The Street Photography Blog
News, views and insights from the world of documentary & street photography
Join us at the UK Photography Show next week!
Join us at the UK Photography Show 2024 for all things street photography. We’ll be there on Stand J607 with street photography books and for advice on documentary and street photohraphy. Hope to see you there!
What’s in my street photography bag?
I’m not really into gear as such, but i appreciate that many people are - and one of the questions I’m most frequently asked is “what’s in your bag?” I was recently asked that question by the lovely people at Shotkit who wanted to feature me on their website - so if you want to know the answer to that question please check it out here!
Some great street photography!
This short video summarises my street photography workshop students’ best work over the previous 12 months and it’s a terrific collective body of work!
Camera settings for street photography
There’s no right or wrong way and you have to do what works for you. What I’m about to describe works for me and I’ve found that variations of this set-up give me the best hit rate when I’m shooting street photography. These settings will apply to any digital camera, whatever brand you use.
Gloves for street photography?
The heading above ends with a question mark because I’m constantly being asked what are the best gloves for street photography and, until now, it’s been much more of a question than an answer. Having tried many of the available options over the years, I’ve never really found anything that works well for me. That all changed recently when I found Vallerret.
Your books & zines: ‘Seen.By.’ by Maria Maza
I’m always pleased to feature your great work in these newsletters and here’s a zine which really caught my eye. It’s from Maria Maza, who lives in Newcastle, and it inspired me to offer her an interview slot. What really intrigued (and impressed) me about this is that it’s a collaborative project involving a number of photographers and it really shows what can be achieved when we’re prepared to work together.
Books for your Christmas stocking: a recommended reading list
I don’t know about you but I have a serious street photography book addiction. I find photo books a constant source of inspiration and enjoyment and I thought you may be interested to see my recommended reading list.
A street photography exhibition in the North West
I love it when my workshop students come together - either for some shooting on the streets or to collaborate on a project. Everyone who's attended a workshop is invited to join the StreetSnappers Collective; within that group a sub-group has emerged, StreetSnappers North West, a group of photographers from Lancashire, Merseyside, Cumbria and Cheshire who regularly meet to shoot and drink coffee (and other things) together. This great group has its first exhibition, opening on January 5th . . .
Making a photo-book? Avoid these mistakes!
Many of you will already making books, but probably more of you want to but haven't done it yet. In this Street Photography Blog post I look at some of the common mistakes we make when producing books - and how to avoid them.
Should you buy a monochrome-only camera?
Should you buy a monochrome-only camera for street photography? Will it make much of a difference? Can you justify the hefty price tag?
Why shoot film for street photography?
Who shoots film? If I said put your hand up if you regularly shoot film - I guess I'd be looking at about 5% of you - maybe less. But we all know that film has made a big comeback in recent years - in the way that vinyl has done in the music world.
My new book - a street photography monograph
‘Observed’ has now been published and I still have a few copies left. You can now buy a copy of my new monograph - a collection of observational street photography images.
Your street photography: image by Kevin Hare
I’ll occasionally share one of your images and offer a little critique. This great shot is from street photographer Kevin Hare, a student of mine and a member of the StreetSnappers Collective.
Paul McCartney exhibition in London – be quick!
I’ve been intrigued to know about Paul McCartney’s current exhibition of his photographs as I’ve not had chance to see it for myself. Luckily one of my workshop students, Pete Degnan, has just visited the exhibition and has kindly written a short review for us . . .
Today’s quick tip: get some business cards made!
You don’t need to be a professional photographer to have business cards and, without doubt, every street photographer should have one.
Black & white street photography in Venice
I’ve put together a selection of some monochrome images I shot in Venice over the past 3-4 years, which you can see in this gallery. These are, of course, mostly random shots; much of my work is project-driven and I’ll post some of my projects separately.
Street photography in Lisbon
You may know that I’m a big fan of Lisbon - as both a holiday destination and as one of the best cities on earth in which to shoot street photography. I’ve just returned from a week in Lisbon and I thought I would share a few of my images with you.
A video showcasing my students’ work
This YouTube video showcases the work of my street photography workshop students during the past 12 months, featuring work from those who are complete beginners to those who are very experienced street photographers.
Your stories of insipration - Ginny Wren
This week’s dose of inspiration is from Ginny Wren, who first came on a workshop with me in 2020 when she was completely new to street photography (and I think fairly new to photography generally). Since then Ginny, who lives in Northern Ireland, has had a roller-coaster of a street photography journey and I asked her to share that journey with you.
Photo North Festival - street photography in Blackpool
On Sunday I popped in to the Photo North Festival in Blackpool and I have to say it’s well worth a visit. The theme is ‘Postcards From The Edge’, a perspective on the English seaside from photographers such as Peter Dench and Barry Lewis - and lots of other photographers such as local street shooters Dawn Mander, Gisela Szlatoszlavek and Craig Szlatoszlavek. If you’re into Blackpool street photography, do visit!
Media equiries
Brian is happy to provide journalists with thought leadership, opinion and news from the world of street & documentary photography. Please contact him to discuss your assignment or project!