Why Most Street Photography Today Looks The Same 

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Totally agree. So much modern street photography feels polished and soulless. It’s like browsing the wall art at ikea.

When you compared examples of boring instagram photos with classic photo books it became clear that boring photos lack any kind of storytelling. What makes the viewer linger on a great photo is that "something is happening" and the viewer has to figure it out.

My wife always says: don't take photos, everything is already there, concentrate on what you see and experience.

To me, street photography really needs people in it. The majority of the examples you showed at the beginning of your video were cityscapes, streetscapes or architectural photos. Street photography in the past was a record of how people looked, acted and interacted. You are right that it is the authenticity of random street subjects that really makes the picture. People starting off in street photography are understandably nervous about the reaction they might get from subjects in the street. I find that using a small discrete camera helps, I use the Fuji X100s for much of my street photography. Get out there, get practiced and shoot......

Many years ago, I had a fantastic music teacher who helped me to understand the difference between ‘playing the spots’ and making music. Something could be technically perfect but have no life in it. It was one of those breakthrough moments and has effected my professional and artistic life in so many ways. Thank you for sharing this video and reminding me of that idea.

I’m impressed how much people with cameras today use the back screen instead of the viewfinder, it is like using your camera as a cellphone. Why is that? I miss the time when people used to use a camera as an actual camera.

Couldn’t agree more! I feel social media is killing creativity. I’ve had to stop myself a few times and ask myself if I am taking my photo or someone else’s photo unconsciously.

I think the issue is that we are seeing more images than ever before. Photographers from 20 years ago were competing against a small number of other photographers and the way to get your images viewed was to print a book. Where now we are seeing hundreds of images every day.

I really appreciate your insight. Something I like to say is "Don't force the composition, let the scene reveal itself to you". Great video! Keep shooting and stay inspired!

I have the same thoughts with you, George. Sometimes I dont force myself to take pictures and just concentrate myself into the environment where I am in. And to "feel" the surroundings. To me the most important thing is to understand the place and the surroundings help to make better shots.

Your commentary really resonates with me, made me think about the enjoyment within street photography, thanks for a great video 👍🏻

You are very good, sensitive and throughful and very often funny. Keep the good work.

I don’t go out with my camera to get good shots. I go out to enjoy looking at the world through the lens. If I get a good shot, that’s an added bonus. Not unlike fishing :)

You do such a great job of presenting the ideas in this video, even though there aren't really any totally new concepts. Great video! Very inspiring.

I hate watch a lotta YT content but every once in a while I'm surprised and this vid's one of those times. You're 100% bang-on.

Could not agree more. Interestingly while watching this, I started to to think about a technique I have used in gig photography using long exposure techniques, and how the same techniques and ideas might work for street captures. Good video. Subbed.

I feel like most street photography nowadays is more some sort of architecture or urban scene photography. When I started with photography I aswell focused a lot on buildings and interesting streets but the more I shot the more bored I got by these kind of subjects because like you said in the video it's all been done before. That's why I now focus much more on situations and interactions between people or interesting looking individuals on the streets. These situations are unique and can't be replicated by anyone else.

Great points. Ive always leaned towards these hacks which i thought were really overused and i tend to overlook what i really wanted to take photos of: the interaction of people with others, himself, or his surroundings.

I’ve definitely felt like this before where street photography just feels like copy and paste nowadays so knowing i’m not the only one feels refreshing i guess

George, this. Was. Awesome. I thank you for your clear, honest und so correct view on things. I found myself here listening with mouth open because I was on that exact same wrong track.. I wanted to "create" what everyone does out there. And: do you notice how bored all these "photographers" show what they are doing?! THANK YOU SO MUCH. AGAIN.

The problems about compositions you learn through TikTok is that they are straight up boring. Try looking at the old school masters like Henri Cartier Bresson, Alex Webb etc. Those are the real compositions you should strive for.

