How Youtubers Ruined Street Photography (myself included)

[@RanftEvan]

Important note. IM NOT done with street photography. These are just some thoughts youtube, creativity, and the photography world. Thanks for watching!

[@picjules]

You know what? I’m gonna review your povs videos again for the 3000th time! 🤣

[@TheGeoDaddy]

Hey, I’m as guilty as they Photog - who used shoot one roll of chrome and develop it BEFORE shooting the next to fix the shortcomings - who relished the advent of the digital camera where I could see and CORRECTED immediately! But! That see-and-fix soon became shoot a hundred and check it out later… which became never and I simply lost interest in photography. Suddenly it was inexpensive to become a BAD shooter. Then came the smart phone cameras with such good AI that the exposers were better than my best (unpracticed) skills… why bother digging out my camera and lenses when my iPhone was “good enuff” ? In fact. I have a 2nd iPhone 11 Plus - JUST for photography and video! But my needs are mostly pedestrian and incidental. No longer any desire to travel the world to shoot what I could never find at home. (That and airlines would never allow the gear I used to stuff in the overhead… so what’s the point of traveling?) Yup - like the first ‘steam engine’ the digital age has transformed humanity in ways we still haven’t wrapped our head around… or just under. 🧐

[@leetmango]

Gonna do my part to help! Unsubscribing!

[@nakinati]

I think there are two points in this video, and they contradict and supplement each other all the time.. One is art - where only the best is shown to the masses. The other is the process - which is important if you want to make art. You made your videos to show us the process of making art.. So in the creating of "the best", there are, naturally" also some bad.. But you showed some of those photos and told the process you went through. And through that, you learned a lot of things - and you taught a lot of things to other people. And both of those things have value. After all - if people didn't find value in your videos, they wouldn't watch them. So I believe, that by showing the good AND the bad, you connected with more people - and through that became relevant. Keep up the good work - you're doing great, and your photos are awesome :)

[@frankhu8692]

i think the key is to only speak when you are walking from different locations, this fills your street photography journey, while you will sometimes naturally speak something when you got a good shot, or you may not speak anything, your audiences can tell from your footage, so i think man you just need to relex, no one is required to keep talking about why and how a shot will be good during photography, plus if you need to concentrate and document street photography, and pick some clips & memories for sharing, just do voice over then

[@johannesbgonzalez]

I believe there is value in sharing the bad photos. Not for the sake of pumping out content, but to show a clear and realistic view on what street photography is and how even someone you might look up to also takes bad photos..

[@Canoncurt]

These videos are not about the final result but about seeing how people view things differently while photographing. I find more value in picking a photographers brain over just seeing their quality photos

[@tjwalkup7155]

Reminding me to use my GoPro on top of my camera.

[@_jbflickz]

Tiktok photographers asking people to post for portraits on the street and calling it street photography ruined it 💯%

[@Shotbymic_2]

I agree.

[@mynameistrd6841]

bingo, actually they can call it street portraits, but not street photography :) poor monsieur Bresson when they do that

[@chrispoulsen_]

Aren’t they allowed to call it what they fkin want? Last time I checked no one have patented “street photography”.

[@pahwraith]

So what, theyre being honest about it

[@robmcd]

@@chrispoulsen_good point. Wanna go eat spaghetti? No one has patented that word either.

[@MicroFourNerds]

I’ve always found Kai’s photography and personality so inspiring. Especially for me showing that you can have fun with it and not take it too seriously, but also create good stuff

[@film.fiasco]

This is soOOoooOOOoo true. I recently read Saul Leiter's book, and this quote stuck with me: "[...] part of the pleasure of being alive is that I didn't take everything as seriously as one should."

[@danwoodliefphotography871]

I loved watching too. One of the first photography KZbinrs I followed.

[@vicruptly8701]

Kai is the Jeremy Clarkson of photography.

[@Bididididigz]

Also big shoutout to "the bloody producer" 😅

[@ZakFerris]

Yes I'm so tired of all the Leica F-boy content in New York. It's all the same and I'm so tired of hearing about your M6 and how you load film.

[@jzf128]

Indeed. rubish photogaphs. Not telling anything.

[@christiankreeanderson1050]

Finally someone said that. Unfortunately most of the creators running up and down the street with gear and shooting people's back in bookeh or using telephoto zoom in front of them. These photos are mostly amazing and great looking that's why good cameras are in high demand, but these photos are all the same, snapped without thinking about composition and story telling.

[@RanftEvan]

I mean it’s no shade to anyone because I completely understand why it happen. Like I said in the video the masterpiece book you look at takes years, and a KZbin video is every week basically. I just think with any art it’s important to find a balance between quality and quantity to respect a craft and give it longevity

[@karstenfroemming9664]

Really though, wow another person on a phone with bokeh or standing in a piece of light! Never seen that before!

