Streets captured in film

[Greenhilltony]

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Leica M4, Polar 35mm, Vision3 500T

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[fotografr]

In the Barnack's Bar discussion about street photography, you asked for opinions on this thread, so I am going to oblige. In that discussion a couple of people mentioned that some photographers lack the ability to properly edit. The result is that they end up posting nearly everything they shoot rather than selecting the very best images. In my opinion, you have this problem. You have some very fine images in which your intent is clear--juxtapositions, light and shadow, unique subjects--but there are far too many in which it appears you just randomly clicked off shots where nothing interesting is going on. It's just people walking down the sidewalk, or kids running around. It's hard for the viewer to tell why you tripped the shutter. So, my critique of your work, which you asked for, is that you need to learn to be your own harshest critic. Post only your best work. 

[Greenhilltony]

42 minutes ago, fotografr said:

In the Barnack's Bar discussion about street photography, you asked for opinions on this thread, so I am going to oblige. In that discussion a couple of people mentioned that some photographers lack the ability to properly edit. The result is that they end up posting nearly everything they shoot rather than selecting the very best images. In my opinion, you have this problem. You have some very fine images in which your intent is clear--juxtapositions, light and shadow, unique subjects--but there are far too many in which it appears you just randomly clicked off shots where nothing interesting is going on. It's just people walking down the sidewalk, or kids running around. It's hard for the viewer to tell why you tripped the shutter. So, my critique of your work, which you asked for, is that you need to learn to be your own harshest critic. Post only your best work. 

Thanks! Indeed, when I went through this thread last night, I realized there were quite a lot of posts that I wouldn’t be satisfied now. Have to let the new shots precipitated with time. The joy and excitement from seeing the images out always bring biased opinions to them.

[Viv]

1 hour ago, fotografr said:

In the Barnack's Bar discussion about street photography, you asked for opinions on this thread, so I am going to oblige. In that discussion a couple of people mentioned that some photographers lack the ability to properly edit. The result is that they end up posting nearly everything they shoot rather than selecting the very best images. In my opinion, you have this problem. You have some very fine images in which your intent is clear--juxtapositions, light and shadow, unique subjects--but there are far too many in which it appears you just randomly clicked off shots where nothing interesting is going on. It's just people walking down the sidewalk, or kids running around. It's hard for the viewer to tell why you tripped the shutter. So, my critique of your work, which you asked for, is that you need to learn to be your own harshest critic. Post only your best work. 

I must agree, with respect.

Your impact will benefit if you are more self-critical and selective.

In a half-day outing, I would normally make not more ten shots, of which I might keep two.

[Steve Ricoh]

Honestly, I’m not a good street photographer myself and therefore not best placed to critique another’s work (I stopped photographing ‘street’ years ago)… You have obviously spent a lot of time and a considerable amount of money on film and processing so I don’t wish to disappoint you. I’ve looked at all your images posted from first to the most recent, and I came to the conclusion that you haven’t learnt much in that time. The reason I believe is not your fault. You’ve been gaining a few likes here and there and in so doing it may have given you encouragement. Helpful critique would have been far more useful to you.
BTW I think our personality and life experience makes us the photographers we are and it’s very difficult to change the hard wired brain. I would recommend looking at the work by some of the recognised good/great street photographers and go out and copy what they’ve done, albeit in the setting you find yourself. For contemporary style have a look at the work of Matt Stuart on the ‘net or in his book ‘All That Life Can Afford.

Hope I haven’t hurt your feelings.

[Greenhilltony]

4 minutes ago, Steve Ricoh said:

You have obviously spent a lot of time and a considerable amount of money on film and processing so I don’t wish to disappoint you.

No, you don't need to take care of my feelings like this. If a post about making good critique exists, this line of words must be the exact opposite, lol.

10 minutes ago, Steve Ricoh said:

I came to the conclusion that you haven’t learnt much in that time

That's also what I thought. But honestly, I have learnt enough technique things to do on streetphotography. It's just a matter of keep being ready to what the daily life bring to my front and try as hard as I can to capture it. I don't think my skills become the bottleneck when I want to make a shot.

