Thanks, Mike for showing some of my images! Awareness is so important, something I've been thinking too is following that basic intuition vs forcing a shot that maybe isn't there!
What makes a legendary street photographer? Somewhere at this moment there is someone who isn't sharing or influenced by social media who is living and photographing in the now. We are all collectively influencing and imitating each other. Those off social media will have a body of work truly original, pure and amazing.
Getting your work out there is part of being a legendary street photographer. There probably have been thousands of Vivian Maiers after the original whose attics nobody ever searched when they died. You can be good or even excellent without anyone knowing you at all, but you cannot be legendary as that includes leaving behind a legacy. For people to remember you and be inspired by your work long after you're gone. There is no legendary without a legend for people to tell. I'm not necessarily talking about social media, just to be clear. Though it would be just as foolish to rule it out as an option for the right person in today's society. Social media also doesn't _have to_ be the sellout, algorithmically driven thing it is today. Ignorance and elitism certainly won't make you a legendary photographer at least. But as I said, there are still other methods to get your work out there still. It always changes, the old ways of sending a portfolio to Steidl and get published have become much harder. I don't care how you do it, but you HAVE to have reached a lot of people to possibly become a legend. It's simply what separates a great artist from a great artist who is being remembered.
This is why AI will never replace us. It’s not about what it looks like or what gear we used. What matters is that we were there and we witnessed. We ARE the photographs. I’m not showing a picture of the world, I’m showing you a picture of me.
I don't know if that applies for all eternity because the theoretical potential for AI is insane once an actual general intelligence is developed that will eventually be able to reproduce quasi-real human emotions, intuition and everything. But who knows if that's ever going to happen. What street photographers do is probably the hardest kind of work for any machine to take over. There are just so much abstract motives behind it that other humans will (more or less) understand intuitively.
I've been thinking about this for ages, and its nice to see someone finally express it so articulately. I feel like theres a pretty fast learning curve for the technical side of photography, learning how to control light, even the most obscure techniques could realistically be learnt in a month. But the real mountain is learning how to see, and that takes years, if not decades.
i think your mentor must be Sean Tucker.I love his work, his images and his explanation.I loved your images too.Keep up the good work and best of luck.
This is so good, ive just started street photography after 3 years of therapy and self awareness and self-compassion, I love Echart Tolle and what he says and the awareness of life consciousness within it.. (its just my newbie photography that needs to catch up now) and how I see then execute the shots. But I love this, thank you
Yes Mike, I think you are on a fruitful path. I keep 4 ideas in mind when shooting nowadays. They are 1) pay attention--be aware-- to the scene, event, subject, etc. 2) an extension of paying attention is anticipation but not so much that you overlook opportunities, this anticipation prepares you for the decisive moment, 3) be able to discern good or better images on the fly, this is a sensitivity to all the elements that come together to make a good shot--often described as the feeling one gets from a shot, and 4) appreciate the difference between a single "hero" shot which makes a statement (often without a full context) and suggests a story and a series of images that together tell a more complete story--which are you trying to do? Both are valid photographically.
So i am on a mission to find a good or even a great street photographer and do a collaboration with... I love street but i just dont see the shots like a true street tog... i thought it would be a great video idea to have me a landscape photographer with my eyes and someone like you and your eyes.. i just dont get most of the images i see.... so would you be up for a meet up and some street photography...
Pleasure to watch another great piece, Mike. I had the X100V around some of the same areas of London after work today-the rain came down and the brollies came out; it was reflection time. In more ways than one.
Connection to self, well done young grasshopper. Well done Mike for discovering this, some of your example photos show it so well, 0:59, 2:41, 4:05 and 4:13. Instinctive, unique, originality showing through.. your on the right path with this approach in my humble opinion. Lean in, practice, practice, practice.