[@simerroo]

Exactly easy photos, with 0 composition not really Street photography

[@marconophotographer]

I did. the same but i changed my style and try to create like as you saeid „story telling“. In Germany its really hard to photograph people without stepping on their feet. Great comment from you ✌🏼✌🏼

[@roberteli5235]

Omg I know. I'm so sick of seeing the same old composition every time.

[@coreymagz3145]

Walkie Talkie's with Paulie B is the best Street Photography-focused thing on KZbin. Nothing compares IMO. Most of the people being interviewed aren't KZbinrs and have been doing it for years and are actually know as street photographers, not KZbinrs doing Street Photography.

[@mikemduenas3802]

That's true

[@botant500]

100%. Also, they're barely interested in talking about their gear. It's all about the process.

[@alhOOO2O]

It's very good, but EyeExplore is even better

[@PeteD]

Lukas is a gem, love EyeExplore@@alhOOO2O

[@KaptainKerl]

@@botant500 except when they use a leica then they're legally obliged to tell you

[@timbliss8777]

I guess I'm in the minority here and will disagree. Weekly or Bi-weekly videos that are street focused....are just that. I can go out every night to capture images but it may only be one of those days that I am able to capture something I'm proud of. KZbinrs putting out videos - Good or bad images....is all great. It is a reflection of all of us. We don't only go out and capture bangers ever time. Seeing others going out and having great days or bad days is fine. I'm not going to stop watching because you had a bad day or the images were crap. Overall I don't care for overly saturated "fake" color street images. But I still enjoy watching those KZbinrs go through their process. Maybe for the KZbinr you have in the back of you mind you want a GREAT image / Great video or the views will be down, the income won't be as high. I'd think most people that watch these videos aren't just looking to see the amazing shot. They are watching to see the process. The wins. The losses. The person. So from a viewers perspective I'd disagree with this "ruined" street photography idea.

[@ka_sh_iif]

Spot on

[@davinciunder5]

Since the video establishes the idea that great photography collections can take years or even decades it makes sense that we see the process. Do we only get to see the triumphs or do we now know that some days are a wash. It’s interesting that we get to determine what is art and what is not. Art is the creators perspective of the world as they view it. Art is subjective and doesn’t require me to like it for it to continue as art. The reality is that excellence takes time, effort, passion and often failure. Everyone has the right to grow, learn, fail and succeed. I love seeing people become better at what they do over time and that happens by seeing their failures, their bad days. I’m not a photographer but I am an urban sketcher and was recently recognized as one of the best at what I do in the world, my work was published worldwide. It took me years of work to reach a point of excellence and many failures along the way.

[@Dplaysitcool]

Also, don't forget. The title of the video is also a bit click bait.

[@SubiKinubi]

@@Dplaysitcoolhow is it click bait if he talked about the content that’s in the title

[@NancyWilliams-xn3hr]

True. I prefer to see the process not the final product

[@youngum78]

It's comical how many people on youtube are trying to define street photography in an attempt to hold ownership or "gatekeep" something that they are clearly not good at. Maybe just focus on taking good pictures instead of knocking others for doing exactly what you're trying to do.

[@nikytamayo]

It's not just the photography that people are tuning into, it's the experience. Walking and travel videos also experienced a surge during and post-pandemic for the same reason... people like to live vicariously through the KZbinrs. I stumbled into street photography on KZbin not as a photographer but coming from my fondness of walking videos. It just seemed a natural progression.

[@alandargie9358]

Spot on! A great analysis of a phenomenon that has been growing over the years of pretty boring photos classified as "street" photography just because the arena was the street!

[@tkeating2561]

"And i kind of think KZbin has ruined street photography... oh by the way I want to thank square space for sponsoring this video" 😆

[@picjules]

I really miss the “Evan’s voice over days” ; I discovered your channel during pandemic and it really helps me in a healthy way! And yes, KZbin is nowadays a constant marketing campaign...

[@frame-lines]

KZbin and Instagram have made street photography homogenous. Everything looks the same and there are very few unique voices because photographers are following trends, using the same gear, following the same advice and taking inspiration from the same handful of photographers (Fan Ho, Saul Leiter, Alex Webb, Daniel Arnold etc). When they should be attempting to photograph the world from their own unique perspective. I don't agree that it's ruined it though. There's just a lot more of it and most of it is boring. -Shane

[@JohnAlephMusic]

is it bad to have at least one of great street photographers of the past as an inspiration, instead of a popular KZbin/IG influencer? It shows that at least someone cared enough to study a bit more about the history of photography and its pioneers. I'm not saying that one should copy Fan Ho or Leiter of course...

[@anta40]

Imitating is one of the most basic forms of learning, whether you references are YT, IG, Flickr, or some photography books. That's what folks do (also in another art forms like music, status etc) before founding their own "voice". As someone who prefer abstract composition with obscured/less people, obviously Leiter is very influential for me. And also Aaron Siskind.. When I started learning street photography years ago, I was a fan of HCB, Alex Webb, Robert Frank, etc etc. These days? Not so much. Sure, I'm not advocating that we should mimick our photography inspirations 100% all the time. And in the end, no matter how hard we work, eventually someone will find it to be boring, not inspiring etc. Well.. the usual apple vs orange, folks.

