What is ‘Street Photography’ to ‘Street Photographers’

For more of my work follow me on Twitter @adlstreettog and Instagram @goingeast365

Good evening fellow photographers,

Today I want to write about a topic that I’ve been hearing a lot of lately. Some people may or may not agree with this but as always this is just my opinion and my views on what I will be talking about today.

The last few months I have read a lot about street photography and what people’s perceptions of the thoughts on this genre. I’ve listened to podcasts that discuss the matter and articles that talk about it also and almost always seem to come to the same conclusions, ‘as long as your having fun then it doesn’t matter’ and that “there are no rules in street photography’.

Now I love all the content online available at our disposal because ‘I’ like most others in this genre love street photography and everything about it. There is one thing though that really gets to me and that is the contradictions of what ‘street photography is’.

So in general the discussion goes along the lines of street photography can be anything that you want it to be whether its close up candid shots, street portraits, busy layered scenes or minimalistic scenes with silhouettes as long as your having fun, and if you love what you do then what does it matter what you are shooting. I agree whole heartedly with all of that but what i do have a problem with is that in the next breath they will talk about how street photography is a massive thing now and on the up with the amount of people posting on social media and any Tom, Dick or Harry can call themselves a street photographer (one of the draws of street photography for me), whilst the amount of good viewing content is actually going down. Again I agree with this 100%, but if these ‘mediocre’ photographs are being taken with good intentions and the photographers are truly enjoying what they are capturing then who cares (this is exactly what they were saying a few minutes prior). In my opinion it doesn’t matter how much bad content is, the cream will always rise to the top.

I hear thing said like ‘random snap shots of non interesting people’ and ‘anybody can take photos of strangers in the street’ but isn’t that what we are all doing regardless of our abilities as street photographers and who’s to say that these so-called random snap shots didn’t strike an interest in those who were taking the photograph, and as mentioned earlier; as long as they are having a fun time doing it then why does anybody need to judge and discuss wrongs or rights.

I agree with most things that are said but this attitude is something that I don’t. Yes the content of some may not be as great as others but if they love what they are doing like you and I then who really cares. We all do this for the happiness that it brings us and if somebody else happens to like what you do aswell then all the better. First and foremost we go out into the streets to capture what interest us, hopefully having fun in the process and loving every minute that we are out there in this crazy and fascinating world that we live in.

Be happy and keep snapping.

Ashley

 

 

Interview with Stephen Curry

First of all I would just like to thank Stephen for taking part and answering my questions. I first came across Stephens work through Twitter and loved the images he was producing and naturally wanted to find out more about him and his photography. So here goes… an interview with Stephen Curry.

Tell us a little about yourself Stephen. Your age, where you’re from, your occupation and what you enjoy?

I’m age 43 and originally from the North East of England – though I now live in the Midlands. I currently work in retail Management, full-time – sadly, fitting as much photography around this as possible.

How and when did you get into photography?

Photography began for me at school. I was shown the basics of developing and printing in a free period by a physics teacher, which sowed the seed. In 1991, while at art college I found myself more interested in photography than graphic design – my original choice. Moving on to a degree course, I was studying photography and graphics combined, which quickly became just photography. Photography overtook me, having more natural ability and far more general interest.

When and why did you decide to shoot street photography?

I never made a conscious decision – particularly early on. My main interest was – and still is – documentary…which included people. Looking back at older work, some is street, but it wasn’t a specific focus at the time, more part of what I happened to be doing, what I was documenting. I simply enjoyed taking that style and it stuck. It’s more recent years that I’ve focussed more consciously on street photography, it was originally more of a by-product of other projects and ideas.

I see from your photos that you enjoy taking photos of silhouettes and shadows, what draws you to these?

Both elements are a strong focus for a photo, and powerful when used well – shapes, form and function, balance, graphic, juxtaposition between light and shade…  They’re part of the structure of photography. I’d love to say that I think all of these things through, and there’s deep meaning, but very simply, I like them.

I do like images to have a narrative though, or extra elements combined. I’d rather it didn’t just say, oh, nice shadow. I like there to be some feeling within it. What else is going on? What’s the story? Bring together more elements and you have a far more interesting image that holds interest other than just the shadow.

Do you have any ongoing projects that we can look forward to seeing?

I’m continuing a long-term documentary project on the annual Shrove Tuesday ball game in my home town, which i’d love to turn into a book. I go back to the project each year and one day – hopefully soon – I may complete it.

Recently I’ve started a series of beach shots which also have a human element. They could be interpreted in a street like way, but I guess you could say it’s more art based, with textures and selective focus. (Lighthouse photo).

I have a few other bits and pieces I keep going back to – I’ve started portraits of mechanics and manual workers ,and looking at small businesses.

Often much debated. What is street photography to you?

I’m not faithful to street and i’m not precious over it’s principles. As a genre, street, can be however you interpret it. I see it as evidence of, or documenting life. My street work is growing and changing all of the time. I’m trying to bring more irony or stories into my work and throw in a mix of ideas; it’s ever adaptable and there’s plenty of room for interpretation. I find the endless debates about pure street photos a little tiresome – just get out with your camera and enjoy yourself, if they mean something to you, that’ll do.

Is there anything in particular that inspires you to pick up the camera and start shooting? 

