Guest post today is by California based photographer and lover of Philosophy, Micahel Dees.
In Praise of Shadows by Michael Dees
Tag: tips
Video Lecture: How to Shoot Street Portraits
Dear streettogs, if you want to learn more of how to shoot street portraits, I just put together a 47-minute video lecture for you! In this lecture I cover what “street portraits” are (and how they differ from “street photography”), how to approach strangers, how to overcome the fear of rejection, as well as practical tips for shooting street portraits.
You can see and download all the slides for free on Slideshare or on Google drive.
To learn more about street portraits, check out my Chicago Street Portraits POV videos on YouTube.
30 Tips When Shooting Street Portraits
Below are some of the tips I included from the presentation on how to shoot street portraits (and a few extra freebies):
- Keep working the scene until your subject forgets about you
- Ask your subject to move to an interesting background
- You don’t need to photograph your subject’s face
- Take a photo of your subject looking at you / not looking at you
- Focus on the edges
- Ask your subject to look down / look up
- Provoke a response
- Remember you’ll never see them again (don’t miss out on the opportunity)
- Be genuinely interested in your subject
- Compliment your subject
- Talk to your subject before asking to take their photograph
- Realize that just because you had a good interaction doesn’t mean it is a good photograph
- Look for dramatic light
- Ask your subject: is it okay if I move you?
- Slightly touch your subject to change their posture, direction, or position
- Ask your subject not to smile
- Shoot both landscapes/vertical photos
- Shoot from different perspectives
- Get close, then get closer
- Talk to your subjects while photographing them
- Realize a posed photograph can look candid
- Capture the “unguarded momentâ€
- Try to shoot with / without a flash
- Capture hand gestures (get their hands close to their face)
- Shoot the same framing more than once (realize that their face direction might move, or facial gesture)
- Look for the surrounding environment (environmental portraiture)
- Realize a street portrait is more about yourself, not your subject
- Try to capture an “authentic†look that doesn’t look too posey
- Focus on details (use macro mode)
- Don’t feel guilty about “wasting your subject’s time” (they love the attention)
What are some tips you have when it comes to shooting street portraits, Â or any questions you might have? Leave them in the comments below!
Presentation: Tips, Techniques, and Assignments to Conquer Your Fear of Street Photography
Hey streettogs, I just uploaded some slides for a free talk I did for Chase Toronto the other day on tips, techniques, and tricks to conquer your fear of shooting street photography.
You can also download the slides for free here. Enjoy! :)
The Art of Learning Street Photography
I just re-read an excellent book titled: “The Art of Learning†by Josh Waitzkin. If you’ve ever watched the film “Searching for Bobby Fischer†(the movie about the kid chess prodigy)— that movie was based on Josh Waitzkin’s life.
“The Art of Learning†is a rare book in the sense that he became world champion not only in chess, but also later in competitive Tai Chi “push handsâ€. In the book, Josh breaks down how he was able to learn at an incredible pace, how he was able to push his own creative boundaries, and how he achieved excellence at a master-level.
For this article I want to break down some lessons that I’ve personally learned— which can help you in your street photography or life in general. Let’s go:
The Golden Rule in Street Photography: Photograph Others How You Would Like to Be Photographed
One thing I notice when I’m teaching street photography workshops is that a lot of photographers don’t like having their own photograph taken.
This is a huge problem.
If you want to build up your confidence in shooting street photography, I think you also need to be comfortable being on the other side of the camera.
The 5 Elements of Effective Street Photography
My friend Todd Hatakeyama recently gave me a superbly refreshing book titled: “The 5 Elements of Effective Thinkingâ€. It is a basic primer on how to think more effectively when solving problems– and can help students, teachers, and anyone trying to learn or improve their skills.
Like always, I took away a lot from the book– and thought about the principles and how we could apply them to street photography. Here are some of the ideas I learned from the book:
How to Overcome Your Fear in Street Photography with “Rejection Exposure Therapy”
This morning on the way to the gym, I was listening to the newest podcast episode of “Invisibilia†(a new NPR podcast on cognitive and behavioral science) and they had an episode titled “Fearlessâ€.
The episode was fascinating to me— as I have always been obsessive with this idea of conquering your fear of shooting street photography.
I notice that out of all the workshops I teach, my introductory “Conquer Your Fear of Shooting Street Photography†course is always (by far) the most popular.
How to Harness Your Fear to Become a More Confident Street Photographer
Street photography is one of the most difficult forms of photography out there. Not only do you have to rapidly compose, frame, and approach strangers— but you have to do so with the risk of “injury.†They might injure you verbally (threaten to break your camera, give you a dirty look and call you a creep, or curse at you) or they might injure you physically (try to grab your camera, hit you, shove you, etc).