[@philbarber9738]

Canon AE-1 and continuously hit the bricks, don't freeze when pulling the trigger.

[@leonarddavis8449]

If I see another street photo of someone walking into a shaft of light I thing I’ll scream.

[@medes5597]

As someone who wasn't on photography KZbin at all, I didn't even realise KZbin was responsible for the street photography revival. When I was first learning about photography in my early teens, the energy of street appealed to me and was always the main thing that I wanted to do. I never thought it would be a money maker so it was always my creative outlet. It's always been where I experiment and centre myself. This was a fascinating look into how so much of modern street became "leading lines, natural framing, rule of thirds, objects in the foreground, reflections" as basically a repeating thing to the point everyone's work looks the same. I think Paulie B's Walkie talkie series solves the problem here somewhat. You don't need great photos with that because the purpose is the person he's spending the day talking to and hanging out with, not the photos. It kind of allows either of them to have bad days because the photos aren't the main draw.

[@manbitesphoto-pu2pl]

Its not, and the street photographers on youtube are movie makers who aren't qualified to hold the jock strap of most street shooters.

[@Deetroiter]

The thing that gets me with many things in photography (and art related fields) is it used to be about total FREEDOM. Now, everything has to be labeled and stuffed into a genre. Everything seems to have to look a certain way, or have certain elements. This whole current trend on YT of "street photography" is a double edged sword for me. It's getting a ton of people into photography with actual DSLR/Mirrorless cameras, but it's creating a whole slew of people who are thinking photography HAS to be a certain way. Creating followers doing what others are doing, not leaders/free minded artists. Not saying it has to be groundbreaking difference, but for example...there's this MASSIVE trend, especially with YT creators (not you, but many others) that are overly obsessed with sharpness. The photos look flat, feel flat, and just don't grasp my attention at all. But as long as the photo is so sharp it can almost slice your retinas, then somehow it's a 'great photo'. I recently looked at some of the classic famous photos and one thing I noticed in most every single one of them was they ALL had flaws....extreme grain, some slightly out of focus, etc. In 2023 with YT photographers, they would have been written off as bad photos. Unsurprisingly, they are legendary for a reason and grasp peoples attention. More importantly, they actually tell a story without words. They make me think deeper about what's actually going on. Many 2023 YT channel photos just make me think, "Ok, someone's drinking coffee next to a window...anndddd...?". It's almost as if YT photography has become doing pictures without thought, not putting the ideas first then taking a photo. I still watch your videos and content, but I've stopped watching a lot of other people's channels because I'm tired of them being about specs, about trying to hawk a Fuji, and just doesn't have any photos or anything new that catches my attention, usually HDR'ed to death. Sorry for the long rant! Keep up the great content on the channel and keep shooting great photos!

[@Dj.D25]

I too have noticed some of the street photography greats choosing photos that were blurry, subject out of focus, sometimes the perspective looks off, but they still became famous anyways. Such as Saul Letter. I notice many of his photos looked somewhat blurry, but the colors and composition, subject chosen looked just right. And he's considered one of the best street photographers of all time.

[@liv0003]

​@@Dj.D25the fact that they were out of focus / blurry was intentional or anyway "sharpness" wasn't the point of creating a good picture anyway. This obsession with "sharpness" is a stupid obsession of recent years perpetuated mostly by people with no talent and who understand nothing about art in general. "Sharpness" doesn't make a picture a good picture in the first place.

[@obsidian00]

Let's face it...KZbin has ruined a lot of things but if it wasn't for KZbin, I would haven't found people like Kai, Evan and Taylor.

[@photobobo]

As a landscape photographer, I have never embraced the concept of 'street photography'. In fact, I strive to exclude all man made objects from my compositions, people included. It seems to me that the KZbin landscape photographers that I watch most, Steve O'Nions, Nick Carver, Simon Baxter, have quality as the key to all of their videos. Am I to conclude that street photography is just cheap, going around clicking away, thoughtless photography? I emphasize to anyone who will listen that I do not 'take pictures' but rather make photographs.

[@cheesun124]

That’s why I sold my Leica. You can’t really be stealth anymore, it’s no longer a thing…”I used to love her”. + everyone is on their phones, difficult to capture anything interesting in life anymore😢

[@michaelleski7480]

Famous last words! That’s why I print and that’s why I won’t stop. Btw, I don’t have a single KZbin video:) and not planning to. What I leave is tangible, flick-through books I prefer to ‘sell’ to conversations with people I meet - and their words are currency I save and value more than real money. Great video Evan! Loved the thoughts shared!

[@StephenMcLeod]

As somebody watching videos, I actually like seeing the bad or failed days, because it shows that not every single day or photograph is successful. It's the same with music. I would rather see folks' actual process - even if it isn't all that great - because it is authentic. That's one of the cool things about KZbin. If I wanted to see only perfection or completely polished, finished products, there are folio websites, or Instagram, or something else.

