will benefit the Phoenix High photography class I am teaching to underprivileged high school students in Los Angeles. Tickets are $5 a piece, and there is no limit how many you can buy. You can watch a video I did about the class here.

I would love it if you could make it (if you are in the Los Angeles region!)
How to Shoot Street Photography With a Flash

"Lace" – Santa Monica. Shot with my Ricoh GRIII and flash.

When it comes to street photography, I am always open to new ideas and styles. One technique I have been particularly interested in is shooting street photography with a flash. I have been very inspired by the work of Bruce Gilden and Charlie Kirk. Although this style is quite controversial, I think that shooting with a flash does add an extra dimension to an image, and isn’t quite as unethical as most people claim it to be. After all, it was Bruce Gilden who said, “…the people I shoot in the streets are my friends” and Charlie Kirk who says he shoots “…openly and honestly.” Therefore the last three or so weeks I have been shooting street photography with a flash, and with great success. I will discuss my technique of shooting street photography in the streets with a flash, with special emphasis on mindset as well as technical settings. Read more if you are curious.

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How Would You Change the Fujifilm FinePix X100?
The Fujifilm FinePix X100 has definitely got to be one of the most hyped-up cameras for street photography? What could we complain on? It has an optical viewfinder, has the looks of a retro rangefinder, and is pretty solid on price. From recent reviews there has been disappointments in terms of the auto-focusing speed, the manual focusing, as well as some small quirks here and there.

If you guys were able to design the second version, how would you change the Fujifilm FinePix X100? Leave a comment below and tell us what you would do!

Also below are some of our Fujifilm FinePix X100 Reviews:
- Can the Fujifilm FinePix X100 be a Primary Street Photographer’s Camera?
- The Poor Man’s Leica: Fujifilm FinePix X100 Sample Photos, Unboxing, and Review
1923 Leica 0-series Sells For a Mind-Boggling $1.89 Million at Auction

If you thought a Leica M9 was expensive, wait until you put your eyes on this baby. It is an 1923 Leica 0-series which just sold for €1,320,000, or about $1.89 million in US dollars at an auction in Vienna. This old-school gem was sold to a private collector from Asia who wishes to be anonymous to the public. The camera was one of 25 prototypes manufactured in 1923, before Leica started producing these cameras commercially. You can see the winning bid and auction at this video below.

So do you think the guy who purchased this Leica is crazy or just has too much money to spend? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

via Engadget and Leica Rumors.
Need Some Inspiration? Try Early Morning Street Photography

Kai and the guys over at DigitalRevTV put together a great video about shooting street photography when the streets aren’t so hectic– at 4:00AM in the morning. In the video Kai wakes him (and his camera crew up) at a ungodly time and hits the streets of Hong Kong. Although I do not advise on doing street photography with a tripod, I love the message behind the video: getting out of your comfort zone and trying something new. There is truly a beauty about shooting at different times of the day, as you see different characters, scenes, as well as light.

So what time do you typically like to shoot street photography? Leave a comment below and tell us about your experiences about shooting at different times during the day.

-Thanks to Reacher Rau for emailing me this over!
Eric Kim Talks about Street Photography Tips with Jacob Patterson

Recently I had the great pleasure of meeting up with Samsung and Jacob Patterson, an internationally renowned street artist living in Downtown Los Angeles. He has done some amazing We hit the streets with their new Samsung SH100 point and shoot, and got some pretty cool street shots. Jacob sat me down in their studio, and spent a few minutes interviewing me about street photography. Check out all the footage above!

Also check out some more footage on this video Samsung put together (I’m about 30 seconds in) here. Also make sure to follow Jacob on Twitter.

Do you guys like videos like this? Tell me what other types of videos you would like to see me host on my site!
Henri Cartier-Bresson Talks About “The Decisive Moment”

Recently I was cruising around Petapixel and found this wonderful gem of a video– Henri Cartier-Bresson himself talking about street photography and “The Decisive Moment”. It is a bit of a long video (20 minutes) but worth every minute hearing the grandfather of street photography discuss his thoughts and share some of his most iconic images.

Who else has been inspired by Henri Cartier-Bresson? Let us know what you think of the video and his work by leaving a comment below!
5 Things I Learned After Teaching My UK and Switzerland Street Photography Workshop

"Purple" – Shot in Brighton, UK with my Olympus EP-2

I am pleased to say after 4 jam-packed days of traveling and teaching a street photography workshop in Brighton, UK and Zurich, Switzerland I am back in Los Angeles. I had the trip of a lifetime and met some amazing people, ate some delicious food, and got some great street photographs as well. I also learned a great deal after doing this workshop and about Brighton and Zurich. Read more to see what I learned after teaching my UK and Switzerland street photography workshop!

