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All photographs copyrighted by Todd Hido<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n This is part 2 of my write-up on Todd Hido’s new book: “Todd Hido on Landscapes, Interiors, and The Nude: The Photography Workshop Series<\/a>“. You can read part 1: “Lessons Todd Hido Has Taught Me About Street Photography (Part 1)<\/a>.”<\/p>\n You can also download the entire article free via .docx<\/a>, PDF<\/a>, and\u00c2\u00a0Google Doc<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n One lesson I learned from David Hurn (Magnum photographer) is that in photography there are two main variables you control: where you stand and when you click the shutter<\/strong>.<\/p>\n This lesson is also mirrored by Todd Hido who shares the importance of position (where you stand) when you make images:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Emmet Gowin once said to me, \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcphotography is about position<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 I use this diagonal perspective a lot. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a vanishing point or a corner. In fact, I think there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s only one photograph I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve made of a building that is shot straight on like a Walker Evans. When photographing space, it is useful to use perspective to draw the viewer into the frame. The diagonal line creates depth, and depth often works well in describing an environment<\/strong>. The diagonal lines extend your photograph into infinity somehow.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Position is absolutely critical in street photography. As a street photographer you want to constantly look into the future.<\/p>\n You see your subject walking towards you from half a block away. You need to anticipate where they will be in about 30 seconds, and how you want to position yourself in the street to photograph them in a certain way.<\/p>\n For example, if you see an interesting subject coming towards you, you might want to identify a good background to get them against. Based on this information, you might stand near the curb and shoot them against a storefront or billboard.<\/p>\n If you want to fill the frame with your subjects, you need to position yourself in a way that does that. If you are too far away from your subjects, you need to step closer to your subjects. You need a closer position to them.<\/p>\n Also if you want to create intense images with a lot of energy and edginess, try to focus shooting head-on (instead of from the side). For inspiration, look at the work of Garry Winogrand or William Klein.<\/p>\n Furthermore, one of the strong compositional tools you can use to create a better perspective is diagonal composition.<\/p>\n One of the main places that Todd Hido gains inspiration from is cinema and film.<\/p>\n He describes when he is driving around the suburbs, he always sees scenes and dramas of imagined stories:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153When I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m driving around the suburbs, I see them as if they were a set where dramas are unfolding all the time. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m setting the stage for an imagined story.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n I think as street photographers we can relate. We are trying to capture the beauty and drama of everyday life. The stories we capture aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t factual nor are they \u00e2\u20ac\u0153objective.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d They are our own interpretations of reality\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and we try to create this human drama through our street photography.<\/p>\n In Todd Hido\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s \u00e2\u20ac\u0153house hunting\u00e2\u20ac\u009d project\u00e2\u20ac\u201d he tries to create an imaginary sense of drama through the illuminated windows he captures. He describes the power of imagination\u00e2\u20ac\u201d that the viewer fills in the blanks<\/strong>. This makes the images much more engaging:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t shown anything actually taking place in the windows. Anything you think is happening is happening in your own imagination<\/strong>. The backlit curtains simply trigger that. When I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m photographing, I start to fill in the gaps of the story in my mind even though the viewer may not sense that story in the finished picture. I exaggerate certain details in the scene to give a sense of something beyond what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s seen.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Hido also shares the importance of leaving certain details out<\/strong>. By showing too much of the scene or the story, it becomes boring. You want to leave the final interpretation up to the viewer:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I purposely leave things out so that people can bring their own stories into view, so that the meaning of the image ultimately resides with the viewer<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n But is there an ultimate \u00e2\u20ac\u0153objective\u00e2\u20ac\u009d and singular interpretation? Definitely not. Each viewer will interpret your photos differently based on their personal life experiences, and how they see and experience the world. You don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want your photos to be too obvious to your viewers<\/strong>:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What I enjoy most is making images that are suggestive in this way, that have potential for being read with different meanings. I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want the story to be entirely evident<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Often \u00e2\u20ac\u0153not knowing\u00e2\u20ac\u009d makes us more intrigued in images:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153When I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t understand what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s happening, I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m more intrigued. Oftentimes what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not shown is of more interest. It activates the sense. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a kind of pleasure in not knowing, in having to pay attention.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Let your viewers fill in the blank for your images. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t make the stories too obvious to them.<\/p>\n Perhaps you can incorporate the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153decapitation\u00e2\u20ac\u009d method to your photos by intentionally chopping off the heads of your subjects. This will make the images more mysterious in the sense that you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t entirely know the expression, mood, or the face of your subject.<\/p>\n Perhaps you can single out your subject, and photograph them against a background that has no context. This might make your viewer more intrigued by asking themselves, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I wonder where they are?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n Another way you can add more intrigue to your photos is to add shadows and silhouettes in your work. Photograph when there is harsh lighting (or during golden hour)\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and try to photograph that obscures the face of the subject with the shadows.<\/p>\n Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t make your street photos easy to interpret. Make it a puzzle\u00e2\u20ac\u201d a riddle, which is ultimately more fun for the viewer.<\/p>\n Going along the previous point, create ambiguity in your photographs. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t offer too many answers in your images (suggest more questions). Todd Hido shares:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Ambiguity is one of the finest tools for making art. In my way of thinking, images should raise more questions than they answer<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Todd also mentions the importance of activating the desire of the viewer to know more:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I want my photographs to make people wonder about what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going on instead of giving it away<\/strong>. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not necessarily saying that when work tells you something directly, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a bad thing. But, I like when I have to ask, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s going on here?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d As a photographer, I want to tell you just enough with the pictures to activate your desire to know more<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Curiosity is a strong tool in photography. Like a good story, you want to draw in your subject with intrigue\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and you want them to keep flipping the pages to find out what happens next.<\/p>\n In good mystery and detective novels, the book usually starts with a murder scene. Then for the rest of the book, you are trying to figure out who did it. If the first chapter of the book explained who killed whom, the book would be quite boring.<\/p>\n Treat the same philosophy to your photographs. Make it like a murder mystery\u00e2\u20ac\u201d have your viewers wonder what is going on in your scene. Have your viewers identify the main protagonists, the drama, and have them try to uncover what is going on.<\/p>\n When I am looking through photographs, I love photographs that make me stop, pause, and wonder, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How did this photographer make this image? What is going on here?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n Additional ways to add intrigue to your photographs: shoot through windows, reflections, and add surrealism. Street photography isn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t about simply defining reality \u00e2\u20ac\u0153objectively\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d it is about creating your own subjective reality.<\/p>\n One of the major pains that I had in my photography for a long time (and still have) is identifying my own \u00e2\u20ac\u0153style\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or voice.<\/p>\n Ultimately I think everything we do is authentic and unique (we haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t done it before)\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but at the same time, we want to \u00e2\u20ac\u0153add to the conversation.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n What do I mean by that? In academia\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you need to do research in a field and create a thesis that hasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t been done before. You don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to research things that people have already solved. You want to work on novel problems and find novel solutions.<\/p>\n Similarly in photography\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you want to study the work of the masters, see the work that was done before you, and see how you can contribute to the work that has already been done.<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Adding to the conversation\u00e2\u20ac\u009d doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t mean that you have to create 100% entirely unique work. Rather, you can remix and tweak projects that have already been done before. However, you still want to add your own unique twist and perspective on things.<\/p>\n Todd Hido explains how in his \u00e2\u20ac\u0153house hunting\u00e2\u20ac\u009d series he added his own twist and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153added to the conversation.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d People have photographed houses at night before him\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but he did it differently enough which made it meaningful and unique:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153As I began to realize that my pictures of houses were ultimately about relationships and home and family, I also realized that this is what makes them different from the work of those who have photographed these kind of subjects before me. My more personal take makes my work very different than that of, say, Robert Adams or Henry Wessel. The three of us would make an interesting case study because we are all photographing houses at night but yielding completely different results.