5 Photography Friendly Places Where You Can Practice Street Photography
(A.g.’s note: I asked some of the folks over at Streettogs Academy what part of their street photography they want to improve on. One of the many things that popped up was people are still shy going out to shoot or finding interesting places to shoot in. Hopefully this article gives you new ideas on where to shoot)
The best way to become good at something is if it becomes second nature. You have to constantly build habits and the right attitudes so you can turn something on and be in the zone when you need to. That principle applies to street photography.
If you are still uncomfortable venturing out in the streets, here are some places that can be a great venue to take street photographs without the fear of being hollered upon or confronted so you can concentrate on practicing and making images and not be wary of other things.
4 Ways of Introducing Street Photography to People
I’m sure that at one point in our lives as photographers shooting the streets, there was a time that we get asked to explain what street photography is. When I was starting out, I had no concrete idea what street photography is, let alone explaining to my family and friends. So here’s a simple list that could hopefully help you  in telling friends and family about our artform.
How to be Confident and Courageous in Street Photography
Street photography is the most difficult type of photography out there. There is so little we can control, and it takes a lot of courage and confidence to shoot in the streets.
Please Tell Me My Photos Suck (And How I Can Improve)
We are insecure. We don’t want people to be brutally honest with us. We like feeling liked. We don’t want to hear the truth, or at least what people really think about us and our work. We like it when things are sugar coated (I know I do), and facing reality can be tough.
I remember when I started photography, I thought I was awesome. I thought my work was incredible, and I deserved fame, glory, and attention.
Then one day, I remember stumbling on the work of the masters and the greats of photography. I then realized my work sucked in comparison to theirs.
At first I was discouraged. I though to myself: I could never be as good as them, why bother even trying?
The Benefits of Constraints in Street Photography
I always thought to myself: the day I had unlimited money, unlimited time, and unlimited cameras was the day I could truly be creative.
Funny enough, I found out that wasn’t the case. Out of all photographers I’ve met, the ones that are most creative are the ones that are strapped on resources– the ones that have constraints.
How to Avoid Boredom in Street Photography
One of the most exciting ways to live life is to avoid boredom. By following what makes us curious, passionate, and have fun create meaning in our life.
I think one of the great ways to guide our work in street photography is to avoid boredom.
Advice for Young Street Photographers
A few days ago I wrote a letter to my 18-year old self, and gave myself some advice on if I started street photography all over again. I told myself things I learned in the 8 years I’ve been taking street photos. I wish someone told me this when I started off.
Similarly, I was inspired to write this post for young street photographers starting off. I think this can apply to both young photographers (age wise) and also street photographers just starting off (young, experience-wise).
Here I go, I hope you enjoy :)
Alec Soth Advice on Approaching Strangers, Working on Projects, Photographing Abroad, and More
While in NYC, I visited the ICP bookstore and picked up “Ping Pong Conversations: Alec Soth with Francesco Zanot” a lovely photobook/series of interview questions. I found it to have lots of great wisdom regarding photographing strangers, editing, and projects.
I copied my favorite excerpts which I found was particularly helpful, especially to those of you who want to be more serious about your photography and projects. Read more to learn from him!
The “One Street Photograph a Day” Challenge
I think one of the most difficult things as a photographer is to stay inspired. How do we stay inspired to shoot everyday– when the boredom and monotony of everyday life sets in?
It is Impossible to Take 100,000 Bad Street Photographs in a Row
I recently read some advice by author Ray Bradbury for aspiring writers:
“Write a short story every week. It’s not possible to write 52 bad short stories in a row.â€
I think the same applies for street photography. To change the numbers a bit– I think it is impossible to take 100,000 bad street photographs in a row. I think it was Henri Cartier-Bresson who said, “Your first 1,000 photos are your worst.†I think in the digital age, it is more like “Your first 100,000 photos are your worstâ€.
Assuming you shot 100 photos a day, that would be 36,500 a year. So at that rate, you can reach the 100,000 street photos mark in 3 years. If you’re more prolific and shoot more– you can reach that 100,000 mark much quicker.
I think it is impossible to take 100,000 bad street photographs in a row.
How to Embrace “Stream-of-Consciousness” in Street Photography
One of the best pieces of advice I got on writing is the importance of writing without editing. Which means, turn off the inner-censor in your mind and write freely.
What or who is the “inner censor”? Well, the inner-censor is the little voice in your head which tells you “Oh don’t do that, that’s stupid. That sounds stupid. That looks stupid.” It is that inner-voice that prevents you from writing in a stream-of-consciousness flow.
