What made me a better street photographer & Tips on improving your street photography

[@GarethDanks]

📸latest issue of my street photography info-zine F/8 is now available for instant download: bit.ly/3Ilk1wc

[@rannikkolainen_]

Brilliant advice, Gareth! And that's @RomanFox popping up in your clips, another fave photog of mine! It's somehow cool to know that you're friends 🙂

[@ggwildlife]

I do wildlife virtually 24/7 and my escape is street photography i love it picking up my Fujifilm X-T2 and Sigma 30mm lens classic chrome and i away i go for the day, this video was invaluable thank you for sharing Gareth.

[@Sean-Smith-Photos]

Knowing that a photo is crap is so important. In the last few months I've gotten much more critical of my shots and its really helped in the culling process post shoot. I've also gone into my back catalogue and culled thousands of shots. In the past I never deleted anything. Culling has helped make my photos more interesting and easier to search.

[@GarethDanks]

Thanks so much for the great comment Sean. Glad your progressing mate

[@peterphoto7732]

The other week I had to put my Fuji x100f in for repair. Couldn't go without taking photos. So I got my 1970's Olympus RC 35 out put film in. Went out, and shot away. All manual. Lots of fun. My x100f is back repaired, and serviced, set it manual.😊

[@celtphoto]

Love the straight talking Gareth.

[@tims8305]

Great video mate - thanks! And like many here I too am guilty of many (all?) of the issues you talk about. The only additional aspect I'd mention is remember to "have fun / enjoy it" because if you don't actually enjoy it what's the point? We all have the blahs from time to time so if that happens maybe take some time out and come back renewed after a short spell. Works for me sometimes / mostly ha ha. Thank again - love the channel.

[@jbairdexp]

Top tips you can apply to any genre of photography mate. Well presented. 🙂

[@marchbourne]

Great video, good to see a few clips of Margate, I'm going there this Saturday, hope to put some of your tips in to practice 😁

[@sailslikeagirl3154]

I love your honesty. Really enjoyed seeing all the street mates throughout the video. Especially the ones from Margate 8 by 8 I was there with you guys on the photo walk x

[@GarethDanks]

Hey thanks for watching. We’re you in the 8x8 video I did then?

[@sailslikeagirl3154]

@@GarethDanks I am in the white coat near the start of your video just behind Mark up by the Turner contemporary (blond hair) x

[@TryingtoLearntheuke]

As always, I enjoyed this video and your approach. Just bought your second zine as well. Another tool for my learning. Cheers!

[@GarethDanks]

hey Pam!! thanks so much! im so grateful! means a lot hope you like it

[@david_keating]

Zone focusing is the holy grail.......especially with a wide lens ✊️✊️📷

[@GarethDanks]

first thing to master!! thanks David

[@chrisburnard5157]

Excellent content and as inspirational as ever Gareth. Thank you.

[@andrewcroft2570]

Great advice, Gareth.

[@GlenDomulevicz]

Excellent episode. I recognized my own failures, something I am trying to correct,. Self critiquing is essential for growth, I am getting much better at tossing images that just do not measure up to my now higher standards, Before I was just to happy to capture something and and did not realized it was a "so what image". Another big area I am working on and have made a significant improvement is being prepared. Insuring my settings are correct and not set to last time I used the camera. All true for my different types of photography. Thanks for sharing.

[@michaelajoseph6856]

Thank you for the very helpful tips!

[@GarethDanks]

You are so welcome!

[@clivewuest8529]

Great video this one Gareth. Really good advice and a lot of useful information to take away from this. You are so right, finding your style and how you like your images to look is so important. It took me a while to discover the sort of images I liked taking, but now I have I focus in when out (no pun intended) and find I enjoy my time on the street for more so than just wandering around aimlesly.

[@benjamincarlbrown]

Great advice Gareth!

[@charliejg]

One thing I noticed recently by accident was that a change in focal length made a difference. I wasn't liking a lot of shots. But, I also was keeping the 56mm on all the time and I think it was just way too tight. So, I popped the 18-55 on and set it to 35mm. That was a nice change. Weird how little things can make a difference. Thanks for the tips! Have a great weekend!

[@charliejg]

@@davexmit I'd like to get that 33mm at some point. Too expensive for me right now. I've been looking at the 23 & 35 f2 on the used market. I know that 56 is too tight, I just love the images from that thing though. I do have a vintage 35-70 from my Ricoh I could try and just keep it at 35. Might be fun! LOL! Take care....

[@gaza4543]

@@charliejg Dont fall in to the trap of thinking the f2 are some how inferior lenses, I have the 33 and the 18 and in all honesty there just isnt much in at all. They are Friendlier lenese to have on the camera and find if street photgraphy people dont react to them in the same way as there bigger brothers. Id say if your doing street id actually priorities the smaller lenses. That stop of light these days doesn't make a much of a difference with the AI Denise software about.

[@charliejg]

@@gaza4543 Yeah, and today's cameras can handle higher ISO as well.

