How to find your style in street photography

In this video, we look at five things you can do to find and develop a style of street photography which defines you as a photographer.
2023 STREET PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS
jeffascough.com/street-photog...
Our Amazon Affiliate links to the books shown in the video:
Garry Winogrand - The Game Of Photography
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Jeanloup Sieff - 40 Years Of Photography
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Don McCullin
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You can't get these two books on Amazon, but you can still get them from the publishers.
Markus Andersen - Rage Against The Light
www.tgpublishing.com.au/our-b...
Daido Moriyama - Record No.43
www.akionagasawa.com/en/shop/...
photobookstore.co.uk/products...
www.abebooks.co.uk/signed-fir...
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:41 Inspiration
04:01 Personality
06:38 Stay Local
08:22 The Problem With Instagram
10:56 A Second Opinion
Jeff Website: jeffascough.com
Sarah Website: sarahascough.com
Instagram: / walklikealice

[@user-bv2zi2sq1w]

At 64 and beginning this stage of my life, I have picked up a camera again and been searching for helpful information to bring my creativity back to the surface again. As I watched this video, I caught myself moving my head up and down in agreement, knowing that I felt that I might actually be on the right track. As I was beginning to question my work and focusing more on my limitations rather than intuitions and inspirations, this video has been an eye opener and a revitalization of my quest to take my photography as far as I can go. I can't thank you enough.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thanks so much for your kind words. We are glad you found the video so useful 🙏🙏

[@richardowen4558]

The only "likes" I shoot for is my own like. If I like it, that is all that matter. I used to be on flickr and got my share of likes but I discover several years ago that it did not make any difference to me so I left ALL social media because I found it more disappointing that anyone could spout off either positive or negative without looking at the person. Now I do have a blog that gets virtually ZERO visits but I don't care because I am doing it for me and that is all that matters. I have even published eight different books on a variety of themes over the last few years that I have printed one copy for my own collection that my kids will have to fight over.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Well said, Richard. Any creative endeavour has to be please us as individuals first. Otherwise, what’s the point?

[@jamesmeade78]

Solid advice dished out here. Cheers.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thank you

[@teacherdude]

Thank you for making this video, Don McCullin in a major influence on my photography.. I do think copying shamelessly from people whose work we appreciate is a great starting place. However, then you have to move on till you find your own worldview.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

I think a lot of wasted energy is spent trying to achieve something which is unattainable. We are all individuals and even our differences in height and physicality make it difficult to copy others. So, my reasoning is that you can take what you like from someone’s work and put that into your own work rather than just copying someone else verbatim. Which a lot of photographers do.

[@aprilroselilleyman]

Everything you say is so spot on and full of wisdom! I'm so happy to have found your channel, it's great to hear and learn from people with experience and knowledge!

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thank you for watching. Glad you found us too!!

[@richardsimms251]

Excellent video. Very educational. Thank you. RS. Canada

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thank you

[@ChristopheCousinOSS117]

Brilliant !...so much inspiring...Thanks from France :-)

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thank very much 🙏🙏

[@its_a_street_thing]

Interesting you mention dyslexia. I am autistic and bipolar. I feel like I have many different personalities, so I find it difficult to find my style..but I am working on it.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

The many different personalities is what makes you unique. My daughter’s boyfriend and her best friend have Asperger’s. Their personalities are amazing. Unique.

[@kevinbeacham1768]

I’m not sure I’d say I have a style, although I may get a second opinion of that now. For me adding everyday in social media just became an exercise that took me away from the reason I take the images for in the first place and that was enjoyment. Now I edit all the pictures I’ve taken at the end of each month and put them into a video journal and share that. I’ve made a website and everything points that way. It works for me 😊

[@WalkLikeAlice]

I think social media has that affect on a lot people. I’ve seen good mates who are exceptional photographers post stuff which I know in a months time they won’t like. Just because of the relentless nature of social media.

