Hi Paul, once again I can see that your style is very similar to mine. Strictly speaking, they are often much more street portraits than general street photography. The urban space appears more like a diffuse background or stage, and I like that a lot. And yes, absolutely, taking photos in color is like taking a short vacation from black and white, nothing more... ;-) You probably know the quote from Ted Grant: “If you photograph people in color, you are photographing their clothes. If you photograph them in black and white, you are photographing their souls.” Your photos show this in a fantastic way, it really inspires me. Slowing down is not the answer to the question of how we get better. When the moment comes, we must be ready. Preferably beforehand... Best regards, Dirk (DT-Classics)
I came across Jono's article last week too. As I understand it - and it's something I agree with - the point he makes is less about slowing down and more about developing and honing your instincts as a photographer over years of practice. That means knowing what exposure and focus settings are required to achieve the image in your head, and that by the time the camera reaches your eye everything is ready or thereabouts to take the shot. The appeal of a fully (or mostly) manual camera is that it forces you to get very efficient at dialling in your settings for the image you have visualised. That doesn't necessarily mean zone focussing mind, but at least being in the ball park before critical focussing. The flip side being that relinquishing too much control of focus point, exposure level etc to your camera's brain can mean you miss a moment entirely if for whatever reason it f's it up!
Really for me, it comes down to muscle memory and experience, working hand-in-hand so that you can work more intuitively without distractions. In that sense you can work both quickly, but also more slowly... quickly because you can react to a scene without hesitation, but slowly in that you know you don't have to keep checking the camera... you can be more focused on the task at hand. It's a balance thing.
I don’t know if fully manual does get in the way. One of the camera’s I use a lot on the street is a 1932 Leica Stardard. I use a Voigtlander 25mm Snap Skopar lens, zone focusing and use sunny 16. I walk around, and do adjust my shutterspeed on the walk. But on instinct. I think it is important to focus on your tool. Learn it inside out. And whatever you use, it wouldn’t get in the way.
Hi Paul, thanks for posting, a very interesting topic. I shoot both street and a lot of woodland landscapes, which have completely different methods. One on the fly, zone focus and auto iso to capture instant moments/people, and the other, slow and methodical with the emphasis on composition and atmosphere (both with my M240). Both have their place, but for street, you are definitely correct, the faster you can see and shoot the better. Great pictures and video, just the right balance for me, keep up the good work.
Thanks so much!!! You’re right there are different types of photography that have different approaches. Street stuff we just need to be all ready to go!! Thanks for the feedback on the video. I’m really trying to make sure there’s enough images on each video to keep everyone inspired by photography rather than just talking
I think you're onto the key Matt. Horses for courses. When photographing in the forest/countryside I take a different approach to when I am looking for architecture/arty photos in the city, and definitely different to when I am trying to capture cityscapes with people in them. Having said that, I use full manual mode all the time, with some zone focussing for the city/street photography.
@@andrewwright9512 Thanks Andrew. I think flexibility is the key, I learnt to slow right down shooting large format landscapes, where the time and effort to set the camera up and meter the scene ensured that you really took the time to find the composition first. I am fairly new to street work, so find it quite liberating to set auto iso/shutter speed and zone focus. I will probably end up going fully manual after a little more practice.
My standard modus operandi is to go slow, live in the moment, and when I need to, work fast through instinctive reaction. Mind you, I have been doing this all my life …
I find that colour is great when colour IS the Subject of the image... no matter the vehicle that carries it. Otherwise, i find that colour is very often a distraction from all that is important in a good image. I think your photo of the image of the girl with the ear-buds illustrates this point well. On a different tack - set the camera up as for birding... several pre-sets for different birds doing different stuff at speeds and brightness levels, all under a button for instant access. And slowing down... that's just 'The Zone' in high-performance: within the sphere of awareness, within an environment that is understood in terms of its parameters, a singular focus on that environment, an intense concentration on what matters and where it's likely to emerge - HCB was famed for it. 'Slowing down' is the brain processing information faster... it's a subjective phenomena and not a case of becoming something d e l i b e r a t e and p o n d e r o u s.
On slowing down. Generally, I think it’s a good idea while learning a new camera or exploring a new genre. But once you understand the camera controls and how it behaves under different conditions or you feel you understand the subject, slow is probably not the way to go. The exceptions I can think of off the top of my head might be architecture, landscape and product photography.