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Hido shares how he differentiates his work from other photographers who photographed houses at night such as Robert Adams. The main difference? Hido\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s work is much more subjective, while Adams\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 work is much more objective:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153In \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcSummer Nights\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 (1958), Robert Adams photographs the same style of neighborhood that I grew up in and that I still photograph. But somehow he can photograph a house at night and I can photograph a house at night and they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not the same thing. They almost don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t even relate to each other in some odd way. Adams takes a more objective stance, while my pictures are more subjective. This goes to show that not everything has been done before. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s always room to add to the conversation<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The ultimate take-away from Hido is that \u00e2\u20ac\u0153there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s always room to add to the conversation.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t let the fact that certain photography projects have done before get in your way.<\/p>\n I have a friend named Charlie Kirk who is currently doing a long-term street photography project on Istanbul. Alex Webb has already photographed Istanbul\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but Charlie decided he wanted to do it differently. Charlie opted for shooting it both in black and white and color (while Alex Webb shot it all in color). Charlie decided that he wanted to make it more socio-economic\/political, while Alex Webb photographed mostly scenes in the streets. Charlie shoots with a 28mm, while Alex Webb shoots with a 35mm. It is different enough, yet Charlie is adding to the conversation (instead of just creating another color street photography series of Istanbul).<\/p>\n However even Todd Hido has to remind himself the importance of going out and doing work (and not getting discouraged):<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Sometimes I have to remind myself of this. There are a million ways to talk yourself out of making your work, and saying to yourself that it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s already been done, is a big one. Not everything has been done before. Go and do your work. You can see where it leads and how it fits once it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s made<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Whenever you decide to work on a project, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t let the feedback \u00e2\u20ac\u0153it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s already been done before\u00e2\u20ac\u009d get in your way. However at the same time, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t totally ignore it.<\/p>\n Rather, extensively study the work that has already been done before\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and see how you can do it differently.<\/p>\n For example, one of my long-term projects is my \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Suits\u00e2\u20ac\u009d project. There have been tons of other projects photographed on suits before\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but what makes mine different? I take a much more sympathetic view on guys wearing suits and working corporate (rather than other projects, which seem to be much more negative and condescending towards suits). I also am working mostly with flash (haven\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t seen other projects done in this way).<\/p>\n I am also working on a long-term photography project on America, titled: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Only in America.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d My project is currently very similar to work that has already been done before (I am getting my main source of inspiration from Zoe Strauss, Stephen Shore, Lee Friedlander, and Robert Frank). However the way I want to differentiate the project is for the series to have a greater variety of images\u00e2\u20ac\u201d for it to be more based on street portraits and urban landscapes. Admittedly the project is still in its infancy and hasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t found its own voice yet\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but I am still working hard on differentiating it from other projects that have come before mine on America.<\/p>\n My advice to you when working on projects is this: stick with it, don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t give up, be persistent, become knowledgeable about the work done before you, and try to be you.<\/p>\n Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t try to copy the work that has come from before you. Find inspiration in the work that has come before you, but photograph what you naturally are interested and drawn to. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just makes images because you think other people will like it.<\/p>\n Make a project that you would appreciate at the end of the day (and whether other people like it or not is up to them).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n One of the creative tensions a photographer faces is this: creating a unique body of work (that is easily identifiable and has a \u00e2\u20ac\u0153style\u00e2\u20ac\u009d) while also avoiding boredom<\/strong>.<\/p>\n So how do you combine both of these things?<\/p>\n Todd shares this dilemma he had of not always having new ideas, and stressing about the next projects he would work on:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I used to get really freaked out when I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have new ideas, thinking, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Oh my God, what am I going to do next?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I thought I had to change everything, and of course, you can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just go and do that because you can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t change yourself.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n However Hido remembered the insight that it is okay to keep doing what you are comfortable for a while. You don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need to always do something new. He says in the end of this excerpt: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153repetition is just part of the creative process\u00e2\u20ac\u009d:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I keep this list of rules for art students in my office, the same list that John Cage kept in his studio. They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re by Sister Corita Kent, and the first rule is, \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcFind a place you trust and then try trusting it for a while.