Love it! I recently travelled to Spain; took a lot of the required (same ol’, same ol’) landmark pics to capture and remember their beauty. But what I really enjoyed was capturing the people, their faces and bodies, but also what they were doing: workers, servers in tapas bars, cooks at restaurants or cleaning crews; people buzzing along the streets of Madrid, Sevilla, Granada… wondering if they were Spanish, or immigrants or other tourists like me. Things that caught my eye, that sparked my curiosity, that tugged at my heart. Street photography, I am discovering, is a great art form, and also a means of ongoing self discovery … and of self affirmation. Keep up your insightful takes on photography.

Great video George. I completely agree, when the techniques used to take a photo (e.g. reflections/ perfect symmetry / the colour grade) is what makes it interesting, they very quickly get stale and boring. I do feel like there is a trend towards people wanting to take photos of interesting subjects and compositions instead of TikTok style bangers.

George, hope you're having a nice day, love the simple editing, and I couldn't agree with you more on this subject! Every single short video on "aspiring photographer tips & tricks" that I see in my feed is promoting the same technique that consist of reflections, leading lines, low angle, or the rule of thirds. While these are surely time tested and justified techniques, it is absolutely flattening my mind to comprehend that some of the newer generation of photographers' photos consist only of those things and not much creativity is put into their photos. As for the aforementioned photo books, this is where photography shines, in my opinion, so it's strange not a single "photography tips influencer" seems to talk about putting in emotional value in photos, or changing the viewers perspective, so that it's not something that we see in our feed every day.

love your channel george. you have some great insights and really puts ideas in my head that I haven't thought about..

Well this is fantastic, couldn't agree more. Nicely done mate.

such an enlightening speech! Love your thoughts, thanks a LOT

Very, very interesting that you talk about trusting your gut feeling when choosing a motif. The development of this very own individuality in the photographic work is immensely essential. I totally agree with you. There is too much of the same stuff from different people and often not enough individuality from the many individuals who engage in photography. But it's really not easy to first find out what constitutes your own photographic personality. Studying relevant illustrative literature and being inspired by it is good advice. In my opinion, you do a very good educational job. Thanks and greetings - Mo.

Absolutely agree … Instagram is killing photography … how hypsters are just copying the same scene and trick is pure misery and sick ~

Thank god someone had the guts to say it out loud.

You are correct. Even with editing, I try to mimic popular styles. Mainly cuz people seem to like them and the persons with “those” compositions and editing techniques are already making a living off their photos. So it’s why it’s easy to fall into the trap of mimicking them. Overall, good eye opening advice.

Thank you. I was beginning to think that it was just me. Street photography online just seems to be a regurgitation of old ideas. When I see something original I tend to want to tell people as if I've found a rare stamp or something similar. I'm also tending to fall into the view that age makes even average images better. Who knows. Thanks again for that.

Great video! I recently read a book on composition, went out on a rainy day looking for puddles and reflections. I found one. It was perfect. Took a great shot, IMHO! But then looking at it I thought, this is not me. It's not what I do. I look for interesting people and take pics of them. Most of them don't fit in any of the 'rules' I read about in the book on composition. But they are the pics I love the most. So lesson learned. Yeah, as you say, pay heed to the 'rules' but go do your own stuff and be true to yourself! No more puddles for me!! 🙂

It seems to me that the best of both worlds is the combination of interesting content and good composition; however, for me personally, interesting content trumps good composition most of the time. So, yes, I can't agree with you any more when you said "good composition with uninteresting content is still a bad photo". Very well said, thank you, George. I really enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work.

Wonderful perspective!

This is such great advice and a great take on trendy photos

I learned a lot from YT videos about photography, I experimented a lot and trying to mimicking this photographers, but at the end, I always follow what I'm attracted to no what is the last trend on IG

The most useful teachings are studying the successful works by the masters whose work you love the most!

Wow nice meditation George, please do more of these.

Hey, George ! You are really a fantastic professor, man !

