Reading

I’m dedicated to improve my photography this year, and love the look of street photography especially in London. I did some research and found Brian and Streetsnappers, and therefore booked a day shooting in Shoreditch, with 4 others.

Brian was outstanding on the day, we spent the morning, discussing the merits of street photography as well as the ethical and legal challenges that the photographer faces. In the group we had a real mix of skill and experience, but Brians superb ability to include all, covering technical questions when needed was excellent.

A day with Brian has given me a real taste for Street photography, I have now booked a second day (this time in Chelsea), as well as a trip to Lisbon, Brian critiques and challenges mindset with great finesse and aplomb, as he focuses on improving the people that have booked with him.

I would recommend this to any level of photographer, who wants to do something different, or has a interest in Street Photography.

Thanks

Milton Keynes

My boyfriend bought me the StreetSnappers 1 day course as a birthday present, and I must say, as a total amateur I was VERY apprehensive. I always had an interest in street photography, but have no confidence in my photographic abilities, let alone dabbling in this particular artist field

I met Brian in Coffee shop on the day with the two other students, and immediately put me at ease. He took time to go through the basics, and more importantly; the time to get to know me

Then we were off. Brian was at hand to guide and mentor for the whole day. And I had a total blast. My confidence grew phenomenal amounts in just a few short hours, and now I’m hooked

What is great is that Brian celebrates all street photography artists, and has a sense of fun with what he captures. He never lost patience even though he had the likes of me asking “is this a good idea” “what about this setting on my camera”?

I’m desperate to do another; boyfriend in tow next time, and can’t rate StreetSnappers enough. Don’t think you’re too much of a beginner; you WILL learn. Just make sure you know how to change the settings on your camera.

Have fun!!!

London

I attended the day-long street photography workshop held in London last Saturday. Brian, who founded StreetSnappers following many years of experience as a London-based photographer with a journalistic and documentary training, led our small group of just 6 people through the streets of Soho and its surroundings on a very enjoyable, relaxed yet very exciting and challenging journey of discovery of the ins-and-outs of taking candid photographs of the city streets even as the thousand little stories of their kaleidoscopic characters unfolded before our eyes.

In fact, the workshop did exactly what it said on the tin: rather than focusing on the technical aspects of street photography (which Brian was still open to discuss individually if any of us had specific questions about their cameras or what not), it aimed at showing in very practical terms what makes street photography so unique and special, on the one hand, and at stimulating the attendants into finding their own street photography voice, on the other. All of which was delivered in very simple and enjoyable terms, as simple and enjoyable as street photography should really be.

At the end of the workshop, I left with at least one or two really great pieces of practical advice which I’m sure will take my street photography to a whole new level. But, most importantly, I felt blessed to have joined a very cool network of people who share my same passion and, in the case of Brian, have been mastering it for a long time. Two days after the workshop, I’ve already exchanged a few very stimulating emails with Brian and am sure that I will see him again sooner than I know. If you are genuinely interested in street photography and want to get more out of it, you should not miss this workshop.

London

I arranged a couple of days in Venice with Brian at relatively short notice and the experience was excellent. Brian’s approach is knowledgeable, calm and quietly influential, adapting his style to your experience and what you want to get out of the time he spends with you. He’s quick to point out interesting possibilities and the importance of patience when a location has both interest and potential.

Importantly, if you’re spending time on a one-to-one basis, Brian is good at being in tune with you – whether chatting about photography and life, or walking along quietly identifying photo opportunities.

Reflecting afterwards I recognised that I learnt more than I realised. Not necessarily big learning points but a number of small things that when put together I know will make me a better street photographer. Would I book more sessions with Brian? Absolutely – I recommend him and StreetSnappers without hesitation.

Cheshire

My wife knows me so well, this is why I got this awesome birthday gift. Their all-day street-snapping course in London was terrific, so if you’re struggling with ideas for a gift for a photographer you know (professional or amateur) then this is a must. I hear they’re doing another one soon in Venice. (I am so tempted to go AWOL from work) 🙂

London

I was interested in doing a workshop in London to develop my street-photography, I had checked out a few options but chose streetsnappers because I liked Brian’s work and it was clear he would run the course.

Prior to booking the workshop Brian was quick to respond to me queries and helped me understand what I would get from the workshop. Booking and payment was easy. A few days before the course I got a detailed e-mail with an itinerary and location information.