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s okay to stay in the same place for a while and to trust the desire to do so.<\/strong> I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d go to the same suburbs and make pictures of houses at night with lights on. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d see that a picture was really good and then make another one to see what happened. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d go back again and again, making pictures in the same places. Slowly but surely the work evolved. I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t think our human nature lets us truly repeat ourselves. Repetition is just part of the creative process<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Todd continues by saying in photography\u00e2\u20ac\u201d there are times it is important to repeat yourself over and over and have consistency with your work:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Frederick Sommer used to say a lot that \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcvariation is change.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s the thing about photography that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s so curious. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s something essential in doing the same set of actions over and over again<\/strong>. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a kind of ruminating.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n However he does mention the importance of avoiding too much comfort\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you want to avoid boredom<\/strong>. Sometimes small variations will do the trick:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a comfort and consistency in the repetition, but it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not too comfortable. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not bored<\/strong>. There is still something sustaining your interest, pulling you along. You have to trust that you will come up with something different, arrive somewhere new in the process<\/strong>. It may start with making a picture of a house that is orange instead of blue.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Todd continues by sharing the dangers of repetition\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and how it can be harmful to us:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Repetition is your friend and also your enemy. While you want your work to be consistent, to have a style, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve got to strike the right balance between consistency and monotony once you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been working on a project for a while<\/strong>. I remember when I was heavily into photographing the houses at night, there came a point when I was really conscious that the pictures could not all be taken on foggy nights; I couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t rely on the fog to be the seductive part.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Todd shares the importance of adding variation and variety to his project\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I already had a number of those shots and needed to introduce more variation<\/strong>. I had to go out on clear nights also. I needed to go out to the outskirts of the suburbs and take pictures. When I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d hit a critical mass of pictures of houses, I would go out and shoot apartments. I wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t making huge changes. This type of attentiveness to repetition and variation brings me change<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n When you get bored on working on a certain project, you often don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need to make huge changes. Sometimes all you need are small and subtle variations to get you feeling creative again.<\/p>\n So for example\u00e2\u20ac\u201d let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s say you are interested in shooting \u00e2\u20ac\u0153street portraits.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d But after a while, shooting portraits of people\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s faces on the streets don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t interest you. This might not necessarily be a sign that you stop shooting portraits all together. Perhaps you just need to switch it up.<\/p>\n Perhaps you can start off by shooting different types of faces. If you are mostly drawn to old people, you can start photographing more young faces. If you shoot most of your portraits in black and white, perhaps try to switch it up by shooting in color.<\/p>\n One of my favorite street portrait series is by Bruce Gilden. His compositions, framing, use of color and the flash is consistent, and his subjects are all quite grungy and gritty characters. But there is still a variety in the faces and expressions that he gets.<\/p>\n So there are many ways you can incorporate variety and consistency to your work. You can perhaps use a variety of cameras in shooting similar subject matter<\/strong>. Or vice-versa: you can use just one camera and one lens to photograph different types of subject matter<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Ultimately the key is this: you want to avoid boredom<\/strong>. Try to stay as consistent as you can with your work, and follow your curiosity<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Trends come and go. The funny thing about trends is that when you try to follow a trend, it seems to go away quite quickly. As soon as you try to jump on the bandwagon, it has already left.<\/p>\n So rather than looking at what is popular and trying to imitate it\u00e2\u20ac\u201d just follow your own intuition. Todd Hido encourages us to avoid what is popular below:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t look at what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s popular at the moment and then simply go and repeat it. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s a recipe for disaster<\/strong>. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll make empty art if you try that approach or only care about success. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll always be chasing something, because trends change constantly<\/strong>. One minute, cold, crisp and conceptual German photography is the bee\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s knees, and then the next minute, emotional documentary work is hot.