I always find this topic interesting because when I started photography it was never with the intention of photographing people and to this day find it hard to be interested in doing it (unless they're abstracted in the shot). So these rules and debates about street photography and how it must include people are strange to me, as I've never had any desire to do that. So this "un-street" photography for me is the most natural type of street photography and as valid as any other. Cheers for the video!
I totally agree! I also started with just objects, light, textures, graffiti, and so on. And then I discovered 'street photography' online and started posting to groups. And would get feedback that there must be people etc. I'm grateful for that though because I learned so much and pushed myself in directions I wouldn't have otherwise. But I've come full circle and these days I much more enjoy 'un-street' than 'street'. :)
un-street photography, is my everyday photography... there is something so meditative about photographing something you find interesting on the street, a broken chair, a thrown away shoes, a parked bike .... it always tells a story the viewers can make up in their minds
Great message behind this video, the most important part is to enjoy the process, not just the outcome. Love the composition of the opening shot too. Keep up the great work!
Man you're like the Bob Ross of photography. Watching your videos are both calming yet incredibly inspiring. It has a soothing ambient vibe. Please keep this up! In terms of the content of this video, I never quite thought of this to be its own category, which as you pointed out, is the correct way to see it. These are usually the photos I take but never post. Thus I started to focus less on un-street photography, because I never thought it would be worth taking the shot. This video will probably make me much more aware of my surroundings now :DD
Haha, wow, being compared to Bob Ross is quite the honor! I'd say it's definitely worth taking taking the shot if you are interesting in the scene. That should be the only criteria! :)
This is definitely one of my favorite videos. I personally really like the 'un-street photography' approach. Personally I love shooting the 'mundane' everyday things, especially with how much things change year after year. I predict that Redbox is going the way of Blockbuster, so in my adventures I love shooting any Redbox machine I come across. Yes, right now no one would care about those photos, but I do and in a decade when they're possibly not around anymore people might find them interesting. That's what I appreciate about this channel, you don't just photograph the same old street photography shots we see all over social media. Sometimes you shoot things that most people don't give a second glance at, and in my opinion they always come out to be really cool shots. This taught me to see the beauty in the things other people see as mundane and to enjoy shooting those things. life is ever-changing and its our jobs as photographers to immortalize those things whether they be 'mundane' objects or interesting looking people. Anyway this is my philosophy. P.S. I love Axel's hat by the way. Now I need to add a white flat cap to my already growing flat cap collection lol.
I also share the idea of preservation. I noticed so many nice things disappear in the years I've lived in Tokyo, so now I just shoot mundane stuff that I know is going away, same as you. Thank you for appreciating our channel and style. Sometimes I wonder if people will like it so I'm always encouraged by such feedback. And yeah, Axel loves his hats, haha! :)
So good to show one of the tacit advantages of compact cameras; ease of use and portability in the rain if you want to use an umbrella or put it into a jacket pocket! Your videos are so great
This style of photography comes naturally to me and I've been doing it for years. It's heartening to know that I'm not alone in taking this approach. I enjoy your philosophic insights about photography too. Terrific video, thanks 👍
For me this is one of the best of your episodes, it was relaxing to watch, I hope you'll continue with such content, follow your sense of aesthetics, I really like your pipe photos. Un-street photography is very relaxing and stress-free. Tokyo has very interesting streets with its nooks and crannies, various plants, different styles and simple ornaments waiting to be noticed by people like you.
"It's beautiful if you see the beauty in it " . I've been doing this kind of un-street photography for years (on and off) and found it very interesting. Great video!
I live in the countryside and this is the only way I know to take photos !! You put in a video all my thoughts, really appreciate it. I really love the "Un-Street photography" idea, and I love your photos!
Thank you so much!! Even in the city sometimes I walk through parts of Tokyo where there is almost no one around, just plants, cracked walls, graffiti, and pipes. Lots of pipes! :)
Thank you Lukasz! I really like this "un-street" photography approach. Much better than trying to convince others that street photography can be anything. I've never really understood why others are so obsessed that their photography is recognised as street photography even if it does not really fit in what is generally accepted as being street photography...
I agree! I don't get the obsession either. Honestly, I'm just over genres and definition in general. The more difficult it is to define or label my work, the better. :)
Me too! I'd say that many people do this kind of photography but it just doesn't get much attention on social media, so people don't share their un-street so much. :)
As someone who loves to just walk and take photos of small streets as I go along, I thought this video was incredible! I don't have enough thumbs on my hands for the actual number of 'thumbs up' that this video actually deserves.
I’ve enjoyed doing this type of photography since day one. It actually took me a while to find out that this wasn’t generally considered street photography, but it’s one of my favorite things sometimes. Extremely relaxing and stimulating to occasionally take photos with out any sort of anxiety or pressure caused by photographing other people.
I totally agree! This is also how I started. I remember my first outing with my first proper camera, a Nikon D300. I just went around my neighborhood and took photos of what I saw. I really enjoyed it. To me this is the purest, most meditative form of photography.
Another great video, I would say one of the best! Not only are Axels camera movements and dynamics extremely good and interesting, but the topic is right up my alley. I like those static scenes a lot and these days I go out and I just try to let myself be lead by each moment and what catches my eye. In the scene of course I try to apply different compositions but I don't try to restrict myself to a topic. Maybe that would be a better way to "improve" but I really believe different topics will manifest themselves automatically if you go out and "Zen-graphy" like that regularly because then photography becomes much like meditation and you just allow things to happen, scenes to be seen and pictures to be taken and slowly different topics will emerge.
I am more of a street photographer and I avoid 'urban photography' but I just love how he explains it. This is a very underrated RUclips channel and I will make sure to stay alongside it as much as I can. I am learning more from this channel than from the ones with 2,000,000 subscribers. Keep up the work and the wisdom. P.S. Props to the cameraman. In every video we have smooth motion and great video quality.
Filming in the rain looks like it was worth it the mood of this video is great! Really enjoy this type of photography, the Urban Organics series is a nice way to express how we build up cities in multiple layers and is way to see how we change them change over time.
"Urban photography" I like that! And I think that we should be happy where we are, what we can photograph no matter definitions. Photographing should be a pleasure. So, be happy :)
Enjoyed this video ! I hope there is more to come with this topic. notice that when I start shooting there are more and more subjects like this between the photos. So I definitely feel encouraged and inspired to just shoot these types of images for once! I saw fantastic photos in this video! thanks a lot!