[@SteveShootsFilm]

I gotta say as an OG subscriber I do miss your walk around shots you made it was fun to watch your process a lot of the newer ppl out here don’t seem as authentic

[@just.keep.moving.]

Love the way you edited those winter shots!

[@HVRIS]

This video really validated how I feel about street photography at the moment and why I’ve stopped posting for awhile now. Thanks for making this this!

[@jolladevices]

2:23 Some year ago I put a Polaroid Cube HD above the SIGMA SD15 without knowing it was a tecnique 😆

[@fogtownrog]

Street photography quality is still available outside of KZbin- books, zines, museums, photographer websites, etc. personally I find most KZbin videos, other than instructional ones to be sensational and unartisic in a commercial way.

[@ChristianBoragine]

one of the best commentary on commodification of art I've heard recently

[@RealHouseMouse2]

What I learned from Kaiman is to bounce my flash off the wall. I still have the pieces of my first flash I tried this with

[@LillySchwartz]

Honestly, that’s strange logic. Street photography is a quantity art form in itself, because you’re dependent on serendipity. To get the decisive moment when it happens in front of you, your creative muscles have to stay exercised. That means going out even when it’s bound to be a bad photo day. And this was the case long before blogging and YT, it’s just that nobody showed those pictures in the 1950s. The bad pictures or even just the mediocre ones still happened though and every one of the greats went through the grind of mostly meh pictures. It doesn’t degrade quality when you just show more of your work than those artists who published only books or put on shows. So, no, YT hasn’t ruined street photography, it just shows the grind behind it. If you don’t think the grind is worth showing because the pictures aren’t good enough, that’s a whole other story but it has nothing to do with the quality of the art you produced in comparison to what the greats were doing back in the day. Your keeper rate is probably similar to theirs. Maybe a YT video isn’t going to be photobook quality, fine, but does it have to be? It’s just entertainment. By that standard photography youtubers should at most put out one highlight video a year 🤷‍♀️ And I’m saying that as someone who stopped posting street photography POV vids myself. For me the reason isn’t that I don’t like making those videos anymore. The videos itself are fun to make. The pandemic has absolutely ruined street photography for me though. In the west people like me were treated as expendable for profit (I’m risk group), so on a psychological level I’m just so done with wasting my time documenting human existence. Not worth it when the majority of people are like that 😒 I’d just end up producing morally repugnant work because I carry so much resentment these days and that colours the work I produce. I point my camera mostly at trees and landscapes now so that I don’t get a rage induced aneurysm while editing 😅 Who knows, maybe at some point I’ll get over it. By the way, I also told myself some story about artistic fulfilment in the beginning to explain why I wasn’t doing it anymore. I was lying to myself though because I didn’t want to face the reality that I probably need PTSD treatment after that whole virus apocalypse thing 😬

[@Opticalwander]

i think you're looking into it too deeply, but i'll indulge, taking how you feel about your own work and reflecting that onto other creators to some how enforce your opinion, if you're not happy or feel like by posting these types of videos it doesn't reflect your true capabilities change the content and continue, it doesn't mean anyone else who posts street photography videos are lowering the standard. Coming from someone who does these videos, i don't care about the final product all that much. I care about teaching, getting creators out and shooting. I enjoy it but i know it doesn't reflect my true capabilities, i show that through the client work i do and that's where i get validation. Not through views. Plus i don't live in the U.S so my ad sense is like $500 per month. hardly an incentive. It's important to express our own feelings without reflecting others in a bad way. I know you said this in the video but you seem to contradict yourself at the same time. i love your work, street and otherwise. i hope you continue. My closing point will be KZbinrs haven't ruined street photography. They've made it more accessible and those like yourself who have profited from it now see them getting less views - less profitable so you look for validation to pivot. You don't need that validation. it's You-tube. Do what you love dude.

[@johncarlan]

I actually love those 30min+ street photography videos. Not because every photo is a banger, but because I can throw it on in the background when working and watch some nice relaxing photography. Just throw some chill music over it and I would love a channel like that. Great background videos IMO.

[@NateRoberts]

I definitely understand and can agree with the point you’re making in terms of incentives of making the videos versus quality of the art. I think you did a great job of conveying the message as well. Great video!👏🏽👏🏽 HOWEVER, as someone who was heavily inspired and motivated to get into street photography from your videos, I think the value you provided to me was the insight into the process. I was one of those people who thought street photographers were out every day coming home with a roll full of hits. Your insights, advice, and vulnerability into the process allowed me to understand the struggle of capturing the “randomness” you described. It helped me understand that most photos I took would be bad and finding that one banger is rare and that’s the joy of street photography. I’ll of course miss those videos and would love to see a come back. But outside of the monetary/creative value I hope you see the benefit that you provided for me and others who will forever be thankful for your inspiration and vulnerability for the years you’ve been willing to share with us. You’re the GOAT in my book, wishing you brother but success bro❤️

[@RanftEvan]

I’m definitely not stopping street photos! I just want to identify the problem that comes with KZbin and making photography. I just want to be more aware and make sure the videos I post help/contribute

[@RandomThinker10]

I’m about half way through the video, but I just wanted to stop and say that I think you are a really talented street photographer! I love your images, it was nice to sit down and view your shots. I will always be a huge supporter of photography channels that actually feature PHOTOGRAPHY in their videos.

