Great to join your channel. You have a very unique perspective that aligns with mine. The streets photos of mine that bring more joy to me were taken with a 20 mm Nikkor 3.5. They have a sense of closeness that lack the “normal” ranges.
I’ve just stumbled across this channel today and have to say I’m loving the content. Thank you both. An area of photography I’ve wanted to explore for a long time but my introverted personality has always got in the way. I see so many moments on the street that I wish to capture but have a fear of pointing the camera at them!
Thank you. We are pleased you are liking the content. If you are introverted, the best way of starting is to step back. Longer focal length, stay out of the way and gradually get closer as your confidence builds. It will take some time and some hours on the street but the real joy of street photography is the actual shooting of the pictures, being among people and observing life.
Even though it's not a legal invasion of privacy, many people object to having their photo taken on the street because they feel as if their privacy is being invaded. Street photography has changed over the last few years and I am torn. Do I sneak a photo knowing very well the subject may object if they know about it? I'm not really comfortable with that idea although a lot of people do it.
Great video! Sometimes I get closer with people, start a conversation with them, and the moment, the close moment with a total stranger is so great I forget to take a picture. But that encounter is worth more as any photograph I could take.
This video has given me a new perspective as I've never been brave enough to venture out on the streets to take pictures of random people going about their activities. Love this video.
I've always thought that being a female definitely is more advantageous in street photography. I think it's because women are generally thought of as less threatening. Love your work !!
That’s quite the opposite. If you’re a woman, especially an attractive white woman in a developing country you can’t go around being unnoticed. Double the effect if you’re carrying a camera and trying to do street photography. You’ll just get EVERYBODY around you (mostly men but also women)staring at you like you were an alien. They won’t take the eyes off of you until you leave, some of them would come talk to you or even harass you…so please enlighten me on how exactly that would make it easier 😂 sometimes western white men just don’t understand the privilege they live in…
@@annag.966yeah but less people would be willing to get agressive with you like they would with men. Besides, it depends on what you look like as a woman too. I tend to be more petite and i also have a pixie cut and generally people think i am a little boy walking around with a camera. Super threatening i guess😂
very interesting commentary and superb photos. getting in close with a wide angle lens is just so powerful , I really do admire this sort of work, thank you for sharing
I started street about 12 years ago with a 50mm eqiv. lens then gradually worked my way down to about 24mm - and now back to 50mm again currently. The main reason being is that I got tired of the "distorted" perspective of the wide lenses. I still use a 35mm for more crowded scenes like street markets. Ones personal tastes ebbs and flows, waxes and wanes over time. Who knows I might be back to the 24mm in a few years time😄
Excellent video. Agree with everything you say about physical and, maybe more importantly, emotional closeness. My wife and I go shooting together and she, like Sarah, is an outgoing person who can and has struck up a conversation with a Spaniard who had no English while she hasn't a word of Spanish. I'm like you. I do feel, however, that this approach is a lot easier for a woman who's not percieved to be as threatening as a man. Particularly around families with children.
Thank you. The other side of the argument, which I have seen first hand, is that Sarah has had abuse shouted at her from males on the street. I haven’t had that and probably won’t. So there are swings and roundabouts regardless of gender.
09/10/23 Hi Jeff and Sarah. I've shot with many formats and lenses over the years. Then, when I turned sixty, I thought enough of all that. I decided to shoot whatever took my fancy for my own pleasure and amusement using my phones camera. I can go anywhere in London, with my free travel pass, and the difference in my mindset when taking pictures is summed up with one word...freedom. Nothing is off limits regarding content, and engaging with people is just an option, like auto or manual settings. I shall enjoy strolling around your channel over the coming days. Have a good start to your week. Regards Colin Gerard
Thank you for this video. I used to think it was creepy to get too close to people on the street. But I had a photography teacher who said "well, shooting from behind a bush with a long lens isn't *less* creepy." LOL! Lately, I got the Q3 to help working on 28mm but really it was my own beliefs I needed to work on.
Hello Jeff, I've now watched a few of your videos now and this is really inspirational stuff, especially some of Sarah's work in this one. Confidence is obviously the key. I've spent many years photographing landscapes but I'm now doing more street photography, off to NYC in a couple of months to spend some time photographing the locals so your videos have been a great help. Many thanks for your inspiring images.
I believe that one secret is not being sneaky with taking photos when out and about. Plus chatting with people before snapping help also. Of course, if you are confronted by someone who takes offense to you snapping photos, I have found that just saying "sorry" and moving on seems to be the best way to handle the situation. Lots of people seem to not want an explanation, or just want to argue with you. Of course, that is here in the states.
Thanks for your comments. I think everyone will have their own way of approaching street photography. Personally, I prefer to react to what I see in front of me rather than engaging with someone. But everyone is different.
Great advice. I would like to say, I understand your need to change and try different perspectives, but, and of course you shoot as you feel, I must say that I really liked the photographs you took from far away. The compositions felt more impactful, bur mostly the feeling in the photographs were outstanding, like the loneliness or the silence they portrayed. Great video.
Solid advise chock full of cracking photos. I'm often conflicted I work in newspapers I have no issue getting in peoples faces with a 16-35 I wear the company shirt and I don't know I wear it like a bloody safety blanket, but out on my own time without the shirt It can be tough to get close up. I used a 35mm for so long loved it got used to it, then 5 days ago got the Q2 28mm lens, now have to get closer still. I used a few strategies to get close, the old dumb old twat fumbling with new tech, not far from the truth actually, I used the sit on a bench with a coffee and wait, also the distracted pleb on his phone as I inch closer. Also I stand a a lofty 5'6 so no bugger sees me anyway, great for slow angle hots too.
In Capa's day (he died in 1954), it was much easier to get physically close and people were more trusting. Around the world, there is a growing aversion to having your photo taken by a street photographer. Unfortunately, many photographers, especially men, lack the skill to quickly create a relationship with someone on the street. Women just seem to be better at it than us men. I don't think physical closeness is necessary to get good streets photo. I think it is easier to get engaging photos from close up, but we can learn to do the same thing from a greater distance.
Thanks for your comments. I’ve never understood the concept of building a relationship with someone on the street. I know some photographers like to do this, but it isn’t for me. Working with a female street photographer day in, day out, I would say that some things are easier for Sarah but a lot of things are harder. She has been sworn at, shouted at, and bullied by people a lot more than I have because she’s a woman.
I think you are right. And foreign women are just less dangerous than foreign men. This gives the women a great advantage as documentarians - whether they work with photography or other types of journalism. As men, we have to work harder to improve our social skills and gain people's trust - and that's actually a good thing!