Thank you so much! I plan to talk more about such topics from here on. I'm tired of always discussing the technical issues of photography, which really are not that important in the grand scheme of things, so you can expect more and more philosophical walk and talks in the future. :)
I really appreciate and share your approach to photography, Lukasz! I have only recently come back to this whole world again after buying a GRIII last month, I had a GR Digital about fifteen years ago and it taught me to see the world like this to the point where it just becomes second nature. I think the whole label of ‘Street Photography’ has become way too rigid, I always saw it as a broad approach to photographing the entirety of the urban experience - anything and everything from candid snapshots of friends in a bar to these kind of abstract landscape still life shots. As long as you are documenting the ever changing details and endless compositions in the city it all comes under the same umbrella to me. It’s all important!
I agree! That is the ideal. And it's why I like to shed the loaded term of 'street photography' because it kind of lost all meaning to me. So, I just do what I do and not worry about it so much. I think you have a great approach as well! :)
Great video and very important for all Street Photographers to watch because there’s more to Street Photography than just shooting people. Every now and again it’s good to change focus for a day and shoot the other things that make a city a city, like you mention in this video. Thanks for posting!
I don't think I've heard that quote, but I am a big fan of Eggleston and I think some of his work could definitely be labelled 'un-street' though he did it in such a time when these definitions didn't really exist. No one cared about street or not street photography. It was just photography. At least I think, I wasn't around back then. :)
Love the awesome video work with great framing, stabilization and audio in all your vids - Thanks Axel ! A learn a lot form your videos. Lukasz get many great photos, but even the less interesting photos are well explained compositionally, so a learn something and get inspiration !
This is a phenomenal video, and very encouraging to think of "unStreet Photography" in this light. This was very enlightening and really set me free from some of the discouragement I've been wrestling with, as I kind of felt uninspired or felt like I hit a wall; especially, as I look at some of the mundane things in my city. I've been trying to simply enjoy capturing the ordinary, and bringing focus to something that seems ordinary, but had a particular quality that I really enjoy/appreciate. I've noticed that your photo walks are quite fast-paced. Do you usually keep a steadier fast pace like this, or do you sometimes spend more time in one place? How do you balance that with working the scene, and not over-working the scene? LOL
Glad to hear these ideas gave you some freedom! As for pace, I do cut some things from the videos because otherwise they would be way too long. We will usually shoot for about 1 hour and that results in a 25ish minute video. On my own walks I go as fast or as slow as I feel. Sometimes I work the scene more or not at all. It really just depends on the subject and how interested I am in it and how tricky it is to find a nice framing. Sometimes the subject super cool but the shot is not so obvious so I spend some time on it. Other times it's instantly obvious and I am happy with it, so I just move on. I don't always force myself to work the scene just for the sake of it. Although that is good practice in general! :)
Un-street photography I like that, it’s the kind of photography I like to do; store fronts, fire hydrants, graffiti on walls and trucks and bikes-the ghost bikes and regular ones and cats, dogs, people to give something scale. It’s all good, I photograph what interests me- other people don’t have to like it or want to look at it-I photograph for my own enjoyment and print the photos out and hang my favorites on my wall. I enjoyed your video as usual.🙂🌺
This is the kind of photography I do. "Outdoor Still Life Photography". The good thing about is that I don't have to do the staging, it's whatever I see that interest my eye and I just compose the shot.
Really enjoyed this video. This is the kind of photograph7 I like to do also. And I almost always look at my photos afterwards and think they're shite. But occasionally I look back at them months later and realise they're at least not as bad as I originally thought and may in fact be good. Hahah. I also think we're always much harsher on our own work than others. I really like these kind of philosophical videos you guys do on photography.
We definitely are. I'm constantly thinking their shite. And then exactly as you say, I look through them months later and think "damn, these are pretty good!" In the end, I believe they are good purely because the act creating them has led to me to so much peaceful, mindful enjoyment of the world around me. :)
Love the video. I completly agree. The most important thing is to feel good while taking photos. You have to like Your photos. Just bought my Canon M3 and it makes me happy when I take a photo and the camera makes a clicking noise. Not everyone photo is good but as more as I take the more I learn.
This is exactly my type of “Street Photography”, as you say, they may not have a person in them but there’s quite obviously a human presence, or influence if you will. Great video, it’s refreshing to see this kind of video with you not just shooting the same old thing no matter what it is. Seriously, who is to say what “Street Photography is? Depending on who you ask it’s something different each time
I shoot this way all of the time but never really thought of it as un-street photography. I love bikes and scooters as subjects as well. I'm in Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia right now. This place is great for this kind of photography.
Since it is still quite difficult to shoot "classic" street photography in my city because of the covid and even though i have tried to shoot anyway at least close to my home. In last few months i felt like not going out with a camera at all... as that genre i like to shoot is not really enjoyable and safe to do now.. but this video shows that maybe i should just forget about taking photos of the people or anything in particular and just go and explore and try to find interesting shots even in those most basic scenes. So as usual, thank you for the inspiration!
Thank you for this amazing episode guys! This one really hit home, as I am also guilty of comparing my own photos to the ones I see on social media. When I see all those amazing landscapes and cityscapes, I sometimes feel a bit discouraged to go out and shoot in my own rather small town. This video gave me new motivation, so thanks for that! I also like these episodes where you show us the less grand and "epic" parts of Tokyo. It proves that you can also have fun and take nice pictures in locations that would be considered less interesting by many. This doesn't mean that I don't enjoy your other episodes in those places though :) Also, props to you and Axel for figuring out that umbrella life hack! lol
I am so happy to hear that my humble video can motivate your (and others) to go out and enjoy photography in the place you are in! And glad you enjoy the less epic parts of the city. They are where I spend most of my time these days because for me the epic parts are kinda 'been there done that'. Upcoming vids will certainly feature more and more of these locations. :)
5:54 Lady staring at an un-street photographer. Very interesting point of view you have about street photography. I think your contribution by thinking and questioning all this concepts and terms is gold. I’m personally identified with your ideas and you are an inspiration when I go out there and shoot! Keep it up man!