[@DPImageCapturing]

Hi Jeff, I actually just stopped IG, I shoot for myself 1st & no one else and I totally agree that it doesn’t matter about likes. Yours & Alex Kibbe’s videos are really inspirational, I just wanted to let you know that sir, CHEERS!

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thank you. That’s very kind of you to say so.

[@TryingtoLearntheuke]

I really appreciate your videos. I enjoy them and learn something from all of them.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thank you so much for watching. We really appreciate it.

[@amazingreviews876]

So Happy I Found You! San Diego Newbee.

[@adambaileyshow361]

All very good advice - thanks for sharing

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Glad it was helpful!

[@developingtank]

Been going in on your stuff lately. Love to see it/keep it coming!

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thank you

[@Reverend-Insanity9]

Nice video

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thank you

[@pjmimages]

Thank you. A thought-provoking video accompanied with some striking images.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thank you, Paul. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@GreenlifeFin]

Great and inspiring talk and photos.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thanks for watching!!

[@jasongold6751]

I was lucky! I had a style almost immediately. I began seious photography with a Pentax and a 105mm lens. It made for tighter framing, less for me, then, was more! Film of course! Self developed. HCB was my 1st book! The thin one! The Leica came later, not our of choice. 4x5 was begun and abandoned for Medium format, a disaster, the camera was rubbish. Exchanged for a new Leica M3,50mm Sumicon, meter. It was expensive! Now 57 years later, the cost of no consequence. Wide angles were rare and expensive! Soon a 35mm and a 28mm joined the SLR. Leica was always minmal equipment. Bravo! Inluenced not Copy.

[@streetphotographyguy]

Thank you for the great tips and advice!

[@WalkLikeAlice]

You are very welcome

[@ajblitzstein7628]

Great advise…very timely to my journey. I recently joined a community camera club and their input has been invaluable!

[@petertaranscorsese2900]

Great advice!

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thank you. Glad you found it useful.

[@user-oq1we2sh8r]

Excellent tutorial

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thank you

[@jonh3145]

Thanks for that, as a novice, getting some direction and structure is really useful.. great food for thought. #nosmilesrequired

[@nikonrulz]

Good video.

[@alx7157]

Breath of fresh air vid, fam. The Killing Joke record cover is one of my all time faves...and the tunes ain't too bad either. B & W photography and R 'n R were made for each other. They rule my life. Thanks.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

🙏🙏

[@francoisfloquetorsi3534]

Thank you. Good and useful video. Great pictures, I like very much the one at 6:30 minutes. Regards.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thank you 🙏

[@agungwidjaya1258]

Thank you from Indonesia

[@WalkLikeAlice]

🙏

[@JackdCoward]

Great insight, and you can't go wrong with an instagram banger 😂 every time I go back and look at past photos, my mind changes on what I like and dislike on them.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

That’s normal for most of us. 🙂

[@JackdCoward]

@WalkLikeAlice I think that's great, though, because it shows growth in our own work. Both of your photos are fantastic and they will certainly inspire me without copying 🤣

[@KevinGaeke]

Great video especially about social media. I do use Flickr and post for myself. If someone else like my work - bonus.

[@AManWhoWasntThere]

You're just gonna casually drop the fact that you taught Sir Don McCullin about digital photography? What a legend!

[@WalkLikeAlice]

It was more to do with how life tends to be connected in some way. I was Influenced by someone subconsciously, way before I even picked up a camera, then many years later I got to spend a week living with and teaching that person. To anyone outside of photography it’s just an old guy wanting to learn new stuff from a younger guy which is something that happens every day!! No big deal.

[@kevinmoore49]

Great video and it's true that it's easier to copy than find your own style. I'm pretty new to street photography so I have no particular style but I absolutely love walking around London with my camera. Great taste in music too I'm a massive Killing Joke fan and love the first album too 👍

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thank you

[@ElevatedThreat]

I really, really enjoy your videos. I learn something from each one. It's rare to find a photographer with "the eye", but it's extremely rare to find a couple where both of them have "the eye". You and Sarah have this.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thank you. That’s very kind of you to say so.

