Love the honesty and advice. I've been shooting with a 50mm on my Nikon F3 but will soon be trying out a 28mm in New York. I like your work on IG as well.
Great observations. Street photography is great proving ground to find your personal range for focal length. For myself I have a 20mm and 40mm that I alternate in between, but to change things up I'll even shoot 85mm in 16:9 because I've found it gives me real cinematic compositions. That being said, my favorite male street photographer is Gary Winogrand who was known to shoot 28mm in places like NYC and I have a Nikon 28mm all manual lens that I adapt to my Sony A7c which has been really great for fun, but have yet to try it in street photography because I'm so used to Sony autofocus working wonders for me lol
Go out on the street during an event, over here we have Kingsday or the Pride Canal Parade and on those days people are just partying and mostly like their picture being taken. It is a good opportunity to practice with almost zero risk of confrontation... and plenty people about!
That was a wonderful video presentation. I appreciate your sharing your comments with us. It will definitely help me with my personal growth during my photographic journey. Thank you so much. 😊
Appreciate your honesty and vulnerability. I can relate to this (though my channel is very different) it still sometimes requires filming in public and all of the anxiety that goes with it.
I shoot street (mostly film) in the bay area, 28mm is my bread and butter, sometimes swap to my 50 if the spot is right for it, when it is you'll know. I try and look like a tourist personally, nobody really hassles tourist taking photos and you get away with a lot.
If it makes you feel any better, I did the same thing with my Fuji X-T3. I had a once in a lifetime shot to get Tom Brady as he rolled by on the duck boat during a superbowl parade and in my haste to get a good picture, I accidentally knocked my aperture ring to f/22 and my images were super blurry. To this day, my family still makes fun of me and they actually use "f/22" in the insult. 🤣 The great thing about street photography is that it can be whatever you want it to be. If you want eye contact, go for it. If you don't, that's cool too. Do whatever brings you enjoyment and satisfaction. Keep up the great work!
I enjoyed the editing in this video. I liked the transitions where you were just silent preparing to speak. Smart and original in my opinion. And your photos are improving more and more.
Personally I don’t think street photography is about taking photos where the subject is engaged with the photographer. If engagement is the criteria, I’d consider documentary or portrait photography more fitting - and a lot of people will say that street is documentary but it’s different, documentary has a goal in mind, a topic the photographer is trying to document so that it tells a point. Street photography is aimless, about wandering and curiosity, the in-between moments of the everyday we tend to take for granted. A photographer who is often called a street photographer but was a candid portrait photographer who focused on documentary work was Diane Arbus. It’s about capturing life around you, looking towards you but not breaking the 4th wall with eye contact, if that makes sense. But a lot of street photographers (myself and Jeremy included) have taken shots we have “settled” to take, we just don’t share them 😅 I think of it as a test, to practice and learn patience. Most of the time we need to warm up when we head out to take photos and those are the shots that help us refocus. If “settled” work is shared it’s usually to complete a sequence/set for a carousel, photobook or exhibit. And remember, mistakes are bound to happen, it’s about learning from them so we improve.
Thank you, Dani. I like that we’re coming at it from different angles. We have differing definitions of street photography and I think that’s fine. There can’t be one. My definition is not _the definition_ either, but rather, personal goals I’ve set for myself within the context of street photography. At the end of the day we’re still taking pictures that mean something to us
Thank you for this video and for your and your brother’s pep talk. Yes sometimes you want the people to look into the camera, sometimes it’s better that the scene is not ”contaminated” and they do their thing. Your sample images are beautiful and inspiring. I have a Sony/Zeiss 35 2.8 on my camera. It’s small and light. When I want 50mm I just switch to APS-C mode.
heh, I like that term "not contaminated". I will still find beauty and personal "worthiness" in a photo that is not contaminated, and I'll still take photos that have a certain distance to them. If I look at good photos by photographers I admire, not all of them have to have the human engagement aspect. It's just a phase of mine :)
The aperture ring on the 2.5 50mm G lens has an aperture ring that stands in position / clicks. You must have de-activated it, what many people do for videos. Great lens.
The click switch only enables whether the aperture ring makes an audible sound. So yeah, it’s great if you’re doing video and you don’t want the click sound to come through. But my situation was that I would accidentally move the aperture to a setting I didn’t intend to set it to. It does not lock the desired aperture.
35mm is my favorite focal length. But I love using my 24mm GM lens. I'm always afraid of taking street photography of random people because of the idea of them getting angry and approaching me after.
