The silver lining of the TikTok’s “photographers-in-street” phenomenon is that they’re normalizing the presence of photographers and maybe people hopefully can get a bit more relaxed about us, that’s a positive thing for street photography. (Hey I’m trying here 😂)
Not a bad way to look at the whole situation. I think you have a good point there. Even if the way of candid street photographers and the tik tok street photographers is completely different we both profit from normalizing photographers out in the streets.
I worry about the opposite effect; that they will become annoying by their numbers. They usually work in cities and most often target good looking people. So it’s possible that the same group of people will be continually pestered. At the end of the day if everyone remains polite and respectful about it, then it’s harmless - but let’s hope the talented street photography artists, shine through.
I am going to date myself here, but I remember the days when Walkman first came out and the reactions people would get when they wore them in the streets were insane. Similarly the Bluetooth headsets - for several years it was the most annoying thing out in public. Today, nobody bats an eyelash. Now, taking pictures of someone without consent is not exactly the same grade of annoyance but, humans are funny, they get used to literally everything - good and bad.
I just regret that what is portrayed on TikTok as “street photography” is how the mainstream population will now see it. Either people find it creepy or, as I also feel, very easy and uncreative. Just wish channels like yours or Paulie B’s could be the ones trending so people could really see the amount of skills, dedication and work it takes to take a good street photo and also how important the genre is for documentation of history
100% agree. When I tell people I newly meet that I do street photography they more often than not ask me if I do tiktoks like that. Explaining that these videos have nothing to do with street photography gets really tiring.
I am a high school student in Japan and I am in the photography club. My friends ask me, "What kind of photography do you like?" I replied, "I like street photography," and was very sad when she said, "Oh, you mean the ones on tiktok and stuff. Even though I fell in love with street photography because I admired the Saul Leiter's photos. I was a little happy to see that there seemed to be a lot of friends in this video and in the comments section who had similar thoughts to mine.
@@cruzdesangre2850 Except the main drive for your art should first and foremost be your own enjoyment. I don't even call myself a photographer even though I've had a camera in my hands for the last 30 years. Don't let labels define you and you can be anything YOU want to be.
Regarding the whole TikTok street photography trend, I think that short-term they are pleasing portraits (nice bokeh, wide aperture, long lenses, etc). But that’s all they are. No one image really stands out. They lack the timeless appeal that the best street photographs have. They lack story, that sense of wonder that makes you curious about the context behind the image. There’s nothing that draws your attention other than the bokeh and a beautiful face. They are nice portraits, and props to them for having the courage to talk to strangers, but it’s not what street photography should be known for.
Yep. They are just posed snapshots done with good gear - a FF camera with a fast lens shot near max aperture. Check out Dawn Eagleton’s work for actual street portraits.
It's going to get to a point where this trend becomes oversaturated and boring because they make it look too easy. When in reality, it's extremely hard to get into and do. Now some people are going to be outgoing, charismatic, extroverted, etc and etc so it's natural. For others, its anxiety and panic attacks, along with dealing with confrontation.
They are good if you want a nice picture of yourself taken by your friend. Agreed they provide nothing to further the art form or being creative. That goes for portraiture and street.
The one that bugged me a bit was the wedding couple. They said they didn't have time, and you don't know under what other constraints they are already running. Just leave people alone the moment they say no, no questions asked, no insisting or negotiating. You wanna be the wedding photographer, then do wedding photography.
@@alexeilyubimov7760 No, I'm a working photographer and I'd be pissed if some random dipshit rolled up demanding to take photos of my clients mid-session.
Sehr interessante Video. Habe es gerne angeschaut, ich werde die tage auch ein video posten mit meinen Gedanken dazu. wünsche an alle Fotografen nur das beste bleibt gesund und positiv das ist das wichtigste Mit freundlichen Grüßen
The issue i have with this type of content is that it is misleading viewers to think these are candid street portraits. If you scratch beneath the surface you find that its all staged with the majority of subjects being professional models or wannabe influencers with their own huge followings.
yes and no. there are some that are not influencers. what makes these photos attractive is the heavy editing (mostly photoshop) that they undergo. if you look closely at their faces, some of their features are enhanced. it's all for the money. and i hate these type of photographers.
Don´t be so suspicious of the Tiktok-Photographers. Their work will not remain, they won´t be featured in photobooks, it´s not really about the art of photography. There is no need of comparison. The videos are about building a short personal connection and the intimacy of being posed for a photograph. The interactions are much more important than the image. Also I do think that there could be a nice outcome from this trend as well: It´s framed as a very positive interaction with an outcome which is deemed quite lovely and beautiful in the end. The popularity might help to make photographing in the cities seen less disruptive and threatening. Also (especially also): The term "street photography" is popular for just a couple of years. Photographers from the 60ties, 70ties, 80ties didn´t do "street photography", they did just photography in their city. So a younger generation of photographers who started photography with the availability of digital cameras called photographing in the street "streetphotography" to give themselves something to be associated with and are now claiming this term, which pretty much means anything or nothing anyways and are snotty about some other photographers using another medium and format.
It feels like street photography poser. Basically find nice looking people and take portrait. And then comments are “she is so beautiful ❤❤” “keep going” “you are so good”.
@@SamuelStreetlife That's the creepiest part for me, they're all like "she would have definitely said yes to a date" etc., just confirms in my head the bias that the photographer in the video had/has a creepy ulterior motive
I am a Korean photographer. I usually shoot street fashion. The algorithm recommended your video. Many young people in Korea are more positive than expected about TikTok's photo style. I think this part is just a trend. However, most photographers are creating their own style of work is emphasizing their own style. Of course, I'm filming a variety of things. I was impressed by your video. - Lee Lee, a photographer from far away Korea.
I approach people on the street and ask for a photo if there's good lighting and I need to be in their face. I stopped introducing myself as a street photographer because I think these TikToks have tainted the title "street photographer"
I am grateful that you’ve covered this. I saw several of these portrait photographers on UA-cam but I’m sure they got their start on TikTok. Thousands of followers and all doing pretty much the exact same thing. My first impression was “This is creepy af.” I felt uncomfortable watching them. It did seem that the person being photographed was picked because they were young, female, and beautiful. I didn’t like that these guys called themselves “street photographers.” I don’t feel that this fits the genre in any meaningful way. I’m not knocking what they do. Portraiture is a great pursuit, but these are not street photographs. They lack the candidness of the outside world that street photographers strive to portray. In one case, a commenter on one of these street portrait guys pointed out that the women he was supposedly spontaneously finding on the street and shooting were professional models. Finding that out really cheapened the portraiture value of his videos. This type of photography is definitely easy to define: it’s portraiture, not street. I strive to capture normal, natural life and hope that I get good light when I do it. The way most of these guys are approaching the young women they shoot is unseemly to me. Stalker-ish. That’s my 2-cents.
Oh glad you're talking about those. It irks me so much. How did they even think of calling themselves street photographers and did they never know what real street photo is? There's quite literally zero skill or talent involved. Just buy an 85mm f/1.4 or f/1.2 point and click. The worst part is it is educating the young with false information about what street photography is and warps their perspective.
I'm not on TikTok, for many of the same reasons you alluded to at the beginning (and neither are my kids). I always take a pause when it feels like maybe the "gatekeepers" of a genre of photography declare some group of work to be "not true X photography", because I think it can be a way to exclude new voices and ideas and maintain a status quo. But having watched you for some time now I knew that this wouldn't be your hot take so I was interested to learn more about this trend. I fully agree that these aren't street portraits. They're just portraits of people outside - they're basically indistinguishable from shots you'd take of a teenager graduating or other for-hire portraiture. I think you hit the nail on the head with regards to the longer lenses used wide open - they're able to get a "good looking" shot within mere seconds because they're not composing anything. It's kind of lowest-common-denominator photography - but that could be commentary about TikTok in general. They're just framing an attractive person and nuking the background. It definitely feels like insincere posturing to call themselves street photographers - they clearly want to ride the reputation of that genre as making meaningful, historical art, but use it to plug mundane portraiture. It occurred to me as I was watching clips just how much of it could be totally staged to boost views and reputation. "Look how great I am at walking up to women and stopping just short of hitting on them to convince them to let me photograph them!" Thanks for covering this topic and introducing people like me to it who don't participate in certain social media channels. Also, was anyone else irked by the number of "You have a really nice camera!" comments? 🙄 I get that maybe the average person on the street doesn't really know what other compliment to give a photographer when they like a picture, but c'mon...
