My First Street Photography Session - What I Learned

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MICAEL's OLYMPUS MACRO KIT
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[@POVwithRC]

Welcome. I advise you to seek out environments where such photography is tacitly approved. I started at street festivals and car shows and the like. Such environments help you to concentrate on the photography without worrying about the potential for confrontation. Do that for a few months and you'll eventually carry it into the real world. Telephoto lenses work too 😏

[@MicaelWidell]

Thanks. I feel that what I need to practice the most right now is daring to shoot in a street environment, so I think I will just jump straight into that.

[@StarrysLostandFound]

Interesting transitional video. Street photography isn’t easy.

[@PutitoCorner]

When I was still in the university a couple of years back, I was able to join a street photography workshop facilitated by Luis Liwanag, one of the renowned visual journalists here in the Philippines. Back then, we did our photowalk in the busy streets of Manila-from the sprawling parks, busy streets of the China Town, to the cramped alleyways of impoverished communities. One important thing I picked up from the experience was that as a street photographer, you have learn how to blend in. And that can be achieved by not acting like a sore thumb among the crowd; be friendly, put on a smile, engage your subjects when possible. That way, your subjects will be less apprehensive and suspicious. Time spent on location before taking photos also helps build familiarity and confidence, both for you and the community. While I was hesitating to even bring up the camera for a shot, there he was fluidly walking about with his camera always primed for the shot. It was a great learning experience for me, and I carried those learnings in the years that followed. Listening to your story reminded me of my early days in photography, and how each genre can be very distinct yet similar at the same time. I do miss a bit your macro photography content, but this new venture of yours is still a welcome development. For all we know, you just might find a way to incorporate macro photography in your later videos. After all, the city is an urban jungle. Cheers.

[@BelaAcs-m6r]

Don't worry about "crappy" street pictures, 99% of pictures are meaningless, pointless images on SM, including mine's too and I've been doing it for over 40 years. Look at the old "masters or legends", they took millions of images and only show their best of 50 or so.

[@Lon1an]

Vad kul att få se och följa detta om du nu går all in. :) Har du tänkt att pröva svartvitt Street fotagraphy? Tänker att det kanske blir lättare att få till. :)

[@MicaelWidell]

Jag är mer en färg-människa så jag tror jag kommer köra mest färg :)

[@stephenhunt7655]

I love your macro video's I learned a lot from them. I'm looking forward to seeing your journey progress in street photography also.

[@Happyviews82]

I love all of your videos and I’m so ready to see more of the photos you take. I do macro, street, wildlife and portraits so I never get bored of one styles cause I can always try something else if I’m not feeling whatever im doing atm

[@FrankEmil007]

Bra video! Streetphotography er gøy! Lykke til!

[@disjenmgn]

You've got a lot to learn about Street photography. Bored of macro???? You should have improved your self in macro to PERFECTION, that should be your new challenge, not Street photography 😢 Good luck Micael!

[@MicaelWidell]

Life is too short to do things that don't feel exciting

[@TheRealRichardWong]

Street photography can be really addictive!! Great video Micael! 🎉

[@somegeezer]

Great to see you take on another genre. I was one voice hoping you would. I think an important mindset to find yourself in, is that you don't have to only focus on a single genre, either. Great that you want to dive in and make the most of it, whilst it's caught your inspiration. But that can always fade. It's good to have other things you can move your mind to, even just as a break. Maybe you'll find yourself doing macro again some day. Maybe you'll be inspired to make studio portraits another day. Perhaps even things outside of photography. I have seen Axling's IG suggested to me a few times, too. Love the look he has. Especially enjoy where his street meets portraiture. One of my own goals to be able to get that close more confidently. I dabble in street very rarely. But maybe in time, I will also have enough positive experiences to find myself where I want to be.

[@donnelson4140]

Stealing souls. In forty-five years of photography I’ve only done that once…for a class. I admire your courage.

[@EricFernandezMTB]

keep doing street photography by time you will be more confident. Is part of the process.

[@pk_fauxtaux]

So many interesting thoughts in this video. After two years of photography, and having been inspired by street photographers from the beginning, I'm starting to feel like one myself. It took me some time to feel comfortable enough to fully embrace street photography, buying recently the Ricoh GRiiiX definitely made it easier. Everything you say about observing people is true, and as you mention, it feels satisfying by the end of the day. I also really like F. Axling’s work - his photos are truly timeless. As for feedback on your pictures, I think some of them are quite good already, but with a bit more color grading, they could stand out even more, in my opinion. Regarding the light pole at 15:00, I disagree with your take. I think it creates a nice color repetition and adds a 3D effect. Even more, as a Parisian, it evokes a 20th-century Paris vibe in a completely different setting, making the image both intriguing and somewhat humorous.