Of course, being a woman working alone is also vulnerable. Unfortunately, there are many places where it can be dangerous for women to approach strangers.@@WalkLikeAlice
irony of our era, we have mass surveillance everywhere and people publish their selfies all the time but for photograph, there is still the idea of soul stealer, that is some sort of instinct and you have to break that ice. And for that smile, clean your beard etc it's easier with a Leica III, people will focus on it and think aweeeeeee what a camera
@@chriscard6544 Often we get photographers telling us how they've got into trouble taking photos where kids are present. Parents jump up and down, but then they will photograph or video their kids and post it all to social media where potentially thousands of people will see their kids. It makes no sense.
Stumbled on you channel by chance. Really liked it and subscribed. Practical advice and straight to the point. You really have me thinking about how I shoot street photography. Thank you from White Rock British Columbia
This was super helpful! From someone who loves street photography but definitely on the nervous side. I would love to hear you tips with confrontation and how to disguise yourself when out shooting :)
Yes - good advice. I’ve only recently discovered your videos and am most impressed. I have particularly enjoyed your capture of people as part of a wider scene - although realise that you are advocating a different approach. Both doubtless have their place.
I think there is place for both. My problem was that I was too fixated on the scenes, rather than the people. I still shoot the wider scenes but I also like to get in really close too.
I love street photography and this video was very informative. I’ve come up with the idea of having my wife actually with me so as not to appear threatening or in any way worrisome to folks on the street. Subscribed!
great tips, it's something I'm often guilty of myself. I watched all your videos and am very impressed by both yours and Sarah's shooting methods and images. Subscribed to your channel and I look forward to seeing more videos soon
You make some excellent points by comparing and contrasting the „fishing technique“ (ie have sb walk in the frame to complete the image) with being intimate by gaining access & acceptance. Ultimately though I wonder whether focal length choice should drive one’s approach (ie wide angle forcing you to get close) or whether focal length should be at the end of one’s thought process and execute one’s creative idea. In any case moving out of one’s comfort zone and trying different (focal length) approaches is so refreshing. And as Gary Player put it: “The harder I try, the luckier I get.” Thx for this 🙏
I completely understand what you are saying and, for some people, an adjustment in mindset and perspective is all that’s needed. Personally, I needed to force myself to get closer and the focal length helped with that. I also enjoyed the different visual perspective that the wide lenses gave me and, like you said, moving out of a comfort zone is refreshing.
This is fantastic advice. I've just got into photography myself and have had all of these questions and concerns zipping inside my head, so thank you. - I am from Manchester so I hope to catch you around!
The context in which Capa originally said 'not good enough, not close enough' (abbreviated) clearly spoke to physical closeness. To your point, though, interestingly, that physical proximity may translate to emotional closeness and illicit empathy in the viewer. So, in a sense, Capa was unwittingly speaking of emotional closeness as well. Unquestionably, 'close-up' pictures can look more striking and elicit more powerful/emotional responses from viewers. Looking at street photography by great photographers will reveal their awareness of this truth in contrast to the street photography now posted on the internet by innumerable people fancying themselves as street photographers.
Yes and no. Capa was always one for promoting his image and, along with Bresson, liked the use of profound quotation. These were often taken out of context (“Sharpness is a bourgeois concept” being a good example). Nothing in Capa’s own work suggests he was physically close for much of his work. Preferring to shoot with a 50mm or using a wide from a low camera angle for effect. I think people get hung up on street photography. It’s a hobby to most. There’s enough good street photography out there to keep the visually literate happy. But its hobby status, accessibility, and popularity will always mean that a lot of it won’t be that good.
Hi Jeff! Thanks a lot for the insightful videos! These are all real treasures for someone who's getting started in street photography an dis, just like you were, is terrified of confrontation or running into any sort of "issue" with strangers. So would you say that now you feel comfortable with it? Or do you have to always "force" yourself and hope for no confrontation? How do you deal with that stress?
Thanks for your kind comments 😊 I’m quite comfortable now but it took me quite a few months to get to this stage. I’m a lot better at reading a situation and know what to avoid. Experience is the key to everything when it comes to street photography. The more you do it, the more confident you become.
Brilliant Video! So much is about closeness and perspective. Gives the viewers an idea that a zoom lens can be potentially detrimental to your photography as your results might be all over the place. Sticking with a particular lens or finding out which lens/distance to your subject suits you most, really is a great idea. However, as much as I like some of your 21mm work, I still favour your 50mm images. Obviously, like in Cartier-Bressons' 50mm work it is mostly about graphical design and composition, there is a place for this kind of images - and there is a place for the immersion perspective of 28mm or wider lenses. Depends on what you are aiming at.
Thanks Frank. The 50mm work was getting a bit boring but there is still a place for that. Switching things around gave me a shot in the arm and sometimes that’s what is needed in photography.
Great advice on spending quality time with each lens. I shoot with 50 and 21. I find leaving one of them at home enables me to shoot better. I'm also standoffish as well. It's easier to engage with people with a rangefinder as well since it's so small. They don't feel as threatened. But with Omicron, I'm sticking with the 50 for now.
My work tends to span both 'up close' images and those that are taken at a distance. I like the immediacy of the images that are much more in the mix of things, but I also like more distant shots that show people within a context. It took me a while to get confident at getting close, but it can really help to create a more interesting body of work.
I think that’s important, the idea of creating more interesting work through variation. My problem was I didn’t have the closeness in my locker and felt I was missing out.
So I cheat a little. I go out to farmers markets, street fairs, etc... to get close to people. I find more people understand or think your photoing the event and not them. Its been a great strategy for me especially since I live in a small town. Just walking in the street and photoing random people feels very intrusive so I am intimidated. One other tip not sure if mentioned - silent your shutter sound if your camera has that feature - works great if you try shooting from hip which is my new strategy when I don't have an event to piggy back on.
thank you so much, I learnt a lot after viewing your few videos about street photog & using 50mm. It inspired me. Before that I used to use only 35mm on street shooting
Great video :) Just discovered your channel through searching for some Elmarit 28mm videos .I think im a documentary photographer at heart and while i consider myself quite decent at documenting something im still pretty crap at street photography even if i have been doing it a long while. Im well aware of that it has a lot to do with that exact problem, getting up close. I see what i WANT to shoot just like when im documenting. But im like you also described a bit scared of annoying people or getting into their space and also for the potential scolding or angering someone getting up in their face. Also at least here in sweden, just as most people see a middle aged man with a camera your at a disadvantage, especially if you have kids or younger people in the vicinity lol. So i kind of always or most of the times bring that with me when im shooting, and i realize that the times were i tend to forget that for a bit and just act on feeling i always get the better shots of course. Its funny but since starting to shoot film i actually have an easier time getting closer, maybe because i know people tend to be more relaxed or just see it as a funny thing when you bring a vintage camera around hehe. Its like the phenomena with mobile phones, no one seems to notice them as much either ;) Going out today im going to bring the 28 on the M240 and maybe a rollei 35 and shoot away, lets see if i can dare and beat those feelings of insecurity today ;) Regards Martin the swede.
