If you find street photography hard in a small British town, you have no idea how hard street photography is in a North American suburb where people only walk to get out of their cars and cross one of the endless parking lots that litter our cities.
The problem is that American suburban bleakness is basically the same everywhere in the country. There's just not a lot to work with when it's all big box stores and highways.
The best Tip i realised a few months ago: take your camera everywhere. I often left my canon 6d at home because it is heavy and feels like a "burden". I solved my problem by getting a small m4/3 camera with a pancake lens and now it is with me nearly every time! No missed oppurtunities anymore :)
Yep 100%! A small every day carry is essential to never miss an opportunity and I actually don’t really have one at the moment. I’m torn between getting an iPhone 15 or a Ricoh griii. Only thing putting me off the Ricoh is battery life (and wish it was weather sealed)
I have NEVER, in my 72 years of life, found any place where I couldn't find something interesting. Even if it was just a leaf, a pebble or a piece of wood. Nothing is mundane if you treat it with respect.
Haha perhaps but I always pretend I’m taking a photo of something else and if they do notice who cares to be honest, it’s fun to do and we’re not harming anyone :)
@@zafran20 so long as it is in a public area it is perfectly legal. but if you photograph in a mall or some kind of middle ground area they can kick you out but they aren't aloud to take your camera. ultimacy check your countries or towns laws & stipulations.
To me, the biggest challenge is having people giving me weird looks (I'm an introvert), or even worse, them getting mad because they noticed me taking a picture with them in the frame (I don't even get close).
Ah yes I get that. That’s one of the most common difficulties about street photography that I hear, so you’re not alone, so will definitely be doing a video about this in the future :)
What really helps me is to avoid looking at the person after you made a picture of that person. Take the picture and look to something different, eg something far away.
Might sound silly, but perhaps this is an excuse to buy something with a waist level viewfinder. This almost certainly means film (which some of us crazy folk love) and I have a Rolleiflex 3.5F and several Bronica ETRSi cameras for precisely this reason, being very reluctant to stick cameras in people's faces. For me, shooting these older cameras is a joy in itself, along with all the wonderful inconveniences they bring, when compared to modern cameras (which I love too!). Cheers and good luck from Sydney - Dave
Tip for you from a former paparazzi, have your camera waist level with a screen that can be tilted or flipped up. Stand slightly angled towards the place you are trying to photograph, try not to dress too conspicuous. Stop using large cameras, use a smaller one with a smaller lens too draw less attention. If you still get attention, tell them you are tourist in broken accent. If you really want to photograph sensitive places, use those tiny pocket cameras with very long zoom, stand as far back as possible, use reflections to take picture of stuff behind you, not ideal but sometimes it can be the only way, like large windows or even bring yourself a small mirror. But most importantly, never ever photograph near schools, kindergartens, hospitals or police stations.
Fred Herzog was a photographer shooting street scenes in Vancouver, Canada, during the fifties and sixties, when Vancouver was essentially a small town surrounded by beautiful scenery. Most art photographers would have focused on landscape. He also shot in colour which was not fashionable for art photography at the time. He used many of the techniques you mention to perfectly capture the Vancouver of that era - neon lights reflected in the rain, kids dressed in their “old clothes” playing in front of typical corner stores, wide open near-deserted streets in downtown spaces that are now filled with high rises. Initially, his work was overlooked but nowadays his photos are cherished and prints sell for high prices. The mountains, ocean and (to a lesser extent) forests are still here, but the places and ambience that Fred caught on film only survive in his photos and the vague memories of people like me who grew up here. All of which is simply to agree that photos of even the most seemingly boring urban environments, if well executed, can have immeasurable lasting value. Keep up the good work.
I love what you said "Street photography is documenting life, in the future we'll be able to look back on what once was" This really hits it because even though we can create such dynamic beautiful interesting photos in the future it will all be photo documentation of life. Even if we don't see something super special about it now, in the future we will.
Thanks mate! I really believe that. People say the future is video, but that needs editing and music and whoever produces a video can manipulate the viewer with the narrative, editing, music etc. A still image is and always will be the most powerful - in my opinion!
This just popped up in my recommendations and I'm glad it did. Been shooting for over 50 years and figured a lot of this out over time, but this is very well reduced to an easy lesson that would be of value to many people... including a photographer of 50 years. Enjoyed this.