Many things: More than anything, simply a love of photography. The work of others, and simply seeing a subject that inspires me. I had a walk out today (unplanned) simply due to picking up the book Street Photography Now, while having a morning coffee. It could easily have been another book – The Bikeriders by Danny Lyon, or Walker Evans, The Hungry Eye (both huge inspirations) or Jimmy Forsyth, John Gay… it’s this work that inspires me. I love photography books and have a growing collection.

I’ve been traveling the world for over 1 year now and have seen so many great places, where is your favourite place in the world to take photos?

I’ve not travelled anywhere near as extensively as I would like. I enjoyed Turkey due to the cultural differences and historical mixes, and Eastern Europe is interesting – Czech Republic and Poland, but I’ve not really had the opportunity to spend much time abroad.

The UK, though, is rich in diversity and history, there’s always something different going on if you’re willing to look.

Do you shoot in digital or film?

These days, digital. I avoided it though, until the quality improved. I love film and adore black and white printing – I still have all of the kit, but everything is so quick these days and I simply don’t have the time.

Whats in your bag?

At this moment a Canon 6D SLR with a 50mm F1.8 and a 17-40mm F4.

What settings do you generally use when shooting street photography?

I’m not too precious over settings and tend to vary. Today I was using the 50mm set at F2.8 on aperture priority. I ended up wanting subjects to stand out in the image. Depends what I have in mind, really. A wide aperture prime slows me down, too. You have to be pretty accurate.

Is there a particular theme that you like to stick to?

Not really. I can be my own worst enemy and get distracted by many subjects, styles and ideas. At times I jump around all over the place. I always come back to documentary and black and white, but via a winding route.

Do you go out knowing what subjects you’re looking for (as in for a project) or whatever catches your eye on that day?

A bit of both. If working on something specific, that’s my focus. But, If something catches my eye – as long as i’m not compromising the project, and I have the time, then it’s fair game – I’ll often come back to it in the future.

Do you shoot candid or with permission, or both?

Usually both, but mostly candid.

Many projects lend themselves well to a variation. If it’s a documentary project, it’s often determined by the theme and people involved.

Do you feel comfortable getting close to subjects, any tips on building up that much needed confidence?

Mainly yes, though it’s not always easy, particularly if it’s not natural for you. As far as confidence goes, if you want candid and close, then you need to just get on and throw yourself in there… but please, do it correctly and with respect. It’s not about making people look awful in your photos for kicks, or capitalizing on a persons misfortunes. Street photography is in a boom period, with more photographers than ever and not all of them treat their subjects well.

Learn to talk to people. Often just holding a camera makes people notice you, so talk to them,start from there and don’t run away, turn your back or ignore people. I didn’t always have the confidence, it’s grown with time.

Anything you wish you could have known before you started photography that may have really helped you that could help others now?

Probably how to approach people and talking to them more, as I’ve said above. At first I avoided conversation and confrontation of any kind, at all cost. As I’ve grown more experienced I’ve realised interaction is part of the experience, builds your confidence and ultimately improves images.

What are your hopes and plans for the future, lets say the next 5 years? What can we expect to see from you?

Tying a lot of these threads together that I’ve been working on, in some cases for a number of years, and getting them shown. I’ve produced projects that I’ve exhibited years ago and not touched since, and some bodies of work I’ve not shown at all. Add these to the ongoing projects and there’s a fair bit going on.

Finally, where can we view more of your work?

For specifically street photography, there’s a section on my website with a variation of images. I’m working on putting them together and posting more in themes.

http://www.futureproofphotography.co.uk/on-the-streets.html

My website in general has a mix of my work and in truth is a little untidy  http://www.futureproofphotography.co.uk/

…and there’s twitter, where I like to post mainly street images as @scurrymann https://twitter.com/scurrymann

Any closing statement before you leave us?

For everyone, just get out there and shoot photos – enjoy yourself. Don’t get bogged down in must have kit or negative opinions – shoot for you. The great photographers are a wonderful inspiration – check them out, but there’s so many people who have produced amazing work – Vivian Maier being a stunning, recent example, and another favourite of mine, and a less well known photographer, Jimmy Forsyth – check them out.

To you, Ashley, thank you for the opportunity and for listening.

Thanks again Stephen for taking the time out to answer these questions and I’ll be sure to be keeping an eye out for any new or ongoing projects of yours. I truly enjoy looking at your work. Keep it up and keep on snapping.

Below you can find some more of Stephens images.

Ashley Linford

Welcome to the World of Film

Morning

The last few months I’ve been pondering the idea of getting myself analogue film camera, well that day came yesterday. I’ve taken the first steps into film photography and I couldn’t be more excited to get started.

I was out walking in Sydney and I happened to stumble across a vintage camera shop so naturally I wanted to see what was on offer. I didn’t intend to buy anything but kind of got sucked in by looking at all the nice retro style cameras they had on offer. And the cheap prices as well. So I thought ‘what the hell why not, there is no better time like the present’. After speaking to the salesman about what would best suit me and my needs, I came to the conclusion that the Canon AE-1 along with 50mm prime was the camera for me. A lovely looking camera with a solid feel to it and a crystal clear lens.

The reason I wanted a film camera was to shoot a project I’ve been thinking about making a start on, shooting with 1 type of film only so I get the same feel and look with all photographs. Not only that but I saw this as an opportunity to take my photography to the next level (learning wise) so i will be shooting fully manual with this camera. I will not be shooting solely with the Canon AE-1 though, as I will still be shooting mainly with my digital camera.

What film camera do you use, what style do you shoot. I’d love to know so feel free to leave a comment below.