At the start of the workshop I was worried that I wouldn’t get anything from the day as the group had a mix of skill and experience at street photograph and photography in general. But Brian knows his stuff and is very experienced and was able to offer a few tips and pointers on technique, composition and camera settings that helped me improve my pictures.

The day was well structured and well planned the area covered had plenty of opportunities to put the ideas from the morning into practice. Brain also supplied lots of ideas for books, inspirations, exhibitions and online resources. All of this was backed up with notes and a detailed personalised e-mail.

Overall I had a great day, saw some interesting bits of London and took some great photos.

Bedford

I am a skeptic by nature, experience, and practice, but always travel hopefully. Fuelled by the ubiquity of smart camera phones, the growth of “Street Photography” has been rapid and far reaching. There are – according to Tom Ang – approaching 300 billion photographers in the world and the number is continuously rising.

The ‘selfie’ is an common component of social media communication, digital video and stills generated on phones are not only accepted but welcomed by broadcasters and narrowcasters alike because immediacy has become all important. Yet the level of interest in ‘serious’ photography and standards aimed for has also risen rapidly. And that’s where high quality advice, instruction and master classes given by professional newsmen such as Brian Lloyd Duckett’s “StreetSnappers” have become invaluable.

The classes are not cheap but they are good value for money. That’s my personal view. If you are uncertain I suggest that you get hold of Brian’s own recently published book, “Mastering Street Photography”, as an inexpensive taster for what his classes can deliver. I’m a highly satisfied customer. 🙂

London

This street photography workshop was destined to sit head and shoulders above would-be competitors in the genre in the UK, and was full of promise. For a start, the “Streetsnappers” website is dedicated to this genre alone. In addition, it did not go unnoticed that Brian, the workshop leader, showed a keen interest in gaining an understanding of his students’ individual skill levels in the days leading up to the Workshop. It seems to me that this is of paramount importance to effective teaching, yet is is so often missing from the offer of some other companies in this field.

The day started with a comprehensive briefing over coffee where Brian’s interest in his students and where his enthusiasm and expertise in street photography shone through. Technical information was shared in an easy-going, interactive style and it was quickly apparent that part of Brian’s working life involves academic teaching.

Herts

I strongly recommend this street photography workshop for anyone that is new to it, as well as anyone with little experience. Brian was great, very knowledgable, very supportive and enthusiastic. He constantly opened our eyes to situations that maybe a good possibility. He reviewed our photos throughout the day and advised for things to look out for whilst we strolled around the City.

By the end of the day I felt much more comfortable with shooting on the streets and was definitely able to practice the skills he showed us. Brian is friendly and immediately made me feel at ease. He was open to questions about photography and his answers were very helpful. I thoroughly enjoyed my day. Thank you Brian!

Hertfordshire

I always love going to London but Sunday was special in the company of Brian and our group of 6, exploring and photographing life in Shoreditch, an area I had not previously walked.

The pre-walk session of tips, tricks and practicalities of photographing on the street were invaluable, and we encountered many of the situations Brian said we would. Having a small group, we all got on together well and were able to mingle and get lots of opportunities to take photos in a way I had not done before – really shooting from the hip !

Brian was always at hand to direct, encourage and inspire us to think of ways of looking for potential ideas and thoughts for shots.
The walk was both leisurely and energising – always on the lookout and putting into practice Brian’s imparted experience. A”review” burger lunch after the first session then on to the fantastic Brick Lane street market where the possibilities were endless.

I had a very inspirational and energising day and took lots of images which I have edited down to create a few hopefully decent images for Brian to critique.

I now have a whole new style of picture taking to incorporate into my travel photography thanks to Brian’s course. The advice we all received will be a big help in creating better pictures and a whole new way of shooting.

So after a good 9 kilometre we settled into the pub for a short debrief before the farewell’s to our new friends in the group. It was a pleasure to share this experience with other like minded people as usually my photo taking is a very individual thing. I am now looking forward to all of the addd-ons Brian offers in terms of support and future personal development and encouragement.

Staffordshire

If you’re serious about street photography then this workshop is for you. Brian has put together a great experience and it is the perfect blend of hands-on practical and photographic theory/ethnics related to the genre.

The support you receive on the day is ideal, you can ask as many questions as you like and an informative and knowledgeable answer will always be given. The workshop groups are kept to a maximum group size of 6 so you feel that you are given enough attention on the day to improve your photography.