Not sure that Cheltenham is a 'small town' with all its history and grandeur. My nearest town has a population of 15,000 and being towards the North of England, people are very wary of cameras, can become quite aggressive and will refuse if you ask their consent for a portrait. So I wouldn't take candid street photos here because of the possible fallout on the local Facebook groups eg "who is that weird old man taking photos in the street?" Luckily, I am only a 90 minute train journey from London which is where I go one day each month for my street photography. I wish I could do it more often though. Another excellent video. Thank you Tim
Fantastic. Today i was shooting my dog on the sofa...i realized how boring my photo was, but the moment i moved at a 45 degree angle ...everything changed. Just moving your body and recomposing from a different perspective made a huge difference.
Thank you. Great video. I feel like I'm stuck in a boring place and trying to break out this boredom every time I'm out for street photography. such good advice! 👍
good tips Tim, I remember the American photographer Paul Strand once said the possibility to make great photos can happen within 100 meters of your front door. You don't have to travel to exotic places to find great pics. One of my favourite books is The World From My Front Porch by Larry Towell. Gorgeous work taken on his family farm.
Thanks Mark! That’s one of the things that keeps me so hooked to street photography. I know that whenever I leave my flat I might end up getting the best photo I’ve ever taken. Will check out Larry Towell, thanks!
Your tip about being prepared is probably the most important for me. As a 35mm guy who prefers antique mechanical SLRs (still on the hunt for a good quality affordable rangefinder) , preparation is absolutely EVERYTHING to me, especially with street photography or candid shots. So many things have to be set beforehand in order for me to get that shot I want-- focus, aperture, shutter speed, exposure "push/pull", framing... If one of those is off, the shot I wanted can just be *poof* gone. Excellent video, Tim. Great advice for beginners and experts alike.
Thanks a lot! Yeah I think that’s so important, if you’re serious about getting the best shots you can, have to be prepared, always ready, and know your gear really well 🙏🏻
This is the first video of yours I’ve watched and it’s full of great tips. As someone who hasn’t quite worked out what sort of a photographer I am, I’ll be heading out to do some street photography off the back of this to see how I do! Thanks for the inspiration!
The coloring bit... got me.. pure comedy I also love the tip about shooting in bad weather.. It's so easy to wanna remain cozy/warm/dry but you miss out on some great opportunities!
Being an all weather photographer was a game changer for me. Never miss a weekend walk for weather reasons. It's cold and rainy today and I'm heading out in about 30 minutes
Yeah man, that was a revelation for me too. Really helps to have a weather sealed camera as that takes some of the excuse options away from it. Always enjoy it when I make it out the door 👌🏻
@@MattTrevett Buy a dedicated rain sleeve or just use a cheap transparent plastic bag. Make a hole for the front of the lens to stick through and use a rubber band to hold it in place and to complete the seal. Or use a small camera that you can operate one-handed and use your other hand to carry an umbrella.
I lived in a small city in US… just came back from NYC last week and I felt completely lost on taking street photography in a small city. Your video randomly popped up tonight and it is giving me confidence to go out there in my city!! Also got a crop frame fuji camera instead my full frame 2470. I’m going to bring my camera out more often with me everywhere from now on.
Thanks mate! Glad you enjoyed. And yeah to be fair anywhere is pretty much tiny in comparison to NYC street photography wise! Hope you find some inspiration and ideas on your next photo walk 🙏🏻
Awesome information Tim, I'm a west country wildlife photographer who's lost some mojo. As i have a cruise coming up that will visit the likes of Lisbon and Porto i thought i would give street photography a go. I have trawled through RU-vid looking for information and tips, and while i have found some great photographers (you included), none of them resonate with me as much as you do. Your information is clear and concise, your photography is engaging and meaningful, and it's given me all the confidence to make my trip a potential photography success. I think i even noticed a photo from my neck of the woods in North Devon, showing that you don't need to be in the big city and that Street Photography can be practiced anywhere. So thank you for the video's, looking forward to watching more and learning to hone this interesting genre of photography.
One masterpiece in Photography presented by a Master. Thank you for this "condensed" lecture - right on the nail on every point - this is how "educating" should be. Interesting, focused, informative - and entertaining. A bundle of information and incredible help in making a step into the right direction in creating memories for a lifetime.
Thanks for your awesome tutorial. I noticed that the more I learnt about photography, the more I started looking at everything though the lens of a camera. Light through trees, old vehicles, even a waste recycling centre with piles of bricks, green waste, scrap metal etc :) Its a great feeling.
That’s really great. I remember when I moved to Stockholm and was so lost. But i think it improved my photography a lot. In a way it’s much easier to take a great photo in NYC just because everything there looks cinematic, but taking a great street photo in empty city - that’s another level :)
Thank you! I used to think that my town Stockholm is boring with its flat light. Your videos gave me new inspiration to go out and shoot. Findind excuses not to it’a the biggest obstacle.