Happy Shooting!!

Ashley Linford

My very own ‘365 Project’

First of all apologies for being so inactive for a long time. Travelling around Australia in a van with no WiFi or sometimes no electricity for days hasn’t been the easiest or best way  for updating my website and blog frequently. For the first time in a while though I can now start to write again and hopefully post some wonderful street photographs for you.

So since the last time I have recently started my very own 365 project. If anybody is not aware of what this is, it is a project where you take 1 photo everyday for 365 days. Sounds challenging, and I’m sure it will be somewhere further down the line.

My reasons for starting this 365 project is to first and foremost improve my photography. It gets me shooting every single day and I’d always like to keep the pictures to a certain high standard. That means always trying to get a worthwhile picture everyday and not just uploading any old rubbish or something from a different day. The other reason I’ve started this project is to try to find my own style, my own signature images that everybody knows are mine. Is this not what every photographer wants, to be recognised that your photos are in actual fact your photos. Anybody who follows my journey through the 365 project will see many different styles of street photography but i thought that this would be a great way of finding out just who i am as a photographer.

There is a quote from Walt Disney that really stuck a chord with me, it goes…

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because were curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths”

I take a lot from that quote. Not only to never stand still in life but the only way to learn new things and do new things is to actually try new things. What harm can it do especially in photography to try new things. Whether it’s the way you take photographs, the gear you use or the way you post process. So anyway that’s how I’m looking at this 365 project and the attitude I’m taking towards it.

The last few weeks I’ve been taking inspiration from various photographers, almost copying their styles to get an idea of how they get their photographs and then finally developing that into something of my own. I am going to carry on this way, trying different techniques of taking photos and hopefully at some stage stumble across my very own signature style I say stumble because i feel that very few photographers know straight off what their style is going to be from day one.

I’ve seen improvement already I think in certain areas like correct settings for the type of photograph I’m looking for, camera handling, I feel more focused and also feel like the quality of photos are better which is always a good feeling to have.

If you guys would like to follow me on my very own 365 project to see how i develop, I would love nothing more than that. I will be posting on Instagram only.

The link is www.instagram.com/goingeast365 or you can search for me yourself…. goingeast365

Interview with Andres LaBrada

This weeks Q&A session is with the talented street photographer Andres LaBrada, I’d like to thank him for agreeing to take part in this feature. Read and enjoy.

Firstly if you can tell us a little about you? Where you’re from? What you do as a job? What you enjoy?

I started using 8mm film reels creating motion pictures when I was a child in Brooklyn, NY. This continued later in life to making films. Today, I work in photography primarily.

How and when did you get into photography?

I did not focus on photography early on. I was a filmmaker. About five or six years ago I began to utilizing photography for my art, vision and story telling. Instantly, it gave me an artistic freedom that motion pictures could not satisfy, unless the studios give one artistic control over a project, which today is rare.

When and why did you decide to shoot street photography?

When I started photography I began to document the Florida Everglades. Photographing the vast landscapes and animal life. Then turned my camera on to people in “civilization.” Capturing images and scenes on the street became a daily passion.

Tell us a little about shooting projects for Leica and in particular ‘The Miamians’?

After the people at Leica reviewed my work, they sent me their latest camera the X Vario in 2014. During their 100 anniversary, I was to photograph the streets of Miami, Florida. To me this was a great honor. I spent 100 days mastering the camera and photographing places and people in Miami. Upon completion, Leica interviewed me about my work. The interview is on their site. A first edition of the project “The Miamians” is available on Amazon.com. In the winter of 2016 the digital version will be released. Stay connected with me for announcements.
I’d love to travel to Miami one day, your pictures show a different place than what I’d of imagined to see, Do you have any other on going projects that we can look forward to seeing?

Miami can be a typical tourist town if you follow that path; however, the city is full of unique places and cultures; particularly the Cuban culture. Recently, I published several photo-essays. I am working on several other assignments. My main project is about the Everglades. This project is a long-term project in the works now for five years. Not sure on its completion date.

I believe you were living in New York but live in Miami now. Which city do you prefer for street photography and why?  

I cannot compare. I have future projects to work on in NY. What I love about NY is that it is constantly changing, but still remains NY. Currently, Miami, unlike NY, is not a downtown centered city. Miami is spread out almost chaotically. Made up of strip malls, tourist spots, a beach and suburbia. In New York all you have to do is head to 5^th avenue or somewhere in Manhattan and everywhere you look is a canvas masterpiece. Also, street photography in Miami is rare. I may be one of a few doing it.

Often much debated. What is street photography to you?

I have gotten into many a discussion on social media about this topic. Seems photographers are sensitive to definitions. I am not. To me studying the masters and looking at what I started, street photography is capturing a moment in time. Street photography is documenting that moment not shaping it. Street photography must be defined in this way; otherwise, it looses its tangibility and respect as an art form of importance. I always compare as follows: wedding photographers and street photographers use cameras and lenses, however, the camera and lenses do not make the wedding photographer a street photographer. Neither is a fashion photographer a street photographer. The street photographer should not direct the subject or alter the scene in any way other than looking through the lens or picking ones settings on ones camera. This can be argued. All I can suggest is to look to the founders of street photography as an example.

Is there anything in particular that inspires you to pick up the camera and start shooting? 

It is what keeps me going everyday. Having to face the mundane daily. Having a camera on me gives me a sense of excitement about what will present itself as I go out and about. It has given me a way to freely express my art without the need of film crews, budgets and a studio deal. I no longer have to waste time waiting on these elements I just go out and photograph.