Glad I found your channel. Slowly going through some of your videos. I feel most comfortable with the 35mm for Street. I've tried a few other focal lengths but felt they were either too wide or too tight for the exact style that I wanted. I seem to be a mix of you both in my style. I have a similar personality as Sarah and can strike up a conversation with almost anyone. I don't do portraits, but like to be closer to the "action" or "moment" than those who shoot the wider "scene". Again, great channel! Also started following you on Instragram.
This video helped me a lot, and it will help many others, the walk trhough focal lenghts is a solitary and very frustrating walk, hopefully these video will help people to arrive to that magical click who finnaly makes all that worth it.
You can train on relatives and friends) They allow you to get closer, so you get used to seeing a person close in the frame. You are comfortable because you know these people.
One thing that makes a huge difference is she seems to be shooting through the viewfinder and framing and composing so the images seem more personal than the other images you posted which seem to be shot from the hip at waist level. Waist level images always seem disconnected to me. With that being said, I’ve been watching a lot of your videos this past few days after discovering your channel and I must thank you for making these videos. So much useful information.
I think it’s a question of style more than anything else. The way we shoot reflects our personality to a degree. I shoot a lot from eye level too, but I’m all about speed and reaction and with that comes a certain disconnection from the subject.
That will definitely make a difference. I have a bit of a stand off personality, but only when I’m doing photography in the street. Without my camera, I will talk to anyone on the street. I’ve noticed when I shoot, I too will shoot at more of a fast pace. I think it’s because I’m afraid of the possible confrontation, but when I look at my photos, I feel disconnected from them compared to the images I’ve asked for permission to take after talking to a person for a while. I prefer to capture candid money though. It feels like a balancing act.
@@Flying4FilmI think it’s important to take photos how you want to take them. This comes down to a lot of things. Some learned and some that are innate. We are all different. One thing I see a lot on workshops is photographers trying to do things which they are clearly uncomfortable doing just because they want to take photos like XYZ photographer. What makes us comfortable on the street should be the starting point to our style. Nobody has the right to tell anyone how to take photographs. Believe me, many have tried!!
@@WalkLikeAlice I’ve been fortunate enough to not have anyone tell me how to take photos, but it is definitely something that I struggle with in my mind. I go back and forth between using my viewfinder to frame and compose and then other times it’s like I’m afraid to do so. The funny thing is no one has ever confronted me, but the fear is still there. I’ve thought that it would go away with time, but it hasn’t. The downside is I’ve thought about not doing street photography because it makes me uncomfortable at times, but the fact is I really like the results I get at times with street photography. I’m struggling to find a balance. I’m definitely more comfortable with shooting from the hip, but then I end up hating my photos. I guess if it was easy, it would feel like an accomplishment when I get a photo that I like though. Again, thanks for your videos. They give me a lot to think about and work on with my own photography.
Your advice (tip) is good and valid. You've settled on the 21mm. That's sounds like a normal progression. I predict that after a lot more shooting, you might get bored with the exaggerated perspective / distortion of close-up faces and move back to the 24mm, then the 28mm, then switch around between those lens and the 35 and 50, depending on the scene. I avoid these choices by using a 24-120mm zoom on the camera. It's much more flexible and I don't miss shots by having the wrong lens on the camera.
I can get too close, physically! I want to fill the frame. I've learned to back off! Use simple looking cameras, I us e mainly small cameras an now more and more the phone! I also do more abstracts with street finds and scenes. I can chat to anyone! I don't like super wide lenses! 35mm my shortest for Leica. SLR: I do use 28mm enjoying the geometric possibilities! Most of all enjoy and be happy. Some days are great in results others less so. Living in Toronto, Winter is severe, but sunny days are magic. Wonderful video.
I used to shoot with 50 mm but now mostly with 100 and up. I am not interested in the street but in a person itself. And, it is tricky for a man to come closer nowadays. Though depends on your personally and appearance. Lots of issues and sometimes dangerous. Not a problem for women. People treat them differently.
Sarah has had more issues (abuse) on the street than I have. I don’t buy into the “it’s easier for women” argument otherwise there would be a lot more women street photographers. In my experience, both men and women have problems. It’s the nature of the beast. The more you shoot, the more likely you are going to have a problem. Law of averages. Broadly speaking, personality and body language are more important than gender on the street. 🙂 Jeff
I do a lot of street photography both with a 50mm & a 135mm and speaking of appearance, I actually often dress up for it, I wear a nice coat and shoes and look really smart. Sometimes even a shirt. I don't know if it helps, but it certainly gives me confidence to get closer and to be a little more bold. I also use a Rolleiflex 6X6 TLR which makes me feel a lot more comfortable as if people see (or even recognise with the old camera) that I'm taking a picture, more often than not they're curious what it is. I always smile if someone see's me too as it's a great diffusion. Either way, after all these years it's still tough to get into a potentially confrontation situation and can take a lot of courage even after doing it for years.
Recently I was looking at photography of Rineke Dijkstra. She photographed portraits of teenagers on the beach. A male photographer would have MUCH MUCH MORE difficult time getting these shots. Someone would probably call a police in him :)
Great video! I have all of these prime lenses available in my kit and I'm wondering which is the best to start with? Should I do it like you and start with 50mm? Because, like you, I want to learn how to take beautiful portraits on the street. I want to learn how to talk to people about this. Maybe you can give me some advice?
Always start with the lens you are most comfortable with and use it relentlessly until you are so comfortable with it that you almost know what will be in the frame before looking. Then move to the next widest lens and do the same and so on. Over a period of months, you will find where you and your eye want to be.
I've just switched to leica Q2 with a 28mm fixed lens and am encountering the same challenge mentioned in your video. What are the techniques you use to ensure that the people on the street don't just "stage" a scene when they sense you are so close? I find that only happens with kids and pets - most adults will put on a certain shade of facade when they see you so close with something such as 28mm...
very interesting lesson... I have a question: for Sarah's point of view isn't more easy to her because she is a woman and not a rude man with the beard (like me? 😂). Thanks!
Yes I think it helps with kids. But not when it comes to adults. You’ve met Sarah, you know she’s not very big or intimidating!! I think she’s been sworn at more than I have.
@@WalkLikeAlice Good point, my one lady friend has been yelled at more than me. I try to divert attention away from myself most times or pretend to be snapping something else.
Really liking your content. But when you give the focal lengths would it be possible to say if you're talking about full frame (eg 28mm=28mm) or FF equivalent on an apsc - ie 28mm = 16mm)? Not sure if you;re shootin FF or APSC. Cheers Peter K
So the advice is. Find a woman… 😁Jokes! Great video and something I’m struggling with.. I use a Fuji x100v and trying to increase my confidence to get closer.
Because of covid 19 and social distances I personally went back to the basics (50mm).Also I believe that in small towns and villages 50mm is the best focal length hands down and I don’t care at all if it is popular now.I shoot for me and I care only for my own taste.For me 50mm and 35mm are my go to focal lengths.I shoot 28mm indoor and in crowded places.I really don’t like 21mm for street because of distortion and because you have to go really close witch I think it is insulting.I shoot for 35 years.