Great video, the lessons learned I think resonate with most of the people that practice street photography. It can be super intimidating and that Jeremy Paige reference really hits home after a day of shooting then sitting back looking at the results and wishing for me anyways that I got closer to my subject. It comes with doing and with practice to build up that strength and mindset that you are not doing anything wrong & like your bro said " they are out in public, it's so ironic that nobody seems to care when a cellphone is raised but the second a camera comes out you're being creepy. Funny thing too, I've photographed around the world but only had confrontation in Toronto where I mostly shoot, weird. Don't think you can go wrong with a 35mm as well, kind of hits the sweespot, not to wide but able to include background info as well. Love your videos 😊
I don't do street photography but I really like 28mm when it comes to photographing people doing stuff (in my case hot air ballooning). Wide enough to show context but not so wide that you have to worry about what creeps in on the edges of the image.
I'm an Urban photographer, my mental health is such that I find it extremely difficult to deal with people "real life". I had a holiday to NYC in May (the need to see it overcame the dread of people) & I found it OK despite what people say about it being very crowded? as people just don't care if you don't get in their way :) over 5 days I took nearly 4000 photo's - apart from family only 10 had people in them :) I've been looking at lenses to carry less weight as 10kgs isn't funny after a while - I bought the Sigma 35mm F2 as part of that, its a stunner if you don't get on with the 24mm
I, too, find it extremely difficult to deal with people "real life" (hence why I live in the middle of rural Canada) and part of my exposure self-therapy is to visit a city once in a while and take pictures :) I'll definitely look into the Sigma 35mm F2.
Hi Justine! Ryan here from Indonesia. had several same challenge with the 50mm (f1.8). i bought an A7C + the fifty nifty on April. before that i mainly used the Sony 18-250 f3.5-5.6 lens, which is very powerful (on sony a55). After some trip, i realized my go to focal length is wider than 50mm, around 20-40mm (landscape scenery). and by the way, why don't you use the Sony 40mm f2.5 instead? great content as always!
Re: 40mm. It's not a focal length I've been fond of in the past (I've used the Canon EF 40mm STM lens for my Canon 6D [full frame DSLR]) I like to err on the side of wider because I can always crop in. I will consider the 40mm once I've reviewed a 27mm APS-C lens for Sony E. Thanks for watching!
Only you will know if you need a wider focal length. It depends on the environment you're always finding yourself in, and if you find 40mm too zoomed in, then considering a 35mm or 28mm is a reasonable next step.
On those 3 lenses (24, 40 and 50) just go to A mode on the lens (that's a hard stop) and use your front dial (or what you set it up as) to manage the Aperture :)
Be aware that in some countries, taking a picture of someone requires that the person explicitly allows you to publish the picture (if that is your intent). Also, it can be a cultural or religious thing in some places, which may make it offensive to them. In my country (Norway), you have to get permission to publish from the person you are photographing. Photographing crowds are kind of a gray area, but I would really get permission from any family sized group or fewer.
This was nice to watch :) Thanks for your thoughts and input on the topic. :)) !! And, yeah, I feel the same about 50mm lenses ... Personally, I prefer 35, but I don't really like the choice of 35s on Sony E. Some are excellent, yet very expensive and big, others are cheaper but have their significant drawbacks and one is in the middle but doesn't really attract me. I don't really understand why they did not give us 24/35/50 on these small G lenses. 40 and 50 is relatively close to each other while 35 gives you the sweet spot of having enough room in case you need it. PS. Oh yes, I am exactly that kind of person who would hold their hands in front of their face if anybody brings up a camera and points towards me :DD
@@BadSloucher Tested out the GM today, I was over all this experimenting and trying out etc. Conclusion: That's a very nice lens. Unfortunately, my copy's AF motor apparently wasn't okay because it missed the easiest shots on AF (in spot focus method! :D) - so I have to return it. Very sad! :D However, handling/build/IQ very pleasant, was a joy to use. Size, weight, feel in your hands when using it, balance with the camera body. Everything pretty much perfectly on point. Maybe give it a shot ;D
I am a pro public speaker and a super confident person. Yet, I too, lack the confidence to take a street photo of a stranger. However, I also don’t really get street photography, as I don’t understand why a photo of a complete stranger makes my image interesting.
I think people are fascinating; especially when photographed just doing their thing, as in street - facial expressions, style and texture of clothing, the capture of micro-expressions and other moments. Combine all that with the play of light, shadow and atmosphere, the artistic potential becomes huge. Add b&w to the mix, and youve entered another world; a world of grain, texture, simplicity, shape, shadow and contrast. Sometimes a little tweak in how we are seeing, is all thats needed to give us a new angle.