[@Dj.D25]

I guess it's not surprising that most of the street photography walk around videos I've seen, mainly of Los Angeles where I live close to, most of the photos don't impress me. Especially if the photographer chooses to focus more on architecture and they choose to photograph a bland looking building that has no real character to it. Or a street that doesn't stand out. They often seem to go for a minimalist style too. They often don't photograph people, or if they do, that person doesn't look or isn't really doing anything that interesting. Many of these street photographers seem to not be on the hunt for photos that stand out. They seem to be really casual and not know what makes a great street photo and don't seem aware of the street photography greats or experts.

[@urbanfinland1692]

I feel Instagram did this same thing to me as an amature photographer. I may not have had a financial incentive, but the social incentive made me feel like i needed to be posting everyday and that had a negative impact on how i approached an art form i genuinely love.

[@JPSRose]

"youtube kinda ruined street photography [because of the purely financial incentive], now before we continue on with this topic, I want to thank the sponsor on today's video, Squarespace". Couldn't make this shit up.

[@nomansarker5556]

Very cool perspective. I never really equated street photography videos to entertainment, more of a way to learn what goes on in a more experienced photographers head.

[@thelegendrubyrodd]

Every point you brought up is so accurate that it’s not even funny. Great video. Also Kai i think was the gateway for a lot of us.

[@certs743]

I can definitely see your point here but another way to look at it is this. You tube pulled back the curtain. Exposed the myth that the greats shot nothing but gold. The mediocre or even plain bad or small number of opportunities shows just how much work and trial and error goes into the craft. It blows up the myth that talent is all you need.

[@ralphberrett8485]

I have worked as a photojournalist since 1983. The big issue with KZbin is the audience views trends as laws. I will say this is the same for wedding photography. My favorite street photography myths is can't use a Nikon D5 with a zoom lense because to big.

[@kapturelab]

Thanks for mentioning Eric Kim. I knew him from Digial Rev. Was curious what happened him. He used to divide his subscribers with hia content and lack of direction on his channel..but his street photography game was second to none. The way he directed people even gettting two seperate strangers to become "friends/lovers" in photos was special

[@gianlucatorres7272]

I think there is a simple solution to this: Make a series of videos teaching what good photography is. At least with some basic standards. If now the masses can access to any photos, you can guide them to have tools to evaluate what a good photo is and how to evaluate a photo. Not just for the technical point of view but the subjectic value. Just an a idea

[@newtonsantos_photo963]

There is a huge abyss between "Photography in the Street" (where you are just passing by) and the real thing of "Photography of the Street" (or usually named Street Photography) where the mission is to get a unique creative image... that one moment that will last forever... touching our feelings & sensitivity... See ya, blue skies 🤙🏻🍀📸

[@77cats-2]

Every time a video had POV in the title, or 85mm, I knew to avoid it. The really useful videos to watch are those that can elevate your understanding of the photography (theory or techniques), or even pf yourself (what you like or try to achieve). Those are the channels that are good to watch and very complimentary to photo books.

[@tvariuness]

it's also hilarious to think that a youtuber thinks that street photography, something that has survived literal wars, has been killed off by youtube lmaooo foh!

[@DanScott1]

KZbinrs do videos about SP and we enjoy the process, the visual entertainment and tips, but they are not street photographers, certainly not in the sense of purity or achieving greatness, so can't ruin anything. We accept YT photography is mediocrity writ large for mass appeal and clicks.

[@meyers323]

This needed to be said if the art of street photography is going to be relevant into the future. The pretty pictures pay the bills but they don't leave a lasting impression.

[@jasongastelum1675]

I think you've got this wrong. Seeing a KZbin photographer pump out mediocre photos doesn't degrade the art form, it makes it real. It reveals that even an ostensibly great photographer still has to take dozens of photos to get a banger.

[@ThePurpleHarpoon]

The problem on youtube is, there are people getting praise galore for churning out mediocrity. They think they are the next Meyerowitz, but they are merely beginners with a camera and a YT channel.

[@SubiKinubi]

@@ThePurpleHarpoonthat’s right across social media

[@bobograndman]

​@ThePurpleHarpoon that's just real life dude. It happens for everything. People mediocre at something or put no effort into it will regularly get more praise than people who deserve it more.

[@ThePurpleHarpoon]

The thing is, usually, a person can tell if he/she is mediocre at his chosen craft. With these 'new wave' photographers, they actually believe they are outstanding in their field. Most are walking around with a Leica, taking shots that most people can do as well or better with a phone camera. I think much praise comes from those who lack an understanding of what is great about photography. The proof of the pudding is in the tasting, but if you haven't tasted pudding before, you can't really tell if you're eating the best pudding.... or the worst.