10 Ways How to Have a Good Day in Street Photography
- Smile at and compliment a stranger.
- Surprise a friend with one of your favorite prints (for no reason).
- Give a constructive criticism to a street photographer with 0 comments online.
- Promote the work of another contemporary street photographer whose work you admire.
- Go out and only shoot with 1 camera and 1 lens (and turn off your smartphone).
- Contact a local street photographer to go out and shoot together.
- Lend one of your favorite photography books to a fellow street photographer.
- Give away a camera you don’t use to charity, a photography program, or someone in need.
- Donate some of your time by teaching a photography class or lecture to less-privileged students.
- Give yourself permission to take bad shots, enjoy a nice coffee, and shoot to please yourself (not others).
How do you have a good day in street photography? Share your tips in the comments below!
10 Things Not to Do While Traveling
- Don’t speak English (speak the local language)
- Don’t eat McDonalds or drink Starbucks (explore local food)
- Don’t travel with check-in luggage (keep everything to a small carry-on)
- Don’t keep to yourself (make new friends in the streets)
- Don’t try to see everything (it is better to see fewer places more thoroughly)
- Don’t travel without water
- Don’t be addicted to your devices (fast from social media)
- Don’t forget to keep a daily journal
- Don’t stay at an expensive hotel (use more money for experiences)
- Don’t go with a plan; explore, get lost, and be a flaneur
And of course– don’t listen to me. What else don’t you do while traveling? Add to this list in the comments below!
5 Tips For Really Busy Street Photographers
Nowadays. we are all really busy. We have countless commitments at work, at home, with our friends, and with our families. It is really hard to find time to shoot street photography. Not all of us can leave the obligations of the “real world†and just go out and shoot all the time.
Ironically enough even though I am a “full time street photographer‖ I still find it really hard to make time to shoot. I spend a lot of time with emails, social media, blogging, finances, helping out Cindy and my family, and church related activities.
If you consider yourself a busy person, here are some tips I suggest to shoot more street photography:
10 Things Not to Do in Street Photography
- Don’t chimp (let your shots marinate)
- Don’t look at bad photos (study the masters)
- Don’t spend time on gear review sites when you’re bored (buy books, not gear)
- Don’t worry about your camera (the best camera is the one you have with you)
- Don’t mix black and white and color in the same set (aim for consistency)
- Don’t stop shooting (shoot a lot of bad photos to get a few good ones)
- Don’t worry about how many followers you have (shoot for yourself, like Vivian Maier)
- Don’t publish photos without a second opinion (edit ruthlessly)
- Don’t only take 1 photo of a scene (work the scene, there is more than one “decisive moment”)
- Don’t forget to have fun (life is short, shoot if everyday were your last)
What else would you add to this list? Share what you don’t do in street photography in the comments below!
Listening to the Bass in Street Photography
I recently read something quite interesting about music. The concept was when you’re listening to music, you tend to listen to the treble (high notes) and tend to ignore the bass (low notes).
Therefore the author suggested to get a richer experience listening to music, focus on listening to the bass (not the treble).
So I gave it a go myself. I listened to some of my favorite classical music, and really paid attention to the low notes of the cello in the background (instead of focusing on the high notes of these violins).
You Miss 100% of the Shots You Don’t Take
Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t takeâ€.
I find this such a beautiful quote not only in life but also street photography.
Many of us are afraid of taking risks, of taking chances. We worry about failure. We worry that others will judge us for our shortcomings. We worry about the worst case scenario.
But in life, we need to take chances. We need to take risks. We need to give things our best shot. By simply not trying, we don’t make any progress and don’t move forward.
In street photography there are a lot of risks face. Risk of getting yelled at, risk of missing the shot, risk of pissing somebody off.
We often hesitate too. For example I have missed thousands of potential photographs because of that split second in which that voice in my head goes, “Don’t take the shot, you might get in trouble or you might upset the person.†The second I have that doubt, I end up not taking the shot (and greatly regretting it afterwards).
In sports players often choke too. This has to do a lot with the pressure to perform. The second basketball players start thinking too much, they often miss the shots. Wayne Gretzky was one of the greatest hockey players in history, yet he has missed countless goal opportunities.
But you won’t ever make a shot unless you take a chance.
So in your street photography take more chances. Be bold. Take risks. Don’t worry about making bad photos. There is a nice quote I like: “To double your success rate, double your failure rate.â€
As my friend Charlie Kirk says, “When in doubt, click.†Don’t worry about making perfect photographs. Work hard, hustle, and work the scene. Take multiple photos from different angles. Crouch down. Take a step closer or take a step back. Don’t give up after only one photograph.