Haha, wow! I didn't notice her looking at us already at that moment. I cut the part out, but after we started moving on she did wave to us and I waved back to her. If I knew you could see her there I would have left that part in. Aw well. :) And thank you so much for the positive feedback! I really appreciate it! :)
How did you walk past that really cool delivery trike with umbrella and green covered box on back ? It was really interesting ! And you didn't shoot it ?
You are talking about actual street photography! 💪Focused on the environment, surroundings and streets! No focus on humans, which most people confuse street portraits with street photography. What do you focus on when doing portraits? Humans! What do you focus on in this actual street photography? The streets and surroundings. Big shoulder clap from me, and big respect for finally learning actually street photography 💪
Thank you for the positive feedback! However, I think the common definition of 'street photography' includes a decisive moment, which more or less requires a person, since people move. Most famous street photographs include people. Of course, you can define these things how you like, but just saying... :)
@@EYExplore doesn't make it right. Might as well just call every style for photography. Photographers should just stop being stubborn and correct the mistake made in the past. New photographers try to look for ideas and inspiration for street photography, but only get feedback and instructions on how to shoot people in the streets.
@@bamsemh1 I think there is no need to relabel the past. Just do what you want. Trying to relabel the genre means arguing and debating with other people who don't want to (or need to) change their mind. The label is meaningless in any universal sense and only has meaning by consensus. So, when you say "actual street photography" it doesn't really make sense because there is no such thing beyond a commonly held notion or subjective label. This is why I made a new label, to avoid confusion with the common definitions of "street photography." This way I can talk about what I'm doing and not use the qualifier "actual" which brings with it some notions of quality which I don't think are important.
@@bamsemh1 Really? So, rock music is not rock music anymore? Hip-hop is not hip-hop? The whole idea of artistic labels being 'wrong' is wrong. You're the exact same thing I'm rebelling against. You're coming up with a strict definition and trying to enforce it with other people. My idea of street photography and your idea of street photography differ. And there is nothing we can do about it. It will always differ. Both are valid because they are subjective. I can live with that. Can you? :)
I agree! To me, photography is a kind of meditative praxis that trains me for all parts of my life. I think will explore these aspects of photography more and more, as I feel I've covered all the technical stuff to death.
I think it's fine to call it street photography as an umbrella term. Then sub divide for street portraits, documentary street, street macro or detail, cityscape, and street abstract or that one where you fish on a spot with cool light and ultra high contrast, architecture, etc. These aren't official terms or anything, but just a way I like to keep my images in order at home.
Of course, I agree there is nothing official about it. But I think the terms do have some weight and can influence how we think. So, I kind of resist them. :)
You can do both on the same walk about. I make images of signs, don't know what I will do with them. You can also do this in the countryside, parks, events etc..
Interesting questioning on street photography approach and category. Agree with your point of view of un-street photography and with your style, between urban mainly and street. I am in the same influence on some subjects who attracted me in the instant and those came to me naturally and not with some intention either. To me, the approach is the moment when you're feeling free, and you are inspired by the way you want to tell or illustrated in the street can be seen or felt in the instant. Sometimes is just a color or certain texture or, as you mention, organics compositions. It depends on the inspiration of the mood, finally. I like the un-street because it has also his own history in photography ;-)
Very important topic to talk about well it will be nice if you can talk about doing Abstract Street Photography it’s another topic many young street photographers are interested to get into it … Thank you so much
I like this one... Mostly here in middle east, lots of un-street photography that you can do. As people don’t want to be photographed, especially the locals.
Those of us from "boring" areas, you gotta try to get out of that mindset. There are a million people taking pictures of Tokyo, London, New York, etc. If you're from a small town, you have subjects no one else can capture. Try to look at it that way and go out there and shoot. You might find a niche you didn't know you loved from exploring your town or the town over. Abandoned places in the middle of nowhere are pretty awesome too.
Can you make a second instagram for your un-street photography? I actually prefer un-street to street photography as there is less pressure to go around and chase crowded places. I know making a second page is a lot work but I would like it.
I really appreciate the interest, but I barely even post to the current instagram. I'm not really a fan of the platform to be honest. I do post every day on my blog though! So, please consider checking that out: tokyostreet.photo/
Rambling, vid deserves rambling comment. Your message comes through - perhaps best at closer about beauty in the mundane. Need un-camera, un-memory card for un-street images😁 perhaps. Though we get hung up on genre definitions, proscribed subjects are helpful in photo competitions (e.g., photojournalism, nature, travel, ect - with “open” reserved for anything.) Have seen some YT street ‘togs purposely “go out on empty” for subject, whereas others have specific subs in mind (light traps, shadows, waiting in one spot for perfect proximity pic, etc.). Who are we trying to please - viewers or self? IMO, most try to engage/capture viewer. Glad you were not run over by traffic (at least 3 times in vid).
Haha, thanks! I love the idea of an un-camera! What is that just a 'finger frame' and then you say 'click'? And yeah, these days I try as much as possible to simply make myself happy with the photos I take. If other's like them too, that's a huge bonus! And lucky for me, traffic in Japan is pretty slow on these side streets. :)
I've been taking photographs of this type for years. Take a look at the Italian photographer Luigi Ghirri (now dead). One of his best books is "Colazione sull'erba (Breakfast on the grass) 1972-1974"
I try to shoot street photography (interesting people, the decisive moment etc) as much as possible. But these moments are few because I don’t live on the streets and run into them. So I mostly end up shooting urban photography and taking pictures of random (boring?) people and moments that really isn’t that interesting 🥳😊 But really, I think interesting things are happening in a city everyday. It’s just to be observant and try to predict what will happen (what people will do), and then it’s just to set the camera to ”F8 and be there” 😃
Yes, exactly! This kind of approach helps us train to be more observant. If you can notice how a pile of trash has nice color coordination then you can notice the same aspect on a more dynamic street scene with people in it, for example. :)
@@EYExplore oh, my bad. Its around 5:14, if you look closer to the cars near the foreground near the ground. I've been watching your channel more and just the quality and also candidness have been amazing. Great tips and wonderful content!
@@hendrixg Oh yeah wow! That box is adorable! I might just go shoot it tomorrow on my way to get lunch haha. Thank you so much!! Glad you enjoy our videos! :)
Enjoyed the video and the way you explained your thinking, which made a lot of sense. On the failure subject, I think some photographers have a mindset that if they don't get that perfect instagram image, they've failed but as you say, it's about enjoying the time out and if you're enjoying it, the images might reflect that too.