[@swimsterx]

I’ve always considered your street photography and videos to be way above par in the YT space!

[@cindyrosen8170]

Kai also has a fantastic personality! I watched his videos as much for him as for the content.

[@LightEngineer]

Nice video, Evan. One thing that people spend time and show bad days also help reaching one good photo as you mentioned. In the past, this stage was not seen by audiences but now it is.

[@kirillt6422]

And I wondered why all of a sudden I've lost my interest in street photography. Now I know why. And now I regained it. Thanks man!

[@jonberdanier640]

Your street photography videos are some of my favorites to watch which I’m editing. But I love the point you are making. Seems like you are asking people to hold art to a higher standard. Which I always appreciate.

[@juliette-mansour]

I never visit KZbinr street photography channels for the reasons you mention at 3:40 yet ironically, I didn't know you existed until today! All my street-related interactions are off the computer. I started The Atlanta Street Photography Group in 2009 and we don't post on social media either. This has helped us stay true to the genre, which is the goal of our small group. I feel protective of SP as a very personal process and artistic outlet. I guess it's a different vantage point entirely. Thank you for this!

[@RotterStudios]

If you're good (you can see things and are a visual artist) every day is a good photography day. If you are an artistic, there is nothing to worry about.

[@Komadcaptures]

Bro, Amazing video. I completely resonate with what you said and totally agree and have been trying to say this. social media is really lowering peoples standards of art

[@liz-p4f]

Thanks for the insight, much appreciated!

[@tonymonaghan5993]

Wow...beautifully articulated! That sums up what I have been trying to say for a long time in such a precise and eloquent way. Well done! By the way your shots are awesome!

[@richardrude2819]

I agree to an extent. You are absolutely right that the photos in weekly videos can't compete with the highlights of someone's work over years. However, and this is purely anecdotal because I can only speak for myself, I would argue that the appeal of those videos is less in the photos themselves and more in witnessing the process and learning from it. The somewhat "objective" perspective of the GoPro footage contrasted against the final photo illustrates what the photographer saw in the moment and how they think about composition and editing. Also I find it kinda comforting to see people's average photos as well as their great ones because it reinforces the idea that you have to take a whole lot of shots to get to that one magical shot

[@gregsimmons1709]

Yet another interesting video, thank you. I appreciate the brevity and directness of your videos. They always feel as if you’re acknowledging that the viewer might have a busy life so you’re always cutting out the fat. Nutritious viewing! Those here who enjoy and/or lament the POV photography videos might enjoy the Imitative Photography channel. He has taken the POV approach to an interesting level by introducing *intent* - in this case, recreating the style and approach of a famous photographer. Very educational.

[@JonnyRoams]

Refreshing video mate. Love hearing your perspective on this. Not a street photographer myself but have a great appreciation for the art of it.

[@nic.frasca]

Great video Evan. Very interesting thoughts. I just went to see a Salgado exhibition and even if it’s not street photography made me want to put more effort and work into creating a stronger “travel photo diary”. I also decided to shut down all social media and go back to only have a personal website. I’m only an amateur but I feel much more motivated now that I’m taking these types of commitments. Keep it up💪🏻

[@thegreatvanziniphotos5976]

Wow! What a great conversation. Never thought of it this way, but it all makes sense.

[@TommyNordpole]

Good video! Gave me some new perspective at my photo channel! This true the more you focus on making video the more your photography suffer...

[@CarlosCampuzano]

That's what makes me happy, capturing that one photo!!! But you would think we would go home after that, nope we keep on shooting!!!😂

[@dayfa1r]

I think another major problem with social media and art is that 90% of the people even looking at those tags are just other people trying to push their own content in that space. Eventually the trends go into making art for the sake of appealing to what is being pushed or what is successful in that trend, and you end up effectively making art for the expectations of other aspiring artists, vs art for the sake of art or something to be appreciated by anyone.

[@jotteria79]

The demand for 'process' videos skyrocketed with lockdowns, since it's a form of vicarious tourism.

[@w.harrison5295]

Kai really is the OG of KZbin street photography. I owe my interest in it in part to his channel. Regardless of what came of his content, I think a lot of people have him to thank for opening the world of photography to them.

[@fauzanazhima]

This is why the quote from Sean Tucker “Popularity does not necessarily signify mastery" really resonates with today's trend in street photography, especially on Instagram and youtube when mediocrity gets a lot of likes.

[@averageday]

I’m curious if you have a sample photo of the “good” and “bad” quality photo.

[@mikefoster6018]

I agree with you. There are wayyyy too many KZbinrs endorsing either boring, repetitive portraits shots of attractive people or boring, repetitive photos full of leading lines, symmetry and irrelevant subjects. I'm only learning, but I'm glad I've escaped from either of those two paths. I don't want every photo to be either an in-their-face shot of someone having a stressful day or a 'fishing' shot that looks like something from an architect's sketchbook.