To add onto that, I believe that street photography should always provide a take on the practical reality of street life. This also means not discriminating solely based on beauty standards. Those guys (I mean, it's only guys it seems) just look for women who adhere to our flawed perception of beauty, reproducing it. It's not at all representative of what kinds of people one would meet on the streets. All in all, I honestly don't think this style produces pictures of any meaning. They're like a piece of chocolate: it's kinda nice, you eat it and it's gone forever. Lastly, I don't think we should start the old tinfoil hat "I bet this is staged" thing. Ockham's Razor. It is a totally unnecessary aspect to our theory. Those guys could walk up to a hundred women in a day and even if 80 of them say no, the rest are more than enough for weeks of content. You are never going to see any of the rejections. Also, young women in their "focus group" have a higher probability of using Tik Tok themselves, knowing about this trend, maybe even feeling a bit pressured to consent to doing the shots.
@@Nitidus fair enough point about the staged aspect. Odds are eventually they’ll be successful if they ask enough. But I do think it’s relevant to an extent about the nature of social media and faked/staged imagery. I brought it up as it was one of the musings that went through my head as I watched.
The only reason I downloaded tiktok in 2023 is to post my pictures as video to showcase whatever small photography skills I have. To normalise you dont need an expensive setup for street photography, it can be started by anyone and to let others know, bokeh is not street photography!
Very thoughtful assessment of the whole TikTok street photography phenom. It irked me as well and I couldn't put my finger on it exactly, except to say that part of it was jealousy for sure. All of these guys are younger than me, apparently ambidextrous (one hand on smart phone, other on DSLR), and with quite steady hands I might add, which I do not have lol. One thing I can pinpoint about the effect of social media on photography, esp. portrait photography, is that it has made it more of a requirement that the photographer be a personality and usually good looking to even have an opportunity. Back when I was coming up, guys like Helmut Newton would shoot Cindy Crawford and Walter Iooss would be photographing Kathy Ireland for Sport Illustrated. These were older guys; not necessarily unattractive, but nowhere comparable to the models they were shooting. But this new breed of TikTok photographers are all slick, young guys. Not the BEST photographers per se, just the most charming/appealing. I don't like how social media has made that a prerequisite for photography.
The difference is that Walter is a high end pro working on assignments with international companies, whereas Tiktok and UA-cam photographers have to market themselves directly to a viewership. Pros of Walter's calibre often have managers and agents, not to mention the portfolio to display credibility. I've never met Walter but he always came across as pleasant and professional in his SI shoots. The not entirely attractive Giles Bensimon married Elle Macpherson, remember that.
@@raksh9 Nice to get a response from someone who is familiar with that time period. Walter is actually not the best example of what I was trying to convey; he's fairly good looking, just somewhat grizzled and older. I had Robert Huntzinger in mind, but couldn't recall his name when I wrote the comment. The interesting thing with Giles is he's like 80 now, so Elle was really young when she dated him. Anyway, your point is well taken about the differences between someone like Iooss and these TikTok guys. But that brings me to one of the few things that I do like about the current climate. Become a pro photographer was very insider-y back in the day; lots of gatekeepers. As least these days you can get your product directly to the consumer and bypass all that cronyism.
Not to completely contradict you but the guys shown in the video were completely average looking guys (uh not to be mean just being honest about the rather arbitrary standards of beauty that western society has deemed as what is and isn’t beautiful, and if we’re really being honest uh even below average!) Secondly we saw that the Russian guy basically had a rig attached to his body that held on to his smartphone so he could freely position his camera with with his two hands. So it’s not like they are amazing jugglers or anything, vloggers typically look like janky cyborgs lol
For me they're just portraits done out on the street. I do it all the time for clients. But they're for professional purposes (headshots mostly) and have a lifespan of about 3-5 years depending on the use. Street photography is a different genre entirely. I do that as well and the outcomes are vastly different.
You are right, bro. They are making confusion by calling themselves street photographers. And of course there is also a distintion to make with certain street portraits: Stephen Shore, Vivian Maier, Jamel Shabazz did raw portraiture work that is in the aesthetic line of street photography, not those tiktokers.
Great video. I like this kind of format where you sit down discussing photography news and giving your commentary about things happening in the photography world. Hoping to see more of this in the future
the worst i've seen was when the "street photographer" interupted a wedding photography session. He asks the couple's permission for some photos and you can see the pro is mad about the situation
Yea, I thought it was pretty cringe. When you see someone working don’t interrupt them. This extends past photography and applies to any type of work. Is this not common sense? It feels so weird for me to even write this comment lol.
Anyone watching this video…Do the photography you like and enjoy. Who care if people don’t like it. “Oh you do street photography like on tik tok?” Sure do! Would you like to see my work!!! You shouldn’t be embarrassed of things you are proud of or like to do. If someone else doesn’t like it or understand it oh we’ll poop smells. They aren’t paying you for it so let go like a fart in the breeze. I hope everyone can just do what they enjoy and let people do what they enjoy.
I think street photography can include “staged” street portraits but shouldn’t be exclusively about that. As for TikTok, it’s problematic for a host of reasons that range from the deterioration of attention spans to Chinese surveillance.
Well said! I feel It’s a legitimate criticism. Would love to hear your perspective on this same topic a year from now once I’ve had some time to grow. I’d be thrilled if I could successfully strive to be just a fraction as versatile and natural as some of the great veteran street photographers you mentioned later in the video.
Hey! Just wanted to pop in and give you a shoutout for your latest video - it was seriously awesome and super informative! Your content is always spot-on, and I love how much effort you put into sharing your expertise with us all. Sending good vibes from Spain! Wishing you an awesome day!
someone has finally spoken! thank you! the people claiming themselves as "street photographers" in those trending videos on tiktok aren't doing the true meaning of street photography at all. it's sickening. :(
I feel like there is this balance in street photography with capturing the moment as it is, and changing the moment to it makes the photograph different (e.g., asking someone to pose a certain way, stand in a certain place, look in a certain direction, or even just adjust your composition without people noticing). Sometimes it can be okay to make slight alterations to reality. You already do in a way when you are waiting for “the perfect shot”. But also asking someone to stand a certain way, while still capturing them how they are, can look authentic when done the right way. TikTok photography leans way too much towards artificialness and posing. The moment is not “captured”, it is “created”. In my view this loses the essence of what street photography should do: capture people and places in a specific timeframe, in a camera.
This type of TikTok street photography is just an additional form of the modern self-portrait mania. Only one's own arm is extended, the smartphone is replaced by a camera and a vicarious agent presses the shutter release. The only true achievement of the person behind the camera is that nothing is too embarrassing for her to approach strangers.
As a guy practising street photography, i understand the centiment you have with this trend. Me personally, whenever I do street photography, there are times that I approach strangers to take their photos. However, I do not or I refuse to introduce myself as street photographer as I do not want people to start thinking that taking portraits on the street (non candid) is what street photography is all about. But boy it is a lot of fun just by approaching people to have their photos taken and get different reaction/response out from it.
totally agree, alot of the tik tok stuff is super cringey and everyone relies on a wide open f 1.4 lens. however, i think it is similarly soulless to a lot of candid "real" street photography. candid photos of people crossing the street or standing around very often lack value and interest (i've taken a lot of these myself 🤣) the good news is that candid or posed, you can tell when there is some soul and intention to the image, and not just a random press of a shutter
I recently bought a Ricoh GR3x. It is might first camera at age 27, paid by myself, so I am pretty proud about that decision. It costed me almost $1200 CAD and inspite the hefty price and my friends who click portraits telling you can better cameras with blur at half the price (used), I decided to stick with it. This decision was only made after watching so many videos on street photography and ricoh walks. My crux from all these learnings is that street photography is candid, wherein you capture a moment in time, an expression or a story which cannot be faked or styled. With the street portraits, I feel you loose that "real" story as you create a controlled environment and modify the subject's behaviour. Ofcourse, these pictures would be nice, a nice camera, an expensive lens and post can change so much, but that is not the true self in that moment. I also agree that these photographers talking and seeking consent from the subjects is really nice, not everyone likes to be clicked but maybe that is why we have street photography, using light and the environment in a manner to portray a beautiful story where the by product is a beautiful story in itself. Second thing I learnt is that the best camera that you can have is the one in your hand. Vincent Peters and Eric Van Nynatten are a great example of this. These tiktok videos make me feel unworthy unless I have an expensive setup which is not possible for everyone. I really like the 3rd pic being selected as it shows and its reason. I can use my phone camera for portraits and add blur with photo editing apps but I feel that is not street photography.