I’ve been traveling the world for almost 9 months now, where is your favorite place in the world to take photos?

London, England is special to me. London is one of the first places I identified with what I was doing as a street photographer. I was there during the Royal Wedding and documented the streets during that time. Another favorite location would have to be France. I spent a year traveling around after university and fell in love with France, specifically northern France and of course Paris. I would love to return.

Do you shoot in digital or film?

Most of my work is currently done on film. I was not satisfied with the consistent changes in the digital realm. Today it is stable compared to when I started; the quality is better. Film, to me, just seems to capture a much more realistic representation of what I see. I also like the feel and hands on craftsmanship of working with something tangible: camera functions, film stock, and negatives – just to name some aspects. Also, my photographs are made of silver.

Whats in your bag?

I carry some film stock mainly 200ISO a vintage 35mm film camera with 50mm lens.

What settings do you generally use when shooting street photography?

In Miami, as one can imagine, it is mainly sunny. As a result, I set my F-stop to 16 my shutter speed to 120 and use 200ISO film.

Is there a particular theme that you stick to?

The human experience and our natural environment; I call it “God and The Machine.”

Do you always go out knowing what subjects you’re looking for (as in for a project) or sometimes whatever catches your eye on that day?

Usually I am not looking for anything in particular. When I work on my photo essays I look for the story, capturing images that reflect the theme.

Do you shoot candid or with permission, or both?

In street photography I always photograph candid. If the work is considered documentary, one does not need permission in the USA.

Do you feel comfortable getting close to subjects, any tips on building up that much-needed confidence?

I always feel confident, except if the person looks shady then I usually do not bother. What works for me is to think of oneself as a tourist. If the person confronts you simply act like a tourist. No harm done.

Anything you wish you could have known before you started photography that may have really helped you?

My personal discovery of the rangefinder.

What are your hopes and plans for the future, lets say the next 5 years? What can we expect to see from you?

I do not make plans for the future. I learned that making plans never turn out the way one imagined – no fault of ours. I just keep going out and producing a body of work.

Any closing statement before you leave us? 

Thank you for this opportunity to communicate and partake in a dialogue on street photography. I look forward to reading your future blogs and discovering other fellow street photographers.

Thanks again for letting us take a peak into your life, really looking forward to seeing more projects of yours in the future.

If you would like to see more of Andres work you can check him out on his website, Twitter

Clicking on any of the images will also direct you straight to Andres website.

Ashley Linford

Which Camera is Best?

I love my camera and I’m sure most of you do but there is probably this little devil inside of your head consistently telling you that this camera isn’t for you or you would get better pictures with something else. That little devil is the ‘GAS’ man. Well I’m sorry to break it to you but you need to tell that little devil to ‘f**k right off’ because the camera you are using is totally fine.

I too fell out of love with the camera I own at one point but you have to realise this. First of all it’s not the camera that is taking the photos, it’s you using the camera as a tool to take those photos. It’s not the cameras fault if the photos you take have no emotional content in them or whether the composition sucks, its you, the one holding and pushing the shutter. It’s not the camera that isn’t getting close enough to the subjects, again it’s you. So forget about all that bullshit you tell yourself that you need new cameras or lenses and get out there and work your arse off to get the results you dream of. You don’t even need to be in the street, you can be anywhere to practice. Study the rules of composition, it doesn’t cost you anything to look at online and your photos will start to benefit from it. Put those composition rules your learning to practice by shooting something still in your backyard, play around with putting the main subject in different place in the frame and see what works best. I also cannot stress enough that you should always read your cameras user manual. There are benefits to reading that small little book that comes in your camera box that will reap rewards, so get to know your camera inside out.

I’m talking about just digital cameras here. I’ve got an entry-level Canon DSLR and I’m forever looking at trading it in for something more ‘street’. I’ve got my eyes on an Fuji X100T but do I really need it. Yes it might be more convenient to take out with my everyday as its smaller but I’m doing just fine with my current camera. If I did go and get the X100T I’d be a little better off but a lot more out of pocket. I’m sure the ladies and gents who already own an X100T are thinking to themselves, it’s just a poor mans Leica and they need a Leica now to improve but you couldn’t be anymore wrong. In fact the whole point of this post is to help you realise that it really doesn’t matter what camera you are using. You can be using a cheap disposable, a polaroid/instax, a big bulky DSLR or the fanciest most expensive Leica on the market. I read a magazine called ‘The Inspired Eye’ where they interview various photographers. I remember one interview with a lady and her photos were beautiful, and guess what? She was using only her smart phone. This really proved to me that it doesn’t matter what you are using as a camera. It really is about knowing the basics and opening your creative mind to the possibilities that the streets can give to you. Since I’ve read that interview I have actually gone out and used my iPhone and results you get back are surprising. It may be because it’s a phone, therefore it’s much more discreet. People probably don’t realise you are taking photos. Yes the quality isn’t great but sometimes that doesn’t matter if you have that creativity and emotion attached to the image. I’ve just pulled my GoPro out of the bottom of my backpack after finally buying a new battery after a few months not using it. I’m thinking next time I go out I will either take the GoPro alongside my usual camera or solely take the GoPro. The super wide-angle lens will produce excellent looking results but would force me to have to get super close to my subjects although it’s a challenge I’d be willing to take on. Keep an eye out on my Twitter and Flickr pages to see how this goes.

