Issue 123 of the SNYC Newsletter
Greetings and Happy New Year to everyone! So this is the first issue of the new year. This is issue 123 and it makes me think of ABC and time to push the reset button and start fresh. That is also true of my new platform for this newsletter. I hope that you like it.
I took the above photo during a street photography workshop in Midtown on December 17th. I think that this photo could be an omen for things to come. Or at least I hope that the worst is behind us in so many ways.
Yes, I continue to hold workshops and we wear masks and social distance. We play it safe. And we also are finding many opportunities to capture some great street shots. So if you’re going to be in the area, let me know and we’ll see if we can manage to arrange something.
This is also a good time of year to have a look at the photos that you produced throughout the year and choose your favorites and think about the direction you would like to take in the new year.
But don’t be so hard on yourself. It was a difficult year in so many ways. Disappointment is a dis-ease. It will do more to hinder than to help. So let’s start anew and just bring into the new year the things that worked or the areas you would like to pursue.
The real act of discovery consists not in finding new lands but in seeing with new eyes.
Marcel Proust
For all of the new subscribers to the newsletter, the quote from Marcel Proust is in every newsletter. It is my motto and I believe that street photography and photography in general is always about “seeing with new eyes.”
Thank you to everyone who took workshops, bought zines, prints and gift certificates from me in 2020. I am very very grateful for your support and I do owe many of you a workshop or two! We will do this again.
In the meantime, do stay in touch. Your comments and suggestions are always welcome. And feel free to share the newsletter with others.
Pressing the rest button - part one
People frequently ask me what kind of equipment they should use to shoot street photography. As if there’s a perfect camera and lens.
That shouldn't be confused with the results that a particular photographer achieved with his/her camera. A camera is merely a tool. Don’t be fooled by fancy ads for equipment. What works for me, may not work for you.
The best camera to use is the one that you are most comfortable shooting with. That is capable of doing what you need it to do.
Whether it's a DSLR, a mirrorless camera, a film camera or dare I say a phone camera! Whichever works best for you.
I have shot street photography with DSLRs and I currently shoot with mirrorless cameras and film. A big part of the reason for making the switch is that equipment just became too heavy to lug around.
If the idea of going out shooting feels like a burden then you’re not as likely to just grab it and go shoot. Hence the popularity of mirrorless cameras and mobile phones.
In my experience, the biggest difference between the two is that with mirrorless cameras there is a bit of a lag when shooting.
You need to anticipate the shot. Something that I got used to fairly quickly. When shooting street you need to always be ready to shoot anyway. You need to anticipate the moment. As in the photo below. I call it lift and shoot!
If you're new to street photography, you might think that a DSLR is too big. That it's too obvious. Not to worry. It is possible to get beyond that. I have witnessed many people on my street photography workshops become more comfortable shooting street with DSLRs.
One technique that I use with mirrorless cameras that also works well with DSLRs is to find a spot that I like with the right shadows or light and to keep my eye to the viewfinder and wait. Yes, patience is a virtue.
I call this technique slow photography. People are less likely to think that you intend to take their photo if the camera was already up when they walked into it. Especially in a city like New York where people don't really care if they walk into your photo!
That technique also works if you are shy to take photos of strangers. There are many methods to overcome fear of shooting. But the first thing is to become comfortable with your camera in hand. It has to work for you.
When it comes to lenses there is no hard and fast rules. My personal feeling is that street photography is best captured with a wide angle lens.
It's not about getting a portrait and zooming in as if spying on someone. For me it's really more about the bigger picture and the spirit of place. Capturing some of the atmosphere.
There are of course always exceptions to the so-called rule. If you are shooting abstract street photography, almost anything goes as far as lens choice. Since the point in abstract street is not to capture an identifiable person.
That said, I typically use an 18mm fixed focal length lens. That translates to about 28mm in a full frame. Instead of using a telephoto lens, you just move forward or back to get your shot. It's like a dance. It’s fun.
The more stripped down your equipment is, that is to say the less options that you have, the easier it is for you to make quick decisions and to shoot quickly. In the sales world the expression that was often used is, KISS - keep it simple stupid.
Photography is always about getting out there and doing it! Experimenting and making mistakes are part of the journey. Be not afraid of missing the shot, of making mistakes. It happens to everyone. And that's how we learn. Happy Shooting!
Photography Quote of the Week
The only photographer you should compare yourself to, is the one you used to be. unknown author
2020 in Review
According to an app that gathers stats from Instagram posts, these are my top 9 photos from 2020. Are they my favorites or the 9 that I would choose? Perhaps a few of them are. But they aren’t all from 2020 anyway.
It is time to have a look and see what you think are your best photos of the year. It is interesting to see which photos received more likes. But it takes a little closer examination to get a good sense of what you achieved.
For starters, I think it’s best to group your photos into styles. All year around we have photo assignments. Those assignments are to create a focus on different methods and styles. I love street photos in the rain. Both straight ahead street and abstract street.