I agree. Sometimes I find myself thinking: "Oh I've seen this composition somewhere on the internet, so I must take the same photo." Or thinking something like: "I think X photographer takes photos like this and that, so let me do the same." It's a weird subconscious thing that comes from watching and seeing loads of street photography content online instead of going with our own flow and thought process. It's good to be inspired by those contents because they can help unlock more of our potencial and creativity, but at the same time we shouldn't mimic everything we see.

Fantastic video. I live in eclectic London, so have no excuse not to get out there and find more interesting subject matter. I'm quite a lively chap who's happy chatting to strangers, so I think that's almost as important a part of my 'photography toolkit' as my equipment - if I could use it more. I feel like a large proportion of 'street photographers' are just the same as self-obsessed Tik-Tokers. Roving around pointing cameras at "a man waiting for a train" etc. I think the worst thing is that taking boring photos is more intrusive than taking good ones, because no one in the shot, or seeing it being taken, will appreciate the purpose. If you take great photos, at least you can show it to the subject and they'll be like "Ah, I wondered what you were up to - but now I get it! Lovely." (I think that's a good reason to often have your camera producing film simulation JPEGS etc too, not just RAWs, so you can show your subject when you need to and have it look nice). As an aside, I think people are so hypocritical for obsessing over 'government surveillance' etc, when it's obvious to me that 99% of surveillance is done obsessively by public.

great video, enjoyed watching it. just let me add my three cents: 1) i think this does not only apply to street photography (in fact, even in the comments others claim your examples werent street photography ones) but for all kinds of photography, 2) these "rules" or recipes are really easy to teach/learn and probably are in the near future incorporated in photo-taking apps (think rule of thirds, guiding lines, symmetry, reflections etc) and 3) the really good examples apply some of these "tricks" but the actually ADDS to the photo, not in the sense that its there but that it deepens the meaning of the photo and there is a reason for being in the frame. what you guys think?

That's why I'm not subscribed to any Insta/TikTok channels, I don't my style to be influenced by anyone. I'd rather make mistakes and learn through trial and error, getting feedback from the community and friends.

There’s a easy fix to this: shoot film (it’ll challenge your creativity in more ways than you can imagine), and focus more on people in your photos. People tell unique stories and are the most interesting thing on the street 🤷‍♂️

This. What sucked me in to the world of photography, and actually correlates with me enjoying cycling. People in their everyday lives, they're all living their own unique lives, and when you encounter them, that human experience, maybe their expressions seeing your camera and smiling, maybe them just still doing their job, all captured in one snapshot. I enjoy cycling because i get pretty close to sidewalks, and seeing people, occasionally interacting with another cyclist, it's amazing.

Excelent video. I can relate. Big time...

The challenge with our modern and well-developed society is the definition of success has changed. Success today is measured in followers and likes. Based on that, some get the illusion that they have overnight become "experts" and are qualified to teach. After all, there is a lot you can learn from social media, but you have to learn to "filter" noise. Not easy, but it can be done..

Well done George 👏 Spot on.

I think the best way to describe street photography is to document people and events around as pretty as possible.

I shoot a lot of my street photography these days at 24mm just cause I find it fun and I like the photos I get. But I often get teased in my discord because it's not "normal" because it's not 35mm or 85mm. On top of that I see everyone shooting vertical instead of landscape because of Instagram. I agree, I feel like social media has taken control of how people shoot their photos.

Cool take. Good critique on the Tik tok stuff…much like the critique on the insta stuff from years ago. One critical point you don’t seem to make: there’s a difference between calling everything shot in an urban environment Street Photography, and recognizing that a photo of a building or passing bus often has nothing or little to do with Street Photography. This is why folks get upset with the blanket term. The urban shots have their place and require a lot of skill and practice, but without the humanity in the shot, it’s simply another genre. Some people like bright lights, some people look for bright souls.

This video is the Best photography advice i had

I deleted my Instagram, because ultimately I felt as if I have been trying to take photos through someone else's eyes other than my own. It just felt a little odd to me, going out to the city to walk around to try and take the same kinds of photos I have been unwillingly subjected to online. I watched your other video of how we should "detox" ourselves from other peoples work, and that definitely feels like what is happening to me. Honestly, I have felt so much less pressure when taking photos, and I feel like I have been more experimental in trying random things, instead of trying to find those very specific tricks to use.