Work the scene
To learn more about working the scene and taking more risks, check out my article: “Debunking the Myth of the Decisive Moment.”
If you want to push yourself outside of your comfort zone in street photography, Check out one of my upcoming street photography workshops in Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Melbourne, Sydney, and London.
Systems vs Goals in Street Photography
One of the most interesting concepts I’ve learned recently is the concept of “Systems” vs “Goals” from a book written by Scott Adams titled: “How to Fail at Almost Everything and Still Win Big.”
Basically Scott Adams says that in life we should focus on “Systems” instead of “Goals”. So what is the difference? Scott Adams defines a system as the following:
“A system is something you do on a regular basis that increases your odds of happiness in the long run.”
“Systems” are daily routines or procedures we do everyday (which we tend to have a lot of control over). For example in the context of street photography, going out and shooting everyday is a system. Buying a street photography book once a month and studying it is a system. Meeting other street photographers in person to get feedback and critique on your work is a system. Systems are much more dependent on the process– not the final result.
“Goals” tend to be external accomplishments that we have far less control over. For example in street photography– goals include: getting 100+ likes on your photos, having your book published by a famous publisher, having a big solo exhibition at a prestigious gallery, and becoming rich and famous through your photography.
So in life and street photography– focus on systems instead of goals. Focus on the daily things that you have control over.
Systems focus on the small daily achievements you make– and the step-by-step progress you make forward. Goals tend to be focused too many on things you have no control over. Not only that, but we tend to get more disappointed by goals as they are harder to achieve.
In conclusion to gain more happiness and progress in street photography– focus on systems, not goals. Now go out and pound the pavement!
5 Tips When Entering a Street Photography Contest
The photos in this article are from my new “Detroit” series.Â
I’ve had the pleasure of being a judge for a handful of street photography competitions: including the International Street Photography Awards 2012, the Urban Picnic Street Photography Contest in 2013, and the International Street Photography Awards 2014.
It was a fascinating experience being a judge– and it has taught me a lot of lessons in terms of how to judge others’ work. More than that, it has taught me to better judge my own work. Here are some lessons I’ve personally learned being a judge, and some tips I suggest when you enter a street photography contest:
10 of My Street Photography Resolutions for 2015
It is that time of the year again— to make resolutions for the new year.
In 2014, I wrote a post, “40 Street Photography Resolutions Ideas for 2014†and I also wrote a post titled: “15 Street Photography Assignments to Re-Energize and Re-Inspire You†(inspired by the book: “The Photographer’s Playbook: 307 Assignments and Ideasâ€).
Below are some personal new years’ resolutions I am going to make for myself in 2015. I will probably break some of them, but will try my best to stick to them. This is advice I will give to myself— and feel free to pick any of these ideas for yourself (or modify them as you see fit). This list is inspired mostly by Nassim Taleb’s New Years Resolutions for 2015.
Here is my personal street photography resolutions for 2015:
- Don’t buy any photo books I don’t plan on re-reading.
-
Buy at least 1 photo book a month (and get to really know it).
-
Give at least 1 in-depth comment/feedback/critique (once a week) to a street photographer who doesn’t get any favorites, comments, or feedback on his/her photos.
-
Try to meet a lonely photographer once a month for a coffee (with no expectation of “networking†or “gain†on my end)
-
Don’t go a single day without taking a photograph (smartphone is fine).
-
Don’t own more than 1 type of camera (only own 1 35mm camera, 1 medium-format, 1 digital). If I accrue more than one of each type of camera, either give away to friend or sell. Don’t accept any free cameras (that I wouldn’t buy with my own money).
-
Walk for at least 15 minutes everyday to make photos (I’m becoming a fat and lazy car-dependent American).
-
Focus on education and creating value (not money, fame, or external recognition). Engaging the street photography community more and always try to help.
-
Make my photographs more personal.
-
Have at least 1 exhibition of my photos (and also curate at least 1 group exhibition). Teach at least 1 free workshop for charity.
What are some New Years’ Resolutions that you have for yourself when it comes to your photography? Share them in the comments below!
Streettogs gallery Work in Progress: Minh Nghia’s Photobook “In Transit”
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.:Â Today’s feature is a bit different than the usual. As I said in the intro post for streettogs gallery, I would also love to see if you have a work in progress. Today is extra special because we have a photo book to analyze, dissect, and share opinions. But first, I want to share what I look for in a photo book.
Streettogs Gallery Feature: Ms. Helen Hill’s Mise-en-scène
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.:There is a fine line between cinema and photography. Good cinematography and good photography shows when you have a good arrangement of elements such as light, composition, and subject. But more often than not, a cinematographer has total control of everything while the photographer shooting on the streets uses what the streets provide. So when a photographer is able to show cinematic street scenes, that is a feat of skill in itself. That is why you should check out Ms. Helen Hill’s Mis en scene.