At the end of the day people, it honestly doesn’t matter which camera you have it’s really is all about opening up your mind, using your inner creativity to its full potential and capturing

those decisive moment that only the streets can give you. I know of guys who will use all their savings and more just to walk around with the latest camera on the market but still produce bad to average images. One street photographer who’s work I really admire is Marius Vieth, he has a project where even when he broke his expensive lens he used his creativity to produce some great photographs using that same broken lens. Creativity is the key to opening up the door to great street photography. So don’t waste precious time and money on new shiny cameras just for the sake of it like some of the guys i know and that you probably know as well, unless your camera really is battered and bruised or indeed broken. Use your own creativity to produce stunning images, learn all the basics, read the user manual and you too can learn to fall back in love with the camera you already have.

So the answer to ‘Which camera is best’ is whichever camera you have at that particular time. It’s as simple as that my friends.

Ashley Linford

Benefiting from Taking a Break

Dear readers,

Here I am on my last day in the Philippines sipping on a cold San Mig Light beer, laying on maybe the nicest beach in the world and reflecting on just how much of a nice and relaxing time I’ve had. It really doesn’t get much better than spending 2 weeks in the Philippines. Actually it does, spending 4 weeks in the Philippines but unfortunately it’s time to move onto the next country on the list, Bali which isn’t exactly a bad thing.

When I arrived in the Philippines I had already decided I was going to have a break from taking photographs for the 2 weeks I was there. The camera has almost been a permanent fixture to my hand for the last 6 months and I thought it would be a good idea to leave it in the bag for the duration I was there. That way I could devote all my time to relaxing in paradise with my girlfriend and truly enjoy our time together with no distractions from having a camera in hand.

Also I’ve used this time to becoming even more ‘Street Tough’ (click here if you haven’t read my previous post). Even if I’m not physically taking photos doesn’t mean I can’t mentally visualize taking photos if I saw a potential street scene appear in front of me.

Taking a break from street photography has been great. Its given me more time to write blog posts, and enjoy reading my books on the beach. Before I arrived in the Philippines I bookmarked some photo books from the masters on www.magnumphotos.com to learn from and take inspiration from. I’d highly recommend checking them out as they are perfect for traveling and they also don’t cost you a penny. Yes sometimes it’s nice to have an actual book in your hand, but if you consider the cost, weight and room they take up I would much prefer looking at as many books as I like online on my iPad for free.

During these 2 weeks I have also left my photos alone that have been uploaded onto my MacBook so hopefully when I get back to editing them I have given myself the chance to remove any biased opinion about the images and know whether they are a keeper or to go into the trash bin. This is going to be a more regular occurrence now for me because most times I tend to be to hasty in getting back from a session on the street uploading what I think are good photos onto the MacBook, post processing and straight onto Flickr or Twitter. Just because it’s the best you got that day doesn’t always mean it’s a good photograph.

Taking this approach is all because of my new-found philosophy to street photography where I am trying to slow myself down. Let things happen and not to try to force them. I’m trying to be more like the tribesman who hunts in the jungle or the Lions or Crocodiles of the Great Serengeti in Africa hunting their prey. I’m trying to really learn the art of being patient, so I can always capture my subject to the best of my ability. To also incorporate patience into my daily life too. Life is more enjoyable when you are relaxed. We always have a habit of putting ourselves under unnecessary stress everyday to keep others happy either in our place of work or with family and friends but tend to forget about keeping the most important person in our lives happy, us. Sometimes we just need to say ‘F**k it’ and forget what other people say or think and do it for yourself.

From now on I will definitely be taking more regular breaks to really reflect on where I am in terms of improvement. If I see no Improvement it gives me more incentive to try harder to get better results the next time. If there is improvement I know I’m doing something right but not to stand still and admire  but to get back out there and strive to get even better.

Never stand still ladies and gents, because the moment you do the images you take will never be as good. I read a quote a while back and saved it as my wallpaper on my iPhone. It reads

“ if you always shoot the way you’ve always shot, you’ll always get the images you’ve always got ”

I think about this quote every time I’m taking photos an it helps keep me keep on my toes. Yes, my photos aren’t the greatest that mankind has ever seen but I know they are the best that I can produce at this moment in time. When comparing to when I first started there has been massive improvement. If I keep progressing at this steady pace than I’ll be more than happy. And if I can contribute to anybody else improving then that’s even better. I know I’ve said about keeping yourself happy before anybody else but for me I am happy now and knowing that other people are getting better or taking inspiration from something I have written is keeping me even more happy.

So remember, remember (no not the 5th of November) to just take it easy, slow things down. Let things happen in front of your eyes instead of rushing around as many streets as possible. Take regular breaks to refresh, feel more inspired to go out after a break by knowing you have improved from the last time you assessed yourself. Catch up with family and friends or have some great times with your girlfriend/boyfriend without having a camera in your hand, they will enjoy it. Read books, take inspiration from other photographers. Do anything you like, just try leave that camera alone for a while. By the time your break is over you will be chomping at the bit to go take photos again. Do things for yourself firstly and for others only after you are happy. So go out and lose yourself in the deep state of mind they call photography.

Ashley Linford

Interview with Dino KF Wong

First of all a quick thank you for agreeing to take part in this Q&A session with me. I look forward to hearing your answers… Ok let’s get going.

Firstly if you can tell us a little about you? How old? Where your from? What you do as a job? What you enjoy?