I started using tiktok as an inspiration things for a while already, bring a few things from tiktok that I learned there and trying to apply in my photography. I think that I'm doing a good job to improve my techniques not copying a technique from someone else

Destroy the phones, they are the “let’s do blue and yellow!” equivalent to photography 😂😢

Very good upload. Compositional tricks, Lightroom presets, and the lust for Social media Likes!… We start off trying to bite Cartier Bresson, Garry Winogrand, Saul Leiter, Fan Ho, or some other great street artists style, but the reality is, in Street photography it can take up to a decade to find your own unique fingerprint… and when you find it, there's no guarantee that anyone else will actually like it. It's a sobering thought, so be patient with your progress. The quicker we put down the Compositional tricks, the presets and stop worrying about Likes, the quicker we will find what we claim to be searching for, if it's really that what we are searching for.

Brilliant! Well said!!!!

Hi George, great video! What is the name of the book with the red cover, which has photos taken in China (?). Thanks!

Estoy completamente de acuerdo contigo no hay nada de imagenes Contundentes, imágenes sin mensaje o un lenguaje, solo formas de composición y creo que le tienen terror a afrontar las miradas o momentos con expresiones del alma del sujeto. Gracias oor esta explicación tan buena

One the things I noticed with my content on social media is that posts with complex content, lots of detail do not get traction/engagement while posts with content that is simplistic and depends on abstract graphical shapes, colors, contrast does very well, even though it's essentially meaningless from a humanist, documentation point of view. It's hollow. And boring to look at. It reminds me of the early 2000s on Flickr, when more people started to afford larger sensor format digital cameras and everyone was posting images with just a fraction of the frame in focus, the bokeh being the subject of the photograph, e.g. the endless series of fence post tips in focus, the rest obliterated into meaningless mush, portraits with eyes in focus, but mush (=bokeh) obliterating faces.

Great video thank you

yep. It looks the same, and it is kind of frustrating to see that those are the only ones going viral, but I wouldn't dare to shoot heartless photos just for the sake of virality. On the other hand, I started my photography journey as an extension of my own way of experiencing life. Walking around with no place in mind, breathing the scents of flowers, looking at the reflections in the wet streets. I appreciate an interesting subject but that is not necessary for me. I guess everyone has their own way.

I’m actually surprised by how many photographers seem to value sites like TikTok. It just seems like another soul crushing place like Instagram. Creativity should be organic not drawn from hacks learned on TikTok lol. Anyway, your images are sensational. I stumbled upon a street photographer named Jonas Rask, impressive work. I also enjoy the film shooters like Joe Greer. Cheers.

I've been noticing this too, on certain street photography videos where the photographer is filming themselves as they walk, street photography Facebook groups and some of the photographers I check out on Instagram and Vero. Most of the photos these photographers share don't stand out enough to me. My main issue is that many street photographers are photographing places or things that don't look that interesting. Such as a plain looking building that doesn't have anything on it that really stands out on it's walls, architecture or lacks character. Also often times a lot of street photographers I see today are photographing people who look very ordinary or aren't doing anything that interesting. I am guilty of this sometimes, but still trying to remember as I shoot. But if they walk in front of a background that I really like, I shoot since it would make the photo more interesting, such as an interesting looking store, street art, or some other background that stands out and isn't plain. I try to photograph people doing something that stands out or is unusual. For example, I once photographed a man talking on his cell phone while he was sitting on an open trash barrel in Hollywood, CA. Which I thought was kind of funny since it wasn't something I see everyday and maybe there was a chance he could fall inside.

I highly recommend Alan Schaller as an example of how street photographers can set themselves apart. He is a master of his craft.