@Genesis_3v15 Thank you for making the time to share your thoughts. Much appreciated 👍. I appreciate your comments and will think about them a bit more when I have my camera in hand. 🎉🎉🎉
@@BadSloucher you do know that if someone is walking towards you while you're walking away, as they yell and scream at you is assault? By standing there and deleting the photo you make things worse by letting them know that their anger and aggression is OK. Also by standing there deleting the photo you are not creating distance between you and the aggressor. The most important thing when you are in danger on the streets, isn't to make the person happy but to make physical distance between you and the aggressor. The the further away you are the safer you are.
Hey Justine, my name is Johnny and I'm a freelance logo designer, currently I'm looking for more works, do you love to have a logo for your channel's branding to have a memorable graphic based monogram logo to help your audience recognise and follow your channel easier? I would love to design a photography themed logo inspired by your direction for you! Let me know if you interested to make it happen! :-)
I would consider your photos the work of a brave person.
Tom, are you chopping onions? 😭 thank you 🙏
Wise, honest, perceptive and adorable.
Love the honesty and advice. I've been shooting with a 50mm on my Nikon F3 but will soon be trying out a 28mm in New York. I like your work on IG as well.
Great observations. Street photography is great proving ground to find your personal range for focal length. For myself I have a 20mm and 40mm that I alternate in between, but to change things up I'll even shoot 85mm in 16:9 because I've found it gives me real cinematic compositions. That being said, my favorite male street photographer is Gary Winogrand who was known to shoot 28mm in places like NYC and I have a Nikon 28mm all manual lens that I adapt to my Sony A7c which has been really great for fun, but have yet to try it in street photography because I'm so used to Sony autofocus working wonders for me lol
Go out on the street during an event, over here we have Kingsday or the Pride Canal Parade and on those days people are just partying and mostly like their picture being taken. It is a good opportunity to practice with almost zero risk of confrontation... and plenty people about!
I’ll plan my next visit around those two events 😄 thanks Roger! 💛
That was a wonderful video presentation. I appreciate your sharing your comments with us. It will definitely help me with my personal growth during my photographic journey. Thank you so much. 😊
It's good for people to share their struggles. Pretending to be perfect and above it all doesn't help very much.
Appreciate your honesty and vulnerability. I can relate to this (though my channel is very different) it still sometimes requires filming in public and all of the anxiety that goes with it.
I shoot street (mostly film) in the bay area, 28mm is my bread and butter, sometimes swap to my 50 if the spot is right for it, when it is you'll know. I try and look like a tourist personally, nobody really hassles tourist taking photos and you get away with a lot.
Nice work, Justine. I enjoy watching your videos. Hope to see another one of yours soon. I very much enjoy photography as well.
Thanks so much!
you've got this. I once gave up on photography cos the only photos I took was of people's back lol, and sort of lost motivation.
If it makes you feel any better, I did the same thing with my Fuji X-T3. I had a once in a lifetime shot to get Tom Brady as he rolled by on the duck boat during a superbowl parade and in my haste to get a good picture, I accidentally knocked my aperture ring to f/22 and my images were super blurry. To this day, my family still makes fun of me and they actually use "f/22" in the insult. 🤣
The great thing about street photography is that it can be whatever you want it to be. If you want eye contact, go for it. If you don't, that's cool too. Do whatever brings you enjoyment and satisfaction. Keep up the great work!
Oh that is heart breaking!! 💔 he’s just a person after all 🥲
I enjoyed the editing in this video. I liked the transitions where you were just silent preparing to speak. Smart and original in my opinion. And your photos are improving more and more.
Thank you Alexandre!!
Personally I don’t think street photography is about taking photos where the subject is engaged with the photographer. If engagement is the criteria, I’d consider documentary or portrait photography more fitting - and a lot of people will say that street is documentary but it’s different, documentary has a goal in mind, a topic the photographer is trying to document so that it tells a point. Street photography is aimless, about wandering and curiosity, the in-between moments of the everyday we tend to take for granted. A photographer who is often called a street photographer but was a candid portrait photographer who focused on documentary work was Diane Arbus. It’s about capturing life around you, looking towards you but not breaking the 4th wall with eye contact, if that makes sense. But a lot of street photographers (myself and Jeremy included) have taken shots we have “settled” to take, we just don’t share them 😅 I think of it as a test, to practice and learn patience. Most of the time we need to warm up when we head out to take photos and those are the shots that help us refocus. If “settled” work is shared it’s usually to complete a sequence/set for a carousel, photobook or exhibit. And remember, mistakes are bound to happen, it’s about learning from them so we improve.
