How to Talk to Strangers: 7 Tips For Photographing People | Adam Marelli

[@MusicManiac931]

I cannot thank B&H enough for making sure the audio was loud enough for people with moderate to severe hearing loss, seriously this is one of the only videos I've been able to watch so far that is actually loud enough for me to understand what's being said, major props.

[@FaSCoRP]

I watched many B & H classes and I believe this guy was able to transmit something that all the other guys did not. It takes to a other level, more thinking outside the box with a ton of references to different art forms. Thanks Adam!

[@udsinghs8706]

I am from India and have just started getting into Photography..This is one of the best video I have seen on Photography...Adam talks more about the art and the psychology stuff in photography rather than the technical stuff...Really loved it..Things like setting up a picture in your mind and then clicking it, Tilting head a bit in portraits and many others..Thanks you guys for making and posting such a wonderful video...Keep Posting wonderful stuff :-)

[@PatchinPictures]

Adam's presentation is excellent, one of the most insightful and intelligent presentations on photography that I have ever seen. Not only is he knowledgeable, but he knows how to explain the ideas and concepts really well, while relating them to the goal of improving peoples' photography.

[@danbull]

I learnt a lot from this talk, great stuff

[@obriencleroux3440]

Just do not care about the title! I enjoy listening to Adam Marelli anytime since I learn a lot more on how to improve my photography. Too bad for people who missed the point.

[@TonySkraba]

Another video from B&H with Adam Marelli that should have thousands more likes. His talks are so much more insightful and useful (to me) than another "golden hour, rule of thirds, leading lines" lesson. - biggest takeaway: to improve your photos study classical art, where the greats had time for perfect compostition. Thanks again, B&H and Adam Marelli. I'll be rewatching these after spending more time at the museum

[@BandH]

Thank you for this feedback! Glad to hear you enjoyed our video.

[@TonySkraba]

@@BandH Welcome! Talks like these are exactly what I'm looking for.

[@garychow6113]

I thought he made some excellent points so some of the acute criticisms below I'd take with a grain of salt. Keep these tutorials coming B&H, thanks!

[@JohnEllisJohnENikon]

The how and the why to shooting strangers. It's nice that B&H sponsored this without a specific piece of gear being mentioned in the entire talk. Bravo Marelli and B & H.

[@GeorgeHuss]

Thank you, Adam ! If you just found this video, it is worth your time. Adam's style is educational without talking down to anyone while providing useful ideas you can immediately take into the field and put into practice. I've subscribed to his channel and already watched another video of equal length. And, I now know what I'll be doing in 2018 ! Thanks again, Adam.

[@BandH]

Most welcome and thank you for watching.

[@greendeane1]

Great advice. I’ve worn many career hats and one of them was an Inquiring Photography for the local newspaper. The editor would decide what question had to be asked. I had to go out and ask it, and that that person’s photo. It forces one to interact and that leads to better photos.

[@norlandjackson4953]

Thank you B&H for having Adam again! He is very insightful, articulate, and informative. Would love to see him on the event space again!

[@conanliquid]

I like the way Adam has deconstructed his shots by showing the shots from setting the scene and then the shots where he has completed the scene. Also by showing his shots that he does not think are good shots. It's refreshing to see a presentation where a photographer says "Ok I took this, it's not a great shot, but I used it to practice, to research, to set up a better shot". I don't think I have seen that before on any B&H presentations.

[@Ensign_Cthulhu]

If you're going to open the floor to the audience in such a way that their answers compose a majority of the presentation, you NEED to ensure that they can be heard as clearly as the presenter.

[@ms.5779]

jsm666 True!! Leaving now

[@kimberleybrittsaros6199]

I found the content quite valuable, but not with respect to "how to talk to strangers". Sadly, that subject wasn't even touched on. The value of studying paintings to improve your photography was demonstrated very well. The title, however, is quite misleading.

[@TimPalman]

Adam is a rare educator in the field of photography - someone who can contextualise the value of what we do with our cameras and show us how we do not live in a vacuum of art relating only to photographs. Yes, some lecturers may be more "to the point" but if you really want to learn "How to Talk to Strangers" then you should go to a speed dating night. Adam is insightful on a more illuminating level and teaches us how to learn from going out there and shooting ourselves.

[@rpavich]

His tip on finding a place and then waiting for the scene to populate with interesting people was a revelation for me. What a great point to make. Very good seminar..thanks B&H!