Yeah, I hear that and I know I've pushed myself too to get the perfect timing, etc. But I stopped looking at my images as failures. I think it's a toxic mindset. There is no such thing as failure, only learning. :)
A rambling comment : The main problem with social media is to compare ourself to others, this could be our work, life, photography, body .. whatever. Which maybe can lead some to chase those "Banger Shots" to gather likes on social medias .. which can lead to disappointment 🤔 For the photography point, i guess the most important is to enjoy the moment, as you said, to shot what we like and how we see it ( which can be completely different from someone else ) and then to share it. It gonna be successful or not on social networks, not because that's a good or bad shot, but depending to the amount of people who follow you, who see it, and at which hour and which day you publish it.. At the end, i think what matter the most is the enjoyment you got when you are taking a picture ( from the walk and the time you had when you took it), when you edit it ( from the process to the memories it can bring) and to learn to be selfish, not caring of the other as we are all different and we have all a different sensibilities depending each subject .. which make it interesting too. In a way you offer your vision to other .. if people like it that's awesome, if not, that's "ok" too. Enough of rambling, as usual i enjoyed your video and this walk in Tokyo's streets
I agree with you 100%! Especially what you say about social media. And I like your take on 'selfishness'. I think you are right. When it comes to our personal art we should do it to make ourselves happy first, and then making other people happy with our work is a secondary bonus that only adds to the primary goal of self-fulfillment. :)
I love the idea of ‘un-street photography’ it opens up so many possibilities. As an amateur photographer, I shoot for my own enjoyment, while I shoot mostly street this idea increases subjects and interest for me as I walk about. Thanks so much for this video.
Sure thing! Label it what you want. I will label it what I want. Labels are just tools that allow us to have a conversation. If you put everything in the same bucket, it's difficult to distinguish things. Also, there are many people out there would claim that without people in the frame it's not street photography. :)
Actually what you are doing is definitely street photography. Anyone that says otherwise has not studied its history. People as far back as Walker Evans, one of the pioneers of "street photography", took many a shot without people in the frame. What about William Eggleston, do you consider him a street photographer? I also do a lot of this type of photography, often in the same shooting session taking pics with people or without people . It is all street. But I do like the term you use to describe this sub-genre. So now I consider myself a street and an unstreet photographer! Who knows, lets see if the term sticks.
I do DO consider Eggleston a street photographer, but I almost never hear him labeled as such by anyone else. Basically, I agree with you that it's all street photography. It's candid photography of humans and their human-made environment. You can even street photography in doors! But, I wanted to draw a distinction between this broader style and the recent commonly held definition. :)
Yeah, never ever drop a GR. They're not that kind of camera. Get a TG-6 instead. :) Then you also wouldn't need the umbrella - at least not for the camera.
Thank you! I think of them as creatures too. That's why I call this work 'Urban Organics'. It's about how the city 'grows' and is filled with these kind 'organic' constructs, which can be divided up into types: pipes, cones, signs with arrows, and so on. :)
I always find this topic interesting because when I started photography it was never with the intention of photographing people and to this day find it hard to be interested in doing it (unless they're abstracted in the shot). So these rules and debates about street photography and how it must include people are strange to me, as I've never had any desire to do that. So this "un-street" photography for me is the most natural type of street photography and as valid as any other.
Cheers for the video!
I totally agree! I also started with just objects, light, textures, graffiti, and so on. And then I discovered 'street photography' online and started posting to groups. And would get feedback that there must be people etc. I'm grateful for that though because I learned so much and pushed myself in directions I wouldn't have otherwise. But I've come full circle and these days I much more enjoy 'un-street' than 'street'. :)
Great video Lucasz. Love the discussion. As you say, it’s fun to think about these things.
Stop giving me Ricoh lust!!
Haha, thank you!! Get one and join the cult, muahahaha. :D
un-street photography, is my everyday photography... there is something so meditative about photographing something you find interesting on the street, a broken chair, a thrown away shoes, a parked bike .... it always tells a story the viewers can make up in their minds
Yes! I especially love broken items as well. Anything that has grit and roughness to it tells some kind of a story. :)
Great message behind this video, the most important part is to enjoy the process, not just the outcome. Love the composition of the opening shot too. Keep up the great work!
Thank you very much! Glad to know there are like-minded people out there! :)
Łukasz, You are great teacher. I find these video such a relief in terms of presur and expectations.
Thank you for saying so (and spelling my name in Polish, haha). Glad to put your mind at ease! :)
09:48 the trash cans look like some cute robots, that would be my shot 😆
Haha, yeah it's true, they do! And the small one is hiding behind the big one. I love it! Wish I had noticed it in the moment. :)
Man you're like the Bob Ross of photography. Watching your videos are both calming yet incredibly inspiring. It has a soothing ambient vibe. Please keep this up!
In terms of the content of this video, I never quite thought of this to be its own category, which as you pointed out, is the correct way to see it. These are usually the photos I take but never post. Thus I started to focus less on un-street photography, because I never thought it would be worth taking the shot. This video will probably make me much more aware of my surroundings now :DD
Haha, wow, being compared to Bob Ross is quite the honor! I'd say it's definitely worth taking taking the shot if you are interesting in the scene. That should be the only criteria! :)
This is definitely one of my favorite videos. I personally really like the 'un-street photography' approach. Personally I love shooting the 'mundane' everyday things, especially with how much things change year after year. I predict that Redbox is going the way of Blockbuster, so in my adventures I love shooting any Redbox machine I come across. Yes, right now no one would care about those photos, but I do and in a decade when they're possibly not around anymore people might find them interesting.
That's what I appreciate about this channel, you don't just photograph the same old street photography shots we see all over social media. Sometimes you shoot things that most people don't give a second glance at, and in my opinion they always come out to be really cool shots. This taught me to see the beauty in the things other people see as mundane and to enjoy shooting those things. life is ever-changing and its our jobs as photographers to immortalize those things whether they be 'mundane' objects or interesting looking people. Anyway this is my philosophy.
P.S. I love Axel's hat by the way. Now I need to add a white flat cap to my already growing flat cap collection lol.