I take a mix of candid street photos and portraits mainly, and I found this video to be inspiring. Of course, if I take a candid and then find out that the subjects are family, or something, sometimes I will ask them to pose for a more formal posed portrait. This is my attempt to give them back something that they will value in exchange for giving me the candid. I do see the difference and I agree. Ultimately, I feel that the posed portrait is a gift from me to the subject, whereas the candid is (ideally) my (and the subject’s) contribution to the world, Street Photography, and history.
Some good takes. I prefer to look at traditional street but there is something magical in how some of tik-tok photographers are able to make people's day with their portrait. Like dgphotoholic has such a pleasant and gentle approach and disarms even the most skeptical of subjects
I agree. If you watch his videos, David doesn't introduce himself as street photographers, only a photographer. And his approach is so smooth, doesn't feel awkward and artificial. Something that we (ok, me) take for granted
When I was first into photography I was so into that bokeh, those portraits and their creamy background. However, years into the hobby, I become more impressed with the portraits that don't rely on the bokeh to make the subject standout or be more dynamic looking. To the point that i am thinking that maybe bokeh is indeed overrated. Wide angle portraits become more interesting to me somehow
To me, these TikTok trends reminds me of when I started photography and urbanism or photographers risking their own life to take pictures of their shoes on top of a skyscraper. I don’t knock people for finding their passion in something they’re interested in, even if it’s from a trend, because their art and work ethic overtime will show. Do I think these photos look good as street photos? No. But I encourage them to continue shooting.
WHY AM I JUST DISCOVERING YOUR CHANNEL?! Great points on the candidness of street photography. it's what i've been saying since i've taken up photography myself. Edit: You earned one loyal sub. Keep it up good sir.
It's not about us being attacked or us being protective over "what we have", it's about using the right terminology. These people on TikTok simply have nothing to do with Street Photography. They may be photographers or stylists, but they are not street photographers. As simple as that.
Shouldnt be too concerned about whats popular right now as the people who take up photography will dig deeper and find the real treasures behind whats been happening on the surface. Thank you for your channel nd input :)
Not being on TikTok, my only exposure to this trend has only been through Instagram and thankfully of one guy who commonly photographs elderly people. The tone is never too forceful, and the subjects talk about their younger years or encourage the photographer as the portraits are taken. While I wholeheartedly prefer taking candid photos myself, I'm always thinking in the perspective of the fiercely private person who is now unwittingly plastered online or in print without permission and may never be compensated since they are rendered anonymous with no knowledge of the image. I vaguely remember my time on my school newspaper, where any person with a face the size of something like a quarter on the page must be credited. It brings complicated feelings when even I would rather not be photographed without permission (and I typically deny permission) because I dress alternatively and don't like the idea of my visage being used for another's monetary gain. If I give permission but say the photo(s) cannot be posted online or seen by any other person, how would that go over in the grand scheme of things and by the honor system?
Thanks for expressing your thoughts on this. I think people on TikTok have a tendency to lose the main point of doing things, or rather they have their own way of seeing it and it's usually very technical, "standard" pieces, which work but aren't very interesting or have much artistic thought behind them. I can say similar things about animation on TikTok, where a lot of things that go viral are literally traced, or are overdone. Or the art community where most of the things I see going viral are hyper realistic portraits, which yes they do require skill but it's not as interesting as someone drawing from imagination, or someone having more style.
One of the weirdest things about those Tik Tok street portraits is why their filter makes everyone look amber-coloured. I'm not convinced they're all spontaneous either. Also, while I appreciate there's some skill to the lighting etc, what they're doing seems quite simple .... so I feel like they're adding to this idea that having an expensive camera with posh settings means good pictures.
My darling sometimes asks why my street portraits contain so much street. I’ll point her here next time. Fantastic, thoughtful, and thought provoking video Samuel.
This phenomena happened in my uni too. There was a social media page ran by some students that would take pictures of other students especially those that are attractive and post is online. At first their shots were mostly candid but due to the prominence of their page, people are more aware of photographers even to the point that even having a camera with you make them think you're apart of that said group of photographers. People will immedioately pose and even call you out for pictures even thought you have no prior intent to do so, basically killed off the ability to shoot candid. i was really bummed about this as I really like how street photgraphy depicts people's raw day to day lives wihtout them putting up a facede. I'm glad I'm not the one who sees this as an issue that doesn't just conclude that it's just due to pride and arrogance
That sounds awful, I'd be so sad if something like that happened to my college. Another issue is that photography students here don't like to give or receive real criticism, it's an endless cycle of mediocre work really.
The trick with street portraits is to take a shot, say "OK, good" and then take another photo. Even if you tell people not to pose, they will, but they'll quickly shed the pose when they think the shoot is over
street portraiture was my favorite kind of street photography long before tiktok. Sometimes I'd walk up to people and couples and ask them if I would take their picture. Though I mostly shot in the candid "no permission" style. When I first started out I was inspired by Bruce Gilden's work. Of course when I say street portraiture, I did the kind that included the environment around, I shot with 40mm lens, so still pretty wide to include the context of the person I was photographing. My favorite thing to do was to take a picture of a person with a street sign or landmark in the background. I mentally referred to these as money shots. From my perspective there's nothing wrong with these, some of them are strictly portrait of the non-street variety that just happened to be taken of a stranger in public, but there is nothing wrong with it. Nothing devoid of artistic quality. I much prefer this kind of "street" photography as opposed to taking pictures of the backs of people. Street photography where the subject meets eyes with the camera lens, that's the best. You never look what expression you're gonna get. I love it.
I would describe the photos of these TikTok photographers as corporate or manufactured. Kinda lifeless but works as a profile pic or something like that. They're really only useful to the individual being photographed. Whereas really good portraiture and/or street portraits are appealing to both the subject and anyone who happens to view the photo. Really love this new video format btw! I always enjoy listening to something while I edit and these are perfect.
Thanks for the video! Aside from the TikTok phenomenon, which is completely of my radar - I do find the discussion interesting - about what street photographers do, and how it is understood (or not) by the general person. Maybe that contributes to an increase in people creating this kind of photography, for good or bad (?) My experience is that most people I know, family etc, really don’t understand or appreciate why I would be interested in taking candid photographs of them or other people. Even though everybody sees ‘street photographs’ (or documentary/journalistic photography) all of the time and in many different mediums - maybe there is a real disconnect between seeing and appreciating photographs (magazines, nat geo etc) and actually seeing somebody photographing that way in real life, on the ‘street’. Probably always going to be true that most people would prefer to be photographed in the beautiful, posed portrait style even though, in my opinion, the candid, street photograph will always be much more powerful, meaningful and appeal to a wider audience, ultimately. But it is also really, really, really, really hard to do!!!
i am an old photographer, started 1984 with photography, at this time i photographed in my city, did not know about street-photography. After maybe 2 years i started buying books, the first was HCB and Ernst Haas. Over the years i had times where i stopped photographing, then i photographed extensivly for a few years and stopped again. I had a job , where i traveled the world. Later in the 90s i did a photographic school for 3 years just for fun. The last years i do a lot more, children are gone to there own life, i have more time. But i jump always between street, portraits in studio and kinda fashion. Maybe it started years ago with scott schuman, the guy who photographed well dressed guys at pitti uomo and brought this to social media. This tiktok photographers do nothing special, the most of them don`t have quality. Just talking only to beautiful people and making a snapshot with 1.8....But they get attention, thats the time....15 min - celeb.......with one word....das ist einfach nix, nur großer käse.... ;-) lg BM
Late to the discussion regarding the street photography. Seeing that photography is something I dip my toe into once in a while due to low self esteem and an introvert wanting to be a lil more social, I really like the trend, going up to strangers to talk and offer them something they value. As opposed to taking candid shots and having zero interaction. Both have their own creative space. And it’s nice to give people something back since the photographers let them know they would send them the pics for free. So for me, I would lean more to this new trend so I can come out my shell and start conversations with people. That’s my perspective. It’s unfortunate purists don’t accept them. Hopefully this doesn’t devolve into an entire debate as opposed to collabs it just two different types of street photography.