[@petersmith6989]

It does not matter what genre of f photography you prefer, this video will improve your photography. Ignore the title! Simply the best no- nonsense...let's get down to it. presentation and good advice I've seen in a very long time. Kudus and respect Adam, I hope one day to thank you in person. I know my photos will improve and that is the best compliment I can make. Cheers!

[@MrKeepItTrill]

Amazing talk, probably my favourite B&H talk I've seen. I love the idea of looking at paintings instead of photographs to take the camera out of the equation and just see the picture itself, and what aspect of it is interesting.

[@farouklens]

Finally someone talking about photography and not just gear! very interesting video, well done!

[@oliverdavalos5528]

Really good information and tips!!! thx you for uploading!

[@ronvavra]

There is some really good stuff here. One just has to be alert. and smart enough to understand, what he is driving at.

[@Likeafoxow]

Excellent excellent excellent. Marelli is an intellectual who, like so many of the greats, has a solid background in art, and for someone like that to so openly give out information, to me, is priceless. Thank you B and H, and please have more speakers like Marelli!

[@legendarycondor]

The so called photographers in these comments who are always hating and thinking that the speaker's work is not 'enough for them', should shut your mouth. Why don't you try and produce and inspire like the speakers here? Stop hating. I wonder if you think 'your work' matters, cause it probably doesn't. So just stop hating and appreciate when others want to inspire.

[@jonesey65244]

I found this very interesting. It was WAY over my head, and level of shooting, but the passion in his delivery is very motivating. Thanks B&H.

[@82mccord]

I like this guy. He's a great teacher. I'm studying to be a teacher, so I appreciate a gifted teacher when I see one. More talks with this man please.

[@Rbk428]

Wonderful! Thanks Adam! Your experience is saving me from many, many wrong situations!! A must watch, no doubt!

[@jal316]

I've had this in my watch later queue since it was uploaded. This might be my favorite of the bunch. Thanks Adam Marelli for sharing your vision and thanks B&H for sharing it.

[@marinacam]

A+++ presentation -- intelligent, humorous in just the right spots, common sense, and reassuring, encouraging for new photographers. This was well worth a watch. I hope he does more presentations.

[@RayWarren]

Excellent. I could listen to Adam Marelli for hours. Thanks

[@senior_ranger]

Sensational. I just kept saying, YES!! He is wise well beyond his years.

[@Marcin79W]

The idea about looking for places and revisit them is amazing. I've tried it today, and maybe have no any good street photo by now, but some 'frames' where I can wait until action will show up next time - "take a coffee" and wait for a photo then. Thanks for it!

[@Smokin07ram]

Thanks Adam! Such a great perspective change! You are a great influence and a wonderful communicator of the productive and creative mindset. Thanks so much for the inspiration! I love my gear, but more like this please B&H!

[@peterlorimer3552]

As someone who is very new to photography that's the first '' lecture '' I've sat and watched. I must say that I found it interesting, informative and entertaining on many different and varied levels. The criticisms I read of the video beforehand in the comments , although valid in their own right, I feel are an over complication of what after all is, for the most part just one persons equally pertinent viewpoint.. '' Keep it Simple '' (as they say). Thanks for posting.

[@Abgef]

Peter Lorimer Not all viewpoints are "pertinent" especially one's that are over-bearing and don't make much logical sense in practical terms of what it's trying to accomplish.

[@peterlorimer3552]

Thank you for that. However, as someone very new to photography had I of given too much credence to the negative comments I read pryor to viewing the lecture I may not have watched it at all ergo I would have missed out on a valuable opportunity to come to my own conclusions and make my own mind up. I enjoyed the video end of story really. I wish you well and again many thanks for your comment.

[@jelbic]

Very inspiring and educational. Focus off the gear and onto the eyes and brains behind it.

[@rekrabm]

Pretty good. Solid practical advice from someone who's obviously thought a lot about his experiences as a photographer.

[@AGirlLikeMee]

great tips! thank you so much for the feedback... as an amateur photographer starting her own studio this is very helpful

[@markredankite]

Very Very good talk. Informative and unique insights.

[@Needacreate]

Nothing sensationally new or different, but definitely some useful pointers about shooting people. Both some fundamental thoughts about defining yourself as a photographer and practical tips you can integrate into your day-to-day work. Intelligent and illuminating references to art. How to get beyond mere "technological chatter". A gifted speaker too. One of the longer photography videos I watched till the end. Love it.

[@mcalpinewendy]

I love this guy! Going to use everything he does for my high school photography course. I try to transplant traditional art but he does it so much better!

