Hi, I’m Tim and I’m a street photographer from England.
This channel is all about sharing my passion for street, travel, and documentary photography, passing on the knowledge I’ve gained over years of hitting the streets with my camera.
I’m focused more on the how and the why of photography rather than the gear.
Coming up: POV videos, tips, techniques, tutorials and street photography philosophy & opinions.
🎬 New video (almost) every week
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Another great video and insightful. I have the Bystander book, along with the Joel Meyerowitz "How I make Photographs" His section on the twin towers and his decision to document the scene for history was so incredible. If I put myself in that position, I would question is it right to take photos? Is it goolish and how do I look to others looking on? But I totally understand his reason and I hope that if I was in that position, I would do the same as Joel. My favourite street photographer is Saul Leiter and his book "All about Saul Leiter" is a stunning body of work.
Creativity is a fluid component of our blood. It comes in waves and it ebbs and flows. So yes... There are times when it burns like fire and times when it's just not resonate within us.
Saved for Watch Later. Susan Sontag made a ton of comments that I referenced for the video I did on Diane Arbus and I found that my viewpoints did not align with her whatsoever, which has kept me from going further in on her other ideas.
Some great books, only own a few so wrote them down to put on my to buy list. For those wanting a list of the books mentioned in the video: . The Creative Act: A Way of Being - Rick Rubin 2. On Photography - Susan Sontag 3. Magnum Streetwise - Magnum Photos 4. Think Like a Street Photographer - Matt Stuart 5. The War of Art - Steven Pressfield 6. Show Your Work! - Austin Kleon 7. Street Photography Now - Sophie Howarth & Stephen McLaren 8. How I Make Photographs - Joel Meyerowitz 9. Magnum Stories - Magnum Photos 10. Bystander: A History of Street Photography - Joel Meyerowitz & Colin Westerbeck
Great content as usual ! How do you handle the eye contact with subjects in the street ? Do you look behind them to pretend you took a picture of something else? Do you just smile? Are you sometimes approached by people asking you if/why you took a picture of them? How do you get away with it?
Thanks! It depends, I don’t capture eye contact that often, just when it feels right. I’ll either smile and walk off, or just pretend I’m taking a photo of something else, really depends on the moment. I’m trying to be bolder in my photography, always trying to push myself
Great video. Road to Seeing by Dan Winters had a big effect on me. More about the thoughts and process behind photography but would thoroughly recommend
Please put the recommendations in the description or the in a comment or even written on the screen as you talk about them. it is annoying to have to rescrub through thr video to find the 5 seconds you mention the title and author of each book. i watched already, it was a good video, but i don't want to watch it again just so i can find the books at my library
. The Creative Act: A Way of Being - Rick Rubin 2. On Photography - Susan Sontag 3. Magnum Streetwise - Magnum Photos 4. Think Like a Street Photographer - Matt Stuart 5. The War of Art - Steven Pressfield 6. Show Your Work! - Austin Kleon 7. Street Photography Now - Sophie Howarth & Stephen McLaren 8. How I Make Photographs - Joel Meyerowitz 9. Magnum Stories - Magnum Photos 10. Bystander: A History of Street Photography - Joel Meyerowitz & Colin Westerbeck
I found "Bystander" to be difficult to read. I had to stop and look up words because I had no idea what they meant. I don't understand why some people have to write like that. I recently purchased "How I Make Photographs" by Joel Meyerowitz. I'm about half way through it. What I've learned so far is that I am an artist. Perhaps not a very good artist but still an artist. Kind of like your kids finger paintings. 😛 All these books I can get from the library. Thanks for the new reading list.
Thanks for sharing this, Tim! A couple of new ideas for my book shelf and brain. I have a couple of suggestions to consider. First - Sean Tucker's "The Meaning in the Making." It's not about photography specifically, but about the why of making art. Second is "Modern Color" by Fred Herzog. This one resonates with me as I find familiarity and inspiration in the photos. Cheers!
I have a question for you. When you say photos taken with the 50mm in the video, do you mean full-frame or apsc images, so the 50mm you show is actually about a 75mm? Thank you in advance for the answer
I use the same camera but the 27 2.8...what I love about this lens is the super low profile and good image quality. Great video without too much useless information. Just to the point!
The act of asking a person is somehow not common here in Indonesia, but i could try next time, but again using only smartphone i highly doubt anyone would take me seriously.