Thank you, Dani. I like that we’re coming at it from different angles. We have differing definitions of street photography and I think that’s fine. There can’t be one. My definition is not _the definition_ either, but rather, personal goals I’ve set for myself within the context of street photography. At the end of the day we’re still taking pictures that mean something to us
@@BadSloucher absolutely, we’re all doing the same thing a little differently.
Try the 24mm Sony G that is the same size as that 50. Or the Sigma contemporary 24mm F2.
great work! i've been learning street aswell. blessings!
Thank you for this video and for your and your brother’s pep talk. Yes sometimes you want the people to look into the camera, sometimes it’s better that the scene is not ”contaminated” and they do their thing. Your sample images are beautiful and inspiring. I have a Sony/Zeiss 35 2.8 on my camera. It’s small and light. When I want 50mm I just switch to APS-C mode.
heh, I like that term "not contaminated". I will still find beauty and personal "worthiness" in a photo that is not contaminated, and I'll still take photos that have a certain distance to them. If I look at good photos by photographers I admire, not all of them have to have the human engagement aspect. It's just a phase of mine :)
Also! Yes! I forgot about APS-C mode! That is a good way to get 50mm if I want it.
I'm the same... have missed great moments because of my shyness. I try and hide away in the streets when taking photos.
The aperture ring on the 2.5 50mm G lens has an aperture ring that stands in position / clicks. You must have de-activated it, what many people do for videos. Great lens.
The click switch only enables whether the aperture ring makes an audible sound. So yeah, it’s great if you’re doing video and you don’t want the click sound to come through. But my situation was that I would accidentally move the aperture to a setting I didn’t intend to set it to. It does not lock the desired aperture.
35mm is my favorite focal length. But I love using my 24mm GM lens. I'm always afraid of taking street photography of random people because of the idea of them getting angry and approaching me after.
That’s a common fear. There is a certain allure about it because of it
Great video, the lessons learned I think resonate with most of the people that practice street photography. It can be super intimidating and that Jeremy Paige reference really hits home after a day of shooting then sitting back looking at the results and wishing for me anyways that I got closer to my subject. It comes with doing and with practice to build up that strength and mindset that you are not doing anything wrong & like your bro said " they are out in public, it's so ironic that nobody seems to care when a cellphone is raised but the second a camera comes out you're being creepy. Funny thing too, I've photographed around the world but only had confrontation in Toronto where I mostly shoot, weird. Don't think you can go wrong with a 35mm as well, kind of hits the sweespot, not to wide but able to include background info as well. Love your videos 😊
For sure, it's a practice!
I don't do street photography but I really like 28mm when it comes to photographing people doing stuff (in my case hot air ballooning). Wide enough to show context but not so wide that you have to worry about what creeps in on the edges of the image.
Hot air ballooning photography is wild! Definitely a good use case for the 28mm.
I'm an Urban photographer, my mental health is such that I find it extremely difficult to deal with people "real life". I had a holiday to NYC in May (the need to see it overcame the dread of people) & I found it OK despite what people say about it being very crowded? as people just don't care if you don't get in their way :) over 5 days I took nearly 4000 photo's - apart from family only 10 had people in them :) I've been looking at lenses to carry less weight as 10kgs isn't funny after a while - I bought the Sigma 35mm F2 as part of that, its a stunner if you don't get on with the 24mm
I, too, find it extremely difficult to deal with people "real life" (hence why I live in the middle of rural Canada) and part of my exposure self-therapy is to visit a city once in a while and take pictures :) I'll definitely look into the Sigma 35mm F2.
Hi Justine! Ryan here from Indonesia. had several same challenge with the 50mm (f1.8). i bought an A7C + the fifty nifty on April. before that i mainly used the Sony 18-250 f3.5-5.6 lens, which is very powerful (on sony a55). After some trip, i realized my go to focal length is wider than 50mm, around 20-40mm (landscape scenery). and by the way, why don't you use the Sony 40mm f2.5 instead? great content as always!
Re: 40mm. It's not a focal length I've been fond of in the past (I've used the Canon EF 40mm STM lens for my Canon 6D [full frame DSLR])
I like to err on the side of wider because I can always crop in. I will consider the 40mm once I've reviewed a 27mm APS-C lens for Sony E.
Thanks for watching!
I am using the 40mm f2.5 G on my A7CII when walking around.. I wonder if I need to try 35mm or 28mm now.. Arghh more $ to spend! 😆
Only you will know if you need a wider focal length. It depends on the environment you're always finding yourself in, and if you find 40mm too zoomed in, then considering a 35mm or 28mm is a reasonable next step.