[@PAI021805]

KZbin needs more videos like this one. Thanks a lot Adam.

[@livingstone6275]

you have a great sense of teaching, smooth easy to listen to, a great voice pleasant, calming, make things simple to understand

[@steves1066]

Excellent video. Significantly deeper than the title suggests.

[@TheBiggervern]

Thought provoking and wonderfully delivered. Thank you

[@joestephens7105]

This was a wonderful journey through aesthetics!

[@schumcho5]

A great and inspiring video, wonderful talking and interaction with the audience. Thank you for this :)

[@jonclayton8503]

Another well presented and very interesting lecture. Thanks

[@livingstone6275]

its great to listen to someone who has alot of experience in photography

[@DavidChachere]

Thanks to you and B and H for this great class.

[@productphotoservices]

Really cool video on this Adam

[@Needacreate]

So much more useful than gear talk. Confirmed some of the things that I seemed to have already sensed intuitively, and hopefully taught me some more nuts and bolts of capturing people. Get the feeling it will make me more confindent about including people in the mere scenes that I tend to shoot.

[@lowfatedes]

Great presentation, good honest advice

[@jackieconnell7183]

I thought he made some excellent points,and to me its a new way to look at taking photos,waiting for that moment,we all do it,just snap snap snap,not sure why its called how to talk to strangers as when you travel we are met with the language,my pet hate with these presentation is one can not hear the questions from the audience,but still enjoyed it like i do with all the B AND H videos.

[@Sallybunckle]

27 thumbs down for this, are you people crazy. This video was awesome thank you for sharing it with me.

[@TristenDurocher]

I was like 1:48:10 aint nobody got time for that!! Then watched it all! love it :)

[@mariosentombed]

great class , thumbs up!!

[@cjoe6908]

I have never had a better course on photography. Thanks.

[@cjoe6908]

Over the past years, my photos have been a lot better and I watched this again. LoL..

[@ynekevollemans]

Best video I saw in a long time. It realy made me see things in perspective

[@Mrsexposito]

Fantastic Tutorial; I learned a lot from it.

[@okuma7713]

Simply great...makes me wanna shoot,shoot ,shoot..

[@grat2010]

Came for the 7 tips on how to talk to strangers (SPOILER: doesn't happen). Stayed for the fantastic presentation. The title does his talk injustice because it sets up false expectation. There is great information to be found and I'm glad I kept watching.

[@thekaiser4333]

Indeed. Most of his pictures do not contain ANY people...

[@ShibleeSadik]

He is superb. The best video from B&H. I would love to have him as mentor :)

[@itswhip]

@20:09 I tore my ACL last year getting into a weird position for a shot. I was however able to click the shutter on my way down as I was grabbing for my knee with the other hand,. Wasn't what I'd consider to be a great photo and definitely not worth the pain and suffering, but it definitely tells a story.

[@JimiHendrix998]

Excellent talk, clearly delivered. The odd audience comments migh'vet be better recorded...

[@Savage_D_777]

Thank you Adam, great talk!

[@NirSharon]

I learned a lot more than photography here ... Thanks!

[@tydad1]

I thiught it was really useful and insightful. Learning the technical part is one thing but being able to apply it is a whole other issue. I thought his comments were very insightful and will help me in getting the images I really want

[@weltbuergerin2007]

Great Video,Thankyou...easy to listen to and Adam presented it in such a way he kept my attention.Thumbs down for the audience for eating during the talk....

[@JAKEAWAKEOFFICIAL]

Some good points but so many sweeping generalizations! One feels that he cares about his subjects, but I think they must conform to his preconceived world in order to fit in. He has a box of prescriptions for photography that are not helpful if you want to develop naturally. I find him overbearing. I can tell you, shooting people is not this complicated - It's something you will getter better at when you relax around people. Like everything in life, practice, mess up, forgive yourself and learn to deal with rejection. Improve.

[@davidfletcher5360]

VERY GOOD BUT SIMPLE!

[@MandyMaungArt]

Great video, insightful, educational for a newbie like me. Great tips! Btw, does anyone think Adam looks like Jesse Pinkman!? or is it only me?

[@Wattoman]

Very intelligent post. Keep pressing that iCrap button, that's all there is to it, right?

[@eknayakahanibaaz]

Great tips, Pinkman.

[@chunky_sister]

this guy is cool

[@subroto1961]

20:05 A friend who is barely over 5" told me once that actually he feels his height or lack of it is advantageous while photographing people

[@Capesworld458]

best vid yet

[@uncletrick1]

Great video, but one suggestion: Put a mic on the audience if there is going to be a lot of interaction.