Years ago l became aware of Henri Cartier Bresson (mainly through the TimeLife series of photographic books published from the mid seventies, l think l received one every month or so)..What he called the 'Decisive Moment' is what caught my eye. After many years doing other 'things' l am now revisiting my youthful exuberance for street photography. Thanks for rekindling a 50 year old itch!...
i agree with having the awareness to get those special shots. however, if you want to capture people, and not building, I offer at my own expense a humbling opinion...... after taking a few thousand street photography shots, i have realized that street photography sucks to some degree. if you look at the examples of street photography pics (on youtube) they are awful pics of the back of people, this is shit. been there, done that, and said to myself, this is crap!!!!! for crowds, i suggest using smartphone or wide lens. for capturing the back of people, use smartphone, or take a mental note. for frontal shots that capture facial expression, and you are brave - 85mm is great!!!! for keeping distance in order not to disturb the subject, and getting the front of people's heads, use 200mm and longer. i have reviewed most of the vids on youtube (about 10) that offer street photography advice, and i must say 80% of the pictures they offer are no better than cheap smartphone snapshots that capture the back of people. be well, and thanks for posting this video.
This is so ridiculously accurate and on point! And this is what gets me, when I find that one among 3 or 4 or twelve or twenty…..when I find it, I am ecstatic!
Is really resonated with me. I just started getting into streetphotography. I'm becoming more aware on what's around me, slowing down and observing. Thank you for this video that captures what I've been feeling when out shooting
Hi Mike. It can be a long and brutal process getting to the point of realisation when our pictures reflect who we are and what we feel. However, understanding that's the path you're on gets you there a lot quicker than if you are unaware of the process. The other thing that helps is speaking to picture editors and art directors. They have invaluable insights into what pictures are good and why they are good. Enjoy the rest of your day.
Hey Mike. Just wanted to say thanks so much for making the video about awareness All the points you make really resonate with me. I'm trying to improve my overall street photography and awareness is a big part of this, to be able to focus on the present so that I can better see the things that I want to shoot.
Can you please tell us wich cross-bag you're using at the beginning of the video ? :) Great video ! I recently purchased the XT20 second hand ✋✋. Learning photography. Subscribed :)
Mike thanks for bringing the awareness of consciousness in photography. I've always admired Joel Meyerowitz's words and I've always known that this is the key to our great images. 🙏😊
Mike, great video. I love street photography, but do not get out often enough doing it. I see you're in London...one of my favorite places (I live in Southern California) that I have visited several times. On one occasion, I was taken around your great city by Linda Wisdom to do street photography and it is one of my most memorable experiences. I wonder if you know her...an excellent photographer. I'm really enjoying your approach and, like you, I'm a Fuji shooter. I love the spontaneity of Fuji products as well as the quality. In any case, I like your approach and will be tuning in from here on out. Cheers!
We definitely go through our lives asleep. And Tolle’s “The Power of Now” teaches us to pay attention. To focus on the present. Because that’s where life is happening. And if we level our camera, select, compose, and shoot, perhaps we can convey to others the beauty of the moment. The gift of life in the present. The beauty of what unfolds, and what just might resonate with others.
Awesome video. Great food for thought there mate. Agreed that's one of the things that makes Street Photography epic - the fact many people can all look at the same scene and get a different photo. Great shots from Gokhan. Thank you for the feature 🙏👊
Hey Mike. Great inspiration in this video. I got a question: How do you deal with all the pictures you take on the day. Do you delete and keep the best or just save all pictures in to one folder and move on ? Hein ? 😇 Just curious
What if you get attacked or confronted while photographing? I have often been approached by people when I am a good distance away from them. Has any of your viewers ever had trouble on the streets while photographing? Thanks for your video
I've never had a problem with people in the streets. I believe your body language, approach and way of being has an impact on this. I have no bad intentions and will happily talk the people in my images or make myself known the wider scene in general if it calls for it. Just because I'm being discrete to get the candid photo doesn't mean I'm hiding anything. Always being respectful combined with obvious street smarts should help out a lot. Just my experience.
Really nice video Mike. I like yr shot of the bunches of flowers and man the story attached. Made me smile. The curiosity from what if is a pleasant state of mind to be in. Following your channel with curiosity too. Thx for sharing :)
This was a very refreshing, insightful and inspiring message, and beautifully put together. Thank you for taking the time to do this, very well done mate.