An Introduction to Zone Focusing for your Leica, Rangefinder, or DSLR
When I first started shooting street photography, I was always frustrated that my autofocus would always be too slow to capture the decisive moment. After trudging around the internet, I was first introduced to the idea of “zone focusing” by Markus Hartel on his blog.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with zone focusing you essentially use a high f-stop number with a deep depth of field (f/16 or f/11) and have your camera pre-focused to a certain distance to get your photos in-focus. This is beneficial because although modern autofocusing systems are quite good, they are not 100% reliable. Using zone focusing when shooting street photography allows you to get far more keepers.
Regarding the settings, I typically use the following when shooting:
- Aperture: f/16
- ISO: 800-3200
- Shutter speed: Above 320ths/second
- Prefocus: 1 meter
- AV-mode
Why do I use the above settings? Shooting at f/16 allows me to get the deepest depth-of-field with my lens. I keep my ISO high so my shutter speed will be above 320ths/second (this allows you to capture people walking and not blurry). I don’t mind having extra grain or noise in my images. I actually find it to make my images more gritty and raw. Also I keep my lens pre-focused to around 1 meter– because that is how close I generally am to my subjects when shooting.
35 Magnum Photographers Give Their Advice to Aspiring Photographers
Hi 
(Above image copyrighted by Alex Majoli)
Bill Reeves, a passionate photographer who is fortunate enough to have Magnum photographers Eli Reed and Paolo Pellegrin as his mentors, told me about a blog post that Magnum had a while back regarding advice to young photographers. It was put together by Alec Soth, who has done a series of fascinating projects such as his most popular, “Sleeping by the Missisippi” which was done on a 8×10 view camera. An interesting excerpt that Bill put together about Alec is below:
Alec writes up lists of things to shoot. Some normal objects, like suitcases, and others more weird, like unusually tall people. He would tape this list to his steering wheel, and be reminded to shoot those things when he saw them. When he found someone to shoot, he would talk to them, and from that conversation find the next thing to go looking for. An example is he did a portrait of a guy who built model airplanes, and then a portrait of a hooker. The link? She had airplanes painted on her nails. He then went to photograph Charles Lindberg’s childhood home, which led him to photograph Johnny Cash’s boyhood home and so on and so forth.
I found the advice that these Magnum photographers is golden–and have shared it here to spread the love and knowledge. Keep reading to see their inspirational images and advice. You can also download the free PDF here.
10 Street Photography Tips from an Anonymous Street Photographer
I recently got these 10 street photography tips from an anonymous street photographer who wanted to share this information with you. I found these tips to be very insightful, and I hope you will too! Keep reading more to learn about all the goodness.
10 Famous Street Photography Quotes You Must Know
(Above image by Garry Winogrand)
If you want to get a deeper insight into street photography and take better photos, I feel it is very important to study the work of the street photographers who came before us and paved the way for the rest of us. Not only that, but reading the quotes and words by these influential street photographers is a great way to train your mind to take better photos as well. Below are some of my favorite street photography quotes that are concise, inspirational, and have influenced me in one way or another.
Getting Close: Does It Really Make You a Better Street Photographer?
Eric’s note: The following guest blog post is by Simon Garnier, part scientist and part street photographer who lives and works in New Jersey. Read about his experiences in getting close in street photography–and how he grapples with the idea of getting close in street photography. Interestingly enough this post was written before Fabio Pires’ video came out, but it is more relevant than ever.Â
Simon: I am not an experienced street photographer. I started shooting street and candid pictures about a year ago, after several years of irregular experimentations with film and digital cameras. Everything you will read in this post is therefore the result of an ongoing reflection about something that I thought was true, but that I start to find overestimated, and potentially problematic for street photography in general.
10 Things Henri Cartier-Bresson Can Teach You About Street Photography
Don’t forget to order the new re-print of “The Decisive Moment” by Henri Cartier-Bresson!
I have been doing quite a bit of research into Henri Cartier-Bresson, the godfather of street photography.
Although my current approach in street photography is more like Bruce Gilden and less of Henri Cartier-Bresson, HCB influenced much of my earlier work and I still deeply respect his photography and philosophies. I hope you are able to enjoy these things I believe you can learn from Henri Cartier-Bresson about street photography. Keep reading to become inspired and learn more.