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Frank Oscar Larson from NYC – Another Street Photography Master Discovered

Frank Oscar Larson

I was recently on PetaPixel and they did a great story featuring another undiscovered master street photographer named Frank Oscar Larson. In the 1950’s he worked as an auditor in Queens and had a great knack of capturing beautiful moments in everyday life with his Rolleiflex camera. In 1964 he died of a stroke at the age of 68 and his images laid dormant for 45 years before being discovered by his son’s widow in 2009.

His images are incredibly inspiring, and show a candid look into life in NYC nearly half a century ago. It seems recently there has been a handful of unknown master street photographers popping up recently, especially the likes of Vivian Maier. Read more to see his inspirational images.

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Leica Rangefinder for Street Photography – Good Things Come In Small Packages

"Morning Ashram" – Adam Mareli (Leica M9, 75mm Summicron)

Eric’s Note: For this guest blog post, I am honored to have Adam Marelli talk about his experiences shooting with a Leica M9/M6 for street photography. This blog post will be especially helpful for those of you who currently shoot with a DSLR or are currently thinking about making the jump to a rangefinder. Make sure to read more to see his inspirational images and great thoughts on the pros of using a Leica rangefinder for street photography.

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How to Become an Invisible Street Photographer

"Contemplation" – show with my Ricoh GRIII

A while back on my Facebook page and Twitter I asked you guys “if you had any street photography superpower, what would it be?” The vast majority of you answered: invisibility.

As a street photographer, being invisible and blending in with your environment is key in getting an amazing street photograph. However, easier said than done right? In this post I will try to outline my thoughts on how to best be invisible when shooting on the streets, and what has helped me stay low-key when I am out shooting.

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11 Inspirational Examples of Shadow Street Photography

Vincent Tandijo Saputro

Last week on my Facebook fan page I announced the street photography assignment of the week which was “shadows“. I got all of your wonderful submissions on my Facebook fan page, and chose the best here to feature. I hope you enjoy all the images below and stay tuned to Facebook page where I will announce this week’s street photography assignment.

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The Camera of the Future: The WVIL (Wireless Viewfinder Interchangeable Lens) Concept

I was surfing the web, and I came across this gorgeous camera-concept which was made by the design team over at Artefact. I am always curious what the future will hold for cameras, and this concept just may be pretty similar to what we will start seeing.

Imagine having a street photography camera which allows you to remove your lens from your camera itself (which will allow you to even be more stealthy). Although I don’t know how useful it would be, it definitely makes you wonder about how technology is changing photography as we know it.

So what do you think? Do you love or hate it? Share your opinions about this camera-concept by leaving a comment below!
How to Shoot Street Portraits With Permission by Danny Santos

Danny Santos shooting Stranger #85 & Stranger #86 , taken by Paulo Legaspi

Eric’s Note: I am truly excited to have this guest post by Danny Santos, who is truly passionate about shooting portraits in the streets. I was fascinated and captivated by his work, and I asked him to write a guest post about how he shoots street portraits. Enjoy!

Danny: Shooting street portraits of strangers is a very daunting task. Often when you see a stranger you want to photograph, you find yourself between a rock and a hard place: you can’t seem to ask them for their photo, yet you know you just have to. Here are a few tips that may help you get over that hill. It won’t make it easy, but it may give you the push to start creating your own set of portraits of strangers.

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Breathtaking Street Photography by Stanley Kubrick in 1949

Long before Stanley Kubrick started filming amazing movies such as 2001: A Space Odyssey and A Clockwork Orange, he was a passionate street photographer. Check out some of these images he took in 1949 in Chicago title: “Chicago City of Contrasts.” All of the images tell incredible stories, and you can see where he got his inspiration for story-telling. Read more to see the rest of his inspirational images.

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The Sexiest Bag for Street Photography: The Think Tank Retrospective 30 Review

The Think Tank Retrospective 30 for Street Photography (like my shoes?)

As a street photographer who is always trying to capture fleeting moments, its important to always have your camera by your side. With the craziness of everyday life this can often be extremely difficult. That’s why I highly recommend everybody to get a messenger bag for their street photography, as it is a casual way to always have your camera by your side (without sticking out like a sore thumb). The kind folks over at Think Tank photo were generous enough to send me over the Think Tank Retrospective 30, their specialized camera bag for street photographers. Having used it for about two weeks now, I can say flat-out that I am in love. Read more on this review to get the gritty on this essential piece of equipment. Warning–there is a ton of photos below (and also a video!). (more…)
How to Become a Fearless Street Photographer

Photo by Charlie Kirk

I believe that getting a good street photograph is 80% balls and 20% skill. If you look at the work of such street photographers as Bruce Gilden and Charlie Kirk, you will see that they have incredibly memorable images. Why is that? It is because they get close to their subjects—uncomfortably close by most people’s standards.