I’m Dino KF Wong and I live in a small country in this world, Singapore. I am currently in the midst of job hopping as my previous employer failed to pay my salary for 3 months. I am in the takeover process of a small bicycle retail e-shop based in Singapore. I will update more once things are 100% established. I do enjoy traveling because I am able to try many local authentic dishes that does not laced with food seasoning. I post my photos mainly in my website http://www.dinokfwong.com , Instagram @dinokfwong and also a Flickr group I administer https://www.flickr.com/groups/streetphotographyasia

How and when did you get into photography?

I started out with food porn since awhile back and my friends enjoyed every time I posted in my Facebook album named “Shoot the Edibles”. Those are non-professional random shots of nice food I found.

When and why did you decide to shoot street photography?

It was in early 2014 when my ex-girlfriend introduced me to street photography and my passion for it grew since then. I was totally clueless about the definition of street photography when she told me she wanted to go take some random shots on the street. I still remember I kept asking what exactly she wanted to shoot and her repeatedly told me “I don’t know, depends on my mood.”.

You donate a lot to charities, that’s could you share with us some information about that?

Do not be mistaken on this point, I have been donating my old stuff and a little money once awhile to charities as an individual. Many Singaporeans do this because we have this tendency to buy too many unwanted things. In contrary, I do wish to be part or work in a non-profit organization that focus on helping the needy. Sadly, most organizations in Singapore are too “certification oriented” which ends up them telling me I lack the proper qualification to join them. Nonetheless, I am still constantly seeking ways to help the needy whenever I could. My recent trips to Vietnam pushed me to attempt and online fundraising campaign (http://bit.ly/bentre-kids). I got to understand many children in Vietnam lack the opportunity to have proper education, not because the government is not helping but because the families are too poor or debt ridden to even place their children to school. It made me felt guilty because I know each piece of electronic devices I have is actually a year’s worth of a worker’s salary. That made me want to do something to at least help out these children, not all but at least some of them while influencing others to join me. Running a self-fundraising campaign is not easy as not many people trust the actual intention and integrity of the campaign. I do hope someone or those interested to come forward and do this together.

That’s very good of you. Now often much debated but what is street photography to you?

I am answering this as an individual and I do hope others will not quote me on my view. To me, street photography is an art of which we try to bring a story across to our viewers. It should contain a message, some soul and meaning. Street photography is not just taking some random shot, edit with some digital filters and upload to social media.

Is there anything in particular that inspires you to pick up the camera and start shooting? 

As mentioned earlier, it was my ex-girlfriend who introduced me to street photography but I was just using my mobile phone back then. It was only in July 2014 when I chanced upon the photographs by Marius Vieth (Instagram @mariusvieth), in particular these two photographs (https://instagram.com/p/0gAY1RBYaL & https://instagram.com/p/1Poc73BYRL) that made me decided to dig into my savings to invest in my first digital camera, an Olympus EM10.

As you know I’ve been travelling the world for 8 months so where is your favourite place in the world to take photos?

I wish I could be care free as you and able to travel the world for photography. Since I began street photography a year ago, I was juggling between my full-time job and photography. I was not able to carry my camera around most of the time too. The photographs I took with my camera were mainly in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam and Singapore. Between these two places, I definitely prefer taking photos in Ho Chi Minh City. The culture is deeper, the mixture of old and new buildings, the sky and cloud provides a better setting and background, and there are lesser eyesore generic obstructions. Singapore simply has too many lamp posts and rubbish bins to make a photo less distracting. It is also more difficult to capture the right mood and color in Singapore because the buildings are either too dull color or too grey.

Do you shoot in digital or film?

At this moment in digital. Recently I bought a medium format Bronica ETRsi but I have not really try it out yet.

Whats in your bag?

I travel light, very light in fact. I do not even carry a camera bag and just use a regular sling bag to carry the camera, cleaning pen, one extra lens, one extra battery, one extra memory card.

 A lot of street photography is in black and white. How do you feel about colour vs b/w?

I personally prefer b/w because it is easier to express the vision I had while taking the photos during post production. B/w is less distracting for a street photography and able to create a focus point to create a story. I hope the two examples I provided would be able to explain my point. One thing that I realized though that to make a good b/w photo, we do need good light source and great color vibrance.

  

For me I prefer colour at the minute. What settings do you generally use when shooting street photography?

I am not professionally trained in photography and I am still pretty clueless about those technical terms in the videos and websites I’ve seen. I saw many websites suggesting aperture priority but that couldn’t work for me as I have shaky hands. I don’t usually focus on the settings but I generally use manual focus with ISO between 100-640 and f2.8-f4.0.

Is there a particular theme that you stick to?

Nothing in particular as I am still trying to find my niche.

Do you go out knowing what subjects you’re looking for (as in for a project) or just whatever catches your eye on that day?

I used to take whatever that catches my eyes but deleting many photos after reviewing them during post production. Recently I still shoot whatever catches my eyes while implementing some form of discipline to focus on the particular subjects that I planned.

Do you shoot candid or with permission, or both?

Generally speaking, I shoot candid as I am still quite shy to approach to ask for permission. I usually get away with not being noticed by aiming the camera elsewhere within the radius in a calm manner.

Do you feel comfortable getting close to subjects, any tips on building up that much needed confidence?

It’s a matter of whether you want that shot you visualized or lose it forever. I just keep telling myself “Just take the shot or regret forever” whenever I hit the street.