Thanks for your comments. However, I'm not sure I totally understand the points you are trying to make. Are you suggesting that standing back from people is better for you? If so, that's great. We are all different. In my experience (I started my life as a pro photographer in 1988), and depending on what and where I'm shooting, standing away from someone and pointing a longer lens at them can be as intrusive as taking someone's picture up close. I think a lot of problems come from a photographer's body language and behaviour rather than the lens they choose.
I'm new to street photography of people. Here in Germany, anyone who takes pictures of other people on the street is suspect at the moment. Especially when children are around. When I ask people if I can take a photo, they often ask about a fee. This is really no fun! A few days ago I dared the experiment and hung my camera with a 21mm lens around my neck and took pictures with the remote shutter release. I had set the camera to silent so that nobody noticed that I was taking pictures.
I find it strange in a world of mobile phones, CCTV, that people are having a hard time shooting on the street. I bet if you shot street photography with a phone, nobody would complain.
@@WalkLikeAlice Some big cities in the US still have restrictions in place from 9/11. I recently got chased out of a very public area by security for shooting with my very small Fujifilm X-E4. I didn't see any cell phone shooters held to the same standard. Thanks for doing this channel. It's been immensely helpful as I move into a 28mm. The POV with an immediate still of the resulting photo is a great format.
@Guy Briggs I think that's because cellphone camera have been associated with basic your influencer and tourist that aren't expected to have any longterm use for the photos. Everyone carries a cellphone for the most part, but not everyone carries a camera (even a point and shoot).
I’ve been just shooting 55 for couple of years. Kinda wanna go 16-35 as when we were in south France the other week, I struggled getting what I wanted with their narrow side streets
I know this video is over a year old but I have to ask, what do you record videos on? I know you’re invested in Leica M cameras. What are your video cameras?
I can’t remember what this was shot on (I think it was a Canon EOS 5DMKIV) but at the moment all the talking head stuff is shot with a Sony ZV-1 and the POV vids with a GoPro Hero 8 Black. Some other stuff is shot with an IPhone 12 Pro with the BeastCam app.
Just an observation but....my reaction to a lady sticking a camera in my face is going to be very different than it would be if that camera was wielded by a bloke that looks like a Rugby prop...😉✌️...just saying....
I've been walking doing street photography for sometime. Now, I'm sitting on a coffee shop with a wonderful view of a street with a good traffic of pedestrians. With me is a Sony a6600 and a 70-200 zoom and my photos have subjects as if closer to me.
The 50mm is a great lens but you end up shooting from 5-10 metres away otherwise you overfill the frame. I feel less in the moment with the 50mm. Everyone is different.
@@colinwhite4710 it's only about picture aesthetic, in my opinion, because you can have all the context you need with a 50mm. Obviously it's a personal taste, but for me getting closer just changing the focal length could not works for everyone.
@@WalkLikeAlice So my question to you is why use a 24 or below MM lens which actually moves people further from you instead of a 50MM, 80MM, 100MM lens which brings them in close. It seems counter intuitive to use the lens you use..
@@josebrivera1716using a telephoto lens will isolate the subject from the background and will give a voyeuristic look instead using a wide angle will give more of the envirorment and context in which your subject may be and can make feel the viewer inside the image and not detached.
@@filipposaponaro3943 A voyeuristic look? Where do you get that idea? I guess you value having a wide angle shot. I value getting the person, their expression and or interaction with someone or something. In my photos you can still see their surroundings. I am not doing street portraits. And I am mostly documenting people in the community where I live. I zoom in enough to see a good view of their faces and their surroundings. But I am not close up to them, using my view finder and telegraphing that I am taking their photos. Half my shots are from the hip. I am trying to be invisible to them.
This is one of the best street photography channels out there.
Thank you 🙏🙏
Sarah's photos are just bursting with vitality. The youngsters on the pier were especially moving
Thank you
Great to join your channel. You have a very unique perspective that aligns with mine. The streets photos of mine that bring more joy to me were taken with a 20 mm Nikkor 3.5. They have a sense of closeness that lack the “normal” ranges.
Thank you. Glad to have you here.
i love that all your photos are B&W
I’ve just stumbled across this channel today and have to say I’m loving the content. Thank you both. An area of photography I’ve wanted to explore for a long time but my introverted personality has always got in the way. I see so many moments on the street that I wish to capture but have a fear of pointing the camera at them!
Thank you. We are pleased you are liking the content. If you are introverted, the best way of starting is to step back. Longer focal length, stay out of the way and gradually get closer as your confidence builds. It will take some time and some hours on the street but the real joy of street photography is the actual shooting of the pictures, being among people and observing life.
Even though it's not a legal invasion of privacy, many people object to having their photo taken on the street because they feel as if their privacy is being invaded. Street photography has changed over the last few years and I am torn. Do I sneak a photo knowing very well the subject may object if they know about it? I'm not really comfortable with that idea although a lot of people do it.
Great video! Sometimes I get closer with people, start a conversation with them, and the moment, the close moment with a total stranger is so great I forget to take a picture. But that encounter is worth more as any photograph I could take.
There is nothing like experiencing people on the street. So many characters and stories.
This video has given me a new perspective as I've never been brave enough to venture out on the streets to take pictures of random people going about their activities. Love this video.
Thank you. Glad it helped 🙏
I've always thought that being a female definitely is more advantageous in street photography. I think it's because women are generally thought of as less threatening. Love your work !!
I don’t think Sarah would agree!! She’s had far more issues on the street than I have.
That’s quite the opposite. If you’re a woman, especially an attractive white woman in a developing country you can’t go around being unnoticed. Double the effect if you’re carrying a camera and trying to do street photography. You’ll just get EVERYBODY around you (mostly men but also women)staring at you like you were an alien. They won’t take the eyes off of you until you leave, some of them would come talk to you or even harass you…so please enlighten me on how exactly that would make it easier 😂 sometimes western white men just don’t understand the privilege they live in…
@@annag.966yeah but less people would be willing to get agressive with you like they would with men. Besides, it depends on what you look like as a woman too. I tend to be more petite and i also have a pixie cut and generally people think i am a little boy walking around with a camera. Super threatening i guess😂
very interesting commentary and superb photos. getting in close with a wide angle lens is just so powerful , I really do admire this sort of work, thank you for sharing
Thank you so much. Yes, it can be very powerful.
I started street about 12 years ago with a 50mm eqiv. lens then gradually worked my way down to about 24mm - and now back to 50mm again currently. The main reason being is that I got tired of the "distorted" perspective of the wide lenses. I still use a 35mm for more crowded scenes like street markets. Ones personal tastes ebbs and flows, waxes and wanes over time. Who knows I might be back to the 24mm in a few years time😄
I think we try things out. Then go back to the familiar. Then try things out again. At least that’s what I do!! It’s an illness 😂
Excellent video. Agree with everything you say about physical and, maybe more importantly, emotional closeness. My wife and I go shooting together and she, like Sarah, is an outgoing person who can and has struck up a conversation with a Spaniard who had no English while she hasn't a word of Spanish. I'm like you. I do feel, however, that this approach is a lot easier for a woman who's not percieved to be as threatening as a man. Particularly around families with children.
