Shoot New York City Newsletter
Photography is a Personal Experience - 1 June 2025
Issue 225 of the SNYC Newsletter
Greetings everyone! There are lots of newsletters out there about everything under the sun. I don’t write this letter to gain fame and fortune. If you find what I write about useful and you’re able to become a paid subscriber or just a one time donation, that’s cool. If not, that’s cool too. I write this because I am a photographer and I am fortunate to make my living doing it. I write about my thoughts and experiences in street photography.
I thank all my customers for taking group street photography workshops and private photo tours with me. I couldn’t do it without you. And much of what I write about is the experiences that I have with them. Their challenges and the way that they see photography. I encourage everyone to learn to take photos that they like and to enjoy shooting. Photography is a personal experience and that is what this newsletter is about. So yes, your comments, questions and suggestions are always welcome.
Thank you to all the subscribers, to everyone who reads this newsletter.
Happy Shooting!
The real act of discovery consists not in finding new lands but in seeing with new eyes. Marcel Proust
Photography is a Personal Experience
I think that says it all. Photography is a Personal Experience. I' write about that. I am a photographer, It’s what I do. It’s what I live and breathe. Yes, I have opinions! But they are based on years of experience. Not on theories. And I don’t write about how you can become rich and famous doing it either. I don’t know about either of those things and I suspect that you need to become a slave to social media to do that.
Street photography is an incredible way to observe and capture humanity. People are the strangest thing on the planet. And when I’m giving tours and workshops I meet many people from around the world and from very diverse backgrounds and we share our observations on life on this planet.
Street photography is about feeling the moment. You have to make your camera work for you so you can get beyond the technology and be in the moment. Yes, you can shoot in Auto Mode. I do sometimes. The above photo was shot in Auto Mode. Whatever. A camera is just a tool. When you get beyond it you can observe and capture. Point and shoot! It’s a kind of Zen state. You can feel it when you’re present.
DO walk slow or even stand still. People sometimes tell me that they didn’t realize how fast they usually walk. My response is often that I’m walking faster than normal. In New York City everyone moves fast. So it takes effort to slow down. It also takes effort to take photos that you’re happy with. Photography looks easy. Right?
People are often proud or ashamed of their experience or camera. Both are pretty silly things to be concerned about. If your camera does what you need it to do, that’s all that matters. Your lens is perhaps more important. The focal length of your lens should match your vision. My favorite is 35mm full frame equivalent. It’s how I see the world.
Street photography is artistic expression. It is poetry. It looks simple but it takes lots of practice. Perseverance pays off. Just keep doing it. Oh, I can always be a better photographer. If not I’d quit shooting. What would be the point?
Have the courage to take street photos and also to share them with people that you don’t know. It doesn’t take courage to share your photos with friends and family. And it won’t likely help you grow as a photographer. It isn’t even about getting likes and comments as it is just putting your work out there. Being seen.
Be kind to others when you’re looking at their photos and when you’re shooting street photography. Be respectful of where you are. I do not tolerate people being disrespectful when shooting street photography. That includes some famous photographers. If you don’t respect humanity, you shouldn’t be doing street photography. Period.
My mantra if you want to improve your photography is:
Take lots of photos
Experiment
Don’t be afraid of making mistakes
Spend time looking at photos preferably in books
I say that street photography is like hip hop, you are constantly sampling someone else’s work. Forget the idea of being original. Create your own style that reflects who you are.
Just shoot and Happy Shooting!
This newsletter is about my thoughts & experiences on street photography. I hope that you find it of use on your journey. If you are able to, you can support me by buying me a coffee. No sweat if you’re unable to contribute. The newsletter is free for all. Thank you for supporting my work. Much love.
Upcoming Workshops
Workshops are a maximum of 5 people Workshops are only scheduled on weekend days. If you would like to have a weekday workshop or a workshop in other areas of NYC, let me know with some lead time and I’ll see if others want to also attend it. Otherwise I continue to provide private workshops on weekdays and in other neighborhoods.
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.
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.
I love this newsletter, and your photos! I'm coming out of a period of not being able to commit to too much, but I want to support you and want to get back into photography, so I will be in touch about one of your workshops! Just want you to know I've been silently following you and respect what you do!
Spot on, Leanne👍.
Last year I really came to realize that, as you menation, it's a bit harder than it seems. I mean, if you want to do something interesting. But I don't mind.