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Todd shares his own personal experience\u00e2\u20ac\u201d that while Todd is personally drawn to shooting more subjective subject matter (with emotion), he was encouraged to take a more objective and cold stance. This didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t jive well with him:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153When I started my career it was very much the era of theory and post-modernism. Subjective emotion and beauty were not on the radar. It was a clich\u00c3\u00a9\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 to have anything to do with that, I was encouraged to shoot from a uniform distance, to use a more neutral color palette, to work more conceptually, and take a more objective stance\u00e2\u20ac\u201d basically to work like I had worked with the Bechers in Dusseldorf.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Todd shares how he ignored that advice\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and followed by making the types of photographs that he wanted to make:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153But that advice, well meaning as it was, didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t sit right with me. Those weren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t the kinds of pictures that I wanted to make, and I knew better than to follow that path<\/strong>. There are always going to be way too many people giving you their opinion. When you do get advice, it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s important that you, as an artist, know what to leave and what to take on and consider. You can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t become somebody you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Todd Hido doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t tell us to simply discount all the feedback and advice we get from others. Rather, listen with an open heart\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and know what to take (and know what to ignore).<\/p>\n What is Todd\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s ultimate advice in finding your own vision (and not just imitating others, and what is popular?) Follow your instincts<\/strong>:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153It has served me well throughout my career to follow my own instincts<\/strong>. I learned early on that I should just do what I really wanted to do, and I wanted to keep my work emotional and subjective. Really, I couldn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t do anything other than that. I can honestly say that even if I had not achieved any level of success with my work, I would still make it because I need and want to make it<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Follow your own instincts. Photograph what you really want to photograph. If you want to make subjective and emotional street photographs\u00e2\u20ac\u201d follow that path. If you prefer more visual composition and geometry\u00e2\u20ac\u201d follow that path.<\/p>\n Another piece of advice: only make the type of photos that ultimately make you happy. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t worry about making photos that are \u00e2\u20ac\u0153popular\u00e2\u20ac\u009d or which you can sell.<\/p>\n You never know what kind of photos will please others. But you know what kinds of photos please you.<\/p>\n Aim to please yourself above everything else with your photography. The rest will follow<\/strong>.<\/p>\n What I really love about Todd\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s work is the emotion, color, and mood of his images. But Todd doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just shoot color for the sake of it\u00e2\u20ac\u201d he is very conscious about the emotions that arise from colors:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Another primary thing that conveys feeling in photographs is color. Blue will almost always be read as cold to us, especially in landscape. Green represents growth or sickness, depending on the hue. Colors bring their own meanings and moods to a picture<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Also when it came to his photography, Todd Hido wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t interested in capturing an objective view of the world. Rather, he wanted to create an imaginary world:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153When I first started photographing I was shooting black-and-white. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d never really shot in color because I didn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have access to a color darkroom and whenever I had worked in color, I sent the negatives to a lab, and they would always create a neutral print. I wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t interested in that; I found the print to be too real. There was something about it that too closely referenced the real world instead of this imaginary world that I was trying to create<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Todd also shares a story when he took a black-and-white darkroom printing class with Roy DeCarava. Funny enough, Todd initially wanted to do a color darkroom printing class (but there were scheduling conflicts) and he ended up getting stuck with Roy DeCarava instead:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I would bring my print out of the darkroom in the wet tray and show it to Roy. Each time he said, \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcMake it darker. Make it darker.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I saw that though pictures turn out a certain way in their raw negative form, you can push them in a whole different direction in the printing. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s largely what I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve done in the darkroom for years.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n A lot of photographers tell you that you have to get the photos entirely in-camera. While I do encourage street photographers to try to get as good as a composition in-camera (without cropping)\u00e2\u20ac\u201d ultimately you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to only post raw JPEG\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s to the internet. There is a certain amount of post-processing you need to do to your photos to convey a certain emotion or feeling.<\/p>\n Todd also doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t get his photos straight out of his camera\u00e2\u20ac\u201d a lot of emotion is created afterwards in the darkroom:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153My pictures don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t materialize into form straight from the camera; I choose the way they look and feel afterward<\/strong>. Taking the picture is just the starting point. Often my contact sheets look nothing like the final print. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m very manipulative in the darkroom, and now, on the computer<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Todd shares the importance that he learned in the darkroom printing class with Roy DeCarava\u00e2\u20ac\u201d that the way you make a print is totally subjective<\/strong>:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153That one-week workshop completely influenced my whole career\u00e2\u20ac\u201dlearning that a print can be interpreted to look any way you want it to look. There is no right way. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s totally subjective<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Todd also shared another thought when he first started experimenting printing in color\u00e2\u20ac\u201d \u00e2\u20ac\u0153What would Roy DeCarava say?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153When I started experimenting with printing in color, I thought about what it would be like if Roy DeCarava was standing outside the darkroom giving me advice. He might say, \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcMake the color totally gone.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122 Or, \u00e2\u20ac\u02dcMake the color super blue.\u00e2\u20ac\u2122\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Ansel Adams once famously said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t take a photograph, you make it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Adams spent tons of time in the darkroom, manipulating his negative to achieve the tonality in the black and white landscapes he captured.<\/p>\n Todd Hido also does this in color\u00e2\u20ac\u201d he makes the photos feel the way he wants them to feel (by adjusting the colors in a certain way):<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I was never really instructed in how to print in color, so I adjusted the colors in my photographs to be whatever I felt they should look like or convey. The way I use color is very subjective<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n What kind of colors does Todd Hido ultimately like? He shares the emotional thoughts behind his colors below:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I like colors that are more muted and softer than in reality. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m not married to reality; I don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t feel I have to faithfully describe a place. I add my own emotional content in the choices I make in the printing process<\/strong>. Color absolutely sets a mood. There\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s no question about it.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n However at the same time\u00e2\u20ac\u201d he wants to make his colors not too crazy or wacky\u00e2\u20ac\u201d he wants to make them \u00e2\u20ac\u0153believable\u00e2\u20ac\u009d:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153When I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m choosing the colors, anything goes, but I still want the picture to feel like it could be real, like it could have happened<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n When it comes to street photography and color\u00e2\u20ac\u201d don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t just photograph colorful things for the sake of it. Think about how color adds a certain mood.<\/p>\n If you want your photographs to convey a more subdued and neutral tone\u00e2\u20ac\u201d perhaps stick with cooler colors (blue, green, violet). If you want your photographs to feel more intense and energetic\u00e2\u20ac\u201d embrace colors like red, orange, and yellow.<\/p>\n Also know that the colors don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have to be exactly how you saw it. When you are shooting with color film\u00e2\u20ac\u201d the film doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t exactly look like how you captured it in reality. The film interprets the scene differently and processes the colors in a certain way.<\/p>\n So when you are post-processing your photographs in color, make your photos look the way you want them to look<\/strong>.<\/p>\n However I do encourage you to try to stay consistent with the way you process your colors (at least within a certain project). If the majority of your photographs are a warm tone, perhaps try to make them all warm. Try to stick with one type of film for a project.<\/p>\n If you are working in digital, perhaps you can create a certain preset for your photographs. Then try to stay consistent with that process.<\/p>\n When you are working as a photographer, there are many decisions you are going to face. Below, Todd Hido shares some of the challenges you might face:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Making decisions is one of the most critical things in art making. You\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re always in a state of deciding. What camera am I going to use? Am I going to shoot this in black and white or color? Horizontal or vertical? Am I going to print this in Inkjet or Lightjet?\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Todd Hido shares the importance of making lots of small decisions in order to create art:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Larry Sultan used to say that the act of making art is the act of making many, many, many small decisions. Each question you encounter can lead you down a particular path<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n But how can we be sure that the small decisions we make are leading us in the right direction? We need to have faith\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and work forward in small steps:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153If you can be decisive and move forward through the decisions step by step, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be more successful. The real question is: What\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s right for you right now? And realizing what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s right for you changes over time<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Your photography will change and evolve over time. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t feel pressured or stressed to make huge long-term decisions regarding your photography or projects.<\/p>\n Plan your projects to take years, but try to stay present-oriented and make the small day-to-day decisions that affect you.