Yeah there’s some portraits too that you can really take your time on. But if it’s moments you need to capture. Random moments at that. Then we need to be quick.
There’s an elegant, vintage, theatrical, simplicity to monochromatic images. I prefer the monochromatic version of the color image you shared. The subject stands out more, since the background colors are gone. As for slowing down, there’s an argument to be made for learning the mechanics of ISO, shutter speed, and f-stop. And if you’re selling Leica M-11 cameras that only have manual focus, “slowing down” makes for a nice marketing pitch. And sure, one can get pretty quick with zone focusing. But in the end, taking lots of photos, moving quickly, capturing moments, seems the best recipe for artistic growth.
There is a time for Slow & Fast. Also setting up the context and waiting for the shot to arrive. I lean a lot on a lamp post or corner of a building or down a step-well and shoot up or in an elevated position and shoot down and long. From those perspectives, the subject never knows they are being photographed so they don't change their demeanor. And as Paul obviously does, ask for the shot. Not spontaneous, but still rich in character.
i totally agree with you paul. I'm big on zone focusing, i'm ready instantly when i see something i wish to capture and i don't need to worry and hope the auto focus captured the image. I'm old school, in today's advanced modern era we are taught to be too dependent on all the advanced features of the latest and greatest technology. and yes, I'm not looking to slow down in my shooting. zen billings in canada
I agree Paul that black-and-white tends to pick up emotional content better than color. I also do not know why I feel that way. A sidenote, I think you’re selling yourself short I only doing one day workshops. It’s way more educational to have a day to shoot, And a date to process and evaluate. But, that’s just me.😊
Thanks so much! The workshops have really been an evolving process. I wasn’t even sure I’d be any good at it. After doing a few I realise I am actually good at it and just need a few more behind my belt before it evolves further
I agree with you about modern cameras which are made to be fast. I heard many photographers saying: shoot less but better as if film photography with 36 images was something to get back. It's also wrong, Cartier-Bresson and many others used to take tons of photographs. So what is your opinion ?
I think spraying and praying isn’t the best. At the same time I don’t think street photography should be slow at all. I love film. But I don’t shoot any slower on film either
@@paulreidphotography Yes, a line-up for the safety shot, as in take a shot when you see something interesting, then take another one or two, possibly at different settings, is a way to be fast. Spraying, as in mulit-shot bursts is just crazy and likely making you a lazy and not so good photographer, with the only gain is hours more in the edit room. Many a time when I was not close enough, waited to get to subject, only to find the whole thing was gone -- vanished opportunity.
Hi Paul, I am a Leica M10R user. After watching your videos, I decided to buy the Leica Q2 Monochrom. I found that your images, especially the street portrait images, are sharp. Would you mind sharing the settings of your camera, focusing mode etc. Thanks 🙏🏼
Perhaps your color images from last were a reflection of you seeing (in your head) in black and white as you shoot. Slowing down could be a way of pre-visualizing the scene, not necessarily a function of using the camera features. I use a Ricoh GR iiix, set that on aperture priority at around 4.5 and I am ready to image any scene. And with that camera no zone focus necessary - snap focus takes care of the moment.
Hi Paul. Having watched several of your videos now, I don't think you're a street photographer; I think you're a portrait photographer who's studio happens to be the street. These are easily your most compelling images, where the subject is looking straight at you, straight into the lens.
I use Leica, a Q2 and a CL, and no way have they slowed me down. 90% of my images are on the street and you just can’t slow it down. Learn your camera, set it to suit your needs and get out there. I do have different settings for day and night shooting, small tweaks to compensate for the lack of light at night.
Color and B&W both work for street. For me making color look like film or an old movie film can make an image pop. High contrast B&W also really makes an image at times. The same image can work in both sometimes. But, I believe you need grain, flaws, vignet, muddy shadows, limited dynamic range, color shifts-all of the things tending towards analog film in an image to make it work. Perfect digital images are not alive. Having everything composed, built from the outside in, all in the right place, blah, blah, blah make an image boring to me. Maybe some of that is also in play with the images you think have more emotion than others.