I used to travel a lot and do streetphotography in twenties. I‘ve even planned to study photojournalism. But then live came knocking and now it‘s more of a hobby. I capture mostly family life but your video made me rethink of my attitude towards photography. I mostly travel now in my homecountry switzerland and it has a lot to offer. Maybe I‘ll go out for some shots on the weekend 😊 Thanks for changing my perspective and teaching me a few things.
Amazing tips. Though I live in Ottawa, Cansada's capital, it is a boring place. I have to watch this video a number of times to get inspiration. Thanks.
I completely understand what you're saying. The place where I live offers an insane, cold and windy weather. It is boring for me because is not a place that offers a variety of activities to do and it is a small place compare with huge cities. There is always something new to photograph. We need to observe and look for other things to photograph. I usually create a topic. Example today I want to photograph old buildings or Abstract photography, etc.
Thanks for the tips Tim! I’ve come to the conclusion that you can get easily become blinded to things of interest in areas where you’ve grown up. Cheltenham has many interesting areas but having spent most of my life in and around the area I’ve taken it for granted. Only last week I was walking around the town and just started looking up more, surprised myself with what I had missed out on. Just need to find a way to notice more at ground level!
i live in a city filled with so much history, culture, and vibrancy. although it’s not boring, this video still came in really useful and inspirational to continue expanding my street/documentative photography. a lot of great advices were pointed out that are key for this kind of work. thanks tim!
Great video. I've just seen an exhibition of Saul Leiter photos and he used a lot of these techniques to make the ordinary extraordinary. I'll definitely try experimenting with these tricks!
This is the first of your videos that I've seen, and it's great! I can relate to so much of this; I live in a small town and have taken the same photos of it over and over; time to look for more framing, reflections, and more! Thank you for the inspiration, and for showing your beautiful photos along the way!
I love the idea, taking amazing photos in "boring" locations. Maybe there are no boring locations, but I understand your point. I think layering is something to make photos really interesting.
Yeah that’s it, I don’t find any locations ‘boring’ now, but I guess this video its more to illustrate how to make photos in somewhere smaller and quieter than a city. Thanks for the comment! ✌🏻
I live in a big island city, but I still felt like I hadn't had much street to photograph. I see now that I have it great. Thank you for the reality check. I'll be sure to get out there often.
Thank you! this is very helpful. I live in a small town, low vibe. Lately I've been feeling down that my photos seem boring to me. Now I need to get out and try out your tips.
Thats why I say One camera is not enough. You need something like a Canon G9x, incredibly small an excellent lens with some zoom and a large 1inch sensor. A few cell phones now have a 1 inch sensor but if rained on or stolen you loose so much more than pictures. Also the Ricoh GR is so popular with an apsc sensor and still pocketable. The Sony zv1F is also great if your brave enough to get within smiling distance of your subjects.
I fly drones and live in a boring place compared to many of the drone videos I see. I plan on incorporating some of these ideas in my future flights. Very good ideas and advice.
Great info. Thank you! The scene at 3 seconds in of the building with the tree shadow would have been a perfect opportunity for a spot metered black and white image. Meter the highlight to enhance the tree shadows, tighter symmetrical crop then wait for someone to walk by.
I agree with everything Tim said, I've been one of those photographers who moan about not having anything local that is interesting to photograph but then I got of my arse, there's always shots out there if you look for them. They don't always have to be amazing photo's but you are not going to improve sitting at home.
I needed this i feel as i have to be somewhere vibrant to shoot cause my location is boring AF. But thanks to your perspective I'm going out with the kids to the park and then start moving around in the area applying your techniques with some patience THANK YOU
You are a great teacher and photographer Tim. The less is going on, the greater is the challenge which is exciting. Taking a photo of my garbage can with a phone and selling it for a million dollars is my personal challenge. Cheers. 😂
THANK YOU!!! This is something I've been struggling with, living in American suburbia near a large city that isn't exactly the world's most exciting of urban areas. As much as I love my area (Buffalo, NY, USA), I've been struggling to figure out how to do effective street photography around here.
Hey, Kelly! Thanks for the comment! Yeah it’s certainly more of a challenge when we live somewhere like that, but hopefully this helped a little. Just gotta get out there and make the most of what you can :)
On #5 there is a photographer call Fred Hertzog who shot some of the most amazing pictures of every day life in Vancouver. I saw his show at the Vancouver Art Gallery and was blown away. Hi pictures dropped me into the time and place, which left me with the memory of what it was like. I thought about what it would be like to find those photographs. A couple of times I have nailed it, it is difficult. It is really rewarding and I was approached by a youngish man who called me by name, I didn't recognise him, and he quickly followed with "you don't know me". I was a unique setting and what he was doing was part of the story and he requested a copy of the picture which I kindly sent to him. Ya I live in a small city, Salmon Arm in British Columbia Canada, with it roots strongly attached to the land. You have just inspired to explore this topic more in my photography.