Really enjoying your channel. You should consider move into college lecturing. Very clear, precise, refreshing. You are wise beyond your years! (I am ex lecturer and now pro headshot photographer)

I’m quite new to street photography I use a rangefinder camera with a 28mm and I dress back and almost always shoot from the hip where my camera is not that visible I usually just zone focus at 1.5m and walk around on narrow streets in the hipster areas and look for interesting things and people and try to photograph them

I emulate so I can see if I can be as good as the pros. But I know what you mean. Best way to get out of the comfort zone is to not look for a specific shot rather shoot what you think will be a unique phots.

Replace "street photography" with other genre, like landscape or portrait for example, and basically the question is still valid: landscape photography: foggy mountain during sunset portrait: good looking women with blurred blackground and sun flare in the front etc I wonder if we can (partly) blame social medias. Twenty or thirty years ago, there's no internet yet. Our visual references were limited to magazines and prints. Now we are contantly bombarbed 24/7 with visual feedbacks. Thus it's very easy to see "hey, I think this image is already taken before..." or "oh this particular scene has been shot 500 times". As a hobbyist, my PoV on this issue is straightforward: I make images for my own pleasure, and I don't really care if looks similar to the other. Which in most cases are true: imitating is one of the simplest ways of learning. Yes, I'm aware not all people are interested to stay on this phase forever and want to set bar higher: creating your own recognizable style/identity. When people look at your photos, they will immediately know it's taken by you. Not HCB, not Joel Meyerowitz, not Daido Moriyama etc. Gotta be honest I still don't know what my style is. Imitating the other is much easier :D

i always find myself watching technique and composition videos and trying to ask myself, how could i use this and what would i change within it.

This is a great video. I am not a good photographer but want to do better. And this one made me think. Can you please share the names of the books you were showing?

Now being serious I started with street photography in the earlier days of digicams, my weapon of choose was a Fuji A330 that I bought just because it was the cheapest 3MP camera that I could afford at the time. The XD card was so expensive that I only had one with 16MB so I need to choose very carefully what I would shoot with it. Now I mostly use my Galaxy S23U, a old Cybershot W510 or my Lumia 1020 even though I have a mirrorless and a few primes.

A massive problem on the internet is bad teachers who might be good but instead of giving good advice they just describe EXACTLY what they do down to the tiniest minutia. Because it gets views and shows a immediate good result. This is like those memes about a back to school outfit. Same exact problem. Just a specific description and no explanations

I opened an instagram account specifically to post my photos, to have something that would force me to go out and take photos and try to be constant. But I have realized that going out to take photos just to post them on social media is too ephemeral and meaningless. I keep posting but only when I feel like it, now I'm trying to find physical projects that call me out to take photos.

Great debate that will roll on. The main thing is we enjoy the challenge of using our cameras

Also everything looks the same because of the "trending" algorithms they have on RU-vid and Instagram, lol. Great video and funny butt crack, waited for the right moment there.

Great video and I agree. The problem is photographers giving advice and the ones prevalent on social media are from the “copy and paste” generation, more concerned about creating video content vs creating great street photography. There’s an old-school photographer named John Free who has some great videos about street photography. Check him out.

I would love this video but talking about people that do not watch instagram or internet tubes too much, and just want to break from what they are doing as habits. I was able to get some of that a tiny bit in this video, but would love to hear a perspective without thinking about using/watchign social media (I don't use instagram at all). Still, good video, good thoughts.

I enjoy shooting people on the street, sometimes with a classic 35-50mm focal length and sometimes with a 400-600mm focal length or whatever lens I have on at the time. I usually look for interesting characters so I'd say I'm more of a candid people photographer than just street. Occasionally Ill see some interesting reflections or some great light but it's always more about characters than anything else, for me at least.

Get a polaroid and film. Go on your usual walk. Make it a goal to take pictures but not use it all. Or put a really small sd card might work. Then you really have to think about each one and only go with the ones you really "feel"

Your videos on the Olympus camera have been very inspiring. I really missed out on an awesome setup because of the sensor. I was wrong. Thanks for your videos. Please limit the butt crack photos.