[@ernestthomas9406]

no worries, every image can't be a banger its just part of the game. The grandfather of street photography Henery Cartier Bresson said your first 10,000.00 images will suck, don't take it literally it basically means keep at it!

[@amberhawke]

I really like the first photo at 10:53 the man with his phone and the birds tells a story, which good photographs do. Since you mentioned Walk Like Alice, he pretty much always "shoots from the hip". This is a technique that does take practice, as you never know what you'll get. In my entry level art photography class, our instructor had us do this kind of shooting, and the goal was to see what you saw vs what the camera saw. Most of the photos did not turn out, but some had some cool, unexpected compositions. I liked what turned out, so I continued to try this technique, and slowly I was able to get the camera to see what I wanted. His wife, however, is a social person and engages people first, then shoots with the camera to her eye. But both of those styles require a wider angle lens, roughly a 28mm lens on a full-frame.

[@w0lfyovi294]

I know the feeling, I have severe anxiety of people and street photography is one of the most difficult genres to do but I still love doing it, I just don't do it very often. Luckily I am a very curious photographer and there are so many other types of photography that I love doing that I don't get fixated on just one for long enough to get bored. I love astrophotography, landscapes, light painting, macro, wildlife, birding, street photography, architecture, portraits, pets, sports.

[@archereegmb8032]

Welcome to the streets. Because of your discomfort, and because opportunities come and go so quickly in the street, my top tip would be to start with a long lens, and shoot things from further away. Aim at an interesting scene, and let the interesting people walk through it. This give you time to compose your shot, and prepare for your subject people when they arrive at the right place. You can also shoot normally, rather than like a spy. Best of luck :)

[@tadc]

I'm vary happy to hear you seem to be finding new passion in photography. I must admit I felt sad for you giving up on macro photography. It was like if you have lost something close to you. So, I'm glad that you might have found new happiness in snappiness. 🙂

[@cameraprepper7938]

Nice to see you still do photography. For 45 years I have never been tired of doing photography, maybe because I haven´t thought of photography as genres, but only as photography, I have always done "street" photography, to never thought of it as a genre and I have never only done one kind of photography, I like nearly of sorts of photography, so every time I grab my Camera and go out, it is just as exiting as 45 years ago !

[@luzr6613]

Good vid. I particularly liked the third photo - what that had for me was great geometry, with three clear arcs sweeping from the right to beyond the corner intruding on the left. They made me wonder at their convergence point and at how the person in the scene was engaging with that point. I also liked the 'only birds shot' because it was hilarious that, as with the eyes of people you secretly shot, that bird in the foreground had also busted you in the moment. Anyway... you have my sympathy. I rarely shoot on the street and it's usually a struggle - for all the same reasons that you mention. One thing i do sometimes is to set up my camera for a scene - have it propped on some stable surface or hold it in the most 'i'm not using it' way - zone focus it - and do everything else via my phone while looking in a different direction: that's my 100% stress-free method. Carry on and have a good one. Cheers.

[@kariossyr6018]

Good as a start, it will take time to apply your already fine sense in this new field. Good luck I liked the man with umbrella too, only if that light ball was back about two steps!

[@ferossan]

I think it's a great start. Street photography is super interesting and full of possibilities. Don't forget comfortable shoes and some coins for coffee. Don't get disappointed if you come home and there's no photo you like; that's the most common thing. The important part is to enjoy it.

[@labatalain9914]

hello i feel the same feelings as you for street photography, but your analysis is judicious. your photos are successful with a beautiful atmosphere, good continuation in street photography @+

[@macgurrl]

Thank you sharing your photos. I hope you can enjoy this new adventure.

[@EnriqueFromKentucky]

Looking forward to seeing your street photography videos!