Slowing down may not be a do thing but an effect when your in control of your camera and it is out of the way which probably is a crude way to say your one with the camera. Time then go slower relative to the photographer and the decisive moments are shot as if they where fish in a barrel.
So, Paul, you shoot monochrome all the time and then, when you shoot colour once, you apparently expect to capture the same emotion. That is more or less the same when I, after shooting (D)SLRS for several years, pick up a range finder and expect to have the same compositions. Please, give yourself a break and a bucket load of time and I am sure you will be able to capture great emotion on colour.
I realised that only after I had filmed it all. You can see on the close up bit that I’d pointed the light so it wasn’t going directly into the lens. Thanks for watching. I’m glad you enjoyed it
Shooting with manual focus Leica M series actually allows me to speed up, not slow down. Auto ISO, minimum shutter speed, and zone focus is the fastest way to shoot.
If i want to slow down I would just slow down don't need a special camera to do that . Personally not my thing but if that is how people get results they're happy with hey more power to them
„Slowing down“ is a myth anyway. If someone want to celebrate those thing, he could de with almost every camera. And if you want to act as fast, you can even do with a Leica M fast, almost snappy shots. Don’t forget, the rangefinder was basically the cameras for journalists and war correspondents for more than a decade.
Hi Paul, once again I can see that your style is very similar to mine. Strictly speaking, they are often much more street portraits than general street photography. The urban space appears more like a diffuse background or stage, and I like that a lot. And yes, absolutely, taking photos in color is like taking a short vacation from black and white, nothing more... ;-)
You probably know the quote from Ted Grant: “If you photograph people in color, you are photographing their clothes. If you photograph them in black and white, you are photographing their souls.” Your photos show this in a fantastic way, it really inspires me.
Slowing down is not the answer to the question of how we get better. When the moment comes, we must be ready. Preferably beforehand...
Best regards, Dirk (DT-Classics)
Thanks as always for your very positive comments and insight into how you shoot! I really appreciate you watching the channel
I came across Jono's article last week too. As I understand it - and it's something I agree with - the point he makes is less about slowing down and more about developing and honing your instincts as a photographer over years of practice. That means knowing what exposure and focus settings are required to achieve the image in your head, and that by the time the camera reaches your eye everything is ready or thereabouts to take the shot. The appeal of a fully (or mostly) manual camera is that it forces you to get very efficient at dialling in your settings for the image you have visualised. That doesn't necessarily mean zone focussing mind, but at least being in the ball park before critical focussing. The flip side being that relinquishing too much control of focus point, exposure level etc to your camera's brain can mean you miss a moment entirely if for whatever reason it f's it up!
I agree with you on all of this!! Thanks so much for your comment
Nice video! Keep on your great work!! 👍🏼
Thanks so much!!! I appreciate you watching
Really for me, it comes down to muscle memory and experience, working hand-in-hand so that you can work more intuitively without distractions. In that sense you can work both quickly, but also more slowly... quickly because you can react to a scene without hesitation, but slowly in that you know you don't have to keep checking the camera... you can be more focused on the task at hand. It's a balance thing.
Agreed!!! Thanks for watching
I don’t know if fully manual does get in the way. One of the camera’s I use a lot on the street is a 1932 Leica Stardard. I use a Voigtlander 25mm Snap Skopar lens, zone focusing and use sunny 16. I walk around, and do adjust my shutterspeed on the walk. But on instinct. I think it is important to focus on your tool. Learn it inside out. And whatever you use, it wouldn’t get in the way.
Agreed!!! I definitely think that we can all be faster at catching a moment if we just know our camera well
Hi Paul, thanks for posting, a very interesting topic. I shoot both street and a lot of woodland landscapes, which have completely different methods. One on the fly, zone focus and auto iso to capture instant moments/people, and the other, slow and methodical with the emphasis on composition and atmosphere (both with my M240). Both have their place, but for street, you are definitely correct, the faster you can see and shoot the better. Great pictures and video, just the right balance for me, keep up the good work.
Thanks so much!!! You’re right there are different types of photography that have different approaches. Street stuff we just need to be all ready to go!! Thanks for the feedback on the video. I’m really trying to make sure there’s enough images on each video to keep everyone inspired by photography rather than just talking
I think you're onto the key Matt. Horses for courses. When photographing in the forest/countryside I take a different approach to when I am looking for architecture/arty photos in the city, and definitely different to when I am trying to capture cityscapes with people in them.