[@wylie_photo]

Great video again, Jeff. I started photography back in the early 90s when it was all about books, magazines like practical photography, and (occasional) exhibitions. Photography was much less saturated than it is now, but what I did see was work by Salgado, McCullin, Eugene Smith, Claridge, Carlos-Clarke, etc. I really like how the internet has made photography much more accessible, but I can't help but think that the overall quality is much poorer and mundane nowadays. I tend to buy a lot of Photobooks to get to the work that I enjoy. Just my reflection on your comment about Instagram and the images that are posted there!

[@WalkLikeAlice]

I think the saturation comes from phone based photography. The ability to document everything we do without cost and have a platform to post it to gives the impression that everyone is a photographer. For decades, people just had prints made and they were kept in boxes. They weren’t ever shown publicly. All I know is that at one time, Canon made more money from compact cameras than they did pro SLRs. I don’t think there are necessarily more “photographers” out there. It just feels that way because everyone is able to show off what they’ve shot.

[@iaincphotography6051]

I often wonder if people's style changes with their mood or even the weather. Good to see Helmut Newton on your shelf Jeff.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Oh I think if you are a miserable sod, it doesn’t matter what the weather is doing!! Seriously though, I think if you live where we do, the weather does play an important role in the development of our style. I’ve got a couple of books by Newton. Hangover from my portrait days!!

[@TheUrbandilema]

Awesome work still working on the still I like candid shots although some times ppl just give a look 😂lol but I love Street photography as a hobby and how u say a creative output..I need to be creative or I will go crazy 😂

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Some say we must be crazy to shoot street!! Thanks for the comment.

[@tulasnaps]

Lovely video. I think it really depends on your hometown tho. You can practice practically anywhere sure but comparing someone shooting in their hometown of Tokyo doesn’t even compare to 90% of the rest of the world where street photography opportunities aren’t there or considerably less. It’s a conversation we could banter about back and forth similar to does gear really matter. Instagram or social media tip was spot on 👌🏾

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@derrenleepoole]

Absolutely spot on four number 4. I gave up on social media, or more specifically, chasing the algorithm some time ago. It’s incredibly time wasting and I’d rather be out shooting. I’m not a ‘street photographer’ in the traditional sense, but do I feel I work like one when I’m out shooting gigs. I hunt images at concerts or festivals or events and I’m drawn more to the audience members moreso the bands. Those little unguarded moments when someone is in their own headspace enjoying the live music. I would also add, get to know your equipment inside out so it’s an extension of your work routine. That makes a massive difference.

[@Phil.Austin]

agreed Derren!!! As a newly to this lark, I'm always bewildered why some many great photos

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Yes. Absolutely. The more you know your gear, the less important it becomes in the picture taking process

[@derrenleepoole]

@@WalkLikeAlice I’m so glad you mentioned the album artwork. Vinyl artwork is so visually inspiring. Shame it’s not really a thing now. Godflesh had a huge influence on me visually.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

@@derrenleepoole vinyl is coming back so it will be interesting to see the artwork again. Metallica have just bought a vinyl pressing factory. Jack White owns one too. This will be a trend I think.

[@user-vs1ui5on2s]

My fiancé asked why I never post or share my photos. I never really thought about it but I think subconsciously, this was my reason.

[@duanemcclun9924]

Another very helpful video lesson on street photography!! I'm curious what camera do you use for your street photography? Best of luck in your photography journey! Best Duane

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thank you. Leica M Monochrom.

[@smkunder1]

Interesting video, I am just being drawn to street photography at the age of 69, very thought provoking!

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thanks for watching. Street can be very rewarding. I was shooting street with Don McCullin when he was 76!! There is no age limit.