Do not be afraid of what others call so-called street photography. Rather see it as enrichment. Video didn't kill cinema, CD didn't kill analog records, etc.. And your street photography can easily stand the comparison!
Hello Samuel and thank your for all the information you have shared with us, I wondered why if you like to shoot manual on the d850, you chose Voigtander instead of native Ais Nikon Ais lenses. Have you tried them? Hope you have the time to respond.
Why have they not put a PROPER focus tab on the 27mm? So annoying that the only options for a focus tab on Fuji is to adapt a Leica-M lens or use one of those crappy stick on ones! I would love a manual 27/2 on my X-Pro 3
I see street photography as purely candid Capturing people in the moment without them consciously aware they are on camera or with minimal/no interaction
I hate TikTok, it’s a celebration of mediocrity. I hate that now other social media channels have adapted their models to be more like tik tok so now social media as a whole has become a looping echo chamber of people making attempts to go viral. The tik tok street photo scene is so cringy to the point of embarrassment
Your tongue must be so sore from biting it all the way through that video! I love how diplomatic you were and yet the glint in your eye spoke volumes. I agree with all of this. Taking staged pictures of random people with a shallow depth of field and calling yourself a street photographer is like baking a cake from a cake mix and calling yourself a chef.
I started stopping strangers for portraits around 2014. It started as a casual thing and it slowly turned into a fashion project. I did it for several years and enjoyed it very much...that was until I started seeing these TikTok photographers do it. It really took all the joy out of it. I was a great way to network, though.
So here is the thing. Legally in a lot of countries including Germany you can’t just take and publish photos of people without their permission. This makes street photography with people as the subject very challenging - unless you just don’t care. So once you actually start asking for permission before you take a photo you naturally will slide into this genre of street portraiture, even if you would prefer the more classical take on street photography. It’s a very frustrating limitation but you gotta respect people’s right not to have pictures of themselves published.
Extremely happy and not surprised that Voightlander is still producing lenses for F Mount. For all the hype around mirrorless, F Mount is not dead, Nikon DSLRs and lenses are still in production, and for good reason: shooting with them is like coming home.
As a fellow photographer, I wanted to chime in on TikTok and expand your thoughts on it, in that I feel it is destroying EVERY aspect of humanity right now (not just street photography), and that the pendulum of good vs bad it brings has been swung WAY OVER to the BAD since almost it's introduction; I have similar thoughts on Instagram and those horrendous REELS they shove down our throats. Most everything I see coming out of this cesspool of a platform is derogatory, demeaning, harmful (both mentally and physically), and these "trends" are nothing more than a modern-day euphemism for completely inappropriate and harmful behaviour. The quicker this crap gets banned and sent packing back to China, the better off the rest of the world will become.
I agree entirely with the Tiktok sentiment. While the trend is helping to popularize photography, there is an equal pull in the other direction that doesn't fully encapsulate the art of it and degrades our work as photographers. At the end of the day though, it will likely pass but I am still glad you spoke on it!
Thank you for sharing this interesting topic on the Tiktok photographers. It helped me reflect on my own goals of photography. Also the TikTok topic made me think about the nature of digital trends. With a flick of their fingers, people can like the photos/videos or follow them. However, the “like” by an expert photographer is the same “like” from a person with no expertise on these digital platforms including Tiktok, Instagram, Twitter, UA-cam, etc. There is no way to differentiate the “likes” from a photography aspect vs the “likes” for a different reason (e.g. attractive model, funny content, already trending, etc.). It’s interesting how street photography might get affected due to the likes clicked probably by many non-photographers from Tiktok videos. Trends do go away. TikTok might also go away after some time. But the lasting impact created by this liking system could be significant for both photographers and the audience, just like how the definition of a “street photographer” might be changing.
I thought I was being petty with the TikTok street trend lol. It's been driving me crazy, sometimes yelling at my phone "that's NOT Street Photography"!!! Glad to see, I'm not alone!
I think there's room for both candid street photography/capturing life , as well as the posed "100 Strangers"-type posed portraits. I think it's relatively easy to tell the difference between the two. But I also think Tik Tok is pretty gross.
I think Frederik Trovatten does it well. He does a lot of candid photography, shoots film and digital so he's not overly pretentious about which medium you choose, and he does posed portraits too.
I'm not on tiktok but from what you showed, people don't watch these street portrait videos for the photography or capturing something true about the subject or the scene. People just like watching the trope of a video of someone seeing themselves and being surprised that they look good; like a miniature narcissistic reality show. It's the same as the videos where someone puts on some new product and then looks surprised and says, "oh wow I didn't expect to look so good in this makeup," or, "oh wow I didn't expect to look so good with this insta filter," etc. Are they mostly awkward single dudes who want to talk to pretty girls? And their viewership is other awkward single dudes who think, "if I could buy a camera, then I could talk to pretty girls too!!" LOL. Like a lot of internet content out there, maybe this trend is mostly driven by men creeping on women.
omg im so happy that someone is talking about this. Im not even a street photographer, but it bothers me so much that people are saying that this dudes, especially wenjamin, are great photographers, when in reality it's all because of the lenses they use.
I do both. Street photography and street portraits. They both have their place. Sometimes you want to see the world without disturbing it. And sometimes you want to get a closer look at the character of a stranger. One involves getting candid shots without asking and one involves talking to the subject, getting to know them a little, and taking a photo that represents them as you saw them in the environment. People can talk trash on street portraits but it doesn't affect me. As far as subjects, they can always just say no. I don't press. I don't like it when I see photogs pressing or trying to talk somebody into it. With candid street photography, photogs aren't even asking permission (which I know we don't need). So which is creepier? Anyway, I do both street photography and street portraits. And I don't do TikTok (it's Chinese spyware). I do IG, though. I think it's important to not do photography with social media in mind.
So,if i bring my camera to public space,now i’m street photograper 😂. Forget it about juxtaposition,gestalt…just use rule of third or dead center composition with a creamy bokeh 😅
The silver lining of the TikTok’s “photographers-in-street” phenomenon is that they’re normalizing the presence of photographers and maybe people hopefully can get a bit more relaxed about us, that’s a positive thing for street photography. (Hey I’m trying here 😂)
Not a bad way to look at the whole situation. I think you have a good point there. Even if the way of candid street photographers and the tik tok street photographers is completely different we both profit from normalizing photographers out in the streets.
I worry about the opposite effect; that they will become annoying by their numbers. They usually work in cities and most often target good looking people. So it’s possible that the same group of people will be continually pestered.
At the end of the day if everyone remains polite and respectful about it, then it’s harmless - but let’s hope the talented street photography artists, shine through.
I am going to date myself here, but I remember the days when Walkman first came out and the reactions people would get when they wore them in the streets were insane. Similarly the Bluetooth headsets - for several years it was the most annoying thing out in public. Today, nobody bats an eyelash. Now, taking pictures of someone without consent is not exactly the same grade of annoyance but, humans are funny, they get used to literally everything - good and bad.
That’s a good perspective I agree
Valid point but it's still taking away the real sense of street photography
I just regret that what is portrayed on TikTok as “street photography” is how the mainstream population will now see it. Either people find it creepy or, as I also feel, very easy and uncreative. Just wish channels like yours or Paulie B’s could be the ones trending so people could really see the amount of skills, dedication and work it takes to take a good street photo and also how important the genre is for documentation of history
100% agree. When I tell people I newly meet that I do street photography they more often than not ask me if I do tiktoks like that.
Explaining that these videos have nothing to do with street photography gets really tiring.
Does mainstream ever count? Real street photography has always been a niche and that's fantastic
People be like "lol you just take pictures of random things"
Great response
Paulie B’s is incredible
I am a high school student in Japan and I am in the photography club. My friends ask me, "What kind of photography do you like?" I replied, "I like street photography," and was very sad when she said, "Oh, you mean the ones on tiktok and stuff. Even though I fell in love with street photography because I admired the Saul Leiter's photos. I was a little happy to see that there seemed to be a lot of friends in this video and in the comments section who had similar thoughts to mine.