Having said that, I use full manual mode all the time, with some zone focussing for the city/street photography.
@@andrewwright9512 Thanks Andrew. I think flexibility is the key, I learnt to slow right down shooting large format landscapes, where the time and effort to set the camera up and meter the scene ensured that you really took the time to find the composition first. I am fairly new to street work, so find it quite liberating to set auto iso/shutter speed and zone focus. I will probably end up going fully manual after a little more practice.
My standard modus operandi is to go slow, live in the moment, and when I need to, work fast through instinctive reaction. Mind you, I have been doing this all my life …
That’s the best of all worlds!!!
3:17 - Paul, that really is a great photo.
Thanks so much!! I really appreciate that
Looking dapper
Ha haa! Thanks very much!!
I find that colour is great when colour IS the Subject of the image... no matter the vehicle that carries it. Otherwise, i find that colour is very often a distraction from all that is important in a good image. I think your photo of the image of the girl with the ear-buds illustrates this point well. On a different tack - set the camera up as for birding... several pre-sets for different birds doing different stuff at speeds and brightness levels, all under a button for instant access. And slowing down... that's just 'The Zone' in high-performance: within the sphere of awareness, within an environment that is understood in terms of its parameters, a singular focus on that environment, an intense concentration on what matters and where it's likely to emerge - HCB was famed for it. 'Slowing down' is the brain processing information faster... it's a subjective phenomena and not a case of becoming something d e l i b e r a t e and p o n d e r o u s.
Thanks for watching the videos! I really do appreciate it and your comments always!!
On slowing down. Generally, I think it’s a good idea while learning a new camera or exploring a new genre. But once you understand the camera controls and how it behaves under different conditions or you feel you understand the subject, slow is probably not the way to go. The exceptions I can think of off the top of my head might be architecture, landscape and product photography.
Yeah there’s some portraits too that you can really take your time on. But if it’s moments you need to capture. Random moments at that. Then we need to be quick.
There’s an elegant, vintage, theatrical, simplicity to monochromatic images. I prefer the monochromatic version of the color image you shared. The subject stands out more, since the background colors are gone. As for slowing down, there’s an argument to be made for learning the mechanics of ISO, shutter speed, and f-stop. And if you’re selling Leica M-11 cameras that only have manual focus, “slowing down” makes for a nice marketing pitch. And sure, one can get pretty quick with zone focusing. But in the end, taking lots of photos, moving quickly, capturing moments, seems the best recipe for artistic growth.
Thanks for watching and your comments as always!! I do think it’s all about just learning to use what you have rather than slowing down.
There is a time for Slow & Fast. Also setting up the context and waiting for the shot to arrive. I lean a lot on a lamp post or corner of a building or down a step-well and shoot up or in an elevated position and shoot down and long. From those perspectives, the subject never knows they are being photographed so they don't change their demeanor.
And as Paul obviously does, ask for the shot. Not spontaneous, but still rich in character.
Thanks so much for your comment! I agree! There’s a time for both
i totally agree with you paul. I'm big on zone focusing, i'm ready instantly when i see something i wish to capture and i don't need to worry and hope the auto focus captured the image. I'm old school, in today's advanced modern era we are taught to be too dependent on all the advanced features of the latest and greatest technology. and yes, I'm not looking to slow down in my shooting. zen billings in canada
Fantastic!!! Shooting from the heart is what it’s all about!!
I agree Paul that black-and-white tends to pick up emotional content better than color. I also do not know why I feel that way. A sidenote, I think you’re selling yourself short I only doing one day workshops. It’s way more educational to have a day to shoot, And a date to process and evaluate. But, that’s just me.😊
Thanks so much! The workshops have really been an evolving process. I wasn’t even sure I’d be any good at it. After doing a few I realise I am actually good at it and just need a few more behind my belt before it evolves further
I agree with you about modern cameras which are made to be fast. I heard many photographers saying: shoot less but better as if film photography with 36 images was something to get back. It's also wrong, Cartier-Bresson and many others used to take tons of photographs. So what is your opinion ?