You also have 3 ebooks available on your website, can you tell us more about these ebooks?

The 3 ebooks are focused on self-discovery, self-help and self-healing. I had a very bad year in 2014 and nothing was running smoothly. Instead of getting drunk or hanging out with friends to feel sad, I started writing the first book which was about the recent breakup with the girl who made me felt what love is. The book is very much of putting the past in the book and move on in real life. The other two books are meant to encourage people to take on a new hobby or divert their attention to new things rather than feeling sad about things that cannot be changed. I also want to make the readers know that when things go bad, only they themselves can pick up and recover, no one else will really provide much help except themselves.

Anything you wish you would have known before you started photography that may have really helped you.

I guess that would be a bigger brain to remember all the technical settings, and should have gotten a highly paid job previously so I can get to travel the world to capture the beauty of each location.

And finally is there any closing statement or something you’d like to say before you leave us? 

I have a carefree mindset and I all I really hope is to get away from standard working life. My goal now is to find the right business partners to set up a small cafe in Ho Chi Minh City that offers photo shoot tours in small groups and other services that able to make the business self-sustainable and fun. And lastly, to all amateur street photographers out there, please do not let fear or shyness to get into your way of creating art!

Again thanks again Dino for taking the time to answer these questions. You can see more of his photographs if you follow him through his website www.dinokfwong.com , on Instagram @dinokfkwong or through his flickr group https://www.flickr.com/groups/streetphotographyasia or alternatively click on any of the photos on this page and it will direct you straight

Ashley Linford

Becoming the best photographer you can be by being ‘Street Tough’

Being ‘Street Tough’ what does that mean?

No i don’t mean being able to handle yourself in a street brawl, although that would be nice in case of any negative altercations you may encounter but no that’s not it.

Again today I am going to be referring to my other great hobby in life Golf. Golf or sports in general is linked a lot to street photography for me in many ways. The patience to play golf mirrors the patience you need to take great photographs, the mindset of both is similar and also the improvement side of things. Golf is one of the hardest sports out there and in the world of photography street photography being pretty tough as well. You may go out on the course and shoot level par one day but the next weekend you are 18 over par. It’s frustrating because you know you can do better. But you can only do better if you practice better. It’s no good going out and shooting a good score thinking you have mastered golf and you big yourself up to you friends etc. because the next time you go out it’s bound to bite you in the arse. It’s not good and not healthy for you to get a big ego in golf, photography or in life. With an ego you can never improve and be the best you can be. Any critique received will be shrugged off and any praise is lapped up to the max. Not a good trait in my eyes. You would be better off keeping humble, practicing hard and that way you will improve your photography or anything you are taking part in.

I’ve been reading a book called ‘Golf Tough’ by an author called Dan Abrahams. In his book he refers to a sports psychologist  by the name of William Straub. Straub carried out an experiment where he asked the students to throw 50 darts at a board, count up their score and then embark on a special training program. Students were then split up into 3 even groups.

Group 1 would not throw another dart for the whole 8 week program.

Group 2 would practice for 30 minutes per day for 5 days per week for 8 weeks.

Group 3 would do the same as group 2 but include mental training as well.

Group 3 had to picture themselves throwing darts, seeing themselves positioned at the throwing line, feeling the darts in their fingers and feel the release. Picturing the dart flying through the air and hitting their intended target.

After the 8 weeks group 1 showed no improvement. Group 2 who practiced daily improved by an average of 67 points and group 3 who used physical practice alongside picturing throwing darts improved by a massive 165 points on average. An incredible improvement don’t you think by mentally training alongside the physical.

“It is quality more than quantity of practice that delivers excellence. Practice with a focused, goal driven mind” 

I think we can utilise William Straub’s experiment into street photography. So for the next 8 weeks or month or for however long you would like (I would recommend no shorter than 1 month though) is to use what the book refers to as the 1% Rule and become ‘Street Tough‘. I’ve used this rule in my golf practice in the past and it worked wonders. I’ve now applied this to street photography and I am also now seeing the benefit in my street photos. All you have to do is take 1% of your day which equates to around 15 minutes to visualise yourself taking photographs. You could be walking around the grocery store or having a day out with your family or friends, you could be doing anything, just dedicate that 1% to picture yourself taking photos. Get your game face on, walk around at that relaxed pace giving yourself time to take everything in. You own the streets. When you see a potential scene picture yourself pulling the camera to your eye, framing the scene in your viewfinder or LCD screen perfectly and then releasing and hearing the shutter button. Feel the joy you get when uploading to your computer and you have the exact shot you had imagined, things couldn’t have gone any better. See your real images start improving as a result of this. But remember always keep yourself humble when more likes and nice comments come flooding in on Social Media because as soon as you think you’re at the top of your game that’s when the bad photos and lack of improvement will creep back in.

If you practice better and think better there is no denying you will become better. Keep that same attitude and you will become the best photographer and person you can be.

Get ‘Street Tough’ and produce better images as a result. Do the 8 week experiment and become the best photographer you can be. Share this post with your fellow street photographers and become ‘Street Tough’ together.

Ashley Linford

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Interview with Jimmy Tong

For the first interview of this new series on ashleylinford streetphotography I am going to be having a Q&A session with photographer Jimmy Tong. I’d like to thank him for stepping up and being the first one. These interviews are here to share stories, get other people’s views and hopefully help new and enthusiastic street photographers or anybody else for that matter.