[@AustenGoldsmithPhotography]

I love that album I bought a bondage jacket from BOY in London and wrote killing joke on it with tip ex . Unfortunately I missed out an L . I proudly showed my mates and the ptsl 😂

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Tip-Ex 😂 It got worse when we discovered those marker pens which you could set with an iron. Denim jackets were never safe again 😂

[@AustenGoldsmithPhotography]

@@WalkLikeAlice listening to KJ now thanks to you , eighties . My fave

[@WalkLikeAlice]

@@AustenGoldsmithPhotography Don't blame me!! A few years ago, Sarah bought me a new guitar for our anniversary. I already owned a few guitars but I saw this blonde, hollow body Gretsch in the guitar shop and I was taken back to seeing KJ on The Tube and Geordie Walker's Blonde Gibson ES-295 and thinking how f*cking cool it looked. Billy Duffy always had a white Falcon. So, I bought it. Mid-life crisis. Right there!!

[@DA-yd2ny]

Just discovered your channel and love this post, especially what you had to say about Instagram. Unfortunately most camera clubs focus 95% on competition which to me is like a local Instagram. Ideally would be finding a club where going out shooting together once a week and have a comp once a month?

[@WalkLikeAlice]

The problem with photography is that everything is subjective. In my experience, competitions become the epitome of having an opinion. Who really has the right to say one photo is better than another? And if someone does, they should explain the reasoning otherwise the whole process is pointless.

[@Notmy00000]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@franknurnberger1102]

Agree with almost everything in your splendid video. Not so sure about the bit where you advise not to copy other photographers. That is - for a start completely against the ancient traditions in China and Europe. When you were an apprentice in a master's workshop, you learned by copying your master's work for a couple of years, taking more responsibility for parts of a painting, for instance, the better you got. The very best disciples however began to develop their own styles and sometime set up their own shops. In the long run, that is true, is doesn't help to become a second rate copy of someone else. In the short run, however, there is so much to be learnt by studying and to copying a true master. If you are a creative person, there is no risk of staying with that for too long anyways. You will deviate and have learned quit a bit from some somebody else.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

I don’t believe ancient china had photographers, Frank. 🤪

[@franknurnberger1102]

​@@WalkLikeAlice I didn't know that. Thanks for letting me know, Master Jeff.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

@@franknurnberger1102 Haha. Seriously though, photography isn’t painting or sculpting. There isn’t a requirement to learn techniques in order to master the craft as there is in painting. So, yes, I agree in other art forms, learning to copy is advantageous. In photography it’s more about influence and learning to see. But that’s just my opinion and it is just an opinion.

[@ce2513]

you're exactly right about IG. i had to leave because i was shooting and posting for likes. worse i saw what instagram had done to photography and could no longer participate in it. my well being greatly improved after i stopped competing and comparing. but i do often wonder, now, what the point is of shooting if no one sees your work. i know that sounds dramatic. i shoot for me first and foremost because i enjoy the process. but part of me misses the accessibility to a wider audience.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

I play guitar, I’m passionate about it but nobody ever hears me play. I do it because it soothes a part of my soul. It challenges me too. Gives me another creative interest. Photography is the same for many people. You don’t have to have a creative outlet, the process alone is often enough.

[@Suep1]

VSCO is nice for sharing without likes

[@user-vl9zx6kl5j]

I know this video is now 1 year old but I recently heard a pretty popular youtuber and commercial photographer, you might know him, he's from your neck of the woods, saying that the reason why your photos aren't getting likes is that you're a crap photographer, and while this may be true, generally what I find is that if your work doesn't look like most other people's work then it must be rubbish, which goes to the point that most people don't like anything out of the ordinary, as most on Instagram have no idea what good or even exceptional work looks like, being fed a daily dose of the mundane. Just my take on things on social media.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

There is so much that’s wrong with that KZbinr’s statement. Likes has nothing to do with the quality of photography. It has everything to do with algorithms, the platform which the photo is viewed on, and how visually literate the audience is. For me, and I don’t know who it is, this KZbinr doesn’t really know what they are talking about.

