Welcome back to my blog with another post in which I give you some personal advices to improve your street photography. First these rules work for me, I’ve learnt them by myself after years and years spent on the streets, or editing and studying when at home.
This is part of my personal street photography guide, maybe it doesn’t work for you, but I can inspire in such way your vision. Trust me and let’s start.
First rule: practice, practice, and then practice again
In Hustle (wonderful Netflix movie about Basket world) Adam Sandler says that talent is overrated, obsession beat talent everytime. I think so, also in street photography and common life. You have to hit the streets as much as you can. It’s probably a trivial rule, but absolutly fundamental for your street photography.
Practice is the first rule in everything you do. And of course, this applies also to street photography as well. Courses, workshops, studying, editing, podcasts, blogs, all interesting for sure, but they are nothing if you don’t hit the streets with a camera in the hands. Take photo today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. and, if you can, try to take pictures for the rest of your life, forever and ever.
Once, twice, or even three times isn’t enough. Practice must be obsessive, while naturally respecting the different phases of your life. Practice doesn’t allow for lack of motivation or inspiration. I know it is not easy, especially for street photography, we need time, courage and energy to go out and take pictures of strangers, maybe often with bad results.
Probably your worst enemy and limit is yourself, your fear, your physical and mental energy, your motivation. Yes because street photography is also about physical and mental energies you need in the streets. You have to accept that the further you go, the more dissatisfied (probably) you’ll be with your shots. Most of the time, you’ll probably go out and come back with nothing.
Of course, this depends on how harshly you judge your work, but I hope you’ll be critical, without blaming yourself, never blame yourself!!! I know it’s frustrating, and often you’ll feel like giving up and playing video games or watching TV series. And often, that’s exactly what happens, you don’t have mental and physical energies, not enough motivation: this is a problem according to the first rule, practice
Second rule: study
After practice obviously there is the theory. If you are new in this blog probably you don’t know that this is a personal paradigma. YOU HAVE TO STUDY. Another trivial but fundamental rule. Whatever you do in your life you have to study, practice, practice, study, practice, practice. Obviously I’m not talking about gear or setting camera, no technical aspects here.
You can start from great masters of the past, but look also at contemporary street photographers and collectives, don’t understimate them, they are a great source of inspiration because you’re taking pictures in common days, not in the Paris of Henri Cartier Bresson. If you are curious feel free to write me and I’ll make you a list.
Masters but also contemporary (and not so famous) photographers, keep it in mind! In this blog often I make parallelism between street photography, cinema and painting. Try to find inspiration also studying great painter like Van Gogh, Munch, Edward Hopper or watching movies (great directors of photography like Rodger Deakins, Vittorio Storaro for example…). If you want practical examples with my experience I wrote an article about this.
Third rule: be yourself
The last but maybe at the end of the day the most important one. Street photography for me is not simply about documenting everyday life. It’s art. As an artist when you produce something (music, photo, paint…) you have to be yourself expressing your inner soul. So what does it mean in practice? Photograph what you love and feel. Do not follow trends, do not take pictures that could be viral on social platforms. Take pictures of what you like around you.
Van Gogh was 100% artist. He painted himself, his soul. His contemporaries criticized his works, but he remained consistent with his vision. He didn’t know that one day, years and years later his death, he would become the greatest painter. And you know nothing about you! Don’t take pictures only to try to have admiration today, just shoot what you like and feel, success must be a secondary thing. I know in currently days it’s impossible be as Van Gogh, doing something spending a lot of time without having positive feedback but only critics.
Now try this excercise: do not show your pictures on social media for an entire year. If you think it is too much time try for few months as six, see what happens to you. Are you more confident with your works? Do you feel something is missing? Maybe are you taking pictures only to receive positive feedback? Just try and let me know. If you do that I promise that you’ll discover something more about your personal style and inner voice in street photography.
The latest rule is the most important one!!! Do not forget it.
That’s all folks
Stay well, have always light in your life
Best, F.S.
Here is the link to my personal best pictures: street photography gallery
Read more about street photography, art, cinema
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