Hey Tim, first time watcher after a RU-vid recommend. Great info , great video, great presence and delivery, and really can’t understand why you don’t have 100,000s of subscribers. I am happy to say I’ve hit the button and shall be watching more!! ❤
😊My goodness you're a delightful chap. I don't even own a real camera and I watched your whole video. This is one of those videos I landed on and couldn't stop watching, your presentation is excellent. I think your tips will work for more than Street Photography. I'm going to apply them to the little videos I make of my little marble toy on my desk...with a phone. I really appreciate the Framing ideas, plus the foreground, mid and background tips.🎉
This is the video i needed. I'm stuck in an town with very old architecture (Bruges, Belgium) and my interest really lies with modern-futuristic architecture. Will have to focus more on the people instead of the architecture to get unique pictures. Thanks for the tips!
Ooo yes! I’d love to visit Bruges! But I totally get what you mean, I’d find it exciting but for you as you live there it’s not what you are really excited about - one person’s rubbish is another person’s treasure as they say. But yeah, happy shooting, hope the tips in the video were useful and you find some inspiration for your city :)
Cogent, concise, well thought out and illustrated, experience based advice, Tim. Down to earth B roll as well. Friendly host who doesn’t talk down to viewers - nice. Old adage says there are good photos to be taken everywhere but they are mixed in with bad photos everywhere, also. Well practiced skill set needed to sort them out. Your vid helps the vetting. Knowing your territory lets you identify photo “hot spots” like posters for proximity images. Events make for great photo ops - craft shows, pet events, holiday markets, etc - everywhere. They are my favorite. Minor nit-pick for this one - “focus breathing” effect among different takes, a bit distracting. Cheers!
6:40 is a fantastic tip, I could add to that, that you should not worry about taking the best picture in terms of settings just make sure to take the picture. If you are shooting products or fashion or whatever you can arrange things as you please, you can re shoot, you can not do that out in the streets, so do not worry if you got the right ISO or exposure or whatever just take the photo.
So, while I do agree that you can find something to shoot virtually anywhere. These tips don't really work for a lot of small towns. They work for small cities, larger towns with lots of buildings. But, the problem at least here in the US, there's a lot of really, really small towns. Some of them are nice and have a great downtown and a lot to look at. Some of them have literally nothing. No sidewalks, no parks, no town to speak of other than a store, maybe 2. So there's not really anything to shoot. I lived in an area like that. I did my best to always find something to shoot but it was really, really hard. Like damn near impossible. Middle of no where towns I think are where most of people "I have nothing to shoot because where I live is boring," comes from.
That may be the case but then you need to adjust your expectations or try another genre of photography. If there really isn’t anything you make work where you live then there is nothing a video on RU-vid can help with.
@@timjamiesonphotos Eh, maybe. But if you're passionate about street photography, someone telling you, 'oh well, adjust your expectations,' is kind of shit. I know that I would have been so frustrated if someone said that to me at the beginning. It wouldn't have stopped me, but frustrated non the less. I traveled to nearby towns, took my camera to work, made the best with opportunities I had available. I think encouraging people who really want those shots is a far better way to go about that. The photos you showed just weren't of boring places in my opinion. Those buildings were beautiful. It honestly looked like cool places to take photos. I just think your message and your imagery didn't line up. But, I'm just 1 person. Everyone else in the comments seems to really like the message. So, don't focus on the one guy being negative. Keep on killin it. Keep creating content. I enjoy your stuff, don't think I don't because of this 🙂
Yeah I don’t focus on the one guy being negative. I never understand why there needs to be a guy being negative, if you don’t like the video and it’s not relevant to you, then just move on - no need to comment.
@@missmanteme? It's not a hobby for me. I've been a professional photographer for a long time now. Weddings, events, some real estate. It's how I pay my bills. 👍
Excellent video, Tim. I tend to flit between Liverpool, Manchester and London due to my work (interior design/construction photography), but your suggestions were like a refresher course for me. I needed a video like this. Thank you. Subscribed.
Great tips. Hometown is too familiar and that might make you not see opportunities. It is also a good practise to shoot in dull locations. After a while those might not be that boring.
Thank you! I’m hoping to make that a long term project, tho taking photos at the racecourse isn’t strictly allowed… but yeah have a few projects on the go, video for that soon!