Thank you. The other side of the argument, which I have seen first hand, is that Sarah has had abuse shouted at her from males on the street. I haven’t had that and probably won’t. So there are swings and roundabouts regardless of gender.
09/10/23
Hi Jeff and Sarah.
I've shot with many formats and lenses over the years. Then, when I turned sixty, I thought enough of all that. I decided to shoot whatever took my fancy for my own pleasure and amusement using my phones camera.
I can go anywhere in London, with my free travel pass, and the difference in my mindset when taking pictures is summed up with one word...freedom.
Nothing is off limits regarding content, and engaging with people is just an option, like auto or manual settings.
I shall enjoy strolling around your channel over the coming days. Have a good start to your week.
Regards
Colin Gerard
Thanks for your comment, Colin. You too.
Thank you for this video. I used to think it was creepy to get too close to people on the street. But I had a photography teacher who said "well, shooting from behind a bush with a long lens isn't *less* creepy." LOL! Lately, I got the Q3 to help working on 28mm but really it was my own beliefs I needed to work on.
Hello Jeff, I've now watched a few of your videos now and this is really inspirational stuff, especially some of Sarah's work in this one. Confidence is obviously the key. I've spent many years photographing landscapes but I'm now doing more street photography, off to NYC in a couple of months to spend some time photographing the locals so your videos have been a great help. Many thanks for your inspiring images.
Thanks for watching. Glad you found them useful 🙏
Great channel. I still have trouble getting close to my subject due to anxiety. I’ve just gotten into photography, been using 35mm only.
Thanks for the comments. Confidence will come with experience.
World needs a dedicated video of your 24 & 21 approach
I believe that one secret is not being sneaky with taking photos when out and about. Plus chatting with people before snapping help also. Of course, if you are confronted by someone who takes offense to you snapping photos, I have found that just saying "sorry" and moving on seems to be the best way to handle the situation. Lots of people seem to not want an explanation, or just want to argue with you. Of course, that is here in the states.
Thanks for your comments. I think everyone will have their own way of approaching street photography. Personally, I prefer to react to what I see in front of me rather than engaging with someone. But everyone is different.
Great advice. I would like to say, I understand your need to change and try different perspectives, but, and of course you shoot as you feel, I must say that I really liked the photographs you took from far away. The compositions felt more impactful, bur mostly the feeling in the photographs were outstanding, like the loneliness or the silence they portrayed. Great video.
Thank you.
I choose the lens according to the place I am going to
Beach - 50mm
Street market - 24mm
Whatever works for you is the most important thing.
Seeing people as human beings, with hopes, dreams, scars, insecurities and good hearts.
Solid advise chock full of cracking photos. I'm often conflicted I work in newspapers I have no issue getting in peoples faces with a 16-35 I wear the company shirt and I don't know I wear it like a bloody safety blanket, but out on my own time without the shirt It can be tough to get close up. I used a 35mm for so long loved it got used to it, then 5 days ago got the Q2 28mm lens, now have to get closer still. I used a few strategies to get close, the old dumb old twat fumbling with new tech, not far from the truth actually, I used the sit on a bench with a coffee and wait, also the distracted pleb on his phone as I inch closer. Also I stand a a lofty 5'6 so no bugger sees me anyway, great for slow angle hots too.
Yep. That 28mm will force you in, otherwise the crop tool is your best friend.
@@WalkLikeAlice handy to have that option
In Capa's day (he died in 1954), it was much easier to get physically close and people were more trusting. Around the world, there is a growing aversion to having your photo taken by a street photographer. Unfortunately, many photographers, especially men, lack the skill to quickly create a relationship with someone on the street. Women just seem to be better at it than us men.
I don't think physical closeness is necessary to get good streets photo. I think it is easier to get engaging photos from close up, but we can learn to do the same thing from a greater distance.
Thanks for your comments. I’ve never understood the concept of building a relationship with someone on the street. I know some photographers like to do this, but it isn’t for me.
Working with a female street photographer day in, day out, I would say that some things are easier for Sarah but a lot of things are harder. She has been sworn at, shouted at, and bullied by people a lot more than I have because she’s a woman.
I think you are right. And foreign women are just less dangerous than foreign men. This gives the women a great advantage as documentarians - whether they work with photography or other types of journalism. As men, we have to work harder to improve our social skills and gain people's trust - and that's actually a good thing!
Of course, being a woman working alone is also vulnerable. Unfortunately, there are many places where it can be dangerous for women to approach strangers.@@WalkLikeAlice
irony of our era, we have mass surveillance everywhere and people publish their selfies all the time but for photograph, there is still the idea of soul stealer, that is some sort of instinct and you have to break that ice. And for that smile, clean your beard etc it's easier with a Leica III, people will focus on it and think aweeeeeee what a camera
@@chriscard6544 Often we get photographers telling us how they've got into trouble taking photos where kids are present. Parents jump up and down, but then they will photograph or video their kids and post it all to social media where potentially thousands of people will see their kids. It makes no sense.
Great tips! Thank you for video and sharing your knowledges.
Thanks for watching 🙏
Thank you for sharing your experience and your images with us!
Thank you for watching 🙏
Stumbled on you channel by chance. Really liked it and subscribed. Practical advice and straight to the point. You really have me thinking about how I shoot street photography. Thank you from White Rock British Columbia
Thank you for your kind comments. 🙏🏻
This was super helpful! From someone who loves street photography but definitely on the nervous side. I would love to hear you tips with confrontation and how to disguise yourself when out shooting :)
Thank you. That would have to be in another video!!
A very useful video. It's been something that's been bothering me for a while
Yes - good advice. I’ve only recently discovered your videos and am most impressed. I have particularly enjoyed your capture of people as part of a wider scene - although realise that you are advocating a different approach. Both doubtless have their place.
I think there is place for both. My problem was that I was too fixated on the scenes, rather than the people. I still shoot the wider scenes but I also like to get in really close too.
I love street photography and this video was very informative. I’ve come up with the idea of having my wife actually with me so as not to appear threatening or in any way worrisome to folks on the street. Subscribed!
Thank you!! The great Tony Ray-Jones did exactly that. He used his wife to disguise the fact that he was taking photos.
You are a very inspiring educator. Thank you!
That’s very kind of you to say so. Thank you.
great tips, it's something I'm often guilty of myself. I watched all your videos and am very impressed by both yours and Sarah's shooting methods and images. Subscribed to your channel and I look forward to seeing more videos soon
Thank you Jon. That’s very kind of you.