[@markchan5516]

Sometimes it takes more effort to remove the stigma that your hometown photos are not good enough and you have to travel to other places to be creative. Tokyo seems to be the holy grail for street photography for some reason 😂

[@WalkLikeAlice]

I’m not surprised though. Moriyama put Tokyo on the map as street destination. Photographers like Tatsuo Suzuki are still doing incredible work there. To my western eyes, Tokyo is unlike anything we have in Europe. Exotic, dark, abstract, exciting. But the best work is by the people that live and shoot there. It’s always the way.

[@izzyleicanut9190]

Not sure of my style, can’t put a finger on it. Probably a combination of HCB and Salgado. A juxtaposition of people, emotions, geometry and contradictions

[@ChristineWilsonPhotography]

Insta is a good place for people to find you, thats all.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Exactly. And to see videos of people with cute dogs!! Don’t forget those. 🤪

[@josebrivera1716]

Instagram is really a phone camera platform. I don’t understand DSLR photographers using Instagram.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

It was a photo sharing platform. Most of the top photographers in the world have an Instagram account. Today it’s very different, but many still post there.

[@belaacs5238]

1% of photographers are chosen by photography, and the rest 99% choose photography. That 1% take the most meaningful images and the rest 99% take mostly meaningless images but get the most likes that the 1% would deserve. In your case, you got 7.53K subs watched by photographers and who have millions of subs, watched by influencers, Tik-Tok and Insta people try to copy the 1%, but not much success. I'm always the "less is more" kind of guy but sadly I belong to the 99%.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

I think that the less visually literate someone is, the more they will seek out photographs that are easy to understand but aren’t necessarily good. I’ve always felt someone like Steve McCurry is so universally popular because his images are easy to understand by a lot of people. A photographer like Josef Koudelka is less easy to understand to those without an eye, and so is less popular even though, in my opinion, he’s a far superior photographer to McCurry.

[@belaacs5238]

@@WalkLikeAlice Everything is subjective in art. McCurry have lots of images what we call "a picture is worth a thousand word". I don't see any of Koudelka pictures. You won't like this but I think your wife has a much better photographic vision than yours but yours are not bad either.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

@@belaacs5238 Subjectivity in Art is based on a lot of things. Culture, experience, visual literacy, and talent are some. For me, McCurry is someone who has a nice style, it's easy on the eye, there are some of his images which are staged and a lot of them have very little to do with the subject he is photographing. This is fine. His commercial success as a photographer is testament to his popularity. For me, he is the Jack Vettriano of photography. He hasn't done anything different in terms of photography for 30 years. Koudelka is a photographer's photographer. He's not afraid to push the boundaries, to do things that people don't expect from him. He is not commercially minded and therefore doesn't shoot for anyone other than himself. Whether you like his work or not, is largely irrelevant, because he won't care if you do or don't. That is why he is who he is and is held in such high regard by other photographers. As for Sarah having a much better photographic vision than me, she always has had. That's nothing new!!

[@user-nh1bs4rj9g]

Assimilating your philosophy. It is still not too late for me even at 67

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Don McCullin was 76 when he discovered digital photography. It’s never too late.

[@akiraryuu2499]

Instagram is sucks now to view photographers work since they trying to be Tiktok spaming with reels.

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Agree. They went through a phase of not doing that but I guess they changed their mind.

[@Alfonsden]

Brilliant band Killing Joke you have great tast in music. Thanks for the tips and opening a new channel of thought for starting a new journey . 👍🏼📷 @dennisramonestreet

[@WalkLikeAlice]

Thanks for your comments. I’m glad you are enjoying the channel!! My music taste has changed somewhat. I guess it’s far more eclectic but I did spend an entire day listening to The Fall while editing last week. I remember seeing them around ‘83.