[@film.fiasco]

Man, this is hands down the most down-to-earth review of the effects of KZbin on street photography I've ever seen, primarily how monetary incentives directly affect the quality/quantity ratio. For instance, before starting to use Insta, I was a casual user of Flickr (since 2015), and I just used it as a sort of public backup of my "keeper" photos and a way to share them with my friends. So this social network's effect on my work was virtually zero. However, since opening an Insta (late 2022) account to post my pictures, I found myself in a situation that I've never faced before, which was that people actually started to see my work, and I, unfortunately, started to care about the likes. Later, I got drawn by the "reel-rabbit-hole", which, as you might know, is most shown by the IG algorithm. Hence, as a result, I started to shoot way more in portrait mode, even when a landscape photo would be even better for a given situation. Additionally, I started posting the "not that good photos" too, spending a lot more time on my phone and taking fewer pictures. I was trapped in that behavior when something happened. My account was compromised somehow, and as a result, I got blocked by Insta. This particular event significantly impacted me, not because I couldn't post/like/comment/etc for a week (which is actually not that much), but mainly because it made me realize how posting on Insta affected how I approached photography. Suddenly I was faced with the question, am I doing this because of the likes or because I actually like taking photos? The answer was clear to me. I love taking pictures and spending half an hour composing a shot or waiting endless minutes for someone to cross the sweet spot on my frame. After that was clear to me, I started allocating much more long-term rewarding things like compiling the photos I've taken into small zines (and potentially a future photobook) and being more intentional with my pictures. In the end, all of that took me back to shooting film. The slower and more meditative process was this last piece I was missing here; it prevents me from rushing over to post (naturally, I have to go to the lab and wait two to three working days), and also, the thing is crazy expensive so I can only afford one roll a month, so every time I load my camera I fill the responsibility of having 36 keepers, but for own off-line projects that eventually will come up to the light, without the rush of feeling kicked out by an algorithm for not posting over a week or two. To conclude, I am still posting on insta at a much slower pace, and I will continue to do so, but at least now I feel much more conscious about why I am doing it.

[@victorparadise5878]

This video is doooope! Kai is the man. I’ve always liked your content and find it genuine and entertaining. I think the heard will go out and take some shots for a while but when the money and likes dry up or never pour in…there’ll be a lot of used x100v cameras available cheap.

[@sarahmae8991]

Great video, good conversation. Watering down the photography process to pump out content is most definitely a sign of the era we are in. As long as someone will like “art” without true substance, we will forever go down the road of quality being trumped by quantity. It is sad. However on the bright side, there are quite a few humans out there taking a real interest in shooting film and making real imagery. I have thought about making a vlog but I don’t think that I have the mental capacity to figure out what to record weekly and struggle with the demons in my head telling me that I suck and no one gives a shit about my process, thoughts, or opinions. Ha! That and I put too many expectations on myself. 🙃 Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, it is appreciated.

[@RossPower7]

I've recently found Trevor Wisecups work and he has given me inspiration to go out there and be a menace with my camera and to get into those uncomfortable situations because in those you'll learn a lot about the world and yourself. Throughout my time of photography/ videography I've learnt that gear is the last thing to worry about, there are some phone photographers that create more interesting images than mine and there's some people with cameras I can't afford that take photos which make me feel nothing

[@atharvapandhare3206]

I think the points you bring up are true, but the value of art is in the eyes of the viewer. I am starting street photography and recently deleted all my edits because they were edited on a bad monitor. But I sifted through all my 6000+ photos to only really like 220 ish. That was kinda humbling, I think over time I have come to realize that this art isn't about the sharpest image or the flashiest colors, but instead about putting a smile on your face and realizing the nuances of life that are only visible through ths lens of a camera

[@henkhenk4357]

You are right, far too many junk on yt. It is just amazing how the real masters(HC, Winogrand,...) can capture emotion, drama and impact in their pictures. To be honest did not find any of that in the pictures presented in this video.

[@marconophotographer]

I don’t get why street photography just as a POV Video isnt good enough? Im not good enough to say it well in english. Instead of blaming me, you and others i would like to see a Video „how“ it should be? I would say people have enough from what you are saying „normal“ Videos with „high quality“. Also here would be livestream or a podcast with these people included for a discusion very interesting. Good thoughts from you ✌🏼

[@NintendoPlayBox360]

Wow! I am happy to see I am not the only one. I got into photography via DR TV and my interest in street photography can be entirely attributed to Kai.

[@mortenthorpe]

3 best tools for street photography- practice, tenacity, and a small capable camera- Ricoh GR or Fuji X100 series are tops

[@lesterlefton7895]

indeed. many KZbinrs are personalities, not very good or thoughtful photographers.there are exceptions to be sure.

[@colinforber8504]

I love videos like this and would love more. I've been feeling like a lot of social media street photography is homogenising, becoming more of the same for various reasons, and real thoughtful pieces looking at why and how we approach photography, like this, are gold.