[@AntonyBall-h9g]

just subed you thanks for your advice Gareth, I'm really not spending enough time working a seen, I see in my minds eye a possible shot but find my mind just going into a kind of critical self analogise of myself and my gear is this set have I set that, so what I have taken on board from you today is simple zone focusing and waiting for the right moment to come see the picture trust my settings use the right lens....... and enjoy myself in what I'm doing in a nut shell trust my own judgement thank you because though it might sound silly I needed to hear that.

[@richardwall2692]

Very informative video. One question, though: what makes a picture shyte? I quite liked the B&W picture at 20:52 😃

[@GarethDanks]

Thanks Richard. The has to be an obvious point to an image. No point taking a shot then trying to g hard to justify it after. Yeah you might fluke something or notice something after but if the image needs to be explained (even to the tog who took it) then it doesn’t work. Unless it’s just very clever or part of a project etc. The bw you mentioned is pointless. He’s wearing the same coat.. that’s it. There’s nothing. Special or interesting going on. Not even nice light. Boring imo. Thanks for the comment. 😁

[@richardwall2692]

@@GarethDanks thanks for taking the time to explain, really appreciate that. Think I got me some learning to do... 😄

[@JohnHPettigrewFujishooter67]

Great advice as always Gareth, still find confidence is my worst enemy, but getting better. Thanks for the zone focus take away.

[@owenrichards77]

That was a great video mate.Such honesty and the truth is I do need to look at them (pics)differently.Would love to be on the walk about when you start them please.Looking forward to the next one.👏👏

[@GarethDanks]

hey due was talking about you this week!! be good to catch up soon! give me a shout

[@REMY.C.]

The only question I ask myself when I take a photo is - would you hang it on the wall? - yes? Keep it in a folder and ask the same question after months. - no? - in the trash!!! That's how I save time and disk space. I show my photos only to a few people and have no pity throwing hundreds of unique photos in the trash. If more photographers or artists were good self critics we would have less cr*p to see.

[@Wurstkiste]

😅 Sehr guter Kanal und zu meiner Überraschung kann ich als Deutscher Deinen Beiträgen folgen, ohne die Pausetaste zu benutzen! 👍

[@sweeneyTodd-de4by]

Gareth what an absolute fantastic channel,. I'm a total beginner and went out and bought a olympus OM-D E-M10 iii, which I think is totally the wrong camera.its way over my head with far to many modes for me to understand, your channel is so down to earth and better understanding. Have you done a video for beginners? It's a mine field when you start out

[@traceybartlam7737]

Have you considered just using it in a mode such as automatic or aperture priority in the beginning to get comfortable with the camera and composing pictures so you can enjoy being out and as time progresses learn a little bit more at a time. Maybe even try learning in an environment such as the garden - even if you don’t want to photograph flowers perhaps use one as a challenge to learn your settings for background blur etc with no pressure. It can be daunting and I sometimes worry about asking in case I get a nasty reply from someone who forgets they were once a beginner too. I have got so much more confident but have SO much more to learn and try to understand.

[@stormbikes]

Great advice mate.....all of those things you say are the same as what i tell people...

[@GarethDanks]

thanks mate! appreciate that! thanks for the comment :-)

[@hughp00]

You have some really good information. Jay Maisel used to tell his students "if it doesn't interest you, the thing you seek,, what makes you think it will interest me" I also heard about Robert Capra and the "if the shot is not good, get closer". My response to that is "he got so close he got his ass blown off in an explosion. Be careful what you wish for. Good video Gareth.

[@bcegerton]

So very true, I’m guilty of most, if not all of these at some point but thankfully I now know better. Still shoot some crap now and then😂 Out of focus shots most definitely don’t get better by turning them B&W, and the darker you make them doesn’t do it either, just looks worse, bin them. I see this daily in our Facebook Group, see a lot worse too though.

[@gaza4543]

Its great advice and you make an interesting point about street photography and documentary photography, when you watch some KZbin vids and there saying there doing "street" photography there really not there documenting. I like shooting on the streets and I have people in my shots but most of shots are documentary not street. There is a fine line I think that can debated till your blue In the face of what constitutes street photography and would make for interesting KZbin video I feel.

[@jimtrull683]

Gareth I really enjoy your vlogs on street photography. You deliver a lot of value and ideas. I am surprised that you don’t have more followers. I recently bought your first two Zines and I look forward to the next one. I’m sure you will let us know when its finished. Since you mentioned providing online tutorials is that something you do for us folks in the States?

