Issue 175 of the SNYC Newsletter
Greetings everyone! We actually had snow in New York City yesterday. That meant that we could see the flakes suspended in midair and that as soon as they hit the ground, they melt. I didn’t go out and shoot the snow.
Big news. I am now represented by the MF Gallery. More information later in this issue.
Also, I’ve been teaching in a classroom and on the streets for the JCC and it has really given me a new perspective. I’ll be sharing more about that in another issue.
Thank you for subscribing and also to everyone that has taken my workshops. I really appreciate it and it is wonderful to meet everyone and share the experience of photography with you.
As always, Happy Shooting! If you’re not happy shooting, I’d like to hear why.
The real act of discovery consists not in finding new lands but in seeing with new eyes. Marcel Proust
I write this newsletter to share my thoughts & experiences on street photography. I hope that you find it of use in 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. Thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee!!! Maybe one day we’ll be able to have a coffee in person. Mucho love.
On Confidence
When people see me shooting on the streets and see my photos they assume that I am a confident photographer. I don’t want to disappoint you, but I’m not confident.
Confidence is a killer of creativity, spontaneity and it discounts the elements of chance and so-called mistakes. In the above photo my camera got drenched in the rain. Happily it survived. But most of the photos have a fogginess from condensation on the lens. I really like the effect.
Street photography is of course nothing if not spontaneous. It’s candid. You can’t plan it in advance. I never know what I’ll capture and I like it that way even when I spend a day shooting and I don’t capture anything I like.
When beginning a day of shooting street photography I prep both physically, mentally and camera. Those are things that I have somewhat control over. When I do those things I am better able to observe and respond to the environment.
My goal is always to see with new eyes. Walk slowly and be aware of light, shadow, reflections and whatever attracts my vision. The act of creating is very much improv for me. No script.
I have always been an available light photographer. I keep thinking I’ll do some night photography but I tend to burn up all of energy during daylight hours. You can also take advantage of many other available elements. There’s always something new to see and shoot.
Confidence is not something that I am looking to achieve. I spent too many years working with the technology and to a certain degree, being ruled by it. For awhile now I’ve been working against the technology. Shooting all auto!
It’s easy to have confidence in paint-by-number techniques and modes of shooting that achieve fairly predictable outcomes. I look forward to blur, soft focus and all kinds of things that cannot be repeated.
Confidence would take the thrill out of it all for me. It means that I’ve settled for the technical and I know that boredom will now settle in. The not knowing is what I live for. Confidence sets limitations that interrupt with the creative process.
For the most part, I have enough confidence in my ability to get my camera to do what I want it to. I am also confident enough to realize that I can go out and shoot. After that it’s all up to chance. Yes, I have ideas of things that I like to capture. But I am not aware of what I will encounter or even how I will feel or respond to the moment.
The idea that anyone could have full trust in their ability as a photographer is an alien concept to me. I am always experimenting and making mistakes and finding new ways to do things and new things to shoot. Perhaps I might say that having full trust in your ability means that you stop trying as well.
Maybe confidence isn’t necessarily a good thing. Beginner’s mind, to borrow a Buddhist expression, may be one of the best things you can have for shooting street photography. It’s something you must continually work towards. The activity is everything. The photos that result are the icing on the cake!
I always appreciate your comments and suggestions.
The MF Gallery
I am very happy to announce that The MF Gallery has chosen some of my street photography and abstract work to be included on their site and prints are available for purchase.
I spend all my time creating and my ability to market and promote my work is very limited. So it is wonderful that they invited me and are willing to represent me. Thanks so much to Meredith.
Biweekly Photo Assignment -Motion
There are many different methods of illustrating motion in a photo - wind blowing, someone entering or exiting the frame, motion blur etc. Creativity is a always a plus.
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 @shootnewyorkcity. If you're not a member of the Facebook group yet, all you have to do is request to join.
The app is a very cool way to read this and many other newsletters at your leisure. The archive of the Shoot New York City newsletter is available for the issues published on Substack. Thanks for subscribing and reading.
Further Viewing
Tips for finding your own style by spending time looking at the work of other photographers!
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. Thank you for your patience and Stay Safe!
Maybe you can have confidence if you do jobs, like in a studio, weddings etc. Thats another game, I think. Doesn't attract me.
Congratulations on being selected by the MF Gallery.
I don’t ever seem too gain full confidence in my abilities or camera and I’m ok with that. Better to be humble a willing to learn a lesson than to be over confident and miss an opportunity.