<\/p>\n For example, you might have a grand image in your mind to do a street photography project of America. But instead of worrying about all the long-term details like getting an exhibition, getting a book, or marketing your project\u00e2\u20ac\u201d focus on the small details (in the present moment). Figure out what camera and lens you are going to use. Figure out if you want to shoot it in black and white (or both). Figure out what cities or states you would like to visit.<\/p>\n Keep moving forward with these small decisions \u00e2\u20ac\u201d and keep your eyes focused on your long-term goals.<\/p>\n I believe that creativity needs restrictions. Sometimes by creating parameters, you will become more creative. Todd Hido explains:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153There are no rules. But sometimes you need parameters<\/strong>. They could be conceptual. Sometimes, there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s value in just naming what you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re doing at the moment as a concept: \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I photograph houses at night.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d You can then add to the concept, like, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I also create a mood. I look for moody things at night.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Or, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I only photograph on cloudy days.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d The concept can change and evolve. You can always modify it at any point because it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s yours<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n If people ask what kind of photos you make, perhaps you can start off by saying \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I shoot street photographs.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d This is creating a parameter\u00e2\u20ac\u201d by saying you shoot \u00e2\u20ac\u0153street photographs\u00e2\u20ac\u009d it means that you aren\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t as interested in photographing landscapes.<\/p>\n Over time your photography will probably become more specific. So instead of saying that \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I shoot street photographs\u00e2\u20ac\u009d, you might say \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I shoot street photographs of people which are visually complex and multi-layered.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d Or you might say \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I shoot street photographs of mostly people\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s faces.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n Know how to define yourself as a photographer\u00e2\u20ac\u201d but know that your personal definition of your own photography can (and will) change and evolve over time.<\/p>\n When you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re out shooting\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you want to photograph what excites and moves you. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t photograph what you think others will think is interesting. Photograph what genuinely excites you. Todd Hido shares some of these lessons:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Your parameters should be flexible enough, though, that you can still just shoot whatever moves you. Photograph whatever catches your eye, whatever gets your ass out of the chair to go photograph<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Often we have a self-critic in our head that tell us not to take a certain photograph (because it might be boring or stupid). Ignore that voice. Take the photograph anyways, because you never know how the photograph will look (unless you try photographing it):<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Take the picture and see what happens, because you never know<\/strong>. Sometimes the world looks different in photographs. Like Garry Winogrand said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I photograph to find out what something will look like photographed.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d This leaves the door open for surprise. Often with the unexpected, with contradiction, there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s growth.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n I think when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re out shooting street photography, you should follow your gut. Photograph what personally makes you happy, excited, or scared. Channel your emotions into your shooting process.<\/p>\n Also don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have regrets when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re out on the streets. It is better to photograph something (and edit it out later) than never taking the shot<\/strong>. The worst-case scenario is you have a boring shot. The best-case scenario is that you will make a brilliant shot.<\/p>\n Many of us get bored and lose creativity when we spend too much time at home. What is Todd\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s advice to this problem? Just take a shot trip out of town:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153I also started making shorter trips out of town\u00e2\u20ac\u201d to Ohio when I could and also to places closer by that spoke to me. A two-hour plane ride could take me to eastern Washington, for instance. I love working this way because sometimes it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s hard for me to focus on my work at home; there\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s too much going on<\/strong>. I may want to leave the house at 10:00, but I end up leaving at 12:30 because I answer the phone and get pulled into other things. I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122m a single father of twins. It\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not always possible to be creative whenever I want. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not real life. If I can get away for a short trip, I am not only transported to a different location but a different mental space; and I know my time there will be dedicated to taking pictures<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Sometimes you need a small little change of scenery to re-inspire you. And it doesn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have to be far. That little trip can just be a 30-minute or an hour drive from your home. It can be a part of town that you normally don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t go to.