I also share the idea of preservation. I noticed so many nice things disappear in the years I've lived in Tokyo, so now I just shoot mundane stuff that I know is going away, same as you. Thank you for appreciating our channel and style. Sometimes I wonder if people will like it so I'm always encouraged by such feedback. And yeah, Axel loves his hats, haha! :)
So good to show one of the tacit advantages of compact cameras; ease of use and portability in the rain if you want to use an umbrella or put it into a jacket pocket! Your videos are so great
Thanks! Yeah! It love it for that! Actually, we just posted a video bout this topic on the Official GR channel. :)
Thank you for letting me know, I’ll go and watch that one now!
This style of photography comes naturally to me and I've been doing it for years. It's heartening to know that I'm not alone in taking this approach. I enjoy your philosophic insights about photography too. Terrific video, thanks 👍
Thank you so much!! Glad you also practice this kinda of shooting, and that you enjoyed the video! :)
For me this is one of the best of your episodes, it was relaxing to watch, I hope you'll continue with such content, follow your sense of aesthetics, I really like your pipe photos. Un-street photography is very relaxing and stress-free. Tokyo has very interesting streets with its nooks and crannies, various plants, different styles and simple ornaments waiting to be noticed by people like you.
Thank you so much!! I think we will definitely keep going with this kind of video. I am planning to do one on my 'Skylight' series of photos soon. :)
Tbh this is the first video of your and many other similar channels that touched my mind and helped me with my struggle. Thank you for this video!
My pleasure! Thank you so much for watching! :)
"It's beautiful if you see the beauty in it " . I've been doing this kind of un-street photography for years (on and off) and found it very interesting. Great video!
Thank you so much!! :)
I live in the countryside and this is the only way I know to take photos !! You put in a video all my thoughts, really appreciate it. I really love the "Un-Street photography" idea, and I love your photos!
Thank you so much!! Even in the city sometimes I walk through parts of Tokyo where there is almost no one around, just plants, cracked walls, graffiti, and pipes. Lots of pipes! :)
Thank you Lukasz! I really like this "un-street" photography approach. Much better than trying to convince others that street photography can be anything. I've never really understood why others are so obsessed that their photography is recognised as street photography even if it does not really fit in what is generally accepted as being street photography...
I agree! I don't get the obsession either. Honestly, I'm just over genres and definition in general. The more difficult it is to define or label my work, the better. :)
I agree with the message. Especially needing “ordinary” shots to then get extraordinary shots.
No failure…only lessons
@@Jack-qn6vy Yes, exactly! :)
This is the kind of photography that I do. I'm happy to find someone else who does it!
Me too! I'd say that many people do this kind of photography but it just doesn't get much attention on social media, so people don't share their un-street so much. :)
Great video! One of the best I’ve seen in a long time. It’s given me a real reason to hit the streets again. I look forward to your future videos.
Thank you so much! Glad to motivate you, haha! :)
As someone who loves to just walk and take photos of small streets as I go along, I thought this video was incredible!
I don't have enough thumbs on my hands for the actual number of 'thumbs up' that this video actually deserves.
Haha, we appreciate two thumbs!! :)
I’m glad to have found this video! It explains exactly my shooting mentality and focus!
I'm so glad to hear that! :)
A great reminder that it doesn’t take much for a cool photo. You took some nice ones!
Thank you!! :)
Love this video. This is a type of photography that I do and enjoy. Thanks for naming it.
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed it! :)
I’ve enjoyed doing this type of photography since day one. It actually took me a while to find out that this wasn’t generally considered street photography, but it’s one of my favorite things sometimes. Extremely relaxing and stimulating to occasionally take photos with out any sort of anxiety or pressure caused by photographing other people.
I totally agree! This is also how I started. I remember my first outing with my first proper camera, a Nikon D300. I just went around my neighborhood and took photos of what I saw. I really enjoyed it. To me this is the purest, most meditative form of photography.
A very enjoyable video, Lukasz. I also enjoy shooting “unstreet”. Nice to see what Axel looks like as well!
Thank you!! Glad you enjoyed it! :)
I actually really like the rain, makes this even more chill to watch haha
I love the rain too. I was very impressed with how well the sound of rain drops came through on the mic. :)
ASMR.🙂
Another great video, I would say one of the best! Not only are Axels camera movements and dynamics extremely good and interesting, but the topic is right up my alley. I like those static scenes a lot and these days I go out and I just try to let myself be lead by each moment and what catches my eye. In the scene of course I try to apply different compositions but I don't try to restrict myself to a topic. Maybe that would be a better way to "improve" but I really believe different topics will manifest themselves automatically if you go out and "Zen-graphy" like that regularly because then photography becomes much like meditation and you just allow things to happen, scenes to be seen and pictures to be taken and slowly different topics will emerge.
Yes, this is exactly how I feel! Subjects and series will naturally manifest themselves from the zen approach. To me, photography is meditation! :)
I am more of a street photographer and I avoid 'urban photography' but I just love how he explains it. This is a very underrated RUclips channel and I will make sure to stay alongside it as much as I can.
I am learning more from this channel than from the ones with 2,000,000 subscribers. Keep up the work and the wisdom.
P.S. Props to the cameraman. In every video we have smooth motion and great video quality.
Thank you so much!! It's this kind of feedback, both on the content and our production style, that keeps us going! :)
I agree, Eyexplore and Steve O’Nions have become my two favorite photography channels.
@@joeltunnah :)
I enjoyed. Thanks for making the videos. Simple and pure photography.
Thank you so much! It's our pleasure! :)
Filming in the rain looks like it was worth it the mood of this video is great! Really enjoy this type of photography, the Urban Organics series is a nice way to express how we build up cities in multiple layers and is way to see how we change them change over time.
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for taking a look at my project! :)
"Urban photography" I like that! And I think that we should be happy where we are, what we can photograph no matter definitions. Photographing should be a pleasure. So, be happy :)
I totally agree, 100%!! :)
Enjoyed this video ! I hope there is more to come with this topic. notice that when I start shooting there are more and more subjects like this between the photos. So I definitely feel encouraged and inspired to just shoot these types of images for once! I saw fantastic photos in this video! thanks a lot!
Thank you so much! I plan to talk more about such topics from here on. I'm tired of always discussing the technical issues of photography, which really are not that important in the grand scheme of things, so you can expect more and more philosophical walk and talks in the future. :)
I really appreciate and share your approach to photography, Lukasz! I have only recently come back to this whole world again after buying a GRIII last month, I had a GR Digital about fifteen years ago and it taught me to see the world like this to the point where it just becomes second nature. I think the whole label of ‘Street Photography’ has become way too rigid, I always saw it as a broad approach to photographing the entirety of the urban experience - anything and everything from candid snapshots of friends in a bar to these kind of abstract landscape still life shots. As long as you are documenting the ever changing details and endless compositions in the city it all comes under the same umbrella to me. It’s all important!