[@JasonLawrenceNoel]

Hey bro really loved the video thanks for the thoughts and insight 😎

[@Justaperson717]

The problem is that many of KZbinrs have little understanding of what Street Photography really is.

[@Skux720]

And I bet you do lol

[@heyy1829]

can you name some of the bad ones, so far all ive seen on here do make really fascinating art 🤔

[@Justaperson717]

@@heyy1829 North Borders, Semyon Rezcnikov, Pat Kay, Samuel Basset. They use the term "Street Photography" in their videos, which have nothing to do with street photography. There are hundreds of KZbinrs like them, who use telephoto lenses, shooting streets, and people from the distance, and this is not called Street Photography. Best case scenario, we can call it "Urban Photography".

[@heyy1829]

@@Justaperson717 ok thanks yeah i see what you mean, its more like "urban landscape/architecture" or "street style portraits" (rezcnikov), not documenting moments of city life like the OG "street photographers". I agree this gets confusing if they just all lump themselves together in the same category 😅

[@josephlai1078]

First of all, great video. It is what it is. Most people are looking at YT as a mean of financial income. I think especially during COVID, when a lot of people were out of work or working from home, which made becoming a YTR possible. Lately, I've also seen a lot of inactive accounts. Either the channel owners gave up (on not achieving impressive subscribers and views) or its back to day job and OT.

[@jamiecurrie4590]

You can also just go out and take street photographs and not be obsessed with likes and creating content. Then you can be happy with the one keeper you get.

[@uneek1neo1ne19]

do a part 2 on this subject, i really enjoyed listen too it

[@wearetrackclub]

Really interesting perspective! You've got some solid points in here that have me thinking more about the relationship between art and content creation 🤔

[@my_obscure_epoch9346]

A different perspective from someone who’s been into street photography for many years. KZbin street photographers didn’t reduce the standard of what I considered good street photographs. Although, that may well have been the case for people newly interested in the genre. I was always well aware that your (and others) photos were mostly rubbish, even the ones you thought were good at the time. What I enjoyed about those videos, what attracted me to this channel in the very early days, and what I miss now; is watching you develop as a street photographer over time. Your journey has always been the enjoyment for me. Best regards.

[@MamboFerido]

As a creator myself I am guilty as well as I agree with you, Evan. But we also have to see that these youtubers are also inspiring more people to do street photography and I take that as a win. The only youtuber that I watched making amazing set of photos in his every video is Dante Sisofo but something weirdly changed in his videos this past months.

[@balthorpayne]

Funny enough, Kaiman Wong and his digital rev days (shout out to Lok and Alamby) absolutely got me into street photography. I was running around with a Nikon D3300 and wanted something smaller and found the beautiful Finepix x100...which led to Kai reviews, which led to a subscription, and led to testing a bunch of the ideas they used just to have fun. The rest of the video was good so no further comments, but Kai absolutely unlocked that passion in me.

[@herbertandrewdutton]

Thanks! Enjoyed this video very much!

[@reviewerscorner1313]

As a KZbinr and street photographer I understand your point about quality but I also believe that there are still some great works being created even when making a video for KZbin. For myself I still don’t want to share an image just because I have a video to finish . Most work in the video are actual photos that I would share .

[@pictorest]

Sorry, should have watched it to the end, your argumentation is sustainable and comprehensive. Obviously a filmed abstract of one photo walk can't keep up with years of work and most content shown isn't top of the line, but how could it be in this fast paced environment? Anyway, great point...thanks 👌

[@joekmorals]

Wow! This video is amazing, chat is there a video explaining ho to get cinematic colors?

[@kennygo8300]

I really like to shoot on the street. The process of making videos would ruin the experience for me. Taking all the shots, and then making a video featuring them, post pleasurable walk... would be my preferred method. Then again... I'm far too lazy to do such a thing. Respect to you and many others for entertaining me. It's appreciated.

[@ChrisFreitag]

I really feel this. I find trying to document what I’m doing takes my quality down while simultaneously increasing my anxiety. I don’t know where my channel might go from here but I find that to be unacceptable. Photography was cathartic. KZbin made it chaotic.

[@kawaii.loves.Bearss]

I'd argue that showcasing the whole process (even if a lot of the end products aren''t very high quality) can be a great resource for people starting out shooting street and just for regular photographers. Showing off the process and even showing the bad photos can give a grounded depiction of the street genre. Something people don't mention enough is that when it comes to photgraphy (especially street) not every photo will be great, and it can be really demoralizing to see how good everyone else in comparison to you, and how they seemingly always. So showcasing the 'failures' in photgraphy can give perspective as to how shooting usually is, not every day will be a good photography day. Showing off the 'bad photos' doesn't nessecarily contribute to lessening the artform, although the purpose of why the videos are being made may indeed be simply for content purposes, but I don't believe this is an all around harmful concept or something that's 'ruining street photography'.