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[@Chris-qy3dp]

Was walking around taking pictures the other day and all I could hear was Roman’s voice saying “go to the light”. 🤣 Best photography tool I’ve come across is watching his videos. Learned so much from him and James Popsys.

[@dothewubwub]

My gut always says "You can fix that in post". Then I end up with too many bad pictures.

[@paullin4393]

exactly!!! I got that before, now I try to tell myself to stick around on that spot, take a few more photo before i move on.

[@Vretenaes]

Been there, done that. 😙

[@petrub27]

U can fix a lot of things, but not bad light

[@charliejg]

This is such a "hit home" topic. For me, it's not an issue when I'm walking around or hiking. It's an issue when I'm driving!! Sometimes it's because I don't make myself stop, sometimes it's because the road doesn't have a spot to pull over. But, the struggle is real!! Have a rockin' day!!!

[@ghislainsaint-vil1479]

I needed to hear this and I'll do my best to remember it once on location.

[@elijah8654]

Thanks!

[@snapsbyfox]

Oh damn thank you!!

[@chrisburnard5157]

Thank you Roman, great advice and images as always.

[@dahmenhassen8365]

Always with true advice thanks

[@RoyAlf]

I live in a suburb that is extremely boring (no access to London). So I have to constantly look at different ways to use the limited compositions. I am learning many different techniques to have a tool set that will allow me to use more intuitive approaches. Gut feeling is a strong tool.

[@juliewerner1553]

Short and very sweet!! Seriously, this is the way I shoot, but thought I was not doing enough. Now I feel free. Yay!! Thanks so much!

[@Poloinwm]

Thank you for this ‘affirmation!’ 👏👍

[@alrozanski8352]

Excellent advice Roman. I have been watching your channel for several months and I have learned a lot. You are superb with street photography. Great work my friend .

[@ChrisVecchiolla]

Outstanding insight. “Notice what you notice”🎉

[@amygibcus]

Roman, your photos the last few videos are superb. Really enjoying your videos!

[@JasonLawrenceNoel]

Appreciate the wonderful reminder :) … my experience is the same, once you become proficient with the camera, technically speaking. You then shoot with the heart ;) .

[@LadyTracyOfTheDisk]

I wholeheartedly agree. I've always called it the "Wild West approach"--shoot first and ask questions later. I think this is related to another photographer's advice: "Shoot what it feels like".

[@verbal_kint]

Fully agree and something you get good at as you mature as a photographer. Some of the favorite images I’ve taken have been unplanned, spur of the moment shots.

[@andyandhelenlouch1910]

Excellent video as always Roman. Trying more and more urban photography and enjoying it! Awesome recent 'zine' (no 27) too by the way; really inspirational!

[@danvieirafotografo]

Great advice! Thank you...

[@erichstocker8358]

Great advice!

[@BrianRakowski-c7x]

Great advice. I tend to take photos of what interests me but I also try to use my gut feeling and also looking for pockets of light and shadows and framing.

[@JohanKhoo]

I couldn’t agree more… and that’s why there are some cameras which make it easier… gut to photo with the least effort. My challenge at the moment is to slow down and decompose my gut feeling to be a little more intentional with my street photos!

[@dennisjones5579]

I've needed encouragement recently to just go do what you suggested, go shoot and trust your gut. So about 2/3rds through the video I stopped it and went out for about 2 hrs and shot a bunch, not many of which will be keepers, but truly needed the practice with my Zf. It was quite refreshing. Your video was very timely, so thank you.

[@QuietCornersPhotography]

Appreciate the video, it's hard to take something so abstract and analyse it. I was out taking photos the other day and noticed I had chosen not to take a photo of a particular scene. I took a second to try and figure out why it didn't feel right and try and break down what my instincts were telling me. Self awareness is a really valuable asset in so many ways, but particularly in progressing your own creativity.