[@nj-1008]

My first day trying to get closer to people, (granted, in a dicey area of town which I probably shouldn't have attempted on my first foray), most all of the people resented it. One man thought I was trying to photograph him as part of a security effort; he wanted the shot deleted. The next shot was through a window of a barber shop and I was immediately approached by someone from inside wanting to know what I was doing, if I was a cop and stating, no one in there wanted their photo taken. The last person I attempted gave me such a look like, he wanted to kick my ass. Needless to say, that photo came out blurry. So, I guess, my next attempt will be in the City, where I might blend in more with a crowd. BTW, I am just a 5' tall, bordering on elderly, female and I was still seen as some kind of threat. Tough life.

[@VisualCortexLab]

great videos, but you really need to sort out the audience audio levels, we *need* to hear the questions to understand the answers ...

[@danbroom]

very interesting video. have come away with new insights:)

[@LaurentLaborde]

i didn't finish the video yet. But if there is one thing about Leica (i own the M Monochrom) for street photo is that it doesn't stand in the way between you and the world. when i had the x-pro 1, i had many encounter like "ho, cool, what is this camera ?", now with the Leica MM i'm invisible. (and the MM doesn't have the red dot, so it's not easily spotted as a leica).

[@roychua6695]

You are sitted all ready to have someone come to the scene. As a person comes into a scene, how do you shoot a the subject is in focus, without having to pan your camera on them as they come to the scene and shoot when they are at the center already? Is the only way is to pre-focus manually?

[@BandH]

Stop down as far as you can within your desired ISO setting and prefocus. >Mark

[@dcg1976]

Excellent presentation and insight but poorly titled. "How to Talk to Strangers"........really?

[@muffemod]

Talk to strangers you'll find you'll get more out of life. Everyone is a stranger at first.

[@SteveHencye]

Brilliant

[@MileyonDisney]

As sparky said, "This cat sucks both as a photographer and as a lecturer. He was completely unfocused in subject, rambling, and quite frankly..boring. Epic fail, B&H.....I expect better from you!" And it has nothing at all to do with how to talk to strangers. I'm guessing someone spent his school days slumped over the keg. And why don't you guys have microphones for the audience if you're going to include questions from them? A good speaker will repeat the questions for others to hear. That is a problem with all of your videos I've seen yet. B&H? I really thought you were better than all of this.

[@FranklyBald]

Great speech and all... but this guy is Jessie Pinkman from Breaking Bad...

[@lordoftheflings]

1:07:16 Not what we're going for? How do you know? There may be some circumstances where that has artistic merit. It all depends on what you are trying to say with your work.

[@improvestepbystep]

Taking pictures of people abroad is easier than taking photos at my home town, which is a small town in Cyprus, where everybody knows everybody

[@InstantG4mingTV]

Thanks for uploading, I guess i'll get some chocolate and soak this in ;)

[@alaskaflounderbasket]

JESSE WE NEED TO COOK

[@mackenzieowens161]

***** ^

[@dwanelbarman734]

nice

[@Haroupi]

Mr. Marelli made some interesting points in his lecture but I believe it could be done in much less time. The sad thing is that his photographic work is average and I am more inspired when the artist that is giving a lecture has also inspiring work to show.

[@Rza5675]

Haroupi don't hate, appreciate

[@legendarycondor]

Your comment is not very productive. Get better at your comments. I get inspired when the commenter has inspiring comments. Waste of time to read your comment.

[@yoyoz333]

The actual topic starts at 25:00

[@iamjessehamad]

can i like this video twice?

[@stephanhaggerty4576]

"Reality, on it's own, It's not very interesting." XD

[@bacpakerap]

" i dont shoot children..unless the parents are near by and i can get the nod of approval" LMFAO!!!

[@readingnewboy]

i like the vid but if your going to speak to your audience i would like to hear their questions cheers

[@HippyNZ]

his comments about "that was how the scene was" are wrong. Because unless you shift people or things around, then it is how the scene was from your point of view. if you get down low or change your position, it is still 'how the scene was' at that time from the point of view you were at. He was right that people need to think about their position relative to the subject or scene.

[@Rulerofwax24]

The editing on this video (and basically every single other BH talk) makes me so mad sometimes. It's not even hard bits of editing, it's just switching the camera's at the right time. There are entire slides that are missed on this and other talks. A lot of times, the speaker interacting with the screen is important, and just none of it is shown.