Brad_

iPhone, around 30mm. http://citysnaps.net/2015%20Photos/Mr.%20Crow%20at%20Ocean%20Beach.jpg Ocean Beach, San Francisco • ©Brad Evans 2018

http://citysnaps.net/2015%20Photos/Two%20at%20Ocean%20Beach.jpg Ocean Beach, San Francisco • ©Brad Evans 2018

Any camera can be used to make street photos. However...what produces strong/compelling photographs has so very little to do with gear. Rather, it's about the photographer, his/her curiosity, imagination, life experiences, understanding of light, composition, gesture, context, visual tension, potential for narrative, being comfortable around and able to connect with people, avoiding deceptive practices when making photos on the street, and much more. If you're more into camera ownership, that's fine. But please don't confuse that with having anything to do with making decent street photos. That's just a trap that will get in the way and distract from what should be your real objective, assuming that's making good street pix. Also...you might have noticed I always try to use the phrase "making photographs" instead of "taking photographs." There's a reason for that. Think about it.

http://citysnaps.net/2015%20Photos/Bart%20Colma%201.jpg Colma, California • ©Brad Evans 2018

I haven't found that to be true at all. My iPhone has been the only camera I've been using for the last few years, and I enjoy using it. Not sure if I'd merit being a serious photographer from your perspective. But here's a link to my website of street photos. Please feel free to make your own assessment.

http://citysnaps.net/2015%20Photos/Tree%20fog.jpg Stanford, California • ©Brad Evans 2018

http://citysnaps.net/2015%20Photos/Ocean%20Beach%20couple.jpg Ocean Beach, San Francisco • ©Brad Evans 2018

http://citysnaps.net/2015%20Photos/Dog%20at%20Ocean%20Beach%20BW.jpg Ocean Beach, San Francisco • ©Brad Evans 2018

In the American West by Richard Avedon, Avedon at Work: In the American West by Laura Wilson, (one I look at often for inspiration) Evidence, by Richard Avedon, The Map, by Kikuji Kawada, San Francisco Noir, by Fred Lyon Shinjuku, Daido Moriyama

iPhone, from around 5 years ago. So maybe an iPhone 5. Guessing around 30mm. http://citysnaps.net/2015%20Photos/Legs%20Hipsta.jpg San Francisco • ©Brad Evans 2018

iPhone, around 30mm. http://citysnaps.net/2015%20Photos/Tide%20OB.jpg Ocean Beach, San Francisco • ©Brad Evans 2018

Spot on assessment. I've seen that in other photographers. It's a cop-out for lack of curiosity, imagination, and effort. And it very much shows in the photographs they make, or more accurately, "take." What's sad is they don't even realize it and instead rely on easy excuses. Locally, I've heard that in a slightly different form, that San Francisco has been photographed to death and there's nothing left (to shoot). That's just a different form of the same excuse, stemming from the same underlying personal limitations. Not surprisingly, I've never heard the above excuses from photographers with strong and compelling bodies of work.

And perhaps take the trialog to the Philosophy Forum? Or maybe to a mutually agreed upon McDonalds some Sunday morning?

iPhone, around 30mm. http://citysnaps.net/2015%20Photos/OB%20person%20and%20dog.jpg San Francisco • ©Brad Evans 2018

http://citysnaps.net/2015%20Photos/Owen%2012-4-08.jpg San Francisco • ©Brad Evans 2018

While not even understanding the circumstances of what's going on in the photograph, your judgement is still the same. Curious...perhaps you have some interesting photographs to share requiring a modicum of creativity to be summoned up on your part?

As I thought...

Do you know what it is?

What's not new?

http://citysnaps.net/2015%20Photos/Ocean%20Beach%20couple.jpg San Francisco, California • ©Brad Evans 2018

And often times for the better. Photos by William Klein, Graciela Iturbide, Daido Moriyama, Manuel Alvarez Bravo, Dorothea Lange, Diane Arbus, Susan Meiselas, and Bruce Gilden immediately come to mind.

"Can you approach a stranger on the street and ask him/her to be photographed by you?" Sure! Most people will say yes. Just ask! If they ask why, I usually say it's for my blog, or that I'm documenting the city. I've found most people are very accommodating if they believe you're sincere with good intentions. Maybe one out of 15 will say no. Just say "thank you anyway," and move on. Or engage for a bit more conversation and sometimes they'll change their minds. http://citysnaps.net/2015%20Photos/Portraits%20B&W-133.jpg San Francisco • ©Brad Evans Here are some more portraits from people I've hit up on the street.

I've only had bad reactions when I've tried to sneak shots. I learned pretty quickly to not do that. Photographers shooting in a deceptive manner (hiding camera while shooting, pretending to look one direction while shooting in another, fiddling with camera while sneaking a shot, hip shots, etc) can result in an adverse encounter. People on the street are very perceptive to what they believe is suspicious and/or nervous behavior. I've never had a problem shooting candidly out in the open with camera raised to my eye. If someone asks what I'm doing I just say "I'm documenting the city," or, "it's for my blog." And then hit them up for a posed street portrait - to which often results in a "sure." http://citysnaps.net/2015%20Photos/Street%20scene%20800.jpg San Francisco • ©Brad Evans 2018

The Map by Kikuji Kawada and Avedon at Work by Laura (Owen's mother) Wilson.

Alcatraz is a good place to make photographs if you're going to be in the San Francisco Bay Area. Here are a few of mine.