samantha_chang Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 As a photo hobbyist....I am going to start taking my camera everywhere with me and attempt Street Photography for the first time. I hope that I will someday develop a keen eye for what is photo-worthy. I know that Street Photography is supposed to be spontaneous, but I was wondering if anyone can suggest a list cool ideas or subjects that I can start exploring. It's hard to just go out there...and start shooting when you're not sure what you're looking for. For example, I thought that maybe (on my first outing) I should photograph any two people holding hands. I figured if I go to a pretty crowded shopping area...such as Santa Monica Promenade, I'm bound to get some cool subjects. Well, that's the best I could come up with right now. Any other suggestions? And places in SoCal? thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leslie_cheung Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 Sounds cliche but shoot what catches YOUR eyes...be open to anything and you'll figure it out yourself in time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spearhead Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 You can shoot almost anyone on the Santa Monica Promenade. You can ask or just shoot, I've never had a problem there. You can also shoot easily on the Santa Monica Pier. Music and Portraits Blog: Life in Portugal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musubi1000 Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 Here's a challenge, try doing this at night as this will reward good technique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musubi1000 Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 It may also help you see light in more directional ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samantha_chang Posted November 19, 2006 Author Share Posted November 19, 2006 The holidays are here...and the Christmas lights are out. So shooting at night might be a good start too. thanks! I appreciate all the suggestions so far. I'm noting them in my "photo journal". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad_ Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 Learn to open up to engaging people on the street - that's the challenging part. That, and curiosity will lead you to all the possibilities. www.citysnaps.net Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanky Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 The problem with going out with an agenda is that you may miss out on something else since your mind is pre-occupied. Still, it may be a good way to start out. It can be a little nerve racking at first so do what feels comfortable. SM Promenade is fun. I did a lot of shooting there this summer mainly to escape the heat. I went today in fact but got there kind of late so I only shot two rolls. So if you see me there, say hi but don't you dare take my picture ;-) I FINALLY got the last of the peace march rolls developed today as well. A friend is also letting me set up a darkroom in her garage so between that and the school darkroom maybe I'll actually catch up. Stranger things have happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray . Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 I'm going to the Rose Parade this year in the early morning hours before it starts. You can wander the parade route and photograph the participants at close proximity- at least that's how it was last time I went, years back. Good subjects and it's also an easy way to do sp because people just expect picture taking to happen there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_waller Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 Find your subject. Why do you want to photograph the street? Waht is it that attracts you? What is it that moves you to want to take photographs? I suggest, first and foremost, that you just walk around without a camera and just sit and look until something say, 'Photograph me'. It's a bit like Method Acting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bueh Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 Very true, Chris. I gotta remember this "method acting" thing when people ask me next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanky Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 The Rose Parade sounds like fun Ray. I'll have to search the net for parking info. That's always a make or break issue for me. I've also always wante to attend the Doo-Dah Parade but I think I missed it again this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william_fong Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 I'm hitting up the street fair in Huntington Beach today actually. Haven't been there in a while, but the beach scene makes a great backdrop. I'll second the SM Pier, or any other pier. We have the ocean right here, might as well make use of it. Along the same lines, do you guys find going alone or in pairs/group better? I found it a little easier to go out with a friend to have another pair of eyes. See something I may have missed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 My suggestion is to stop wasting time online. If you want to be serious about it, spend considerable amount of time and effort. Most of your free time, if you can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wally_billingham Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 my advice is to go out with a specific camera/lens combo at the start of each shoot and use that all day, this works really good with prime lenses. You will force yourself to be much more observant to the world around you in that zone. If you go out with a zoom it is to easy to look everywhere at every distance and miss stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanky Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 William I prefer to go at it alone in most cases. Too easy to start talking and miss something. However I do have a friend that occasionaly goes with me. He pretty much sticks close by and takes pic of buildings, ect. so we know better then to bother each other with chatter unless we're in the car or at lunch. He also is very patient in the event I stumble onto something that I spend the better part of the day at like the church group whose members dressed up like mimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa Posted November 19, 2006 Share Posted November 19, 2006 "my advice is to go out with a specific camera/lens combo at the start of each shoot and use that all day, this works really good with prime lenses." My advice is to choose one camera and one lens (this may be a prime or zoom on a digital or film camera, or pinhole or a holga) that you are comfortable with and shoot that ad nauseum. Emphasis on ad nauseum. "You will force yourself to be much more observant to the world around you in that zone." No you will not. A piece of equipment won't do that for you. The reason why you want to limit yourself to a simple equipment and process configuration is that it's easier to remember better. Most of us are not taking notes, or have good memory. If you do have extremely good memory that will let you learn on the other hand, go ahead and play around with different combinations of focal lengths/cameras/film/whatever. That said, I trully suck at street photography! It's been three years and I still use just one lens (50mm), and STILL didn't learn anything about light or composition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leslie_cheung Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Haven't you bought the hexar af yet Dan? Should try out a 35mm lens:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 "Haven't you bought the hexar af yet Dan? Should try out a 35mm lens:)" Riigght. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m_. Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 >>>It's hard to just go out there...and start shooting when you're not sure what you're looking for. it might be hard but it is still the coolest thing. no one is going to give you a better idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m_. Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 >>Haven't you bought the hexar af yet Dan? Should try out a 35mm lens:) sh*t, i don't have that camera combo. think i should just quit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
william_fong Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 Marc, hmm, maybe it is just the kind of partner you have. We talk a little bit, because it makes the time more enjoyable. You're bound to miss shots, but it doesn't really matter unless you're doing it professionally. Our conversations are more like "hey, do you did that? That looks pretty cool. That's a good shot, but you might want to try this angle and brighten it up more". We have similar SP interests, so we shoot the same thing. We also have similar SP philosophies of being non-intrusive, fly-on-wall mentalities. We rarely get in each other's way. Now, does two photographers cause more of a disruption than just one? Are people more cautious if they see two people snapping away? Maybe they will think there is a pop star around...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leslie_cheung Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 M--- Seriously, you are alittle jaded imo. Go shoot or do research on Darfur. I really don't know why you are such a smartass of late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m_. Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 leslie - i haven't gone to darfur yet but am busy doing other things at the moment. you are probably right that no one needs to be a smartass. i just wasn't sure how the original writer's question ended up in a set of recommended camera combo. ok, given you put a smiley face and all that. how does your combo solve her sp problem? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leslie_cheung Posted November 20, 2006 Share Posted November 20, 2006 >>>ok, given you put a smiley face and all that. how does your combo solve her sp problem?<<< M, if you would have taken the time to read the thread then you would have realized that my second post of this thread (of the hexar AF) was *directed at Dan* whom wanted to buy a hexar af from his other recent post. I already answer Samantha Chang question in my first post which was near the top of this current thread. Now I suggest you read ***attentively*** before making such smartass respond in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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