I agree! That is the ideal. And it's why I like to shed the loaded term of 'street photography' because it kind of lost all meaning to me. So, I just do what I do and not worry about it so much. I think you have a great approach as well! :)
always happy seeing a new video
Thanks for always watching! :)
Great video and very important for all Street Photographers to watch because there’s more to Street Photography than just shooting people. Every now and again it’s good to change focus for a day and shoot the other things that make a city a city, like you mention in this video. Thanks for posting!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching! :)
I'm sure someone else has mentioned in the comments , but it's akin to what Eggleston refers to as 'Shooting Democratically ' , nice vid .
I don't think I've heard that quote, but I am a big fan of Eggleston and I think some of his work could definitely be labelled 'un-street' though he did it in such a time when these definitions didn't really exist. No one cared about street or not street photography. It was just photography. At least I think, I wasn't around back then. :)
Love the awesome video work with great framing, stabilization and audio in all your vids - Thanks Axel ! A learn a lot form your videos. Lukasz get many great photos, but even the less interesting photos are well explained compositionally, so a learn something and get inspiration !
Thank you so much!! We are so glad to hear that! :)
This is a phenomenal video, and very encouraging to think of "unStreet Photography" in this light. This was very enlightening and really set me free from some of the discouragement I've been wrestling with, as I kind of felt uninspired or felt like I hit a wall; especially, as I look at some of the mundane things in my city. I've been trying to simply enjoy capturing the ordinary, and bringing focus to something that seems ordinary, but had a particular quality that I really enjoy/appreciate. I've noticed that your photo walks are quite fast-paced. Do you usually keep a steadier fast pace like this, or do you sometimes spend more time in one place? How do you balance that with working the scene, and not over-working the scene? LOL
Glad to hear these ideas gave you some freedom! As for pace, I do cut some things from the videos because otherwise they would be way too long. We will usually shoot for about 1 hour and that results in a 25ish minute video. On my own walks I go as fast or as slow as I feel. Sometimes I work the scene more or not at all. It really just depends on the subject and how interested I am in it and how tricky it is to find a nice framing. Sometimes the subject super cool but the shot is not so obvious so I spend some time on it. Other times it's instantly obvious and I am happy with it, so I just move on. I don't always force myself to work the scene just for the sake of it. Although that is good practice in general! :)
Nice, true and important video, I love unstreet photography, thank you!
Thank you so much!! :)
Un-street photography I like that, it’s the kind of photography I like to do; store fronts, fire hydrants, graffiti on walls and trucks and bikes-the ghost bikes and regular ones and cats, dogs, people to give something scale. It’s all good, I photograph what interests me- other people don’t have to like it or want to look at it-I photograph for my own enjoyment and print the photos out and hang my favorites on my wall. I enjoyed your video as usual.🙂🌺
That's awesome! That's exactly how it should be! :)
This is the kind of photography I do. "Outdoor Still Life Photography". The good thing about is that I don't have to do the staging, it's whatever I see that interest my eye and I just compose the shot.
That's another good name for it! :)
always stoked on new uploads!! hello from guam and thank you again for the street photog insight and advice!
Thanks for being a fan! :)
Really enjoyed this video. This is the kind of photograph7 I like to do also. And I almost always look at my photos afterwards and think they're shite. But occasionally I look back at them months later and realise they're at least not as bad as I originally thought and may in fact be good. Hahah. I also think we're always much harsher on our own work than others.
I really like these kind of philosophical videos you guys do on photography.
We definitely are. I'm constantly thinking their shite. And then exactly as you say, I look through them months later and think "damn, these are pretty good!" In the end, I believe they are good purely because the act creating them has led to me to so much peaceful, mindful enjoyment of the world around me. :)
Love the video. I completly agree. The most important thing is to feel good while taking photos. You have to like Your photos. Just bought my Canon M3 and it makes me happy when I take a photo and the camera makes a clicking noise. Not everyone photo is good but as more as I take the more I learn.
Thank you so much! Enjoying is why we pick up cameras in the first place, and then somehow so many of us lose sight of that. :)
This is exactly my type of “Street Photography”, as you say, they may not have a person in them but there’s quite obviously a human presence, or influence if you will.
Great video, it’s refreshing to see this kind of video with you not just shooting the same old thing no matter what it is. Seriously, who is to say what “Street Photography is? Depending on who you ask it’s something different each time
Glad you enjoyed it and found it refreshing! I was wondering if my perspective would be well received or not. :)
This is exactly the kind of photos I enjoy taking. I occasionally involve people but not necessarily. Good points made in the video.
I'm happy to hear so many people are like-minded! :)
Hahaha I'm a "pipe guy" too. I love shooting random pipes in dingy alley ways. Sometimes you find very intricate patterns!
Yes! I've found some real gems out there! :)
I shoot this way all of the time but never really thought of it as un-street photography. I love bikes and scooters as subjects as well. I'm in Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia right now. This place is great for this kind of photography.
That's great! I didn't think much of it either, but I wanted to talk about it and needed a label. :)
This is precisely how I like to shoot. This is becoming my favorite photo channel!
Thank you so much! :)
Since it is still quite difficult to shoot "classic" street photography in my city because of the covid and even though i have tried to shoot anyway at least close to my home. In last few months i felt like not going out with a camera at all... as that genre i like to shoot is not really enjoyable and safe to do now.. but this video shows that maybe i should just forget about taking photos of the people or anything in particular and just go and explore and try to find interesting shots even in those most basic scenes. So as usual, thank you for the inspiration!
Yes, it's interesting how these concepts apply very well to the current troubled times!
Thank you for this amazing episode guys! This one really hit home, as I am also guilty of comparing my own photos to the ones I see on social media. When I see all those amazing landscapes and cityscapes, I sometimes feel a bit discouraged to go out and shoot in my own rather small town. This video gave me new motivation, so thanks for that!