[@GarethDanks]

thanks so much jim mate.. so grateful for the support!! any feedback on improving the zines is welcome.. online workshops are for anyone who is english peaking, no matter where in this crazy world they are haha

[@martinagiusstreetphotography]

True words mate

[@manuelortizdegalisteo3691]

hola, gracias por tu tabajo y todo lo que aportas a la fotografia, un saludo

[@GarethDanks]

Hey thanks so much mate. Really nice of you. Hope that was helpful

[@bosiefoobar]

Bought the 2 digital zines, so i can finally know what street photography really is :) i would be interested to know which books you recommend for the genre of street photography though

[@mikefoster6018]

My big blockage is that I don't like the idea of structuring shots around conventions like leading lines, symmetry, reflections etc. I don't want to "be that ordinary" and would rather "catch something special", but it means I miss a ton of shots. It's my hubris. I'm one of those people who takes life pretty steadily but suddenly becomes a perfectionist whenever it can block me from doing something XD. But yeah, I also 100% agree with you about some KZbinrs being cr*p - there have been some truly dire ones where people just take one utterly, utterly boring and conventional photo after another. They almost make me angry because, at that point, they're basically just creeps waving their cameras in people's faces for no reason. At least, if you're taking better photos, it sometimes makes it easier to justify it to someone who challenges you on the street. There are some really nastily behaved photographers on social media too and, of course, those weirdos who endlessly go up to attractive women and photo them with the same film simulation, lighting and f1.2 every single time. I need to be outside more for photography, and I also need to lose a few stone (!), so my mantra now is "More feet, less eat"!

[@nickyfoulkes8476]

If an image doesn't work in colour then it will not work in B&W. The image is not getting any better, delete button.

[@GarethDanks]

thanks for watching and the comment nicky

[@rkmh65]

In some situations, an image might be too busy and distracting because it has tons of different color elements, but in B&W might work just fine.

[@frankburkert5939]

after round about taking a million portrait shot for me it is lense only, first. My choice the new 56, simply a dream together with xt5 it is what I was looking for the last 10 years. always look out for the best background expecially if you shoot 1.2.

[@decay999]

Haha, it's the old lipstick on a turd. Totally agree about presets and over processing, guilty of it myself occasionally though 😂

[@GarethDanks]

most are mate.. hope i wasnt too hard on that issue haha

[@ThePurpleHarpoon]

I have noticed that most street photographers tend to not utilise the vertical format. Maybe that's a good thing .... in that .... those who go for the unorthodox will stand out.

[@Sean-Smith-Photos]

What is the name of the Facebook group that does photo critique? Could you share a link?

[@GarethDanks]

Street photography creators mate.

[@greeceinfocus]

It doesn`t matter at all if a photo is good or bad as long as the photo tells a story. There are so many "good" and "perfect" photos on Instagram, but 99% of them are boring and just crap. Many people copy from others and have no ideas and creativity. Important is authenticity!!!

[@jorghahn2903]

Good point but what does “tell a story” mean?

[@REMY.C.]

There are street photography masters but most of us including many KZbinrs are just shooting in the streets. Nothing wrong with that, one must learn but one must know the difference. Da Vinci draws and a 2 years old draws too. Only one is a good one or a master.

[@GarethDanks]

exactly!! too many self proclaimed experts too!!

[@johnstarkey4959]

What’s the histogram 😂😂, you got a Leica Q2 now 😉😉 interesting watch as usual mate 🤝🤝

[@GarethDanks]

haha yes mate! con'd it off some random for a few hrs!! hope your well

[@johnstarkey4959]

@@GarethDanks Done my back in , so out of action for a while 🤦‍♂️

[@roynewport5397]

No photos are crap, people are just and different points of their own journey , problem lies some think they are better than others.

[@traceybartlam7737]

I disagree, some photos are just rubbish and don’t need to be kept - plenty infact. I’d question anyone who thinks there is no such thing as a crap photo. We have ALL taken them. I don’t think it’s anything to do with being at different points, in the beginning you take more crap photos simply because you are learning, that’s just a fact. The hope is we all get better and take fewer bad ones. What I do think is that people need to be constructive with their criticism in order to help beginners rather than knock their confidence.

[@Snapit551]

All my fellow street photographers always turn a shit photo into black and white 😅

[@GarethDanks]

yup.. lots do! less distracting colours.

[@julianheritage6436]

I bloody hate instagram too 😎🤜

[@bosiefoobar]

What does your misses do for a living? Is she good at finding fault for any subject and not just photography?

[@GarethDanks]

Pharmacist, that sounds like she's negatively minded haha.. no no just food! very knowledgeable!

[@stevenanthony578]

Why all the hate on Sony shooters?

[@GarethDanks]

Sorry I wasn’t aware there was any. I have a Sony. I’ll have to re watch this now haha.

[@stevenanthony578]

@@GarethDanks Maybe I misheard you--sometimes I have trouble with British accents (I speak that weird variant of English spoken in the USA... :) BTW, I just bought the a6600 two weeks ago and I'm having a blast with it. I had stopped using my Canon 5D because it was just too heavy and bulky. Getting back into street photography with the Sony--I've found your videos very inspiring.

[@gordonmercer6648]

"If it's got no interest it might be documentary photography" - really??? Try telling that to Chris Killip or Don MCCullin..

[@GarethDanks]

id happily tell them.. what makes you think they'd disagree?

[@chrisjames1924]

There's a very popular British landscape photography KZbinr (Henry Turner) who is virtually incapable of correctly composing a shot. I feel so bad for him because he's so enthusiastic and such a lovely young chap but his compositional skills are non existent. I haven't the heart to mention anything but at some point someone really needs to take him aside and give him a few pointers.

[@jonstout7635]

Am I allowed to dress like a film director and use a bullhorn to place people where I need them?