Being an artist and having your work compared to a tiktok trend must be one of the worst feelings on Earth.
@@cruzdesangre2850 Except the main drive for your art should first and foremost be your own enjoyment. I don't even call myself a photographer even though I've had a camera in my hands for the last 30 years. Don't let labels define you and you can be anything YOU want to be.
Hello, where is your Photography Club? Are you by any chance from Tokyo?
Regarding the whole TikTok street photography trend, I think that short-term they are pleasing portraits (nice bokeh, wide aperture, long lenses, etc). But that’s all they are. No one image really stands out. They lack the timeless appeal that the best street photographs have. They lack story, that sense of wonder that makes you curious about the context behind the image. There’s nothing that draws your attention other than the bokeh and a beautiful face. They are nice portraits, and props to them for having the courage to talk to strangers, but it’s not what street photography should be known for.
Yep. They are just posed snapshots done with good gear - a FF camera with a fast lens shot near max aperture. Check out Dawn Eagleton’s work for actual street portraits.
They lack story because they aren't the whole story, the video itself is.
It's going to get to a point where this trend becomes oversaturated and boring because they make it look too easy. When in reality, it's extremely hard to get into and do. Now some people are going to be outgoing, charismatic, extroverted, etc and etc so it's natural. For others, its anxiety and panic attacks, along with dealing with confrontation.
They are good if you want a nice picture of yourself taken by your friend. Agreed they provide nothing to further the art form or being creative. That goes for portraiture and street.
If I would do this i would say, “hello, my name is Bob and I do street portraits”
problem solved 👍🏼
From now on I will call myself a landscape photographer because I took some images of beautiful flowers at f1.4 in the woods #landscapephotography
Did you make those flowers famous overnight? Because that is the real power behind tiktok photography...
Lol 😂
The one that bugged me a bit was the wedding couple. They said they didn't have time, and you don't know under what other constraints they are already running. Just leave people alone the moment they say no, no questions asked, no insisting or negotiating. You wanna be the wedding photographer, then do wedding photography.
That was really the most problematic. Rude as hell to interrupt another photographer's paid session.
you weird
@@alexeilyubimov7760 No, I'm a working photographer and I'd be pissed if some random dipshit rolled up demanding to take photos of my clients mid-session.
Sehr interessante Video. Habe es gerne angeschaut, ich werde die tage auch ein video posten mit meinen Gedanken dazu. wünsche an alle Fotografen nur das beste bleibt gesund und positiv das ist das wichtigste
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
The issue i have with this type of content is that it is misleading viewers to think these are candid street portraits.
If you scratch beneath the surface you find that its all staged with the majority of subjects being professional models or wannabe influencers with their own huge followings.
yes and no. there are some that are not influencers. what makes these photos attractive is the heavy editing (mostly photoshop) that they undergo. if you look closely at their faces, some of their features are enhanced. it's all for the money. and i hate these type of photographers.
Exactly, even if they are not “professional” model, the creator would have chosen ones that are the best looking etc
Don´t be so suspicious of the Tiktok-Photographers. Their work will not remain, they won´t be featured in photobooks, it´s not really about the art of photography. There is no need of comparison.
The videos are about building a short personal connection and the intimacy of being posed for a photograph. The interactions are much more important than the image.
Also I do think that there could be a nice outcome from this trend as well:
It´s framed as a very positive interaction with an outcome which is deemed quite lovely and beautiful in the end. The popularity might help to make photographing in the cities seen less disruptive and threatening.
Also (especially also): The term "street photography" is popular for just a couple of years. Photographers from the 60ties, 70ties, 80ties didn´t do "street photography", they did just photography in their city.
So a younger generation of photographers who started photography with the availability of digital cameras called photographing in the street "streetphotography" to give themselves something to be associated with and are now claiming this term, which pretty much means anything or nothing anyways and are snotty about some other photographers using another medium and format.
It feels like street photography poser. Basically find nice looking people and take portrait. And then comments are “she is so beautiful ❤❤” “keep going” “you are so good”.
Haha yes the comment section under these videos is something else...
@@SamuelStreetlife That's the creepiest part for me, they're all like "she would have definitely said yes to a date" etc., just confirms in my head the bias that the photographer in the video had/has a creepy ulterior motive
I am a Korean photographer.
I usually shoot street fashion.
The algorithm recommended your video.
Many young people in Korea are more positive than expected about TikTok's photo style.
I think this part is just a trend.
However, most photographers are creating their own style of work is emphasizing their own style.
Of course, I'm filming a variety of things.
I was impressed by your video.
- Lee Lee, a photographer from far away Korea.
율곡이이ㄷ
I approach people on the street and ask for a photo if there's good lighting and I need to be in their face. I stopped introducing myself as a street photographer because I think these TikToks have tainted the title "street photographer"
I am grateful that you’ve covered this. I saw several of these portrait photographers on UA-cam but I’m sure they got their start on TikTok. Thousands of followers and all doing pretty much the exact same thing. My first impression was “This is creepy af.”
I felt uncomfortable watching them. It did seem that the person being photographed was picked because they were young, female, and beautiful. I didn’t like that these guys called themselves “street photographers.” I don’t feel that this fits the genre in any meaningful way. I’m not knocking what they do. Portraiture is a great pursuit, but these are not street photographs. They lack the candidness of the outside world that street photographers strive to portray.
In one case, a commenter on one of these street portrait guys pointed out that the women he was supposedly spontaneously finding on the street and shooting were professional models. Finding that out really cheapened the portraiture value of his videos.
This type of photography is definitely easy to define: it’s portraiture, not street.
I strive to capture normal, natural life and hope that I get good light when I do it. The way most of these guys are approaching the young women they shoot is unseemly to me. Stalker-ish.
That’s my 2-cents.
I think usually they aren't as random either. Some of the interactions seems like a set up and they know the person
Oh glad you're talking about those. It irks me so much. How did they even think of calling themselves street photographers and did they never know what real street photo is?
There's quite literally zero skill or talent involved. Just buy an 85mm f/1.4 or f/1.2 point and click. The worst part is it is educating the young with false information about what street photography is and warps their perspective.
you forgot the bit where they(generally) seem to only ask attractive women for photos and give off a super creepy vibe
I bet it's about the look and that those are like always the same photos (low aperture, Basic Portrait). Can't see it anymore
Cant agree more, the photo result is the worst part of every streetphoto tiktok videos.
I think its about the fact that none of these shots are candid, all are staged with professional models.
I'm not on TikTok, for many of the same reasons you alluded to at the beginning (and neither are my kids). I always take a pause when it feels like maybe the "gatekeepers" of a genre of photography declare some group of work to be "not true X photography", because I think it can be a way to exclude new voices and ideas and maintain a status quo.
But having watched you for some time now I knew that this wouldn't be your hot take so I was interested to learn more about this trend. I fully agree that these aren't street portraits. They're just portraits of people outside - they're basically indistinguishable from shots you'd take of a teenager graduating or other for-hire portraiture. I think you hit the nail on the head with regards to the longer lenses used wide open - they're able to get a "good looking" shot within mere seconds because they're not composing anything. It's kind of lowest-common-denominator photography - but that could be commentary about TikTok in general. They're just framing an attractive person and nuking the background. It definitely feels like insincere posturing to call themselves street photographers - they clearly want to ride the reputation of that genre as making meaningful, historical art, but use it to plug mundane portraiture. It occurred to me as I was watching clips just how much of it could be totally staged to boost views and reputation. "Look how great I am at walking up to women and stopping just short of hitting on them to convince them to let me photograph them!" Thanks for covering this topic and introducing people like me to it who don't participate in certain social media channels.
Also, was anyone else irked by the number of "You have a really nice camera!" comments? 🙄 I get that maybe the average person on the street doesn't really know what other compliment to give a photographer when they like a picture, but c'mon...
To add onto that, I believe that street photography should always provide a take on the practical reality of street life. This also means not discriminating solely based on beauty standards. Those guys (I mean, it's only guys it seems) just look for women who adhere to our flawed perception of beauty, reproducing it. It's not at all representative of what kinds of people one would meet on the streets.
All in all, I honestly don't think this style produces pictures of any meaning. They're like a piece of chocolate: it's kinda nice, you eat it and it's gone forever.