Very good and concise points :) for now i commit to the 28mm equivalent with my Ricoh gr3, but sometimes want to play again with the 23mm I had in the past with the X100V 😅 The 18mm 1.4 on my fuji xt5 is pretty amazing though
German here. I really have a feeling that this is harder to pull off depending on where you happen to live. People here are so worried about their privacy and the "right to their image" (ever wonder why Google Street View basically doesn't exist in Germany?), I feel like I'd keep runnig into serious confrontations if I actually tried to get close enough to people in public to take these kinds of photos. However: great video, great advice!
Yeah it depends where you live what kind of approach you can take based on the laws in that country. You’d need to adapt your style to fit what you’re able to do where you live 🙂
Love the new format with seeing you as you walk around and great to see how you embrace the project, some incredible images and has given me food for thought with regards trying it. Whether I can get out of my comfort zone of shooting from the hip capturing candid images to portrait will be a tough question.
I love the images of the two ladies together and the last guy. I think you are very brave and probably did it the hardest way i.e. rush and run. I have watched Paul Reid on You Tube and he has some great advice which I would recommend. He says pick a compelling subject i.e. not just an ordinary person who does not want to be picked out. Couples or groups are easier to work with. Take your time as it is going to be a great talking point for them that day so make it pleasurable for them. Don't practice on people - find someone you really want to shoot and you will come across better. Say you are doing a Portrait project. Most of all don't just click 3 shots and run - that is not the best way. You have broken the ice so now you can develop further. Good luck.
I thought you done very well Tim, but I would say that being a Brummie! the people of Birmingham love having their picture taken and I love it in the City Center, but the weather has to be good and some special offers in New St Wetherspoons before I will jump on the bus to go there, well done and thank you for sharing your day with us!...
good luck out there, i did this for a few days in my hometown I live in Baltimore, Maryland. and currently editing them, im annoyed because my wide shots i didnt capture anyones feet lol anyway I love your camera .
Thanks for all tips! I'm just an amateur so usually I do events, land, cityscape photography and some wide shots on streets, but trying to avoid photograph people on street for the main subject because I'm afraid people will not okay with it. But somehow, the challenges of street photography draw me in, so I'm learning how to do it properly so I will not upsets someone when I'm out there.
Hey Tim! Just discovered your channel. Been binging. Love your content, love your personality Beginner here I have only one lens,the Sony 18-105 f.4 Being zoom lens it covers all the said focal lenghts. The heavy weight and the inconveniences aside.. isnt it the same thing as 35,55,76 prime lenses? Can I zoom in til I like the composition or theres some magic with 35,55,76? Kinda beginner ans stupid question but thank you
Thanks mate! Glad you’re enjoying the videos. Sure you can use a zoom and shoot at all those focal lengths. If you find yourself gravitating more to one focal length then you can look into getting a prime lens (much smaller, faster, force you to be creative) - happy shooting!
Just found your channel Tim. This video is excellent advice for starters. I spend a lot of time on the streets in London since Covid and redundancy back in 2020. It truly is a therapy walking the streets and capturing random moments out there. I would have benefited from seeing this video at the beginning of my journey. Like you I use Fuji kit with primes from 23 to 90, but my 35 1.4 is defo my desert island lens. I have watch a few more of your vids now. Really good to listen to and you are easy on the eye too. ;) Clive x
Tim, I think you're bolder and closer to your subjects when shooting with film than with digital. Do I sense that right? I also feel like you pay more attention to composition when shooting digital. It's an interesting shift. And I love all the photos from this video episode, they're fantastic shots.
Trying to expand my style (just been doing landscape and my grandkids high school sports), and doing street photography as always interested me... but as you were saying.. the thought of approaching someone makes me nervous. Great video, Tim. Can't wait to watch more of your stuff.
That’s got nothing to do with it. Doesn’t matter what size or gender you are, it’s your body language, approach and persona that makes the biggest difference
My philosophy is that I use my camera as a tool to interact with people, and if I get a rejection I still aim to stop and chat to potential subjects. On a recent trip to the Barbican I got rejected twice, but still had a chat with a fascinating chap from Venice who comes to London once a month to play a church organ, and also a lady from Texas who came to London for love and now tends plants in her old age. If the request for a portrait is accepted, then so much the better but refusals are not to be regarded as a lack of success. The shot of the stall owner cutting his material was the winner for me; I liked how his hand holding the scissors acted as a leading line.