Great advise and insights. You’ve inspired me to get a 21mm lens. Excited about that! Awesome images from you guys. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for watching!! 🙏🏻
You make some excellent points by comparing and contrasting the „fishing technique“ (ie have sb walk in the frame to complete the image) with being intimate by gaining access & acceptance. Ultimately though I wonder whether focal length choice should drive one’s approach (ie wide angle forcing you to get close) or whether focal length should be at the end of one’s thought process and execute one’s creative idea. In any case moving out of one’s comfort zone and trying different (focal length) approaches is so refreshing. And as Gary Player put it: “The harder I try, the luckier I get.” Thx for this 🙏
I completely understand what you are saying and, for some people, an adjustment in mindset and perspective is all that’s needed. Personally, I needed to force myself to get closer and the focal length helped with that. I also enjoyed the different visual perspective that the wide lenses gave me and, like you said, moving out of a comfort zone is refreshing.
This is fantastic advice. I've just got into photography myself and have had all of these questions and concerns zipping inside my head, so thank you. - I am from Manchester so I hope to catch you around!
Thank you!!
The context in which Capa originally said 'not good enough, not close enough' (abbreviated) clearly spoke to physical closeness. To your point, though, interestingly, that physical proximity may translate to emotional closeness and illicit empathy in the viewer. So, in a sense, Capa was unwittingly speaking of emotional closeness as well. Unquestionably, 'close-up' pictures can look more striking and elicit more powerful/emotional responses from viewers. Looking at street photography by great photographers will reveal their awareness of this truth in contrast to the street photography now posted on the internet by innumerable people fancying themselves as street photographers.
Yes and no. Capa was always one for promoting his image and, along with Bresson, liked the use of profound quotation. These were often taken out of context (“Sharpness is a bourgeois concept” being a good example). Nothing in Capa’s own work suggests he was physically close for much of his work. Preferring to shoot with a 50mm or using a wide from a low camera angle for effect.
I think people get hung up on street photography. It’s a hobby to most. There’s enough good street photography out there to keep the visually literate happy. But its hobby status, accessibility, and popularity will always mean that a lot of it won’t be that good.
Food for thought. Thanks. Wish I had Sarah’s talent for engaging.
So do I!!!
Love this video, thanks for sharing your process in getting closer to people. Great idea about the lenses. This is my favorite photography channel.
Thank you 🙏🏻🙏🏻
Hi Jeff! Thanks a lot for the insightful videos! These are all real treasures for someone who's getting started in street photography an dis, just like you were, is terrified of confrontation or running into any sort of "issue" with strangers. So would you say that now you feel comfortable with it? Or do you have to always "force" yourself and hope for no confrontation? How do you deal with that stress?
Thanks for your kind comments 😊 I’m quite comfortable now but it took me quite a few months to get to this stage. I’m a lot better at reading a situation and know what to avoid. Experience is the key to everything when it comes to street photography. The more you do it, the more confident you become.
Brilliant Video! So much is about closeness and perspective. Gives the viewers an idea that a zoom lens can be potentially detrimental to your photography as your results might be all over the place. Sticking with a particular lens or finding out which lens/distance to your subject suits you most, really is a great idea. However, as much as I like some of your 21mm work, I still favour your 50mm images. Obviously, like in Cartier-Bressons' 50mm work it is mostly about graphical design and composition, there is a place for this kind of images - and there is a place for the immersion perspective of 28mm or wider lenses. Depends on what you are aiming at.
Thanks Frank. The 50mm work was getting a bit boring but there is still a place for that. Switching things around gave me a shot in the arm and sometimes that’s what is needed in photography.
Wonderful tone and balance to your videos. It creates the same feeling as I get when I am on the street - bravo!
Thank you
Great advice on spending quality time with each lens. I shoot with 50 and 21. I find leaving one of them at home enables me to shoot better. I'm also standoffish as well. It's easier to engage with people with a rangefinder as well since it's so small. They don't feel as threatened. But with Omicron, I'm sticking with the 50 for now.
Thanks Ted. In our experience, the rangefinder often becomes a talking point. Quite a positive one too.
Thanks for your sharing of your valued experience! I like to watch your video, it's a lot of advice for me to improve on street photography.
Thank you for watching. We’re glad you find the content useful. 🙏
My work tends to span both 'up close' images and those that are taken at a distance. I like the immediacy of the images that are much more in the mix of things, but I also like more distant shots that show people within a context. It took me a while to get confident at getting close, but it can really help to create a more interesting body of work.
I think that’s important, the idea of creating more interesting work through variation. My problem was I didn’t have the closeness in my locker and felt I was missing out.
So I cheat a little. I go out to farmers markets, street fairs, etc... to get close to people. I find more people understand or think your photoing the event and not them. Its been a great strategy for me especially since I live in a small town. Just walking in the street and photoing random people feels very intrusive so I am intimidated. One other tip not sure if mentioned - silent your shutter sound if your camera has that feature - works great if you try shooting from hip which is my new strategy when I don't have an event to piggy back on.
thank you so much, I learnt a lot after viewing your few videos about street photog & using 50mm. It inspired me. Before that I used to use only 35mm on street shooting
🙏
Great video Jeff, thank you!!! Big thumbs up 👍👍
Thank you Peter. Hope you are well.
Great video :) Just discovered your channel through searching for some Elmarit 28mm videos .I think im a documentary photographer at heart and while i consider myself quite decent at documenting something im still pretty crap at street photography even if i have been doing it a long while. Im well aware of that it has a lot to do with that exact problem, getting up close. I see what i WANT to shoot just like when im documenting. But im like you also described a bit scared of annoying people or getting into their space and also for the potential scolding or angering someone getting up in their face.
Also at least here in sweden, just as most people see a middle aged man with a camera your at a disadvantage, especially if you have kids or younger people in the vicinity lol. So i kind of always or most of the times bring that with me when im shooting, and i realize that the times were i tend to forget that for a bit and just act on feeling i always get the better shots of course.
Its funny but since starting to shoot film i actually have an easier time getting closer, maybe because i know people tend to be more relaxed or just see it as a funny thing when you bring a vintage camera around hehe. Its like the phenomena with mobile phones, no one seems to notice them as much either ;)
Going out today im going to bring the 28 on the M240 and maybe a rollei 35 and shoot away, lets see if i can dare and beat those feelings of insecurity today ;)
Regards Martin the swede.
I’m sure you will!! Enjoy.
@@WalkLikeAlice Thank you, i did :) actually got a little closer than usual so it was not all bad hehe. A bit too hot today though....;)
Glad I found your channel. Slowly going through some of your videos.
I feel most comfortable with the 35mm for Street. I've tried a few other focal lengths but felt they were either too wide or too tight for the exact style that I wanted. I seem to be a mix of you both in my style. I have a similar personality as Sarah and can strike up a conversation with almost anyone. I don't do portraits, but like to be closer to the "action" or "moment" than those who shoot the wider "scene".
Again, great channel! Also started following you on Instragram.