5 minutes ago, Steve Ricoh said:

BTW I think our personality and life experience makes us the photographers we are and it’s very difficult to change the hard wired brain.

15 minutes ago, Steve Ricoh said:

For contemporary style have a look at the work of Matt Stuart on the ‘net or in his book ‘All That Life Can Afford.

Agreed. So as a matter of fact, the work of Matt Stuart and Robert Frank could not really touch me as much as they can to people in the west, because the life depicted by them and the issue they addressed are way too far from my life experience in the east Asia.

6 minutes ago, Steve Ricoh said:

I would recommend looking at the work by some of the recognised good/great street photographers and go out and copy what they’ve done, albeit in the setting you find yourself.

It's a pity to me that I have done long before and been keeping this, but my photos fail to convey that to you. But I don't want to argue about this, because my works do not satisfy your judgement right now.

[Greenhilltony]

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34 minutes ago, Viv said:

In a half-day outing, I would normally make not more ten shots, of which I might keep two.

Being self-critical and selective is not limiting attempts to make shots, but in editing the shots taken. I guess the self imposed limits on clicking shutters is not a good idea and especially come from those digital-back-to-analogue guys bragging about shooting film makes them slow down.

A better way to say this is "I would normally not making random and sporadic shots across the week but a handful of shots about things triggered me, and only keep the best one or two".  Magnum Contact Sheets is the best example you can learn for this.

[Viv]

1 hour ago, Greenhilltony said:

Being self-critical and selective is not limiting attempts to make shots, but in editing the shots taken. I guess the self imposed limits on clicking shutters is not a good idea and especially come from those digital-back-to-analogue guys bragging about shooting film makes them slow down.

A better way to say this is "I would normally not making random and sporadic shots across the week but a handful of shots about things triggered me, and only keep the best one or two".  Magnum Contact Sheets is the best example you can learn for this.

Thank you kindly. I have taken careful note of your words of wisdom.

I keep editing to a minimum. I prefer to get the shot right. If that is not possible, I don't take it.

[Viv]

2 hours ago, Steve Ricoh said:

Honestly, I’m not a good street photographer myself and therefore not best placed to critique another’s work (I stopped photographing ‘street’ years ago)… You have obviously spent a lot of time and a considerable amount of money on film and processing so I don’t wish to disappoint you. I’ve looked at all your images posted from first to the most recent, and I came to the conclusion that you haven’t learnt much in that time. The reason I believe is not your fault. You’ve been gaining a few likes here and there and in so doing it may have given you encouragement. Helpful critique would have been far more useful to you.
BTW I think our personality and life experience makes us the photographers we are and it’s very difficult to change the hard wired brain. I would recommend looking at the work by some of the recognised good/great street photographers and go out and copy what they’ve done, albeit in the setting you find yourself. For contemporary style have a look at the work of Matt Stuart on the ‘net or in his book ‘All That Life Can Afford.

Hope I haven’t hurt your feelings.

I have 'liked' a few of them too.

[stuny]

Do you have a friend or colleague who really understands composition well, and who you can ask to critique your images, including telling you what works and why, and what doesn't and why?  If so, I encourage you to enlist that person's aid.

[fotografr]

I hope you will continue to shoot your street images and post some. They showed a lot of potential.

[Aram Langhans]

On 12/24/2023 at 2:21 AM, Greenhilltony said:

Leica M3, Summicron 35 V1 goggle, Kodak Vision3 5219

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So many people doing so many things.  A slice of individual lives.  I wish the person on the left was included more and you eliminated the ones on the right.

[Aram Langhans]

On 4/3/2024 at 10:42 PM, Greenhilltony said:

Leica M3, M-Rokkor 40/2, Vision3 250D

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Make it square and eliminate the person on the right.  Only needs one subject to make the picture.  I like the pink.