Lets get started…

Firstly thanks for taking part Jimmy, so if you can tell us a little about you? How old? Where your from? What you do as a job? What you enjoy?

I live in Singapore, 40 years old male. I am currently taking a career break. Besides photography, I enjoy outdoor activities. I exercise a lot to keep myself fit.

How and when did you get into photography?

I took my first photograph when I was 5 years old. It was a film point and shoot back in the early 80s. Of course for a 5 years old kid, it was just a toy.  My dad bought a Rollei A110, a small 110 format camera that look like it was straight out from the 007 movies. I enjoyed fiddling with it more than my other toys. So you guess it, I spoiled the camera in the process.

I shot a lot of photos when I was on a vacation in Australia back in 2000 on a borrowed camera. The passion grew and I decided to buy my very first “serious” camera, the Minolta Dynax 404si SLR in 2001. This is the starting of my journey in photography.

Few years later, I was caught the digital bandwagon. I bought my first digital camera, the Olympus C730 and then follow by my very first serious DSLR, the Canon 10D in the year 2003.

When and why did you decide to shoot street photography?

I started to venture seriously into street photography about 5 years ago. I have tried various genres throughout my formative years in photography. I did events, portraiture, street, still life, black and white film, fashion, landscape and HDR etc. But nothing comes close to shooting the mundane life on the street and freezing the moment that tells the story of individual that was always ignored as we rush through our daily life. It is a stage where there is no setup, no prior knowledge of what is going to happen. I just pack up and roam the street like a lion on the African plain, patiently waiting for its prey. Everyone or things on the street have their story to tell and photography is one way to express it.

Often much debated but what is street photography to you?

I don’t want to sound so complicated and there is nothing complex about street photography. To me, the street is just a stage or studio with no setup. Being invisible to the subject, it allows me to capture the real essence of life unfolding on the street.

Is there anything in particular that inspires you to pick up the camera and start shooting? 

I try not to shoot too often (no typo, you read it right!). I would normally shoot once or twice a month. Sometime I do not even shoot at all for the whole month! I will get photo fatigue if I shoot too often. But when I shoot less, I realised I enjoy the process more and my keepers increases.

As you know I’ve been travelling the world for almost 8 months so where is your favourite place in the world to take photos?

It was a trip to Europe back in 2009. I went to Austria, Switzerland and Italy. Nothing comes close to shooting street in my backyard here in Singapore.

Do you shoot in digital or film?

I shoot both digital and film. But I find myself shooting more digital now a day. Film development is expensive.

Whats in your bag?

I try to keep thing simple. Usually I will have my Leica M and a Ricoh GR with me. Then follow by my Ray Ban aviator shade, LG G4 Android phone, an earpiece, writing material and my home key. My lenses for Leica is the Leica 35mm ASPH Summicron and Zeiss 25 2.8 Biogon

Why Leica and Ricoh you may like to ask. There is no right or wrong camera use for street photography. It is up to the photographer to choose their tools. I prefer to use tools that inspire me and small and light enough to carry around whole day.

A lot of street photography is in black and white. How do you feel about color vs b/w?

I love to process my street photos in black and white as it set a tone and it allow the people to focus on the candidness of the subject rather than the surrounding. But if I were to document a place, I tend to bias towards using of colour to express the character of the place and the people.

What settings do you generally use when shooting street photography?

The best thing about using manual lens is that you can pre-set the focusing prior to shooting easily. This will allow you to focus on the “decisive” moment without waiting for the camera to focus for you.

I will set the aperture to F8 or F11 on my 35mm lens. So anything from 1.7m to infinity will be in sharp focus. My job is to compose and click the shutter. It is that simple.

Similarly on my Ricoh GR, I will use the “Snap” feature. Similar to zone focusing in the Leica camera, I switch to F9 or smaller aperture so that everything from within 1m to infinity will be in focus. Being a 28mm equivalent, the depth of field will be wider.

Is there a particular theme that you stick to?

No, I just set my mind on a place to shoot and the theme will reveal by itself during photo review on my Adobe Lightroom. I can then decide my theme if I want.

Do you go out knowing what subjects you’re looking for (as in for a project) or just whatever catches your eye on that day?

The best thing about street photography is that I do not know what to expect. I just find a place to roam and wait for things to come into my frame, or wait at a place with an interesting background and wait for candid moment to appear.

Do you shoot candid or with permission, or both?

Both.

Do you feel comfortable getting close to subjects, any tips on building up that much needed confidence?

I have to admit that sometime, I still do not feel comfortable getting close to my subject. As a photographer shooting street scene, it is best in my opinion to dress like a tourist. Usually people will be more forgiving with tourist photographing them. For your safety, wear a shoe that allows you to run fast. You will need to expect the unexpected ☺

Anything you wish you would have known before you started photography that may have really helped you.

On hindsight, I wish I can start with a full manual camera first. I am sure it can help me to appreciate photography better in terms of how ISO, aperture and shutter speed relate to each other, the focus to infinity and zone focusing etc.

Any closing statement before you leave us? 

Thanks for your interview and it is my pleasure to share my story with your readers. An advice for reader who wanted to go into street photography, you do not need fancy equipment, get something simple like the Ricoh GR and it will serve you well.

Click on any image to be directed to Jimmy Tong’s Twitter

Again thanks again Jimmy for taking the time out to answer these questions. You can see more of his photographs if you follow him on Twitter @LoveMirrorless and on Instagram @jimmytbc

Ashley Linford