[@maegara1430]

That's good advice! also I love the photo at 1:35

[@simon359]

The best advice I can give after eight years of street photography, is when you think there’s a shot take it! Don’t think about it and don’t analyze it, do it! Make it a reflex action and the only way you can do that is by practice practice practice! People are the hardest element to capture, because they’re in and out of a scene very quickly and you have to be on your game. Sometimes it’s serendipity, other times it’s a planned background with light and shadows and waiting. Eventually, you get over your fear of photographing people, but you have to give them some space. This is why I crop a lot, as if the subject looks too open, you need to get closer. Most important stop switching cameras, and learn how to use your system that you have. This is the secret over trying to find the perfect camera, as there is none! Another helpful element it’s like a movie, you’re watching the street scene unfold, and you need to take a snap of the scene unfolding. Next time you’re watching a film, try to capture an image that interests you. One last tidbit, how long are you spending time shooting? If it’s not 4 to 6 hours, you’re not doing it right!

[@Ndpurc]

Sound advice, Roman, and very much worth reminding us all, 😅although nothing new really, as this is very similar to the approach of Joel Meyerowitz, William Eggleston, Moriyama and many other great photographers through time. Always good to be reminded to go with that instinctive little voice inside that says, “I fancy that shot” and ignore the one that says, “ no, that’s a rubbish shot”. I need reminding every time I go out, so many thanks for that, Roman 👍

[@danthegeetarman]

As a beginner, I instinctively shot like this at first, then i started getting sucked into the “composition rules” rabbit hole, then finally went back to just making photos with my gut again - and the results are a lot better. Some of the favorite photos I’ve made were just things that caught my attention and I just captured what felt good

[@nigelwest3430]

Love the shot at 0:27

[@alandargie9358]

Great advice. One should keep one's camera ready to shoot at all times then to catch fleeting moments. Not in a bag, settings on auto or as correct as possible for the environment and maybe even switched on all the time. I loved the photo at 0:30 especially!

[@luzr6613]

Were we to discuss this, we'd certainly use different terminology and likely attribute aspects of it differently, but we'd be wholly in agreement on the important bits around application. I think that the initial period you refer to is essential from the craft perspective - you need to understand your tools and their proper use in relation to the world - but finding the point where transcending that process is far more important for the long-run. I'll add a suggestion here: nothing activates the brain quite like getting the eyes moving (we have a long history of trying to avoid being prey). Eyes need to move for moments in the environment to catch them, and when they do, just take a photo. After the fact is the time to analyse whether or not it was worth it, or what might have improved it. That analysis will slowly permeate practice and develop the eye, changing and improving (with time) what catches the eye. Great video and an important argument to make. Nice one.

[@jackschade9320]

Very good advice! Thank you.

[@ralphjurgen9456]

Gut feeling is so true, sometimes even without my camera just my phone I get great shot from gut feeling shots. on the other hand so many folks say wow your phone's camera is great lol

[@wolfgangkromer]

hello roman, I'm also one of those people who think about aperture, time and subject beforehand and don't listen to my gut feeling as much. I'll follow your advice and see what happens:) thank you for the inspiring video.

[@brianmckeever5280]

I definitely try to capture everything that catches my eye. Lately, I even have two bodies with attached lenses just to speed up switching from wide to tele and cut down on the amount of things I have to do to take the shots I see. I'm continually amazed at how lazy I can be, so I do everything I can to keep myself from passing on an image.

[@mark-hollis]

Very interesting. I came to a similar conclusion after years of walking around with the camera all day and coming back with only 10 or 20 shots. I now take a photo every time I think "maybe I should take a photo" event if it is only a fraction of a second. Before I was always evaluating if this is really a good subject or scene. And nine out of ten times I would not take that photo. Now I will take the photo every time and even if I have many crappy photos at the end of the day I also have a lot of decent ones. And it brought back the joy in taking photos. Because before that I was very often frustrated because I only had only so many photos. And of course the more photos you take the better you get in seeing good subjects and the better your photos get. So yeah, whenever you think about taking a photo, do it.

[@colingerard7863]

Hi Roman. My instincts tell me when to turn around and look back at where I have just come from. It is uncanny how many images I've got doing this. Have a good start to your week.