Thanks, Lou. Really happy that you are enjoying the videos 🙏🙏
Really great advice and beautiful photos. Thank you 🙏
Thank you
You guys are so talented! Love your content. And good tip, i am currently on 28mm. Working on getting close. Like the wide angle/closeness. Cheers!
Thank you!!
This video helped me a lot, and it will help many others, the walk trhough focal lenghts is a solitary and very frustrating walk, hopefully these video will help people to arrive to that magical click who finnaly makes all that worth it.
Thank you. Glad it helped. 🙏
You can train on relatives and friends) They allow you to get closer, so you get used to seeing a person close in the frame. You are comfortable because you know these people.
A very interesting lesson. Thank you!
Thanks for watching
One thing that makes a huge difference is she seems to be shooting through the viewfinder and framing and composing so the images seem more personal than the other images you posted which seem to be shot from the hip at waist level. Waist level images always seem disconnected to me. With that being said, I’ve been watching a lot of your videos this past few days after discovering your channel and I must thank you for making these videos. So much useful information.
I think it’s a question of style more than anything else. The way we shoot reflects our personality to a degree. I shoot a lot from eye level too, but I’m all about speed and reaction and with that comes a certain disconnection from the subject.
That will definitely make a difference. I have a bit of a stand off personality, but only when I’m doing photography in the street. Without my camera, I will talk to anyone on the street. I’ve noticed when I shoot, I too will shoot at more of a fast pace. I think it’s because I’m afraid of the possible confrontation, but when I look at my photos, I feel disconnected from them compared to the images I’ve asked for permission to take after talking to a person for a while. I prefer to capture candid money though. It feels like a balancing act.
@@Flying4FilmI think it’s important to take photos how you want to take them. This comes down to a lot of things. Some learned and some that are innate. We are all different. One thing I see a lot on workshops is photographers trying to do things which they are clearly uncomfortable doing just because they want to take photos like XYZ photographer. What makes us comfortable on the street should be the starting point to our style. Nobody has the right to tell anyone how to take photographs. Believe me, many have tried!!
@@WalkLikeAlice I’ve been fortunate enough to not have anyone tell me how to take photos, but it is definitely something that I struggle with in my mind. I go back and forth between using my viewfinder to frame and compose and then other times it’s like I’m afraid to do so. The funny thing is no one has ever confronted me, but the fear is still there. I’ve thought that it would go away with time, but it hasn’t. The downside is I’ve thought about not doing street photography because it makes me uncomfortable at times, but the fact is I really like the results I get at times with street photography. I’m struggling to find a balance. I’m definitely more comfortable with shooting from the hip, but then I end up hating my photos. I guess if it was easy, it would feel like an accomplishment when I get a photo that I like though. Again, thanks for your videos. They give me a lot to think about and work on with my own photography.
Glad I found your channel!
🙏
Thank you for this video, I needed it!
Thanks for watching 🙏🙏
Your advice (tip) is good and valid. You've settled on the 21mm. That's sounds like a normal progression. I predict that after a lot more shooting, you might get bored with the exaggerated perspective / distortion of close-up faces and move back to the 24mm, then the 28mm, then switch around between those lens and the 35 and 50, depending on the scene. I avoid these choices by using a 24-120mm zoom on the camera. It's much more flexible and I don't miss shots by having the wrong lens on the camera.
Thanks for your comments. We will wait and see 😉
Very informative and great photos both, thank you 👍🏻
Thank you 🙏🏻❤️
very nice experiences .. inspirational and encourages to try other focal lenghts ! thank you !
🙏
Speaking of Robert Capa, he wrote a book titled 'Slightly Out of Focus.' Capa's a good writer and he has a good sense of humor.
But didn’t Capa shoot black and white?
Thanks for your tips - the best shots are the engaged ones for sure! It takes character and chutzpah !
🙏🏻🙏🏻
I can get too close, physically! I want to fill the frame. I've learned to back off! Use simple looking cameras, I us e mainly small cameras an now more and more the phone! I also do more abstracts with street finds and scenes. I can chat to anyone! I don't like super wide lenses! 35mm my shortest for Leica. SLR: I do use 28mm enjoying the geometric possibilities! Most of all enjoy and be happy. Some days are great in results others less so. Living in Toronto, Winter is severe, but sunny days are magic. Wonderful video.
Thanks Jason.
Very nice video very instructive thanks i think i will take a lot of example from it thanks very much!!!!!👍👍👍
Thank you for watching🙏
I used to shoot with 50 mm but now mostly with 100 and up. I am not interested in the street but in a person itself. And, it is tricky for a man to come closer nowadays. Though depends on your personally and appearance. Lots of issues and sometimes dangerous. Not a problem for women. People treat them differently.
Sarah has had more issues (abuse) on the street than I have. I don’t buy into the “it’s easier for women” argument otherwise there would be a lot more women street photographers. In my experience, both men and women have problems. It’s the nature of the beast. The more you shoot, the more likely you are going to have a problem. Law of averages.
Broadly speaking, personality and body language are more important than gender on the street. 🙂
Jeff
I do a lot of street photography both with a 50mm & a 135mm and speaking of appearance, I actually often dress up for it, I wear a nice coat and shoes and look really smart. Sometimes even a shirt. I don't know if it helps, but it certainly gives me confidence to get closer and to be a little more bold. I also use a Rolleiflex 6X6 TLR which makes me feel a lot more comfortable as if people see (or even recognise with the old camera) that I'm taking a picture, more often than not they're curious what it is. I always smile if someone see's me too as it's a great diffusion. Either way, after all these years it's still tough to get into a potentially confrontation situation and can take a lot of courage even after doing it for years.
@@MarleyH2022 if I saw someone with a Rolleiflex I’d RUN at them to beg them to take my pic. ❤
Recently I was looking at photography of Rineke Dijkstra. She photographed portraits of teenagers on the beach. A male photographer would have MUCH MUCH MORE difficult time getting these shots. Someone would probably call a police in him :)
Male photographers THINK they would have a more difficult time getting the shots. Therein lies the problem.
Great video! I have all of these prime lenses available in my kit and I'm wondering which is the best to start with? Should I do it like you and start with 50mm? Because, like you, I want to learn how to take beautiful portraits on the street. I want to learn how to talk to people about this. Maybe you can give me some advice?
Always start with the lens you are most comfortable with and use it relentlessly until you are so comfortable with it that you almost know what will be in the frame before looking. Then move to the next widest lens and do the same and so on. Over a period of months, you will find where you and your eye want to be.
Good video with some excellent quality photo with great human content.
Thank you, Daniel. 🙏🏻
I've just switched to leica Q2 with a 28mm fixed lens and am encountering the same challenge mentioned in your video. What are the techniques you use to ensure that the people on the street don't just "stage" a scene when they sense you are so close? I find that only happens with kids and pets - most adults will put on a certain shade of facade when they see you so close with something such as 28mm...
The only thing I would suggest is to check out the POV videos we have on the channel. They will give you a good insight into how we work.