Lastly, I don't think we should start the old tinfoil hat "I bet this is staged" thing. Ockham's Razor. It is a totally unnecessary aspect to our theory. Those guys could walk up to a hundred women in a day and even if 80 of them say no, the rest are more than enough for weeks of content. You are never going to see any of the rejections. Also, young women in their "focus group" have a higher probability of using Tik Tok themselves, knowing about this trend, maybe even feeling a bit pressured to consent to doing the shots.
@@Nitidus fair enough point about the staged aspect. Odds are eventually they’ll be successful if they ask enough. But I do think it’s relevant to an extent about the nature of social media and faked/staged imagery. I brought it up as it was one of the musings that went through my head as I watched.
"Oh you really have a nice camera" always cringes me to death internally 🤮
The only reason I downloaded tiktok in 2023 is to post my pictures as video to showcase whatever small photography skills I have. To normalise you dont need an expensive setup for street photography, it can be started by anyone and to let others know, bokeh is not street photography!
Yeah, nuking the background also removes any sense of context that, imo, is one of the key elements of street composition.
Very thoughtful assessment of the whole TikTok street photography phenom. It irked me as well and I couldn't put my finger on it exactly, except to say that part of it was jealousy for sure. All of these guys are younger than me, apparently ambidextrous (one hand on smart phone, other on DSLR), and with quite steady hands I might add, which I do not have lol. One thing I can pinpoint about the effect of social media on photography, esp. portrait photography, is that it has made it more of a requirement that the photographer be a personality and usually good looking to even have an opportunity. Back when I was coming up, guys like Helmut Newton would shoot Cindy Crawford and Walter Iooss would be photographing Kathy Ireland for Sport Illustrated. These were older guys; not necessarily unattractive, but nowhere comparable to the models they were shooting. But this new breed of TikTok photographers are all slick, young guys. Not the BEST photographers per se, just the most charming/appealing. I don't like how social media has made that a prerequisite for photography.
The difference is that Walter is a high end pro working on assignments with international companies, whereas Tiktok and UA-cam photographers have to market themselves directly to a viewership. Pros of Walter's calibre often have managers and agents, not to mention the portfolio to display credibility. I've never met Walter but he always came across as pleasant and professional in his SI shoots. The not entirely attractive Giles Bensimon married Elle Macpherson, remember that.
@@raksh9 Nice to get a response from someone who is familiar with that time period. Walter is actually not the best example of what I was trying to convey; he's fairly good looking, just somewhat grizzled and older. I had Robert Huntzinger in mind, but couldn't recall his name when I wrote the comment. The interesting thing with Giles is he's like 80 now, so Elle was really young when she dated him. Anyway, your point is well taken about the differences between someone like Iooss and these TikTok guys. But that brings me to one of the few things that I do like about the current climate. Become a pro photographer was very insider-y back in the day; lots of gatekeepers. As least these days you can get your product directly to the consumer and bypass all that cronyism.
Not to completely contradict you but the guys shown in the video were completely average looking guys (uh not to be mean just being honest about the rather arbitrary standards of beauty that western society has deemed as what is and isn’t beautiful, and if we’re really being honest uh even below average!)
Secondly we saw that the Russian guy basically had a rig attached to his body that held on to his smartphone so he could freely position his camera with with his two hands. So it’s not like they are amazing jugglers or anything, vloggers typically look like janky cyborgs lol
Most of them are not charming or appealing at all, they come across as socially awkward nerds most of the time
For me they're just portraits done out on the street. I do it all the time for clients. But they're for professional purposes (headshots mostly) and have a lifespan of about 3-5 years depending on the use. Street photography is a different genre entirely. I do that as well and the outcomes are vastly different.
You are right, bro. They are making confusion by calling themselves street photographers. And of course there is also a distintion to make with certain street portraits: Stephen Shore, Vivian Maier, Jamel Shabazz did raw portraiture work that is in the aesthetic line of street photography, not those tiktokers.
Great video. I like this kind of format where you sit down discussing photography news and giving your commentary about things happening in the photography world. Hoping to see more of this in the future
the worst i've seen was when the "street photographer" interupted a wedding photography session. He asks the couple's permission for some photos and you can see the pro is mad about the situation
Indeed.
Yea, I thought it was pretty cringe. When you see someone working don’t interrupt them. This extends past photography and applies to any type of work. Is this not common sense? It feels so weird for me to even write this comment lol.
Anyone watching this video…Do the photography you like and enjoy. Who care if people don’t like it. “Oh you do street photography like on tik tok?”
Sure do! Would you like to see my work!!!
You shouldn’t be embarrassed of things you are proud of or like to do.
If someone else doesn’t like it or understand it oh we’ll poop smells.
They aren’t paying you for it so let go like a fart in the breeze.
I hope everyone can just do what they enjoy and let people do what they enjoy.
The photo taken at 16:53 was taken in my hometown of New Brighton! Instantly recognised that corner. So unexpected.
I think street photography can include “staged” street portraits but shouldn’t be exclusively about that. As for TikTok, it’s problematic for a host of reasons that range from the deterioration of attention spans to Chinese surveillance.
yes chinese are watching you
Well said! I feel It’s a legitimate criticism.
Would love to hear your perspective on this same topic a year from now once I’ve had some time to grow. I’d be thrilled if I could successfully strive to be just a fraction as versatile and natural as some of the great veteran street photographers you mentioned later in the video.
Hey! Just wanted to pop in and give you a shoutout for your latest video - it was seriously awesome and super informative! Your content is always spot-on, and I love how much effort you put into sharing your expertise with us all.
Sending good vibes from Spain! Wishing you an awesome day!
someone has finally spoken! thank you! the people claiming themselves as "street photographers" in those trending videos on tiktok aren't doing the true meaning of street photography at all. it's sickening. :(
Facts 💯
Finally someone will tell them 😅🙏🏻🙏🏻
Loving this news style video! Really appreciate it :) I do not know much about these other lens company’s so thank you for the info.
I feel like there is this balance in street photography with capturing the moment as it is, and changing the moment to it makes the photograph different (e.g., asking someone to pose a certain way, stand in a certain place, look in a certain direction, or even just adjust your composition without people noticing).
Sometimes it can be okay to make slight alterations to reality. You already do in a way when you are waiting for “the perfect shot”. But also asking someone to stand a certain way, while still capturing them how they are, can look authentic when done the right way.
TikTok photography leans way too much towards artificialness and posing. The moment is not “captured”, it is “created”. In my view this loses the essence of what street photography should do: capture people and places in a specific timeframe, in a camera.
Thanks love the new format! Still want to see you taking street photography but is a nice addition.
This type of TikTok street photography is just an additional form of the modern self-portrait mania. Only one's own arm is extended, the smartphone is replaced by a camera and a vicarious agent presses the shutter release. The only true achievement of the person behind the camera is that nothing is too embarrassing for her to approach strangers.
As a guy practising street photography, i understand the centiment you have with this trend. Me personally, whenever I do street photography, there are times that I approach strangers to take their photos. However, I do not or I refuse to introduce myself as street photographer as I do not want people to start thinking that taking portraits on the street (non candid) is what street photography is all about. But boy it is a lot of fun just by approaching people to have their photos taken and get different reaction/response out from it.
Never touched tiktok, never will, life is too precious for that
totally agree, alot of the tik tok stuff is super cringey and everyone relies on a wide open f 1.4 lens. however, i think it is similarly soulless to a lot of candid "real" street photography. candid photos of people crossing the street or standing around very often lack value and interest (i've taken a lot of these myself 🤣) the good news is that candid or posed, you can tell when there is some soul and intention to the image, and not just a random press of a shutter
Very good work Samuel! Your English has improved and your personal style feels consistent.
I recently bought a Ricoh GR3x. It is might first camera at age 27, paid by myself, so I am pretty proud about that decision. It costed me almost $1200 CAD and inspite the hefty price and my friends who click portraits telling you can better cameras with blur at half the price (used), I decided to stick with it. This decision was only made after watching so many videos on street photography and ricoh walks. My crux from all these learnings is that street photography is candid, wherein you capture a moment in time, an expression or a story which cannot be faked or styled. With the street portraits, I feel you loose that "real" story as you create a controlled environment and modify the subject's behaviour. Ofcourse, these pictures would be nice, a nice camera, an expensive lens and post can change so much, but that is not the true self in that moment.