[@bsmukler]

When something - - the quality of light; particular light and shadow patterns; a street scene, etc. - - catches my eye, I also try to consciously take the additional step of asking myself what it is that piqued my interest. If I can mentally articulate what that thing was, I can use it to work the scene more thoroughly, for instance, including or excluding elements, changing my position of the elevation of the camera, and also turning 180 degrees to see whether there is something just as interesting in the opposite direction.

[@AlanGreenberg-i8p]

Nice video.

[@chippy511]

Great advice I am a real amateur with a Fuji X100v But sometimes I feel afraid to use it outside as it’s an expensive piece of kit I liked what you said that’s what I have in my head , but sadly don’t put it to work so much.

[@watching-youtube-now]

This gut feeling is usually just a culmination of all your previous experiences. This includes the scary alleyway example too, as your brain counts all those horror/blockbuster movies as past experience as well. And it's nearly impossible to put it to words, any chess/shogi/go/whatever player would confirm this. The most you can do, even being very skilled at the activity, is to just point at it and say "I have a feeling you should(n't) do this" and it just works out by itself.

[@shawnyneubecker3121]

When I first started taking photos, I captured with my gut and had no technical skill. Now Im developing my technique-and missing those moments, but still fighting to go with my gut first. Always my favorite shots

[@thatRyzzle]

My gut points out interesting scenes, people, and potential gestures a lot when I'm on a photo walk. The problem is, I ignore it a lot for one reason or another, mostly because I feel self-conscious about walking around with a camera, and I don't want to call attention to myself. But what usually happens is I don't take the photo(s) and something interesting indeed happens. It's very annoying.

[@ghislainsaint-vil1479]

...and a few days later, you're at home and think "I should've taken that shot".

[@washingtonradio]

I go more with my gut when I'm taking photos, even when the I'm being deliberate.

[@sonofoneintheuniverse]

Practice a lot. Practice. Practice. And photography becomes intuitive. To hone any skill. Practice.

[@martingreenberg870]

I do street photography. I learned to shoot 1st and think about it later. If something catches my eye I press the shutter because things change on the street. Quickly. That is how we capture what HCB hated but is attributed to him as the decisive moment. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)

[@fnvtyjkusg]

Roman's going to get a restraining order from the barbican at some point 😂

[@snapsbyfox]

Hahaha winter light there is good! Also it’s quiet

[@retropixer]

Very much agree. Ignore your gut feeling at your peril. But, let me ask you this: what do you think about ‘over-shooting’? Does it even exist?

[@snapsbyfox]

not really.... as you get better you shoot less anyway

[@photom3]

I guess I wasn’t too far off. I had forgotten about it but I found one of my old photos that was titled Shoot from the gut, Explanation comes later.

[@jesusmartinezgarcia7587]

Hey Roman, how do you monetize your photography? Besides KZbin.

[@radcoimbatore]

Happy New Year bro , wishes from India 🇮🇳

[@snapsbyfox]

Thank you and likewise!

[@d8nya1]

Hey Roman, Can you give some details on how you record your video and audio? (record them separately? apps used etc)

[@snapsbyfox]

in this example video is recorded on the Sony A7Cii (talking head). Audio is recorded on the Rode mic direct into Final Cut on my laptop. I then sync the clips together using the audio. The B Roll and photos were on my main camera - A7Rv

[@d8nya1]

@ thanks so much for responding!

[@C-JOHANSSON]

Hi Roman, thanks for all the tips and advice about Fuji cameras over the years. Keep up the good work but I'll leave you now that you've abandoned the Fuji cameras.

[@RickardLejonhjarta]

same reason the picture you drew in your math notebook is better than the one in your sketchbook

[@daviddyephotography]

gotta go with the gut, my number ONE rule

[@cristibaluta]

This gut feeling is like AI, it is based on previous knowledge. I was watching some great street photography stuff recently and it doesn't work like that, for a good photo you need to stay on the scene and work hard.

[@kirgrushko]

The two approaches don’t necessarily contradict each other. You can work hard on choosing the right subject, angle, camera settings, and then let your gut feeling dictate when to press the shutter button. Moreover, “gut feeling” is usually a result of prior hard work.