6 Photographers Assert Their Right to Take Photos in London (and how you can too)
This morning Fabrice Drevon told me about this video that has been getting quite a bit of buzz online about 6 photographers who stand their ground and take photos in London of private buildings from public property. Long story short, all 6 photographers get confronted by private security who assert that they have no right to do so (when in reality they can shoot from a public space). Not only that, but in 3 cases police were called as well (who fortunately were very reasonable and well-versed in the law).
The video is a bit long (16 minutes) but I advise everyone to watch it. The photographers all use common-sense and are reasonable when confronting these doubting private security officers (and have the balls to stand their ground). Here are some takeaway points I got from watching the video.
6 Tips How to Master Shooting Street Photography with a DSLR
When it comes to street photography, I am a huge proponent that it doesn’t matter what camera you use. Each camera has its own strengths and weaknesses, and as long as it takes photos it works for street photography.
When I asked a while back on my Facebook fan page, I found out that the majority of the community shoots street photography with a DSLR, so I thought it would be a great idea to write an article on how to most effectively use your DSLR for street photography. Keep reading to read some more tips.
How to Become a Fearless Street Photographer
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.
9 Tips for Aspiring Street Photographers
Recently I asked on my Facebook fan page I asked the members of the community what tips they had for aspiring street photographers. They gave some quite insightful/fun answers that I would love to share with you.
Street Photography 101 Guest Post on 7×5
Hey guys,
Hope you guys had a great weekend and are ready for the rest of the week!
Anyways recently, I had the great pleasure to write a guest blog post for a photography site called “7×5.” I wrote a somewhat easy-to-read post written very colloquially how a beginner can get started with street photography. Definitely not the most eloquent or comprehensive guide, but an interesting read I still think anyways! I got lots of great feedback on Twitter about this post at @erickimphoto as well!
Read the guest post here.
Only Show Your Best Photos
This is a general tip which is quintessential to photography. Like they say, you are strongest as your weakest link. The same applies to photography; your photography is only good as your worst photo. If your audience sees all your work and stumbles upon a photo that doesn’t seem “as good†as your other images, it lowers the legitimacy of your photography by a notch. You don’t want to show your audience a series of snapshots; you want to show them a gallery of your best work.
A common mistake many photographers do is have two images of the same scene in a series. Sometimes a scene can interest us and we will take several images of it, and we feel that they are all great. As difficult it is, you have to strive to only show your best image.
To determine which image is your best, try to be brutally honest with yourself and just make the decision. If you are in a huge rut, you could always ask a friend for a second opinion. I did this quite often with my girlfriend Cindy. I show her  two different variations of the same image and ask for her honest opinion. The majority of the time I go with her opinion.
I know choosing between two photos is like choosing between two children. It is very difficult– but it is something that has to be done.
25 Things I Have Learned Traveling While Backpacking in Europe
Hey guys, In lieu of my popular post on the “100 Things I Have Learned about Photography,†I originally planned on writing a “100 things I have learned about traveling in Europe†post as well. However this time around, I decided to embellish more on each of the points that I presented. Therefore, I realized that I would cut my list short to “25 things I have learned while traveling in Europe.†Furthermore, I also have had a few friends asking me for pointers or tips for backpacking in Europe. So hopefully in the near future, I will be able to write (to the best of my knowledge) a comprehensive guide for students trying to backpack in Europe (on a limited budget). So until then, please read my post and feel free to share this list with anybody you want via Facebook, Twitter, Email, or IM. Also please leave me a comment below as I always love hearing feedback! :)
25 Things I Have Learned while Traveling in Europe
- Pack lightly. There is no worse feeling than lugging around a bag of bricks on your back when you are trying to enjoy yourself.
Patiently Waiting. Paris, 2009 - Be frugal, but enjoy yourself. You don’t want to blow away $20 every meal that you are eating when on the road, but at the same time you want to enjoy the local cuisine.
Skating. Paris, 2009 - Use the local language. Although you may be worried about butchering the language and that locals will criticize you, the opposite Is more true. People appreciate the fact that foreigners try to embrace their culture and highly appreciate it (regardless of how terrible your accent may be).
Italian Resturant Owner. Rome, 2009 - Plan, but not too much. When you are traveling, it is nice to have a peace of mind knowing that you will have a place to spend that night. However on the other hand, spontaneity is the most exciting while traveling. When you arrive at your destination, simply get a map and ask the locals for the top sights. Leave the rest to fate.
Cinque Terre, 2009 - Don’t be afraid. This is what prevents most people from traveling in the first place. There are a million “what if’s†that cross a person’s mind before deciding to travel. “What if I run out of money?†“What if I get mugged?†“What if I don’t enjoy traveling?†All of these concerns may be legitimate to a certain degree, but most of the terrible stuff you hear happening to travelers are over-blown by the media anyways. Most people die without even leaving their country. Do you want to regret that when you are on your dying bed? Embrace your courage and explore!