With me being pretty empathetic, I often feel like I'm encroaching on peoples activities..... like they're thinking wtf is he doing taking a picture of me.. I often have ''too much'' respect for the shot, its ridiculous. But if I'm with a friend its the complete opposite.. I suppose you can shield yourself when you have someone, otherwise I just feel like a creeeep sort of. Maybe I need to re-evaluate the situation overall...... well I mean, the best shots are when they don't even know you shot them, so maybe i need to be more of a sniper, bit tricky when I'm lugging a 2.8 around, literally I went to Cardiff today and it felt like EVERYONE was onto me.... uhhhh
"Your thoughts became something you noticed, and that became the real image", actually this is very close to the definition of a work of art American philosopher Susanne F. Langer gave in the 1960's in her books "Philosophy in a new key" and "Feeling and form"...According to her, there is a work of art when an emotion has been turned into an idea and this idea has been transferred to an aesthetic form/symbol. IMO this is a great definition, very useful when trying to create. All the best to you 🙂
Thanks for all this very useful piece of advice...I'm stumbling upon your video just at the time when these ideas begin to be clear to my mind...Right timing, even if your video is a year old already ! Thanks for this great gift, all the best to you in 2024 ! And very nice photos...☺
While watching this I paused to be sure I would have time to read the quote by Joel Meyerowiz. My wife and I read Tolle a few years back and both saw the connection. I was happy to start back the video and hear you mention The Power of Now. I knew I liked you.
A good photographer with a 10yr old digital camera will capture better street photography images than a poor photographer with the newest, best and most expensive kit. Invest in travel and experiences, not gear.
It is interesting how you use awareness in your video. When I teach emergency responders and lay people first aid and similar classes, we often talk about situational awareness. I define that as using all of one's senses (taste albeit somewhat limited) to have the ability to notice and possibly even predict the behavior of a situation. The "sense" I most often point out is the "sixth" sense or gut feeling. I have had my gut feeling save my own butt more than once. This sixth sense I find is often based on prior experiences or the stories of others thrown into similar situations. It can also touch into our fight or flight modes. My work demands we be ready for damn near anything. I can certainly use this skill when I am taking journalism or wildlife images, but situations where situational awareness can be of great help. In closing I like to recommend a book, called: A Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker.
Freeze at 4.00 would this work ? coming and going - bike into scene - bike out of scene people moving left people moving right and crop it in from the left to th post with yellow on it - just a thought
Awareness is the crucial thing referring to our lives. I agree that any photograph whatsoever characterizes the photographer's mental ability. To demonstrate you own a Leica has nothing to do with that what was said if you are a random photographer because you're a random figure. Paddle your own canoe - that's the best way to become the best photographer you want to be.
one of the hardest things about taking photos is taking them a lot of times at the beginning you want to wait for the right picture but then it is easy to miss something special.
Great video Mike. Often I will see a scene that I think would make a great image, but it’s that transition to having the confidence to snap it when people are involved in it. Certainly easier in a city than a town. Any tips?
awesome vid Mike. some of the greats had to do everything manually as well which makes their shots even more amazing. having the eye for composition but then being able to pull it off not being able to view it in real time
I once asked this guy to take a photo of me. I explained and showed him exactly how I wanted it to be taken. Four tries and I gave up. Since then, I'm not worried about anyone taking a photo exactly like I would!
Great video with good substance!.. And it’s weird, because just this morning I was thinking “if you gave a camera to someone, who has never seen and will never see “the greats” and the works that are today considered ‘top level’ artistry, can that person has any chance of becoming a “good” photographer, producing work that garners mass appreciation and acknowledgment?”. I think the answer is no because on a macro scale, the collective work of ‘good’ photographers does generate a general direction, a set of unspoken norms and styles. This is not to step on individual creativity or style, but in grand scheme of things we all are shaped by the results of the work before us and with our contemporaries, with a select handful paving new ways and taking the general population with them. (Rant over) 😊