[Aram Langhans]

On 7/19/2024 at 11:18 AM, Greenhilltony said:

Leica M4, Polar 35mm 7E KOB replica,Vision3 500T

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Another one to crop.  Get rid of the person on the left.  Too distracting.  I don't mind the one on the right.  Adds depth.

[Aram Langhans]

On 8/24/2024 at 5:17 AM, fotografr said:

In the Barnack's Bar discussion about street photography, you asked for opinions on this thread, so I am going to oblige. In that discussion a couple of people mentioned that some photographers lack the ability to properly edit. The result is that they end up posting nearly everything they shoot rather than selecting the very best images. In my opinion, you have this problem. You have some very fine images in which your intent is clear--juxtapositions, light and shadow, unique subjects--but there are far too many in which it appears you just randomly clicked off shots where nothing interesting is going on. It's just people walking down the sidewalk, or kids running around. It's hard for the viewer to tell why you tripped the shutter. So, my critique of your work, which you asked for, is that you need to learn to be your own harshest critic. Post only your best work. 

As for editing.  I think cropping would improve many of these shots to eliminated unwanted distracting partial subjects.  I think he is a good start that could be improved by this.  I like his ability to capture interesting slices of life, but maybe too many of them include gratuitous use of cell phones without any strong statement.  But those that do have a statement or tell a story are nice, albeit could be cropped to isolate that story.  He is braver than I am.

[Aram Langhans]

On 8/8/2024 at 6:05 AM, Greenhilltony said:

Leica M4, Polar 35mm, Vision3 500T

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Very cool idea.  Nicely seen and captured.  Yes, another cell phone possibly, but it is hidden.

[Greenhilltony]

8 minutes ago, Aram Langhans said:

Make it square and eliminate the person on the right.  Only needs one subject to make the picture.  I like the pink.

It seems a different culture background leads to this cropping suggestion. I deliberately included the right person because he was viewing the real-estate advertisements. In Hong Kong, real-estate trade prices are sky-rocket high. The person on the left is a middle-aged, seemingly has a family and he is looking at the cakes, while the right person is a youth and interested in the real-estate. Besides, the light here has a warm/cool contrast. If you eliminate the person on the right then it is not telling the story I want to tell. They are both the main subjects. No one should limit the main subject to only one.

[Greenhilltony]

12 minutes ago, Aram Langhans said:

Another one to crop.  Get rid of the person on the left.  Too distracting.  I don't mind the one on the right.  Adds depth.

I don’t like the cropping suggestion. If only the person on the left didn’t present his hands. Here, the hand on the wall above the central person’s head, the central person’s hands, and the hands of persons on the left and right corners form a triangle. I would consider the image lose balance if the left person walk away.

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Hallo,

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[Greenhilltony]

24 minutes ago, Aram Langhans said:

So many people doing so many things.  A slice of individual lives.  I wish the person on the left was included more and you eliminated the ones on the right.

I want symmetry here. That had been decided when I chose where to stand inside the train. I couldn’t order the people on the right to get out of my frame or put down their phones and do something you consider more interesting instead, or turning my lens and destroy the central symmetry composition.

People with cell phones are the symbol of this era, don’t try to hide or dodge it. It’s not the fault of photographers but everyone in this technology era, or not a fault at all. For example, in the 20th century, cities of China were flooded with bicycles. A lot of news photos were a mass of people riding the bicycles. But for now, 4 wheel cars are predominant in the cities and bicycles have little room to go. Cell phones will inevitably experience the same.

[Aram Langhans]

52 minutes ago, Greenhilltony said:

It seems a different culture background leads to this cropping suggestion. I deliberately included the right person because he was viewing the real-estate advertisements. In Hong Kong, real-estate trade prices are sky-rocket high. The person on the left is a middle-aged, seemingly has a family and he is looking at the cakes, while the right person is a youth and interested in the real-estate. Besides, the light here has a warm/cool contrast. If you eliminate the person on the right then it is not telling the story I want to tell. They are both the main subjects. No one should limit the main subject to only one.

Your photos, your story.  Thanks for reading my suggestions and for your explanations.  Keep shooting.