On those 3 lenses (24, 40 and 50) just go to A mode on the lens (that's a hard stop) and use your front dial (or what you set it up as) to manage the Aperture :)
That’s what I was doing but somehow I bumped the aperture ring by accident and it moved to f22. It happens when the ring doesn’t have a lock.
@@BadSloucher damn! What did you hit against, the hulk? - mine would require a punch from Mike Tyson to go from A to 22 :O
@@VinceDae Haha, perhaps I use the aperture ring like a fidget spinner. So it's really all my fault!
@@BadSloucher well…. At least you’re cute haha .🤣
Be aware that in some countries, taking a picture of someone requires that the person explicitly allows you to publish the picture (if that is your intent). Also, it can be a cultural or religious thing in some places, which may make it offensive to them. In my country (Norway), you have to get permission to publish from the person you are photographing. Photographing crowds are kind of a gray area, but I would really get permission from any family sized group or fewer.
Great insights. Btw what’s that gorgeous serif font you used there?
Big Caslon!
This was nice to watch :) Thanks for your thoughts and input on the topic. :)) !!
And, yeah, I feel the same about 50mm lenses ... Personally, I prefer 35, but I don't really like the choice of 35s on Sony E. Some are excellent, yet very expensive and big, others are cheaper but have their significant drawbacks and one is in the middle but doesn't really attract me. I don't really understand why they did not give us 24/35/50 on these small G lenses. 40 and 50 is relatively close to each other while 35 gives you the sweet spot of having enough room in case you need it.
PS. Oh yes, I am exactly that kind of person who would hold their hands in front of their face if anybody brings up a camera and points towards me :DD
I, too, am on the eternal hunt for a good 35mm for Sony E. If I find one I'll make a video on it :)
@@BadSloucher Tested out the GM today, I was over all this experimenting and trying out etc.
Conclusion: That's a very nice lens. Unfortunately, my copy's AF motor apparently wasn't okay because it missed the easiest shots on AF (in spot focus method! :D) - so I have to return it. Very sad! :D
However, handling/build/IQ very pleasant, was a joy to use. Size, weight, feel in your hands when using it, balance with the camera body. Everything pretty much perfectly on point.
Maybe give it a shot ;D
Are you enjoying the Sony ZV-E1 and the A7C II? Which one do you prefer between the two, and do you miss your Canon R6?
I don't miss the Canon R6! I prefer the a7c ii but because I own both, I'm keeping both :)
tamron 20-40 is great for street photo
Are you familiar with Bill Cunningham? Former NYT photograher. Sadly only longer with us.
Yes! Why do you ask?
I am a pro public speaker and a super confident person. Yet, I too, lack the confidence to take a street photo of a stranger. However, I also don’t really get street photography, as I don’t understand why a photo of a complete stranger makes my image interesting.
I think people are fascinating; especially when photographed just doing their thing, as in street - facial expressions, style and texture of clothing, the capture of micro-expressions and other moments. Combine all that with the play of light, shadow and atmosphere, the artistic potential becomes huge. Add b&w to the mix, and youve entered another world; a world of grain, texture, simplicity, shape, shadow and contrast. Sometimes a little tweak in how we are seeing, is all thats needed to give us a new angle.
@Genesis_3v15 Thank you for making the time to share your thoughts. Much appreciated 👍. I appreciate your comments and will think about them a bit more when I have my camera in hand. 🎉🎉🎉
@@petermcginty3636 Hi, thanks for your reply. I hope you make some nice discoveries and pictures in your own photographic journey 😊👍🏻
The best thing is when people ask to delete your photo is to walk away.
By walking away, you make them the aggressor.
I’d rather not risk it. People are unpredictable and I can’t expect anyone to back me up especially if I’m by myself. It’s not worth it
@@BadSloucher you do know that if someone is walking towards you while you're walking away, as they yell and scream at you is assault?
By standing there and deleting the photo you make things worse by letting them know that their anger and aggression is OK.
Also by standing there deleting the photo you are not creating distance between you and the aggressor. The most important thing when you are in danger on the streets, isn't to make the person happy but to make physical distance between you and the aggressor.
The the further away you are the safer you are.
Hey Justine, my name is Johnny and I'm a freelance logo designer, currently I'm looking for more works, do you love to have a logo for your channel's branding to have a memorable graphic based monogram logo to help your audience recognise and follow your channel easier? I would love to design a photography themed logo inspired by your direction for you! Let me know if you interested to make it happen! :-)