A lot of street photography probably takes a few decades to mature imo. I do agree that modern street photography is a bit samey, but even some of that in 40 years times may hit someone, somewhere in the nostalgia's. A lot of those older photo's probably looked pretty average back in their day, but now they are like an historical artefact.

Definitely went through (am still stuck in?) the social media photography trap, but trying to work my way out That China photography book looked really interesting, mind sharing what it's called?

i think it has to do more with people wanting quick results so they follow the trends and the algorithum in social media affects how poeple shoot instead of straying from the norm people now and days will look for whatever gets them views

Two things. I agree with you. Secondly, something I have always believed, for what - without giving my age away - 40 years, is technical correct anything is dull, soulless. And copying styles and compositions are in the same ballpark for me. Really? Yes. Totally. When I see a good photo my first thought is how can I make the composition different. How can I irritate the technically proficient photographer? The rule follower, the - to borrow the term from Sean Tucker - the gatekeeper of mediocracy. And when I've got that, that's when I press the shutter release.

I'm watching this and viewing Instagram at the same time -- interestingly the Photographer's Gallery has just posted one of these clichéd street shots to advertise an event they're holding! It seems like nobody is immune!

Thanks!

Can't even label these as street photos, honestly speaking.

I have mastered the street photography I see on YT and instagram. On film and digital Leicas. And I am bored. Been shooting with digicam cameras recently. Maybe I'lll take up golf.

I think, it's obvious. If you're an amateur, it's OK to follow guides. Then, you begin to do something new step by step and grow as a photographer (or every other type of work), develop your own unique style. Second, I don't think you should hunt for emotions only. Me personally, I have ADHD and I don't feel emotions a lot, but I always see a good composition and appreciate a good looking picture. Theres a place for both approaches.

Great video. What's the book at 2:31..?

Very few people will choose true substance over popularity. Substance is also hard, and takes a lot of soul work and self awareness. Not every 26 year olds cup of tea.

Thank God someone is finally saying this.. to me (though these tik tok's tricks aren't bad in itself) they are not "Street Photography" they are just beautiful photos taken on the streets.

Social media is such a double edged sword. It gives inspiration but also lends itself to being an echo chamber of everyone trying to immitate (or outright steal) everyone else's content. This was a good reminder to keep that focus on what makes you want to take photos to begin with. I got a small camera to do more street shooting because I live in a part of the world few westerners know about let alone visit and I wanted to share these people with folks at home. How they live, what they like, what are their struggles, and the things common to all mankind that allow us to relate to one another - parents playing with kids, boys joking around after school, or the mundane things like waiting for a bus or picking out produce at the market. Listening to too many influencers can get you too focused on trying to make a popular image that you forget why you wanted to make photos to begin with.

Pleasant and well done as usual, but the trend towards stating that content is more important than composition seems cliché too these days.... There are people like myself who are naturally drawn to geometry and "meaningless", "story less" compositions. I think that trying to devise a general rule is probably contributing to the mainstream thinking...

As the other people saying here, I could not agree more! Of course composition is still important sometimes, and I think famous photographers in history are just used to frame their pictures with a certain spice. Although, sometimes that social medias killed is the creativity and respect of a single mind. If I go to a photographer exposition, I wanna see how they are thinking, what they see through their own eyes and brain. I struggle a lot with storytelling in my pictures, I know I should look more and take my time. And it's nice to see other photographers saying that instead of following trends, just take a picture that you want and love. At the end, the only feeling that matter is the one you get when you look at what you have produced. NB; I think we should really burn our phones and stop social medias. At least for me, it has became so central in our life that I'm afraid I see creativity being killed, not celebrated. Some sort of hypocritical discourse, in a way. Maybe I'm a pessimist, but I have stoped looking through social medias for creativity and inspiration (except in specific fandoms but that's another story). I still use Instagram to share my pictures to people and friends, but I try not to look at my feed. It's really just like a portofolio.

le probleme comme dans toutes formations ils sont formatés a faire si faire ca mais jamais sortir de ce cadre et quand on le fait on ramasse les coups

Do it "as you see it", nice video