Rome, 2009 - Make friends. I recall that while traveling, my fondest memories were not so much shaped by the sights I saw or things that I experienced, but rather the people that I met during my journey. Take the time to know fellow travelers or native locals. It is surprising how much I grew while learning about our differences and our similarities.
Thirst. Venice, 2009 - It is better to spend more time in fewer places, than see more places in less time. Traveling is incredibly exhausting. When you are on the road, there will be a few moments that you will be able to sit down and rest. So when traveling, it is best to save your energy and allow yourself to let your surroundings soak in, rather than going for the goal of seeing as many places as you can. Doing this will cause you to get burnt out, which will cause traveling to be more of a chore than something you can enjoy.
Cinque Terre, 2009 - Get enough rest. If you do not get enough rest while traveling, you will be miserable. It is much better to get a late start on the day and enjoy the fewer things that you may see, rather than getting up extremely early when you barely have enough energy.
Sunbathing. Prague, 2009 - Eat up. When you are traveling, you will be a calorie-burning machine. Don’t be shy to fill your stomach while traveling and worrying about stuff like carbs, sugar, fat, etc. Even if you eat a ridiculous amount of food while traveling, you will most likely end up losing more weight than before you started your trip.
Canard. Paris, 2009 - Invest in a good backpack. True the nicer backpacks may run you over a hundred dollars, but they are truly worth it. I highly recommend North Face backpacks (I used the North Face Recon Backpack), as they are extremely comfortable and are built super-tough. Furthermore, they are rain-resistant and their zippers won’t break, even if you fill it to the brim. While traveling I used the North Face Recon, which had more than enough space and zippers for everything I needed during my trip. If you just travel with a more generic backpack like a Jansport, your back will hate you.
-
The North Face Recon Backpack. What I brought with me during my trip. Highly recommended. - Take photos, but limit yourself when necessary. If you are a first-time traveler (as was I), you will probably go photo-happy from all of the unique things that you will see during your trip. Although it is great to capture many memories while traveling, it is also important to truly enjoy your trip, rather than trying to document every second of it. I learned this one from my girlfriend Cindy, and it was probably the best travel advice that she ever gave me (even though being a photographer I am naturally inclined to take thousands of photos at a time). Some things are better enjoyed without your camera.
Paris, 2009 - Go alone. People often say that this is the best way to travel. Not only do you have time to get to know yourself better, but you will also be forced to meet other people. Being abroad and having that sense of anonymity is surreal, and it is definitely an experience that everybody should have. I probably had the deepest moments of self-introspection during the few weeks that I traveled alone.
Image in’ Air. Paris, 2009 - Go with a friend. Although this contradicts the point previous, it is also great to go traveling with a friend (or two). You will be able to create memories together that only you two share, and you can always reminisce after the trip is over. Furthermore, it is also economically sound to pool your resources together when it comes to getting a room together, eating food, or getting other miscellaneous discounts when sightseeing. Also inextricably, you will grow so incredibly close to that person so quickly, and build a life-lasting bond with one another through your experiences.
The Entrance. Paris, 2009 - Keep a journal. This is one of the things that I am glad that I was very religious about while traveling. My girlfriend Cindy told me that it was a great practice to do, and so I did. Although during the trip it was sometimes a chore and difficult to do on the grounds that I was always so tired, being able to open that journal and reminisce on past memories was so precious. Also, there is no better way to unwind from a long day than journaling your thoughts, feelings, and things that you did during the day.
Journal Every Day - You don’t need to be rich to travel. Although I was a broke college student, I refused to allow my economic situation to prevent me from traveling and seeing the world. To finance my 30-day trip to Europe, I took out a $4,000 student loan from UCLA and bought my plane tickets, hostel-lodging, as well as my travel expenses. Granted that $4,000 isn’t chump change, in my opinion it was a very small cost to fulfill one of my dreams in life, which was to go backpacking through Europe. There are so many people who make excuses from fulfilling their life dreams due to fiscal reasons. However I am a true believer in that if you want something badly enough, you will make it happen.
Row. Florence, 2009 - Museums are physically and mentally draining. Now I am not trying to discourage any of you from visiting museums when abroad in Europe. Europe houses some of the most distinguished museums from around the world which are home to some of the greatest artists from history. However be warned, museum visits take a LOT of your time and energy. Trying to see more than a museum a day is extremely ambitious (it is difficult to even see all the exhibits in one museum in a day). Just a tip.
