Packed the Nikon F100 with a macro lens and headed into the city to see if I could capture “discarded objects” as a theme. It was a lot harder than I thought it would be. My ability to notice detail is quite limited. Combine this with a lack of patience, and you have some serious […]
Continue reading
Tag Archives: composition techniques
Book Review : Henri Cartier-Bresson “The Decisive Moment”
September 20, 2015 
3 Comments
Henri Cartier-Bresson’s “The Decisive Moment” is one of the most recognised photographic books every released. The “spiritual father” of street photography was very fond of presenting his work in books rather than prints. The Matisse cover is just the first of many joys the book will bring you. The book has been reprinted by Steidl but […]
Continue reading Notebook Project – Discarded Objects
September 9, 2015 1 Comment
Without a plan to succeed and do things, nothing will get done. Just thinking about photography is not going to improve your skills or eye. I have been keeping a diary of ideas to help me when I am looking for inspiration and a reason to walk out the front door and into the world […]
Continue reading Creative Exercise – Learn to See More
August 9, 2015 1 Comment
First of all, make sure it is an interesting day! Secondly, this is not about you but taking the time to see more of the world that exists around you every single day. Now that I have more of an interesting intro for the Facebook leader post, let’s start from the start. I was recently […]
Continue reading Sometimes, I go places!
August 1, 2015 1 Comment
Hong Kong is one of my favourite places to photograph. The whole place is crammed with people everywhere you go. Odds are, a few of them are going to be interesting, right? Let’s find out. Looking through other people’s feeds lately has reminded me that unless an image is shared with others, it doesn’t really […]
Continue reading Structuring a Weekend Session
July 27, 2015 7 Comments
No matter how “arty” an interest is, disciplined regular practice is the best path to enjoyment. Developing and getting progressively better at something is rewarding – whether it be gardening, knitting or something like photography! There are plenty of people who take lots of photos – and happy to get the same results time and time again. […]
Continue reading Garry Winogrand – Ideas and Inspiration Part One
July 19, 2015 2 Comments
Santa tracked down a copy of Garry Winogrand’s “Figments from the Real World” for me last Christmas, and managed to fit in my stocking! As part of trying to get going creatively again, I pulled out the book for the first time as a creative kickstarter. So what did I learn from spending some time with […]
Continue reading Running Around the Witch’s Hats… Zone Focus
July 19, 2015 2 Comments
I fondly remember wet, cold, and muddy Tuesday and Thursday nights at footy training as a teenager. I was never much good at the game, but loved getting out and having a kick around the park. After the Sherrins, the next thing that would come out each night were the red-orange witch’s hats. So, what […]
Continue reading Glenferrie Station
July 15, 2015 0 Comments
Glenferrie Station is a surprising location, nestled amongst our quieter, inner city. A short train ride from the CBD, it’s various nooks and alleys are complex and worth exploring. The entire station can be scouted and shot in less than a half hour if you are keen to pop the shutter and then enjoy one […]
Continue reading Overcoming Low Points in the Creative Cycle : First Try
July 15, 2015 1 Comment
Pulling negatives off the developing reels, squeegeeing, drying, and then scanning. The best part of the week is when the image that appears on the monitor is one you love. The images on my monitor have not been particularly inspiring for me lately. When things seem the same each and every week, then you have […]
Continue reading Overcoming the Low Points of the Creative Cycle
July 5, 2015 2 Comments
Sometimes everything looks great in the viewfinder, sometimes things don’t go so well… I have just finished developing some rolls from a weekend in Bendigo with Mrs Streetphotography. They are pretty disappointing. I have been working a bit on urban landscapes, and thought an afternoon walking the mean streets of Bendigo might yield some decent […]
Continue reading Working on Story Telling
May 31, 2015 2 Comments
What does “story telling”mean in street photography? Defining “story telling” in a way that is relevant to street photography is not completely obvious to me yet – it will take me some time to develop a clear style or techniques to help. The first few steps seem to be about bringing multiple planes of subjects into […]
Continue reading Square , Landscape, and Storytelling…
May 24, 2015 10 Comments
I am wrestling on which way to go with this image – square or regular landscape format? Normally, I try to keep cropping to a minimum to ensure I consider composition more actively at the time of taking the shot, rather than just mindlessly popping away, knowing I can crop everything later. Composing with the […]
Continue reading Distracted by the Faces
May 11, 2015 4 Comments
Walking around the city at 6.30am on a Saturday morning is always going to encourage creative epiphanies. Combining a spartan-like early start and caffeine led to the inevitable questions of creative growth and purpose. Have my images been improving? People are my favourite subject for street photography. Capturing a single moment of people’s lives as […]
Continue reading Selfie Respect – Part Two
April 12, 2015 0 Comments
After exploring self portraiture some months back, I had a short crack at it again on recent visits to Hong Kong and Radelaide. I didn’t agonise over it, just popped the camera on a selfie stick or on a flat surface and chucked the timer on. Or, looked for my reflection somewhere… Here is the […]
Continue reading Project : Applying “The Bull” Concept to Hong Kong
April 11, 2015 3 Comments
Whilst in Hong Kong, the notebooks got a fair workout, trying to find a way to apply Picasso’s “The Bull” concept to my visit. Picasso started with a very detailed, and aesthetically pleasing sketch of a bull and stripped away parts of until he felt he had uncovered the essence of the subject. What is […]