I also like these episodes where you show us the less grand and "epic" parts of Tokyo. It proves that you can also have fun and take nice pictures in locations that would be considered less interesting by many. This doesn't mean that I don't enjoy your other episodes in those places though :)
Also, props to you and Axel for figuring out that umbrella life hack! lol
I am so happy to hear that my humble video can motivate your (and others) to go out and enjoy photography in the place you are in! And glad you enjoy the less epic parts of the city. They are where I spend most of my time these days because for me the epic parts are kinda 'been there done that'. Upcoming vids will certainly feature more and more of these locations. :)
5:54 Lady staring at an un-street photographer.
Very interesting point of view you have about street photography. I think your contribution by thinking and questioning all this concepts and terms is gold. I’m personally identified with your ideas and you are an inspiration when I go out there and shoot! Keep it up man!
Haha, wow! I didn't notice her looking at us already at that moment. I cut the part out, but after we started moving on she did wave to us and I waved back to her. If I knew you could see her there I would have left that part in. Aw well. :)
And thank you so much for the positive feedback! I really appreciate it! :)
How did you walk past that really cool delivery trike with umbrella and green covered box on back ? It was really interesting ! And you didn't shoot it ?
I'm sure there are millions of things I didn't shoot but could have shot. This is the beauty of art. We all create that which interests us. :)
Interesting topic, I enjoy city landscape photography, and if a person enters the frame, so be it. Great photos, by the way.
Thank you!! :)
You are talking about actual street photography! 💪Focused on the environment, surroundings and streets! No focus on humans, which most people confuse street portraits with street photography.
What do you focus on when doing portraits? Humans! What do you focus on in this actual street photography? The streets and surroundings.
Big shoulder clap from me, and big respect for finally learning actually street photography 💪
Thank you for the positive feedback! However, I think the common definition of 'street photography' includes a decisive moment, which more or less requires a person, since people move. Most famous street photographs include people. Of course, you can define these things how you like, but just saying... :)
@@EYExplore doesn't make it right. Might as well just call every style for photography. Photographers should just stop being stubborn and correct the mistake made in the past.
New photographers try to look for ideas and inspiration for street photography, but only get feedback and instructions on how to shoot people in the streets.
@@bamsemh1 I think there is no need to relabel the past. Just do what you want. Trying to relabel the genre means arguing and debating with other people who don't want to (or need to) change their mind. The label is meaningless in any universal sense and only has meaning by consensus.
So, when you say "actual street photography" it doesn't really make sense because there is no such thing beyond a commonly held notion or subjective label. This is why I made a new label, to avoid confusion with the common definitions of "street photography." This way I can talk about what I'm doing and not use the qualifier "actual" which brings with it some notions of quality which I don't think are important.
@@EYExplore enjoy doing it wrong 😉 everything old is being relabeled today. Live with it.
@@bamsemh1 Really? So, rock music is not rock music anymore? Hip-hop is not hip-hop? The whole idea of artistic labels being 'wrong' is wrong. You're the exact same thing I'm rebelling against. You're coming up with a strict definition and trying to enforce it with other people. My idea of street photography and your idea of street photography differ. And there is nothing we can do about it. It will always differ. Both are valid because they are subjective. I can live with that. Can you? :)
I’ve always disliked labels, but I can definitely get behind un-street photography! 🤙🏼
It's the 'un-label' haha. :)
I actually really like 20:50 . I think you can apply that kind of thinking in lots of areas of your life
I agree! To me, photography is a kind of meditative praxis that trains me for all parts of my life. I think will explore these aspects of photography more and more, as I feel I've covered all the technical stuff to death.
Thanks for this video, I needed to hear this :)
Glad to hear that! Thank you for watching! :)
I think it's fine to call it street photography as an umbrella term. Then sub divide for street portraits, documentary street, street macro or detail, cityscape, and street abstract or that one where you fish on a spot with cool light and ultra high contrast, architecture, etc.
These aren't official terms or anything, but just a way I like to keep my images in order at home.
Of course, I agree there is nothing official about it. But I think the terms do have some weight and can influence how we think. So, I kind of resist them. :)
You can do both on the same walk about. I make images of signs, don't know what I will do with them. You can also do this in the countryside, parks, events etc..
Totally! :)
Interesting questioning on street photography approach and category. Agree with your point of view of un-street photography and with your style, between urban mainly and street. I am in the same influence on some subjects who attracted me in the instant and those came to me naturally and not with some intention either. To me, the approach is the moment when you're feeling free, and you are inspired by the way you want to tell or illustrated in the street can be seen or felt in the instant. Sometimes is just a color or certain texture or, as you mention, organics compositions. It depends on the inspiration of the mood, finally. I like the un-street because it has also his own history in photography ;-)
Well put! I totally agree with you. It can come down to one simple thing like a color or texture that attracts us to make a picture. :)
Very important topic to talk about well it will be nice if you can talk about doing Abstract Street Photography it’s another topic many young street photographers are interested to get into it …
Thank you so much
Glad you found it interesting! What is abstract street photography? I can imagine, but can you give me some examples?
You guys should also do a video in the countryside
I would love it! I think Axel and I need to do a road trip! :)
Very thoughtfull video.
Thank you! :)
I like this one... Mostly here in middle east, lots of un-street photography that you can do. As people don’t want to be photographed, especially the locals.
Yeah!! I can imagine that. :)
Those of us from "boring" areas, you gotta try to get out of that mindset. There are a million people taking pictures of Tokyo, London, New York, etc. If you're from a small town, you have subjects no one else can capture. Try to look at it that way and go out there and shoot. You might find a niche you didn't know you loved from exploring your town or the town over. Abandoned places in the middle of nowhere are pretty awesome too.
Exactly! That's a good way to look at it too. Everyone's experience can be unique and interesting if you really go deep and appreciate what you have.
Can you make a second instagram for your un-street photography? I actually prefer un-street to street photography as there is less pressure to go around and chase crowded places. I know making a second page is a lot work but I would like it.
I really appreciate the interest, but I barely even post to the current instagram. I'm not really a fan of the platform to be honest. I do post every day on my blog though! So, please consider checking that out: tokyostreet.photo/
Rambling, vid deserves rambling comment. Your message comes through - perhaps best at closer about beauty in the mundane. Need un-camera, un-memory card for un-street images😁 perhaps. Though we get hung up on genre definitions, proscribed subjects are helpful in photo competitions (e.g., photojournalism, nature, travel, ect - with “open” reserved for anything.) Have seen some YT street ‘togs purposely “go out on empty” for subject, whereas others have specific subs in mind (light traps, shadows, waiting in one spot for perfect proximity pic, etc.). Who are we trying to please - viewers or self? IMO, most try to engage/capture viewer. Glad you were not run over by traffic (at least 3 times in vid).