One of the most popular questions I am asked by the community is how to build courage when it comes to street photography. I have learned a ton over the last several years about building the guts to get extremely close to people and take their photograph without their permission. In this blog post I will go in-depth about how you can become a fearless street photographer.

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A Great Present for a Street Photographer: USB Film Roll

Too damn sweet.

There is nobody harder to shop for than a street photographer. The only things they would probably want is a Leica M9 or an old-school Rolleiflex. If you ever want to please the street photographer in your life, lighten up your wallet and check out these unique USB Film rolls from Photojojo at $20 a pop. They even got some cool ideas what you can do with your old film canisters here. Anybody thinking about picking up some of these or trying to hack their own version at home? More photos included below. Oh yeah if anybody has some extra cash, I could definitely use one ;).

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Announcing New Street Photography Shirts in our Store!

Recently on my Facebook fan page I asked you guys what kinds of shirts you wanted to see. I heard a lot of input that you wanted shirts that had less focus on the cameras and gear, and more of the love of street photography itself. Therefore I designed these shirts for you to to show your street photography pride–wherever you go. You can see all of the designs in the store.

I am also excited to announce that 10% of all proceeds will go to the Sukhee Chung Photography Foundationwhich strives to spread the love of photography to under-privileged youth in Los Angeles. This way by purchasing a shirt, you will help support other aspiring photographers as well. Everybody is a winner.

Tell us what other designs you would like to see by leaving a comment below!
8 Inspirational Street Photographs of Feet

Benoit Rousseau

On my Facebook fan page I announced that the street photography assignment for the week was “feet.” There were tons of great entries, and I cherry-picked the best ones to be featured here. Stay tuned for next week’s assignment!

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Interview with Chris Porsz: Soulful Black and White Images of Peterborough from the 80’s

"Gladstone St Early 80s" – Chris Porsz

For this week, I had the pleasure of interviewing street photographer Chris Porsz from Petersborough, England. His work has spanned over several decades, and his images are iconic and classic. When I first saw his soulful black and white images, I knew that I had to feature him on my blog. I hope you enjoy his images and words as much as I did.

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Ask the Community: What is Your Street Photography Story?

"Escape" by Eric Kim (one of my earlier works)

We all found out about street photography in different ways. Some of us may have been inspired after looking at the images of Henri Cartier-Bresson photo book while some of us may have learned about it by chance.

How did you learn about street photography? Leave a comment below and share your story! I will select the best stories out there in one of my next blog posts!
5 Tips How to Shoot Street Photography With a Full-Time Job

"Lost in Thought" – Shot near my workplace.

Recently Neal Bingham, one of the moderators and admins for the Aspiring Street Photographers Flickr group I started asked me to write an article about how I shoot street photography with a full-time job. I thought it would be a great topic to discuss, as many of us street photographers have full-time jobs while pursuing our passion and hobby on the side. Although life can often be incredibly busy, I will discuss some tips how you can always find time so how I make time to shoot street photography (even with a full-time job).

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New #streettogs T-Shirt Design! (Red Dot)

When asking you guys what kind of shirts you wanted, reader Mark Parry suggested a classic look, with a big red dot. After fiddling around in Photoshop, this is the design that I came with below. If you are interested in purchasing this shirt, check it out in our store! (Shirts are also available for ladies!)

Click to enter the store.

Popular Designs:

Are there any other designs you would like to see? Leave a comment below and tell us what kinds of designs (or additional colors) you want!
12 Inspirational Examples of Street Photography Shot with Film

"Philadelphia 155" – Michael Penn

Recently on my Facebook page and Twitter I asked for you to submit your best street photographs shot in film. Here are the best submissions I got–congrats to everybody who got their images included! Stay tuned for more weekly assignments, and read more to see the other inspirational images.

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5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Be Sneaky When Shooting Street Photography

"Deep Thoughts" – Hollywood

Recently one of my readers, Tim Agee, asked me if I could do an article on whether or not you should be “sneaky” when shooting street photography.

This is a very tricky subject, as you need a certain degree of stealthiness to get candid images. However, some of the best street photographers aren’t taken when you are being “sneaky.” Being sneaky infers that you are timid and you have some sort of malicious intent. I advocate for being brave and bold when shooting street photography, and the invisibility will follow.