I think spraying and praying isn’t the best. At the same time I don’t think street photography should be slow at all. I love film. But I don’t shoot any slower on film either
@@paulreidphotography Yes, a line-up for the safety shot, as in take a shot when you see something interesting, then take another one or two, possibly at different settings, is a way to be fast. Spraying, as in mulit-shot bursts is just crazy and likely making you a lazy and not so good photographer, with the only gain is hours more in the edit room. Many a time when I was not close enough, waited to get to subject, only to find the whole thing was gone -- vanished opportunity.
Hi Paul, I am a Leica M10R user. After watching your videos, I decided to buy the Leica Q2 Monochrom. I found that your images, especially the street portrait images, are sharp. Would you mind sharing the settings of your camera, focusing mode etc. Thanks 🙏🏼
There’s quite a bit to go into. However when doing portraits a usually use the AF in face and eye detection mode
@@paulreidphotography Thanks for the information. 🙏🏼
Perhaps your color images from last were a reflection of you seeing (in your head) in black and white as you shoot. Slowing down could be a way of pre-visualizing the scene, not necessarily a function of using the camera features. I use a Ricoh GR iiix, set that on aperture priority at around 4.5 and I am ready to image any scene. And with that camera no zone focus necessary - snap focus takes care of the moment.
I’d love to have a go with a Ricoh GRiii for a while. I had one but I wasn’t as good then
Hi Paul. Having watched several of your videos now, I don't think you're a street photographer; I think you're a portrait photographer who's studio happens to be the street. These are easily your most compelling images, where the subject is looking straight at you, straight into the lens.
Thanks so much! I’m really taking this as a huge compliment.
Absolutely. 👍
Nice video, thanks. What Voightlander lens do you use on your M6?
Oooo it’s the 35mm color skopar 2.4 I think
I use Leica, a Q2 and a CL, and no way have they slowed me down. 90% of my images are on the street and you just can’t slow it down. Learn your camera, set it to suit your needs and get out there. I do have different settings for day and night shooting, small tweaks to compensate for the lack of light at night.
Totally agree with this
New to the site, wondering if you use any filters in your work. Thanks.
Thanks for watching! I don’t really use filters much although I have experimented with them
Color and B&W both work for street. For me making color look like film or an old movie film can make an image pop. High contrast B&W also really makes an image at times. The same image can work in both sometimes. But, I believe you need grain, flaws, vignet, muddy shadows, limited dynamic range, color shifts-all of the things tending towards analog film in an image to make it work. Perfect digital images are not alive. Having everything composed, built from the outside in, all in the right place, blah, blah, blah make an image boring to me. Maybe some of that is also in play with the images you think have more emotion than others.
This is what gravitates me to film sometimes
Slowing down may not be a do thing but an effect when your in control of your camera and it is out of the way which probably is a crude way to say your one with the camera. Time then go slower relative to the photographer and the decisive moments are shot as if they where fish in a barrel.
Totally agreed!!!
So, Paul, you shoot monochrome all the time and then, when you shoot colour once, you apparently expect to capture the same emotion. That is more or less the same when I, after shooting (D)SLRS for several years, pick up a range finder and expect to have the same compositions. Please, give yourself a break and a bucket load of time and I am sure you will be able to capture great emotion on colour.
Thanks so much for the pep talk mate! I appreciate it!!
Enjoyed the video, maybe dim that back light a little as it was hard to see your face.
I realised that only after I had filmed it all. You can see on the close up bit that I’d pointed the light so it wasn’t going directly into the lens. Thanks for watching. I’m glad you enjoyed it
Shooting with manual focus Leica M series actually allows me to speed up, not slow down. Auto ISO, minimum shutter speed, and zone focus is the fastest way to shoot.
I totally agree!! That would be my way to go!!!
@@paulreidphotography I shoot the M11 monochrome that way
If i want to slow down I would just slow down don't need a special camera to do that . Personally not my thing but if that is how people get results they're happy with hey more power to them
Thanks for watching the video and thanks for your comment!! I really appreciate it
„Slowing down“ is a myth anyway. If someone want to celebrate those thing, he could de with almost every camera. And if you want to act as fast, you can even do with a Leica M fast, almost snappy shots. Don’t forget, the rangefinder was basically the cameras for journalists and war correspondents for more than a decade.