Haha, thanks! I love the idea of an un-camera! What is that just a 'finger frame' and then you say 'click'? And yeah, these days I try as much as possible to simply make myself happy with the photos I take. If other's like them too, that's a huge bonus! And lucky for me, traffic in Japan is pretty slow on these side streets. :)
I've been taking photographs of this type for years. Take a look at the Italian photographer Luigi Ghirri (now dead). One of his best books is "Colazione sull'erba (Breakfast on the grass) 1972-1974"
Wow, yeah that is nice work! Thank you for sharing! :)
I try to shoot street photography (interesting people, the decisive moment etc) as much as possible. But these moments are few because I don’t live on the streets and run into them. So I mostly end up shooting urban photography and taking pictures of random (boring?) people and moments that really isn’t that interesting 🥳😊
But really, I think interesting things are happening in a city everyday. It’s just to be observant and try to predict what will happen (what people will do), and then it’s just to set the camera to ”F8 and be there” 😃
Yes, exactly! This kind of approach helps us train to be more observant. If you can notice how a pile of trash has nice color coordination then you can notice the same aspect on a more dynamic street scene with people in it, for example. :)
Very sensible points of view 💁🏼
I'm glad it's being well received! :)
5:14 , the electrical box that looks like it had legs in the parking lot! Missed opportunity for un-street.
Sorry, your time stamp is for the end of the video, so not sure what moment you are referring to. :)
@@EYExplore oh, my bad. Its around 5:14, if you look closer to the cars near the foreground near the ground.
I've been watching your channel more and just the quality and also candidness have been amazing. Great tips and wonderful content!
@@hendrixg Oh yeah wow! That box is adorable! I might just go shoot it tomorrow on my way to get lunch haha. Thank you so much!! Glad you enjoy our videos! :)
greetings from Poland. Shot on 14:32 is nice:)
Thank you!! :)
Enjoyed the video and the way you explained your thinking, which made a lot of sense. On the failure subject, I think some photographers have a mindset that if they don't get that perfect instagram image, they've failed but as you say, it's about enjoying the time out and if you're enjoying it, the images might reflect that too.
Yeah, I hear that and I know I've pushed myself too to get the perfect timing, etc. But I stopped looking at my images as failures. I think it's a toxic mindset. There is no such thing as failure, only learning. :)
your taste in photography is like mine
Nice! :)
I need to go to Japan lol
Definitely! :)
Cool ! 👍
Thank you!! :)
Thanks for the video
Thanks for watching! :)
Everything is interesting if you look at it long enough.
Agreed! :)
zen level ten
Haha, I love it! :)
A rambling comment :
The main problem with social media is to compare ourself to others, this could be our work, life, photography, body .. whatever.
Which maybe can lead some to chase those "Banger Shots" to gather likes on social medias .. which can lead to disappointment 🤔
For the photography point, i guess the most important is to enjoy the moment, as you said, to shot what we like and how we see it ( which can be completely different from someone else ) and then to share it.
It gonna be successful or not on social networks, not because that's a good or bad shot, but depending to the amount of people who follow you, who see it, and at which hour and which day you publish it..
At the end, i think what matter the most is the enjoyment you got when you are taking a picture ( from the walk and the time you had when you took it), when you edit it ( from the process to the memories it can bring) and to learn to be selfish, not caring of the other as we are all different and we have all a different sensibilities depending each subject .. which make it interesting too.
In a way you offer your vision to other .. if people like it that's awesome, if not, that's "ok" too.
Enough of rambling, as usual i enjoyed your video and this walk in Tokyo's streets
I agree with you 100%! Especially what you say about social media. And I like your take on 'selfishness'. I think you are right. When it comes to our personal art we should do it to make ourselves happy first, and then making other people happy with our work is a secondary bonus that only adds to the primary goal of self-fulfillment. :)
I love the idea of ‘un-street photography’ it opens up so many possibilities. As an amateur photographer, I shoot for my own enjoyment, while I shoot mostly street this idea increases subjects and interest for me as I walk about. Thanks so much for this video.
Thank you so much! Glad you found some inspiration from this video! :)
At 5.55 you have a casual model see you from window 😂
Haha yeah we waved to her but I think we cut that part. :)
Garry Winogrand: All Things are Photographable
Well said! :)
What you’re shooting is… Street Photography. It’s showing the Human presence without the people that’s all.
Sure thing! Label it what you want. I will label it what I want. Labels are just tools that allow us to have a conversation. If you put everything in the same bucket, it's difficult to distinguish things. Also, there are many people out there would claim that without people in the frame it's not street photography. :)
Un-gear photography.
Haha, that too! :)
The woman in the window at 5:50!
Hahay, yeah I totally didn't notice even when editing the video, not until someone pointed her out. :)
Actually what you are doing is definitely street photography. Anyone that says otherwise has not studied its history. People as far back as Walker Evans, one of the pioneers of "street photography", took many a shot without people in the frame. What about William Eggleston, do you consider him a street photographer? I also do a lot of this type of photography, often in the same shooting session taking pics with people or without people . It is all street. But I do like the term you use to describe this sub-genre. So now I consider myself a street and an unstreet photographer! Who knows, lets see if the term sticks.
I do DO consider Eggleston a street photographer, but I almost never hear him labeled as such by anyone else. Basically, I agree with you that it's all street photography. It's candid photography of humans and their human-made environment. You can even street photography in doors! But, I wanted to draw a distinction between this broader style and the recent commonly held definition. :)
Yeah, never ever drop a GR. They're not that kind of camera. Get a TG-6 instead. :) Then you also wouldn't need the umbrella - at least not for the camera.
Yeah very true! :)
Maybe you can try to take a camera and flash the people closer. Need to be closer.
Haha, sarcasm, right? :)
Looks like minimal photography
Sometimes it is! :)
Pipes or mirrors on poles, you make me perceive them as city creatures, precisely because your pics are so plain.
Thank you! I think of them as creatures too. That's why I call this work 'Urban Organics'. It's about how the city 'grows' and is filled with these kind 'organic' constructs, which can be divided up into types: pipes, cones, signs with arrows, and so on. :)