What do I mean? As Markus Hartel wonderfully said, “Walk around at ease, be on the move and observe, shoot, nod confidently -or smile- .. and eventually it will become second nature, people care less than you think.” Read more to figure out why you shouldn’t be sneaky when shooting street photography.

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What Would Happen if the iPhone 4 and Leica M9 Had a Baby?

The i90 – Leica M9 and iPhone 4 Hybrid

A design company based out of Los Angeles called Black Design Associates, LLC, just posted some sexy photos of a Leica M9/iPhone 4 Hybrid concept. They imagined the i90 to take any regular iPhone 4 and make it something more powerful and did I say sexy? The imaginary specs and images are below.

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Photo Essay: The Imaginative Street Photography of Siegfried Becker

Young man in a carnival costume fooling around with a toy pistol, 03/14/11 Forbach, France

For many years I used a studio for the majority of my photography. The attraction of this kind of photography lay in creating artificial imagery, but today I find my subjects in the streets.

Life writes the best stories and practically no other area of photography proves this better than Street Photography. When you look more closely, the everyday reveals unique moments which are often comical, sometimes surreal and not seldom sorrowful and yet always show the variety of human behaviour.

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Submit Your Best UK Street Photograph Contest
To help spread the word about the street photography workshop I am teaching in Brighton on May 21st, MarkB over at X100Photo suggested that I host a street photography contest. I thought it is a fantastic idea for people to showcase their street photography while also having a chance to win a FREE street photography workshop for themself and a friend.

How to Enter
1. Choose your favorite street photograph that you shot in the UK and upload it to my Facebook fan page.
  - Include a caption with the following information:
    
    Title:
    
    Image caption:
    
    Location:
    
    Why you would like to attend my street photography workshop in Brighton:
2. Get your friends to “Like” my Facebook fan page, and “Like” your image.
3. Encourage your friends to vote for you by spreading the word on Facebook, Twitter, Email, blog, website, etc.
Prize
- On May 7th, I will announce the winner based on who has the most “Like’s”.
- The winner will win a FREE street photography workshop for themself and a friend for my street photography workshop in Brighton on May 21st.
Rules & FAQ
- Voting ends on May 6th at midnight.
- Each participant is only allowed to enter 1 image.
- The image must have been taken in the UK.
- Prize doesn’t include accommodation or airfare.
- Entries can be either film or digital.
- We deserve the right to disqualify any inappropriate images.
Contest Dates
- April 4-May 6
Got any questions, comments, or concerns? If so, leave a comment below!
I Shoot Street Photography Women’s T-Shirt Photoshoot

Everyone knows that street photography is not only for men, but for women as well! To showcase that, I recently did a photo-shoot with Cindy, my wonderful manager and beautiful girlfriend. We had a ton of fun doing this impromptu photo-shoot with her posing with my Contax IIIa film rangefinder. Hope you dig the images!

I Shoot Street Photography (Women's)

I Shoot Street Photography (Women's)

I Shoot Street Photography (Women's)

Ladies, let us know what you think about this design by leaving a comment below and tell us what other types of designs you would like to see!

Also, make sure you check out all of our designs in our #streettogs store!
The Ideal Street Photography Camera – Nikon S1 Concept

Recently one of my readers, David Cohen de Lara, showed me some awesome mocks of what would be his “ideal street photography camera.” I love the clean and minimalistic design, and the nice viewfinder in the middle as well. Make sure to click below to see a bigger version, and check out his website as well.

What do you think of David’s mockup? Leave a comment below and tell us what your ideal street photography camera would have.
13 Inspirational Examples of Travel Street Photography

"Hitchcock" – Hamburg, Germany – Thomas Leuthard

Recently on my Facebook fan page and Twitter, I asked you to send in your favorite street photographs taken while traveling. Check all the images below to see inspirational images from all over the world! Make sure to follow me to stay updated with the new weekly assignments. Read more to see all the other amazing images.

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Street Photography Messenger Bag Review: The Timbuk 2 Commute 2.0

As a street photographer, having a good messenger bag is essential to ensure you will always have your camera and equipment by your side. Often people ask me what bag I use, which is the Timbuk 2 Commute 2.0 Messenger Bag. It is not a camera bag per-se, but I have found out it works incredibly well, especially when you put in a Padded Camera Insert. Check out this quick review I did of my bag below!

What camera bag do you swear by when it comes to street photography? Leave a comment below!

Review:

Live Q&A:

Paris Day 1 Overview:

Test Shot #1:

Test Shot #2:

Test Shot #3:

Popular Designs:

How to Enter

Prize

Rules & FAQ

Contest Dates