Furthermore, Brian provides support beyond the workshop. The follow-up material suggested by Brian is very helpful in broadening your own understanding of street photography.

Well worth signing up for a workshop and I will be joining Brian on another in the near future!

London

I spent a wonderful day with Brian on Sunday. We had a mixed bag of weather but this didn’t hinder the fun. I wanted to spend a day to up my confidence levels, build a foundation for me to move forward with and glean as much information as I could from a pro! A pro he is but one that is wiling to share every tip he possibly can with you. His style of teaching was perfect for me and I really cannot recommend this course highly enough. There is structure to the day but Brian is happy to go off piste and deal with anything you may throw at him.

Surrey

My daughter and I were lucky enough to spend a morning with Brian,learning some of the skills of street photography.We were new to this and the session before we went out and about was extremely useful– carefully explained,thorough and concise, preparing us well for our photographic stroll.

Brian knows the best places to go to find interest on the streets and indicated many potential locations for capturing unusual and often humorous shots .He also gave us plenty of advice about the techniques of street photography such as ideal camera settings,how to take photos without being noticed, lighting conditions etc.etc.

He is very generous with his comprehensive follow-up support,suggesting a variety of sources to enable further improvement and his idea of identifying small personal photography projects before setting out is something I found very useful.

I hope to work with Brian again at some stage and fully recommend him.

Spain

I attended the Liverpool Street Photography workshop with Brian on the 23rd July.

Myself and 3 other photographers joined Brian on a wonderful day out and around Liverpool taking in the characters and locations of this great city.

Starting off in a local cafe, after introductions, Brian went over the plans for the day. We discussed techniques and tips, recommended camera settings, and the law and ethics of Street Photography. Then it was time to hit the streets.

The group gelled well together – the other participants were a great bunch of guys. The first half of the day flew by as we put the instructions and advice into practice.

After lunch at a local pub – and an update/discussion of our progress, we hit the streets again.

Finishing around teatime we went over the details of the day before heading home.

Brian provided a Flickr group for us to share images taken throughout the day, as well as advice, reading material, videos etc to view and learn from.

Brian was a great tutor, and I would wholeheartedly recommend attending one of his workshops. I will certainly be attending a future one.

Shropshire

I have a decent knowledge of photographic principles, and though I’ve taken pictures in cities, I knew little about street photography. Brian began with explaining the principles, and then we hit the bustling streets of Liverpool. Brian gave us ideas and inspiration when we were out (there were 4 of us), and gave us some individual tuition. He is enthusiastic, approachable, and puts you at your ease. A great day on the streets.

The follow up since the course has been excellent. A group on Flickr where we have shared photographs from the day, we can contact him if we would like to discuss anything further, and advice on something I had raised with him on the day!

Liverpool

I agree with all the other reviews and do not intend to repeat what has already been said. It is all true!

I was not sure of what the day would bring and how much practical time we would have, but wanted to understand how I could be better at this genre – my intent was to use the skill to get improved images at Weddings.

After an hour understanding the tricks of the trade and how we might improve our own approach, it was out on the street. It was not as busy, but Brian kept prompting us to think where the opportunities were (anticipation being the key – so you make your own luck). As the day wore on I found myself better prepared to spot the opportunity and started to get better images.

This cannot be learnt in a day, it requires practice – both in handling the camera (I was using a new mirrorless and not my trusted DSLRs) and being able to blend in more with the surroundings and have the confidence to take the shot (and move on quickly).

I think I have all the ingredients from Brian’s course, but now require practice and perhaps some mentoring ….

Thoroughly recommend this course for both amateurs and professionals that want to take their art further.

Taunton, Somerset

There is something magical about the way Brian leads this course that has taken my photography to a whole new level. The day started with clear instructions to set up my camera in a specific way that is good for street photography but completely different from what I would normally do. The freedom to ‘get the shot’ that this created was game changing for me! As the small group went with Brian round some really ‘target rich’ areas of London, he perfectly blended leaving each of us to do our own thing, observing from afar, whilst being on hand to casually drop in some very friendly advice on street photography, camera technique (also post processing) and truly great tips on seeing/anticipating great shots. Brian is a talented teacher with photographers of all abilities, go on this course if you want a really fun day out AND to learn great techniques from a highly experienced professional photographer whose style of imparting his immense knowledge is effective, friendly and non judgemental. You will see the world completely differently in just a few hours!

London