<\/p>\n Try to inject novelty and variety into the locations you shoot street photography\u00e2\u20ac\u201d and it will be enough inspiration you need to get into a new mental and creative space.<\/p>\n Todd Hido focuses on projects. But many of us photographer face this dilemma: how do we know when to end a project? Todd Hido shares his own opinions on this matter:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153How do you know when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re doing with a project? I kept on making the landscape pictures because I was still captivated by the subject. I wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t making them for art\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sake; I was making them because I needed to make them<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Todd gives us this advice: make photos because there is a part of your soul, which forces you to make them. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t photograph for the sake of it\u00e2\u20ac\u201d photograph because it scratches that itch within your soul.<\/p>\n Todd also gives us further practical advice: when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re too lazy to make photographs of a project (and have lost the passion for it)\u00e2\u20ac\u201d you should stop:<\/p>\n \u00e2\u20ac\u0153And so I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d say you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re done with something when you stop getting out of your car to photograph it, or when you stop getting your camera out of your bag to take a picture. That\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re done: when you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re not compelled to shoot the subject anymore<\/strong>.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n When you shoot street photography, you should enjoy the process. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t photograph because someone forces you to do it. Photograph what excites and stimulates you.<\/p>\n If you are working on a project, you do it because there is something that compels you to do so. You don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need to force yourself to work on a project. It is effortless (like the Taoist concept of \u00e2\u20ac\u0153wu-wei\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d action without action).<\/p>\n So when you are shooting a certain project or subject matter, follow your heart. If you fall out of love with a project, perhaps you should discontinue the project (or figure out how to work on it in a different way).<\/p>\n11. Photography is about position<\/h2>\n
![\"tumblr_n7ptpo8f761t51dq2o6_1280\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/tumblr_n7ptpo8f761t51dq2o6_1280-800x779.jpg?resize=800%2C779\")
<\/p>\nTakeaway point:<\/h3>\n
12. Let your viewer fill in the blanks<\/h2>\n
![\"larger](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/larger-1-626x800.jpg?resize=626%2C800\")
<\/p>\nTakeaway point:<\/h3>\n
13. Create ambiguity<\/h2>\n
![\"tumblr_n2a57puNPT1r353bno4_1280\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/tumblr_n2a57puNPT1r353bno4_1280-800x546.jpg?resize=800%2C546\")
<\/p>\nTakeaway point:<\/h3>\n
14. Add to the conversation<\/h2>\n
![\"2077\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/2077-628x800.jpg?resize=628%2C800\")
<\/p>\nTakeaway point:<\/h3>\n
15. Harness repetition and variation<\/h2>\n
![\"cb712581_2904\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/cb712581_2904-647x800.jpg?resize=647%2C800\")
<\/p>\nTakeaway point:<\/h3>\n
16. Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t follow what is popular<\/h2>\n
![\"52f116e2722b2-1024x808\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/52f116e2722b2-1024x808-800x631.jpg?resize=800%2C631\")
<\/p>\nTakeaway point:<\/h3>\n
17. The color of emotion<\/h2>\n
![\"todd](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/todd-hido-800x632.jpg?resize=800%2C632\")
<\/p>\nTakeaway point:<\/h3>\n
18. Make lots of small decisions<\/h2>\n
![\"Todd-Hido-8906-2009.-Chromogenic-print.-Edition-of-5-30-x-38-inches.-Photo-Courtesy-Bruce-Silverstein-Gallery\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/Todd-Hido-8906-2009.-Chromogenic-print.-Edition-of-5-30-x-38-inches.-Photo-Courtesy-Bruce-Silverstein-Gallery-800x536.jpg?resize=800%2C536\")
<\/p>\nTakeaway point:<\/h3>\n
19. Create parameters<\/h2>\n
![\"ToddHido_11\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/ToddHido_11-619x800.jpg?resize=619%2C800\")
<\/p>\nTakeaway point:<\/h3>\n
20. Shoot whatever moves you<\/h2>\n
![\"tumblr_n7ptpo8f761t51dq2o5_1280\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/tumblr_n7ptpo8f761t51dq2o5_1280.jpg?resize=745%2C576\")
<\/p>\nTakeaway point:<\/h3>\n
21. Take short trips<\/h2>\n
![\"Todd-Hido-5\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/Todd-Hido-5-630x800.jpg?resize=630%2C800\")
<\/p>\nTakeaway point:<\/h3>\n
22. Knowing when to stop<\/h2>\n
![\"larger\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/larger-638x800.jpg?resize=638%2C800\")
<\/p>\nTakeaway point:<\/h3>\n
23. Shoot subconsciously<\/h2>\n
![\"tumblr_n7ptpo8f761t51dq2o3_1280\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/tumblr_n7ptpo8f761t51dq2o3_1280-800x632.jpg?resize=800%2C632\")
<\/p>\n
![\"tumblr_n2a57puNPT1r353bno6_1280\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/tumblr_n2a57puNPT1r353bno6_1280-800x649.jpg?resize=800%2C649\")
<\/p>\n![\"THP1-05\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/THP1-05-800x641.jpg?resize=800%2C641\")
<\/p>\n![\"107141-10123456-Hido_fave-1_jpg\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/107141-10123456-Hido_fave-1_jpg-800x600.jpg?resize=800%2C600\")
<\/p>\n![\"tumblr_n08o6aDKTx1qabu3po1_1280\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/tumblr_n08o6aDKTx1qabu3po1_1280-800x629.jpg?resize=800%2C629\")
<\/p>\n![\"hido2\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/hido2-800x630.jpg?resize=800%2C630\")
<\/p>\n![\"THP-7\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/THP-7-800x635.jpg?resize=800%2C635\")
<\/p>\n![\"206167380_640\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/206167380_640.jpg?resize=640%2C360\")
<\/p>\n![\"97_11351-1483web\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/97_11351-1483web-800x534.jpg?resize=800%2C534\")
<\/p>\n![\"10502-42__C-Print__76x96_cm__2011\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/10502-42__C-Print__76x96_cm__2011-800x631.jpg?resize=800%2C631\")
<\/p>\n![\"Photobook2013-24\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/Photobook2013-24-800x534.jpg?resize=800%2C534\")
<\/p>\n![\"Aperture-Gala-Art-Out-3\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/01\/Aperture-Gala-Art-Out-3-800x533.jpg?resize=800%2C533\")
<\/p>\n