Spiral. The Vatican, Rome - Flying via Ryanair is one of the best ways to travel through Europe. If you book flights early enough, you could seriously go on flights from Paris to Rome for $3.00 (including tax and misc. costs). How the hell do they do this? Well first of all, these seats are special promotion deals and the times that they offer are very limited (super early in the morning, or super-late at night). Furthermore, if you are limited in terms of what you can bring (only one carry-on baggage, and it costs extra to bring luggage as well). Furthermore, they bombard you with advertising before, during, and after your flight. However if you are smart, you could seriously have your transportation within Europe for nearly nothing! Check out Ryanair.com for their deals!
Ryanair- the best value for traveling within Europe - Do your laundry by hand. You can easily do this while traveling by using a bungee cord and a bar of soap. To do all my laundry when I was in Europe, I simply washed my clothes in the hostel sinks with soap, and hanged it on some impromptu clotheslines which were made out of a bungee cord with hooks on each side. It would usually take 2 days for my clothes to dry fully, which would allow me to always wear clean clothing while traveling even though I only had around 5 pairs of shirts, socks, and boxers with me. This will save you the hassle of wasting all your money on laundry money and also packing fewer clothes while traveling, which equals less weight on your back.
Buy one of these. - Take the path off the beaten road. Sure the traditional landmarks of Europe may be nice and all, but the most beautiful things that I experienced were not the touristy places, but rather those hidden gems that you fall upon in a moment of serendipity. So do not always feel obliged to see what is popular, but just let your curiosity lead you down mysterious alleys, over gracious bridges, and through unexplored tunnels. Relive the child in yourself.
Cinque Terre, 2009 - Feel free to skip what is uninteresting to you. Don’t feel obliged to do things that seem uninteresting to you. For example, if you enter a famous landmark and it simply doesn’t compel you in any certain way, there is nobody forcing you to be there. You can just speed through the place and just leave. What is one man’s treasure may not necessarily be your cup of tea.
The Dancing House. Prague, Czech Republic. - Smile. Whether you are talking to the manager of your hostel or to a random vendor on the street, smile as often as you can. Smiling at others instantly makes yourself seem much more welcoming to the other person, which can stir up an interesting conversation or interaction. You will be surprised that how far a smile to a random stranger in the streets can go.
The Faces. Paris, 2009 - Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Let’s face it, when you traveling you are going to be lost more than once. Rather than being worried of being stigmatized as a “lost tourist,†put away your pride and ask for help. It is amazing how willing people that people can be when helping others. For example, when I was lost in Venice (the most impossible city to get around without getting lost), I asked a man who was speaking Italian to his friend if he knew where X was. He then quickly stopped his conversation, and walked me for nearly 10 minutes to my destination. There was another time when I couldn’t find my bus to take me to the airport, and a complete stranger walked around with me for nearly an hour, talking to other locals to help me find my bus. People are more kind and generous than one realizes.
Mime at St. Pancras. London, 2009 - Don’t be tied to your computer. When I traveled, I bought an Acer Aspire One Netbook to write quick emails, do research, as well upload images to my hard drive while traveling. However I made it a point to stay off my computer as much as I could during my trip. There is nothing easier than getting sucked into using the internet for hours on end, wasting precious time that you have overseas. Rather than unwinding after a long day of traveling by using the computer, use that potential time to journal (do it in a notebook), get to know fellow travelers, or simply reflect on the day. When you are traveling, disconnecting from the internet can be one of the best ways to “detox†from being wired.
The Louvre. Paris, 2009 - The world is a big place. Although I have done a fair share of traveling while growing up (moving around many times in California, moving to New York for 3 years, driving back across to California in a car, going to Canada, and Korea) I now realized that I barely saw anything at all. Once I went to Europe and experienced a totally different culture, it shocked me to realize how small my home (and country) was to the rest of the world. Although Los Angeles is one of the biggest cities in the world, it is nothing but a speck when compared to the rest of the world.
Via the Eiffel Tower. Paris, 2009 - Home is where the heart is. After my 30-day journey of backpacking in Europe, it caused me to appreciate my home so much more. Although I did visit some of the best museums of the world, relished at the antiquity of the cathedrals, and dined on some of the most exotic foods, I came to the realization that all of these things that I experienced while I was abroad was readily available at home as well. I do not say this to discourage anybody from traveling. On the contrary, this is one of the biggest reasons why I advocate people to travel is because when they come back home with a fresh new pair of eyes, they appreciate home so much more. After coming home, make sure to tell all of your friends and family about your wonderful experiences while traveling, and don’t forget to embrace them and also tell them how much you love and appreciate them as well.
The London Eye. London, 2009
Click below to see more… My Europe Photos Slideshow