I also agree that these photographers talking and seeking consent from the subjects is really nice, not everyone likes to be clicked but maybe that is why we have street photography, using light and the environment in a manner to portray a beautiful story where the by product is a beautiful story in itself.
Second thing I learnt is that the best camera that you can have is the one in your hand. Vincent Peters and Eric Van Nynatten are a great example of this. These tiktok videos make me feel unworthy unless I have an expensive setup which is not possible for everyone. I really like the 3rd pic being selected as it shows and its reason. I can use my phone camera for portraits and add blur with photo editing apps but I feel that is not street photography.
I take a mix of candid street photos and portraits mainly, and I found this video to be inspiring. Of course, if I take a candid and then find out that the subjects are family, or something, sometimes I will ask them to pose for a more formal posed portrait. This is my attempt to give them back something that they will value in exchange for giving me the candid. I do see the difference and I agree. Ultimately, I feel that the posed portrait is a gift from me to the subject, whereas the candid is (ideally) my (and the subject’s) contribution to the world, Street Photography, and history.
This was a brilliant video Samuel, find myself agreeing with you on most things tbh. More please!
I like this video. I think character is more important than "lovely". Excellent point!
Subbed bro, love the content.
Hey, just wanted to say that this was a really cool episode, and that I really enjoy this kind of content :)
Some good takes. I prefer to look at traditional street but there is something magical in how some of tik-tok photographers are able to make people's day with their portrait. Like dgphotoholic has such a pleasant and gentle approach and disarms even the most skeptical of subjects
I agree. If you watch his videos, David doesn't introduce himself as street photographers, only a photographer.
And his approach is so smooth, doesn't feel awkward and artificial. Something that we (ok, me) take for granted
When I was first into photography I was so into that bokeh, those portraits and their creamy background. However, years into the hobby, I become more impressed with the portraits that don't rely on the bokeh to make the subject standout or be more dynamic looking. To the point that i am thinking that maybe bokeh is indeed overrated. Wide angle portraits become more interesting to me somehow
Same here.
Trends are the last station before being unsophisticated.
Very comprehensive video of that trend Samuel. Thanks for pointing it out.
To me, these TikTok trends reminds me of when I started photography and urbanism or photographers risking their own life to take pictures of their shoes on top of a skyscraper. I don’t knock people for finding their passion in something they’re interested in, even if it’s from a trend, because their art and work ethic overtime will show. Do I think these photos look good as street photos? No. But I encourage them to continue shooting.
I love these. Please continue doing these.
I think this is street portrait photography. I don't mind it. It's a different genre.
WHY AM I JUST DISCOVERING YOUR CHANNEL?! Great points on the candidness of street photography. it's what i've been saying since i've taken up photography myself.
Edit: You earned one loyal sub. Keep it up good sir.
It's not about us being attacked or us being protective over "what we have", it's about using the right terminology. These people on TikTok simply have nothing to do with Street Photography. They may be photographers or stylists, but they are not street photographers. As simple as that.
Shouldnt be too concerned about whats popular right now as the people who take up photography will dig deeper and find the real treasures behind whats been happening on the surface. Thank you for your channel nd input :)
Not being on TikTok, my only exposure to this trend has only been through Instagram and thankfully of one guy who commonly photographs elderly people. The tone is never too forceful, and the subjects talk about their younger years or encourage the photographer as the portraits are taken.
While I wholeheartedly prefer taking candid photos myself, I'm always thinking in the perspective of the fiercely private person who is now unwittingly plastered online or in print without permission and may never be compensated since they are rendered anonymous with no knowledge of the image. I vaguely remember my time on my school newspaper, where any person with a face the size of something like a quarter on the page must be credited.
It brings complicated feelings when even I would rather not be photographed without permission (and I typically deny permission) because I dress alternatively and don't like the idea of my visage being used for another's monetary gain. If I give permission but say the photo(s) cannot be posted online or seen by any other person, how would that go over in the grand scheme of things and by the honor system?
Thanks for expressing your thoughts on this. I think people on TikTok have a tendency to lose the main point of doing things, or rather they have their own way of seeing it and it's usually very technical, "standard" pieces, which work but aren't very interesting or have much artistic thought behind them. I can say similar things about animation on TikTok, where a lot of things that go viral are literally traced, or are overdone. Or the art community where most of the things I see going viral are hyper realistic portraits, which yes they do require skill but it's not as interesting as someone drawing from imagination, or someone having more style.
The tiktok "street photographers" are like fast fashion... cheap, good looking photos for the masses.
One of the weirdest things about those Tik Tok street portraits is why their filter makes everyone look amber-coloured. I'm not convinced they're all spontaneous either. Also, while I appreciate there's some skill to the lighting etc, what they're doing seems quite simple .... so I feel like they're adding to this idea that having an expensive camera with posh settings means good pictures.
The 27mm from Fuji is a 2.8, so you also get a stop more light with the Voigtländer.
Looking forward to next episode already. Really cool format!
My darling sometimes asks why my street portraits contain so much street. I’ll point her here next time. Fantastic, thoughtful, and thought provoking video Samuel.
This phenomena happened in my uni too. There was a social media page ran by some students that would take pictures of other students especially those that are attractive and post is online. At first their shots were mostly candid but due to the prominence of their page, people are more aware of photographers even to the point that even having a camera with you make them think you're apart of that said group of photographers. People will immedioately pose and even call you out for pictures even thought you have no prior intent to do so, basically killed off the ability to shoot candid.
i was really bummed about this as I really like how street photgraphy depicts people's raw day to day lives wihtout them putting up a facede. I'm glad I'm not the one who sees this as an issue that doesn't just conclude that it's just due to pride and arrogance
That sounds awful, I'd be so sad if something like that happened to my college. Another issue is that photography students here don't like to give or receive real criticism, it's an endless cycle of mediocre work really.
The trick with street portraits is to take a shot, say "OK, good" and then take another photo. Even if you tell people not to pose, they will, but they'll quickly shed the pose when they think the shoot is over
Good tip 👌
street portraiture was my favorite kind of street photography long before tiktok. Sometimes I'd walk up to people and couples and ask them if I would take their picture. Though I mostly shot in the candid "no permission" style. When I first started out I was inspired by Bruce Gilden's work. Of course when I say street portraiture, I did the kind that included the environment around, I shot with 40mm lens, so still pretty wide to include the context of the person I was photographing. My favorite thing to do was to take a picture of a person with a street sign or landmark in the background. I mentally referred to these as money shots.
From my perspective there's nothing wrong with these, some of them are strictly portrait of the non-street variety that just happened to be taken of a stranger in public, but there is nothing wrong with it. Nothing devoid of artistic quality. I much prefer this kind of "street" photography as opposed to taking pictures of the backs of people. Street photography where the subject meets eyes with the camera lens, that's the best. You never look what expression you're gonna get. I love it.
I would describe the photos of these TikTok photographers as corporate or manufactured. Kinda lifeless but works as a profile pic or something like that. They're really only useful to the individual being photographed. Whereas really good portraiture and/or street portraits are appealing to both the subject and anyone who happens to view the photo. Really love this new video format btw! I always enjoy listening to something while I edit and these are perfect.
Thanks for the video! Aside from the TikTok phenomenon, which is completely of my radar - I do find the discussion interesting - about what street photographers do, and how it is understood (or not) by the general person. Maybe that contributes to an increase in people creating this kind of photography, for good or bad (?)
My experience is that most people I know, family etc, really don’t understand or appreciate why I would be interested in taking candid photographs of them or other people. Even though everybody sees ‘street photographs’ (or documentary/journalistic photography) all of the time and in many different mediums - maybe there is a real disconnect between seeing and appreciating photographs (magazines, nat geo etc) and actually seeing somebody photographing that way in real life, on the ‘street’.
Probably always going to be true that most people would prefer to be photographed in the beautiful, posed portrait style even though, in my opinion, the candid, street photograph will always be much more powerful, meaningful and appeal to a wider audience, ultimately. But it is also really, really, really, really hard to do!!!