Good, actionable advice.
very interesting lesson... I have a question: for Sarah's point of view isn't more easy to her because she is a woman and not a rude man with the beard (like me? 😂). Thanks!
Yes I think it helps with kids. But not when it comes to adults. You’ve met Sarah, you know she’s not very big or intimidating!! I think she’s been sworn at more than I have.
Over here in the U.S., it seems that my lady friend photographers seem to get away with a lot more with people when taking photos on the street.
@@WalkLikeAlice Good point, my one lady friend has been yelled at more than me. I try to divert attention away from myself most times or pretend to be snapping something else.
Thank you for sharing.
Really liking your content. But when you give the focal lengths would it be possible to say if you're talking about full frame (eg 28mm=28mm) or FF equivalent on an apsc - ie 28mm = 16mm)? Not sure if you;re shootin FF or APSC. Cheers Peter K
Always FF. 🙂
as a rule of thumb people are generally always talking about FF.
Love your format
Thank you
SO greatfull for all those videos
🙏🙏
So the advice is. Find a woman… 😁Jokes!
Great video and something I’m struggling with.. I use a Fuji x100v and trying to increase my confidence to get closer.
Thank you. Tbh it’s all about confidence.
Because of covid 19 and social distances I personally went back to the basics (50mm).Also I believe that in small towns and villages 50mm is the best focal length hands down and I don’t care at all if it is popular now.I shoot for me and I care only for my own taste.For me 50mm and 35mm are my go to focal lengths.I shoot 28mm indoor and in crowded places.I really don’t like 21mm for street because of distortion and because you have to go really close witch I think it is insulting.I shoot for 35 years.
Thanks for your comments. However, I'm not sure I totally understand the points you are trying to make. Are you suggesting that standing back from people is better for you? If so, that's great. We are all different. In my experience (I started my life as a pro photographer in 1988), and depending on what and where I'm shooting, standing away from someone and pointing a longer lens at them can be as intrusive as taking someone's picture up close. I think a lot of problems come from a photographer's body language and behaviour rather than the lens they choose.
I'm new to street photography of people. Here in Germany, anyone who takes pictures of other people on the street is suspect at the moment. Especially when children are around. When I ask people if I can take a photo, they often ask about a fee. This is really no fun! A few days ago I dared the experiment and hung my camera with a 21mm lens around my neck and took pictures with the remote shutter release. I had set the camera to silent so that nobody noticed that I was taking pictures.
I find it strange in a world of mobile phones, CCTV, that people are having a hard time shooting on the street. I bet if you shot street photography with a phone, nobody would complain.
@@WalkLikeAlice Some big cities in the US still have restrictions in place from 9/11. I recently got chased out of a very public area by security for shooting with my very small Fujifilm X-E4. I didn't see any cell phone shooters held to the same standard.
Thanks for doing this channel. It's been immensely helpful as I move into a 28mm. The POV with an immediate still of the resulting photo is a great format.
@Guy Briggs I think that's because cellphone camera have been associated with basic your influencer and tourist that aren't expected to have any longterm use for the photos. Everyone carries a cellphone for the most part, but not everyone carries a camera (even a point and shoot).
Well spoken advice 👍
Thank you
So true
I’ve been just shooting 55 for couple of years. Kinda wanna go 16-35 as when we were in south France the other week, I struggled getting what I wanted with their narrow side streets
Yeah. It’s a bit tight for a standard lens.
2023 lovely chanell thank you 🙂
love your photos
Thank you
Excellent upload!…
Thank you
Thanks!
I know this video is over a year old but I have to ask, what do you record videos on? I know you’re invested in Leica M cameras. What are your video cameras?
I can’t remember what this was shot on (I think it was a Canon EOS 5DMKIV) but at the moment all the talking head stuff is shot with a Sony ZV-1 and the POV vids with a GoPro Hero 8 Black. Some other stuff is shot with an IPhone 12 Pro with the BeastCam app.
@@WalkLikeAlice love it. Considering an “all leica” plus point and shoot video camera setup myself
@@ericrjennings tbh for RUclips the Sony is very capable and pretty cheap too.
I just went on a walk yesterday with my camera and boy am I way out of comfort zone
Could you not still stand back and use a zoom lens?
Love the photos you're partner has taken!
Yes you could but that's not how I like to work :)
@@WalkLikeAlice Sneaky like that could work against you.
Well said: subscribed
Thank you. Much appreciated 🙏🙏
@@WalkLikeAlice I have just been watching and down loading your videos: Appreciate your efforts and the imparting of your knowledge
Top content, as always. Thank you very much 🙏
You are very welcome 🙏🏻
Just an observation but....my reaction to a lady sticking a camera in my face is going to be very different than it would be if that camera was wielded by a bloke that looks like a Rugby prop...😉✌️...just saying....
Well, it depends on whether you like rugby or not? Surely 😉
I've been walking doing street photography for sometime. Now, I'm sitting on a coffee shop with a wonderful view of a street with a good traffic of pedestrians. With me is a Sony a6600 and a 70-200 zoom and my photos have subjects as if closer to me.
That's great. Not quite what we do, but if it works for you. Then go for it.
I don't understand what's the problem to get closer with a 50mm lens, I don't feel that I need a wider lens to do it.
The 50mm is a great lens but you end up shooting from 5-10 metres away otherwise you overfill the frame. I feel less in the moment with the 50mm. Everyone is different.
reduces what is in frame if you just move closer with a 50mm
@@colinwhite4710 it's only about picture aesthetic, in my opinion, because you can have all the context you need with a 50mm. Obviously it's a personal taste, but for me getting closer just changing the focal length could not works for everyone.
at last
Haha.
Do you get a model release from the people, or do you ask permission to post their pictures online?
No. I don’t need to. No expectation to privacy in a public place.
I get up close by using a zoom lens. So I get close without being physically close.
Whatever works for you.
@@WalkLikeAlice So my question to you is why use a 24 or below MM lens which actually moves people further from you instead of a 50MM, 80MM, 100MM lens which brings them in close. It seems counter intuitive to use the lens you use..
@@josebrivera1716may I suggest you take a look at some of our other videos? This will give you the answers you are after.
@@josebrivera1716using a telephoto lens will isolate the subject from the background and will give a voyeuristic look instead using a wide angle will give more of the envirorment and context in which your subject may be and can make feel the viewer inside the image and not detached.
@@filipposaponaro3943 A voyeuristic look? Where do you get that idea? I guess you value having a wide angle shot. I value getting the person, their expression and or interaction with someone or something. In my photos you can still see their surroundings. I am not doing street portraits. And I am mostly documenting people in the community where I live. I zoom in enough to see a good view of their faces and their surroundings. But I am not close up to them, using my view finder and telegraphing that I am taking their photos. Half my shots are from the hip. I am trying to be invisible to them.
Zone focusing,, reasonably fast shutter speed and off you go....
Yep. Couldn’t have said it better myself.