[@My.Own.Flashlight]

i need to watch this tomorrow, it’s bedtime here… excited tl watch tomorrow🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@d.k.1394]

I still love taking macro

[@martinabowm1786]

I felt very much the same taking pics from people I have never met before. Today I tend to use my biggest and longest lens on my fx-nikon so everybody can see me from far. I then stand in the middle of an area with loads of people criss- crossing or sitting outside a restaurant, always fiddling with my camera, hold the camera to my eye, turning, diff angles, moving around all within of my 1-2m2 (I call this my warm-up phase). I take pictures from all possible things during my "warm-up" phase. Doing this for 10-15 Minutes not only am I feeling settled and know my surroundings, but now most people "don't" see me anymore and if, they only see a guy with a camera taking pictures from people to buildings, a pigeon, a passing dog , whatever etc. They now count me in the safe area they see/know.. Now I can start taking pictures from people by also just moving around a little, stroke a dog, have a chat, get an Ice-cream etc. But: I am always around my 2 square meters I started in. Within a short time people will also come up to you for a chat. In addition to that I wear my rucksack with a small camera on top. This camera is installed in a way that it takes a pic every 30s from what is happening behind me. This way I achieve a lot of "uncontrolled" pics. There are days where the camera makes more usable pictures than I do myself. Sometimes saves my day! I like how you were working with rain, not many do that! Good contrast-work! Get used to using Serial pics, create 4-6 pics in Series - sometimes gives you a completely different result to what you were thinking and hoping for! I like your style, you are a friendly, open person, so standing in a pulk of people as I described should be easy for you because you as person reflect friendly, good vibes! You will be surprised how quickly people will open up or just have a chat with you and how many pics you can make with the person knowing or noticing but not being negative! You are on a good way, enjoy yourself! All the best!👍👍👍

[@MicaelWidell]

Thanks for the thoughts. I have a lot of work to do in several areas. I think my most important priority right now is to get comfortable just being out in town photographing people.

[@jayj8524]

Interesting and honest video, good job! Please have a look at Octavian Carare, he's a Belgian photographer and street-photographer with very good videos on his street photography. Another one is the famous English photographer Alan Schaller with his super interesting videos on B&W photos. So keep up your journey in the streets.

[@MicaelWidell]

Thank you for the tips. I already know about Alan Schaller, one of my all time favorite street photographers and certainly the king of B&W!

[@falkdaberitz8448]

Hi Micael, what came to my mind, watching your video; why don't you try a lens with a greater focal length, e.g. 85mm. The lens yould not be too big, but there would still be some space between you and the subject, that might interest you. Just an idea 🙂

[@MicaelWidell]

Yeah if I continue with street photography I will probably try a lot of different focal lengths to find the one that suits me best

[@d.k.1394]

Hiii

[@brianphillips4973]

Great video. Have you considered converting some of your street shots to Black and White? Might add a bit of drama to the images. Just a thought.

[@MicaelWidell]

I played around a little with that, but I think the photos in this video worked better in color. Might explore that more in the future though!

[@POVwithRC]

Well, having viewed the photos, it's clear your innate talent for framing is shining through. This should be an interesting story arc

[@MicaelWidell]

Thanks!

[@d.k.1394]

Great video

[@louisacalorio1009]

How do you set the camera. Do you set it beforevyou start for the whole time you are outside?

[@MicaelWidell]

On this walk I just set it in aperture priority mode I think, with a fixed iso high enough to get good shutter speeds. You can see the settings in the photos.

[@hellopsp180]

a7rv would be the ideal screen for street :D

[@MicaelWidell]

Yup! I better start saving now haha

[@3DThrills]

Your macro skills might be helpful with product photography, if you gave that a try?

[@MicaelWidell]

Maybe, but it doesn't feel exciting to me, so I probably won't try it

[@3DThrills]

​I fantasize about companies sending me varied and unusual things to photograph. @@MicaelWidell

[@pilchcaor]

Great stuff! Really good to see someone starting out in a genre - a learning opportunity for you and your audience. One idea for you - I can control my camera and see what the camera is seeing on my phone. Thus, to your subject you simply look like you are using your phone and they ignore you! That’s the upside of phone addiction!!

[@MicaelWidell]

Haha I have considered this, but almost feels like cheating :) Might try it

[@pilchcaor]

@@MicaelWidell Cheating is allowed!

[@NorseGuyAlf]

I tried street photography for the first time last year and I discovered two things: one, that it made me push myself. Like you, past the inhibition of photographing people and also past the self-consciousness of photographing in public. It also made me push myself to go to less familiar places like side street, alleys, and the rougher parts of my town. The other thing I found is that is very intense and dynamic: Constantly moving and looking for "the shot": people, light and shadow, shapes and patterns. It's very stimulating.

[@MicaelWidell]

Yeah I like this aspect: it feels exciting and fast paced. Wildlife requires too much patience for me.

[@NorseGuyAlf]

@@MicaelWidell I really hope you do a street photography channel. I was a big fan of your macrophotography channel and I was sad to see it end.

[@JeremyPhipps-s5t]

Welcome back! We missed you!

[@MicaelWidell]

Thanks!

[@waltpierluissi2301]

mmmmmm,mmmm