Interestingly, 5 of my top 9 photos are rain photos! Maybe it’s because I posted so many rain photos. And maybe it’s because I’m passionate about taking them.
If you’re like me, I find it difficult to curate my own work. I often find that the photos I didn’t really like that much are really liked by others and the opposite is true as well. Okay, algorithms are not good indicators!
There is no objective method for choosing your top photos. It is purely subjective. And if you are like me, my favorite photos are always changing. As we grow and our photography grows, so do our preferences. This is natural. This is as it should be.
I do offer portfolio reviews as part of my composition and the art of photography sessions. But I don’t criticize peoples photos. Believe it or not, people have asked me to do that.
I hesitate to suggest having a so-called professional portfolio review because your style and theirs needs to be somewhat similar for it to be effective.
Typically it’s a one shot deal and you choose 10 or so of your photos to show them and it’s a bit like playing the lottery. They don’t know you and aren’t necessarily looking to help you on a personal level.
My approach is really to see a broad selection of your work and what you are working towards. It’s about discovering your own style. If you’re on Facebook, the Shoot New York City group is designed to provide a platform for you to share your work with others and to give and get feedback.
If you’ve taken a workshop with me or you are subscribed to this newsletter, you can request to join the group and post for the weekly photo assignments. I look forward to seeing everyone’s best of 2020 in the group. If you’re not on Facebook, we can perhaps find an alternate method of doing so.
At any rate, do take the time to review your photos from the year and reach out to someone who can help talk you through the process. Why you like or don’t like a photo is a good and simple place to start.
Curious Frame Issue 11 - On Color
Are you curious? Curious Frame is my newsletter for my thoughts on photography. It’s about trying to make sense of a world that is overpopulated with images. It’s about visual literacy made easy. No university degree required.
One reader wrote “Curious Frame does a very nice job of providing some perspective on how to see, not just look at, an image.” And we have a dialogue! That’s correct. You get to voice your opinion. You can easily subscribe and get one email each week delivered to your inbox.
Here’s an excerpt from the latest issue On Color:
With digital photography, our possibilities are endless. The thing that baffles me is why it is that people don’t explore the possibilities more? It doesn’t cost anything to experiment and find a style that resonates with your vision. And color is something that either resonates or not.
The ability to process photos is learned. The ability to appreciate both monochrome and color is not unanimous. In the past, I had a problem with color for the sake of color. A perfectly good photo with weak colors or clashing colors, became a monochrome photo.
Photo Assignment of the Week - Favorites from 2020
Post your top 5 favorites from 2020. This is one of my favorite photos from this year. I haven’t actually posted it before. It was shot with a point and shoot Minolta film camera in pano mode. I didn’t know it had a pano mode! I did some digital processing as well. But Portra 400 gets some really nice colors.
You can interpret this assignment and don’t be afraid to post creative photos. As well, it’s good to know why you chose the photos you did and it’s maybe best to post them individually so they don’t get buried.
This is a voluntary assignment if you want to take part. You can submit your photos to the Facebook group for Shoot New York City and also on Instagram tag @shootnycity. If you're not a member of the Facebook group yet, all you have to do is request to join.
It would be great if as a group people would comment on photos submitted as well. Let's have fun! Happy shooting and sharing! And you can connect with other people that you share an interest with.
Upcoming Workshops
Here are 2 upcoming Street Photography Workshops with a link to registration. Workshops are now a maximum of 3 people. Social distancing and masks are required. And with fewer people in each workshop everyone can gain even more individual attention.
If you purchased a GiftUp gift certificate for a future workshop, you should be able to use that at the check out. Let me know if you have a problem as it is a new feature.
For those who haven't done a workshop or photo tour with me in the past I have a number of reviews on my website and also on TripAdvisor! Workshops are both for people who live here and also travelers, as are photo tours.
I am gradually rolling out the different areas for both group and private workshops. So if you don't see what you're looking for, let me know and we can work something out.
Photo tours are one-on-one and arranged on an individual basis for both neighborhood and photographic style and can be designed as a workshop as well. They are customized to your interests and level.
Thank you for your patience and Stay Safe!
First of all, I wanted to wish you a safe, happy, and prosperous new year. Second, I wanted to thank you for publishing the SNYC Newsletter. There is something about well-written prose that appeals to me more than podcasts or YouTube videos. I think it's an age thing. I did not want to comment on "pressing the reset button." For a while now I've made it my habit to walk around my city, Washington, DC, and just think about evaluating the light, framing, and composing a shot without actually making a photograph. I then will come back to that place another time and feel as though I already know what I'm looking for. I think I've heard this described as seeing without a camera. Anyway, it's an interesting exercise that folks new to street photography may want to think about. Obviously, it helps to be able to do that in your home city or one that you return to on a regular basis. Another tip that I learned from @seantuck is to use your camera to make visual notes of scenes that you can revisit at another time when the light is different or whatever. Sort of like visual sticky notes. I have a folder of these that I consult regularly.
Anyway, thanks again for all that you do. Stay safe and take care.
Gerry
@gmsdesignsphotography