Continue reading Urbanity Image Review #11
April 10, 2015 0 Comments
The subject maketh the shot… “There are the two basic controls at the photographer’s command – position and timing – all others are extensions, peripheral ones, compared to them.” David Hurn You can read more about my thoughts on Hurn’s quote here. I had found the spot – which gave a great downward looking perspective. […]
Continue reading Project : Pablo Picasso’s “The Bull” – Part One
February 10, 2015 6 Comments
Everyone needs to continuously make a commitment to conscious learning, or else the spark inside atrophies rapidly. Too much TV, social media, or gaming can dull anyone’s edge. Be more interesting – stop consuming content and start creating it! (although reading this blog is definitely a “continue” and not a “stop”!) “I guess it comes […]
Continue reading Working on Selfie Respect… Street Photography Self Portraiture Thoughts
February 1, 2015 9 Comments
Street photography self portraits… I had an interesting morning a few months back at 5am in Centre Place. This unexpected expedition, along with my admiration for Vivian Maier’s self portraits, has got me thinking about a project theme. As per my usual modus operandi, the first step is to look through other people’s images that appeal […]
Continue reading How to lead a more interesting life through Street Photography… First Timer Primer
January 25, 2015 2 Comments
Things you hear when people are thinking about starting out in street photography… “What book should I read or class should I do?” “Where should I go?” “What is the best camera / bag / lens / etc?” “What do I do if someone approaches me after taking their photo?” The most important response to […]
Continue reading Contrasting Time
January 23, 2015 0 Comments
Having some “go to” locations when you are down on inspiration is a critical tool for any street photographer. Taken in Centre Place – you can read more about the location here – a place I often go to when in need of some easy pickins’… The lens was medium format 80mm, and relatively slow […]
Continue reading Selfie Respect
January 21, 2015 11 Comments
The “selfie” generation is well and truly in control of popular culture… But so many of my fave photographers have also explored self portraiture as part of their creative development. I would have to say that Vivian Maier would be my absolute #1 draft pick on this topic. I have purposefully not watched any of […]
Continue reading Juxtaposition – Cheap Shots!
January 19, 2015 1 Comment
After feeling a bit “out of the zone” yesterday, juxtapositional compositions came to the rescue. Just find a great sign and wait for the right subject to come into frame. They are a staple for a lot of street photographers – although it takes a fair bit to add enough to the composition to […]
Continue reading Urbanity Image Review #10
January 2, 2015 0 Comments
Sometimes, ya gotta get back to basics… one of the first things any composition book will teach is to look for natural frames for your subjects. Frames are not something I think consciously about often enough. This shot features a frame within the frame, which helps take the composition heightens the interest. The two subjects are […]
Continue reading Urbanity Image Review #9
December 14, 2014 0 Comments
Taken in Hong Kong, March 2014. There are weddings happening all over Hong Kong during the week. They appear quite random. Just the bride, groom, maybe one or two others and photographers with magnificent kits of gear. Probably not much different to Melbourne, it is just unusual to see them all week on the streets […]
Continue reading Urbanity Image Review #8
December 7, 2014 0 Comments
Taken in Hong Kong, March 2014. Temple Street Night Market. Well, there is a theme here – a few shots from the Temple Street Night Market made the cut, and there were a few more that got very close to be included in the Urbanity Exhibition. The more you practice a skill, the more you […]
Continue reading Urbanity Image Review #7
December 5, 2014 2 Comments
Taken in Hong Kong March 2014. Another ripper from the International Finance Centre. Make sure you give it a good look if you are in town. The simplicity of this image is what I love. Simple tones and colours, clearly framed in three key blocks, let the composition elements stand out. Things in threes continue […]
Continue reading Urbanity Image Review #6
November 29, 2014 3 Comments
Another image taken in Hong Kong, March 2014. Taken at night in the bright lights that don’t seem to have an off switch. The complete cool indifference of the girl to her surroundings is a universal truth for all “door bitches” around the world. She is some kind of gatekeeper for the “VIP Bar” up […]
Continue reading Creating Impact – Free Ebook Online – Review
November 28, 2014 0 Comments
Photographers who take the time to think about their technique, dissect it, and share it are my favourites! After doing some more web research recently, I came across Marie Laigneau’s wonderful little ebook called “Creating Impact”. You can tell how much I liked it by my copious notes captured in the image above… Laigneau is […]
Continue reading Urbanity Image Review #5
November 14, 2014 2 Comments
Beware, I get a bit more technical liney on this one… Taken in Hong Kong, March 2014. I am pretty sure this was at the International Finance Center. A perfect set of circumstances for black and white film… The IFC is surrounded by some awesome overhead covered walkways and connects through to the Hong Kong […]
Continue reading-
Ricoh GR Digital Compact
-
The Easiest Way to Develop B&W Film. Ever.
-
Contax G2 Review – Autofocusing Rangefinder Brilliance!
-
Tips on Managing an Exhibition
-
Does Street Photography Matter?
-
Ballarat International Foto Biennale Review
-
Creative Brief – Japan! Part Two
-
Creative Brief – Japan! Part One
-
Seven Thoughts on Seven Images – Part Three
-
Seven Thoughts on Seven Images – Part Two
-
Damian Young: What a dickhead you are. You have no understanding...
-
: There's one thing in common...
- Strong lines: […] Zac’s question got me thinking though,...
- Contax G2 - Contax G2 - Ken Rockwell: […] 6. Contax G2 Review – Autofocusing Ran...
-
Maciej Jankowski: I have problem with focusing with that camera - al...
Inconspicuosity 