They just remind me of school portraits that you bring to your caregiver lol
This was spot on. Bokeh isn’t art. It won’t stand the test of time. A fad like glamour shots.
i am an old photographer, started 1984 with photography, at this time i photographed in my city, did not know about street-photography. After maybe 2 years i started buying books, the first was HCB and Ernst Haas. Over the years i had times where i stopped photographing, then i photographed extensivly for a few years and stopped again. I had a job , where i traveled the world. Later in the 90s i did a photographic school for 3 years just for fun. The last years i do a lot more, children are gone to there own life, i have more time. But i jump always between street, portraits in studio and kinda fashion. Maybe it started years ago with scott schuman, the guy who photographed well dressed guys at pitti uomo and brought this to social media. This tiktok photographers do nothing special, the most of them don`t have quality. Just talking only to beautiful people and making a snapshot with 1.8....But they get attention, thats the time....15 min - celeb.......with one word....das ist einfach nix, nur großer käse.... ;-) lg BM
Late to the discussion regarding the street photography.
Seeing that photography is something I dip my toe into once in a while due to low self esteem and an introvert wanting to be a lil more social, I really like the trend, going up to strangers to talk and offer them something they value. As opposed to taking candid shots and having zero interaction. Both have their own creative space. And it’s nice to give people something back since the photographers let them know they would send them the pics for free.
So for me, I would lean more to this new trend so I can come out my shell and start conversations with people. That’s my perspective.
It’s unfortunate purists don’t accept them. Hopefully this doesn’t devolve into an entire debate as opposed to collabs it just two different types of street photography.
I get the point.. and now i understand why i don't really like their typical photos
That second shot in the subway car with the dutch angle is frankly just a snapshot!
Do not be afraid of what others call so-called street photography. Rather see it as enrichment.
Video didn't kill cinema, CD didn't kill analog records, etc..
And your street photography can easily stand the comparison!
Hello Samuel and thank your for all the information you have shared with us, I wondered why if you like to shoot manual on the d850, you chose Voigtander instead of native Ais Nikon Ais lenses. Have you tried them?
Hope you have the time to respond.
Why have they not put a PROPER focus tab on the 27mm? So annoying that the only options for a focus tab on Fuji is to adapt a Leica-M lens or use one of those crappy stick on ones! I would love a manual 27/2 on my X-Pro 3
Thanks to put my photo on this video. It’s the photo with the two people on a scooter. Photo was taken in Amsterdam.
I see street photography as purely candid
Capturing people in the moment without them consciously aware they are on camera or with minimal/no interaction
I hate TikTok, it’s a celebration of mediocrity. I hate that now other social media channels have adapted their models to be more like tik tok so now social media as a whole has become a looping echo chamber of people making attempts to go viral. The tik tok street photo scene is so cringy to the point of embarrassment
Thank you for sharing, I agreed 100%
Your tongue must be so sore from biting it all the way through that video! I love how diplomatic you were and yet the glint in your eye spoke volumes. I agree with all of this. Taking staged pictures of random people with a shallow depth of field and calling yourself a street photographer is like baking a cake from a cake mix and calling yourself a chef.
I think you just said it out loud for many ppl who think the same way about TikTok trend. Thanks a lot, Samuel!
Excellent video. You are right about TikTok. I agree with you, absolutely!
Lol this is the video I needed!
I started stopping strangers for portraits around 2014. It started as a casual thing and it slowly turned into a fashion project. I did it for several years and enjoyed it very much...that was until I started seeing these TikTok photographers do it. It really took all the joy out of it. I was a great way to network, though.
So here is the thing. Legally in a lot of countries including Germany you can’t just take and publish photos of people without their permission. This makes street photography with people as the subject very challenging - unless you just don’t care. So once you actually start asking for permission before you take a photo you naturally will slide into this genre of street portraiture, even if you would prefer the more classical take on street photography. It’s a very frustrating limitation but you gotta respect people’s right not to have pictures of themselves published.
Extremely happy and not surprised that Voightlander is still producing lenses for F Mount. For all the hype around mirrorless, F Mount is not dead, Nikon DSLRs and lenses are still in production, and for good reason: shooting with them is like coming home.
As a fellow photographer, I wanted to chime in on TikTok and expand your thoughts on it, in that I feel it is destroying EVERY aspect of humanity right now (not just street photography), and that the pendulum of good vs bad it brings has been swung WAY OVER to the BAD since almost it's introduction; I have similar thoughts on Instagram and those horrendous REELS they shove down our throats. Most everything I see coming out of this cesspool of a platform is derogatory, demeaning, harmful (both mentally and physically), and these "trends" are nothing more than a modern-day euphemism for completely inappropriate and harmful behaviour. The quicker this crap gets banned and sent packing back to China, the better off the rest of the world will become.
Hi Samuel, very cool format this show!
Hey Samuel. Eine wirklich coole neue Show. Toll gemacht und gut konzipiert. Bravo. Bitte mehr davon! ;-) Alles gute aus der Schweiz. LG, Sven
Completely agree with your thoughts in hot topic about those TikTok photographers.
I agree entirely with the Tiktok sentiment. While the trend is helping to popularize photography, there is an equal pull in the other direction that doesn't fully encapsulate the art of it and degrades our work as photographers. At the end of the day though, it will likely pass but I am still glad you spoke on it!
Also, big fan of this series. Cheers!
Thank you for sharing this interesting topic on the Tiktok photographers. It helped me reflect on my own goals of photography.
Also the TikTok topic made me think about the nature of digital trends. With a flick of their fingers, people can like the photos/videos or follow them. However, the “like” by an expert photographer is the same “like” from a person with no expertise on these digital platforms including Tiktok, Instagram, Twitter, UA-cam, etc. There is no way to differentiate the “likes” from a photography aspect vs the “likes” for a different reason (e.g. attractive model, funny content, already trending, etc.). It’s interesting how street photography might get affected due to the likes clicked probably by many non-photographers from Tiktok videos. Trends do go away. TikTok might also go away after some time. But the lasting impact created by this liking system could be significant for both photographers and the audience, just like how the definition of a “street photographer” might be changing.
Yes I also have a love for Tom Wood, he basically archived what it was like to grow up in 80’s Liverpool.
really insightful observations about those TikTok "street photographers"!
The third pic you choose is soo soo grt!!!
I thought I was being petty with the TikTok street trend lol. It's been driving me crazy, sometimes yelling at my phone "that's NOT Street Photography"!!!
Glad to see, I'm not alone!
I think there's room for both candid street photography/capturing life , as well as the posed "100 Strangers"-type posed portraits. I think it's relatively easy to tell the difference between the two. But I also think Tik Tok is pretty gross.
I think Frederik Trovatten does it well. He does a lot of candid photography, shoots film and digital so he's not overly pretentious about which medium you choose, and he does posed portraits too.
I'm not on tiktok but from what you showed, people don't watch these street portrait videos for the photography or capturing something true about the subject or the scene. People just like watching the trope of a video of someone seeing themselves and being surprised that they look good; like a miniature narcissistic reality show. It's the same as the videos where someone puts on some new product and then looks surprised and says, "oh wow I didn't expect to look so good in this makeup," or, "oh wow I didn't expect to look so good with this insta filter," etc.
Are they mostly awkward single dudes who want to talk to pretty girls? And their viewership is other awkward single dudes who think, "if I could buy a camera, then I could talk to pretty girls too!!" LOL. Like a lot of internet content out there, maybe this trend is mostly driven by men creeping on women.
omg im so happy that someone is talking about this. Im not even a street photographer, but it bothers me so much that people are saying that this dudes, especially wenjamin, are great photographers, when in reality it's all because of the lenses they use.
I do both. Street photography and street portraits. They both have their place.
Sometimes you want to see the world without disturbing it. And sometimes you want to get a closer look at the character of a stranger. One involves getting candid shots without asking and one involves talking to the subject, getting to know them a little, and taking a photo that represents them as you saw them in the environment.
People can talk trash on street portraits but it doesn't affect me. As far as subjects, they can always just say no. I don't press. I don't like it when I see photogs pressing or trying to talk somebody into it. With candid street photography, photogs aren't even asking permission (which I know we don't need). So which is creepier?
Anyway, I do both street photography and street portraits. And I don't do TikTok (it's Chinese spyware). I do IG, though.
I think it's important to not do photography with social media in mind.
So,if i bring my camera to public space,now i’m street photograper 😂. Forget it about juxtaposition,gestalt…just use rule of third or dead center composition with a creamy bokeh 😅
guess when I take my camera out during city breaks I'm now a street photographer 😂