There are ugly places. American suburban hellscape, for example. What do I do? Take a picture of the trash in the gutter by the Wendys? It's a space not meant for humans and I'm trying not to be despondent.
"how to photograph in boring places". shows most beautiful seaside with neat buildings and wonderful nature..... Well, time to go photograph thrash cans
Exactly what I thought... This place is beautiful, mi town full of nest of cables everywhere and awful architecture, and everyone see you because you have a camera in your hand. That is boring and... A little dangerous.
At 74, I'm looking back and thinking I should have taken pictures to be prepping for possible "then and now" series....fifty to sixty years ago my home town looked a bit different. Everywhere looks changed now. Maybe I need to dig through my fathers pictures and revisit those locations. Maybe he did the groundwork for that series. Maybe this will make some of these boring days feel different.
About 15 years ago I was doing a PR (not photography) job on an Edinburgh University project called The Disconnected Mind. It was amazing. On 4 June 1947 in Scotland, 70,805 11-year-old school children born in 1936 sat the same intelligence test in a standardised way as part of the Scottish Mental Survey 1947. And it included all kinds of other survey questions about background, eating habits etc. We had the chance to run the same study (plus advanced brain scans etc) on the same 'kids', now in their old age. To find out about long-term brain development, dementia, lifestyles etc. It was amazing, getting tons of the same people together. I remember me being a bit scared because the bossy/confident national newspaper photographers lined them all up on steps of a big building in Edinburgh and I was worried they might all come tumbling down like bowling alley pins! But yeah, it was a great example of a story about people in either half of their lives. I was chuffed to get a big card from the scientists thanking me for promoting it all to help with donations. I still have that card.
Thank you for your comment, I was going through old locations that I had been to on Google Maps and realized that I remember those places so differently, I should have taken a picture of those places to compare then and now.
I see boring light here - not boring places. For me it is always the light that makes the difference.... As you can see in the end of this video, the light gets more interesting, and so do the images. ;)
I think that was his point. All locations are interesting to the right person; just have to have confidence that you can compose a shot correctly, whether you see it as interesting or not.
Boring places are some of the best places to take photos because they make you as the photog stretch yourself! They force you to come up with a story, an idea, a concept, a perspective, a way to see something mundane in a new way. One of my favorite exercises when I'm in a rut is to pick a boring location or a specific item or topic and shoot a series of 10-15 photos of that single thing, make each one unique in some way, and try to find a new perspective for each one, then present them as a series like a mini exposition. It helps my mind to open up and see things in a new manner
This video summarizes why I take photos: I do it for me, and I can do it anywhere at any time. It is the process that is interesting. Looking for good frames. Problemsovling on the fly to get the best composition.
I absolutely love this video. I follow a lot of UK photographers & it seems like there is always something interesting to shoot there. I always think, ‘if I were there, I could do that too’ but what I should be thinking is, ‘if they can find something interesting to shoot where they live, then so can I’.
As photographers we sometimes get stuck in the “grass is always greener” fallacy. The truth is there’s no better spot than your own backyard to take photos. No one knows it as well as you.
Love the things you said and showed in this video. It really goes out to toss away the myth of "you have to be at an interesting place/event to take interesting photographs". You just shared a wonderful mindset every artist can practise! The world will show us its beauty naturally while we're just out there documenting, collecting each bits of mundane little moments that feel magical when we look back :)
Interesting and boring are relative. I live in a major city in Texas and would find a sleepy little English village to be a fascinating subject. Your friend would probably love the change of seeing a modern city that combines cowboy culture.
I've thought of photography as an opportunity based pursuit. The way you've chosen to highlight and capture "boring" places shows that a good photographer can create their own opportunities
i've seen many photos that you took, you are such an inspiration for me just to take my camera and go take photos. Amazing creativity and talent. You're one of the few that made me invest in X100VI and just take my camera where ever I go.
Great points you make here. I live on a small farm in Australia with no passing traffic and only one road in walking distance. It’s pretty picturesque and constantly changes with the light and seasons, but I still get a bit bored of it. I tried restricting myself to a prime to add in some challenge. Recently I’ve bought a super zoom so I can mix up the perspectives on any walk. Now I just need to grow some of that British weather resilience - I’ll be out in the fog but if it’s windy or wet, forget it!
just randomly stumbled upon this video-never seen any of your videos before-and want to say how grateful i am for this!! first of all, you took some really awesome shots!! second of all, i’ve been feeling like i’m in a huge photography rut lately, sometimes to the point of thinking there’s no point of bringing my camera when i go out somewhere, and i want to use what you and Dan spoke of in this video to try to push myself. even if i don’t think i’ll see anything, i should bring my camera anyway. there’s no way of guessing what moments and scenes will be presented to me. may as well have my camera in tow!
Again, as you mentioned, the point is to go out and notice things and have FUN! I think looking for detail shots is another way to find interesting shots in "boring places". I think my favorite shot here was the broken fence shot. I love the simplicity and every day feel. Thanks for taking us along!
These photos are just absolutely incredible. You give the images motives, and that's so much better than snapshots that just look good on Instagram. Fire.
Luv this video Mike. You are spot on. Moments present themselves unexpectedly and it’s being alert to those moments that is the key. And the best camera is the one you have with you at the time. Even a phone camera 😊
kinda crazy that i discover your channel yesterday, and today you upload this just as i was overthinking about going out and shoot. I live in cancun and used to live in mexico city where i was pretty used to chaos and a lot going on which was great for photos, here i tend to think that everything feels touristic. But with this new perspective you are giving i feel like i can observe cancun differently now
Thank you for the continuous inspiration and motivation. I recently went to London (from the US) and I left not satisfied with my photos. I constantly feel defeated, but your videos give me hope and drive to keep going. Please never stop making your art.
I've photographed a bit in both these locations - it being in my back yard - almost exclusively street. This video really helped me think about the same locations in a new way. So a big thank you.
Nice pics at the Humber Bridge - would contest that Cleethorpes is far from boring the 200 metres from the Pier to the Big Wheel (thats quite small really) is Mecca for Street Photos I would much rather go there than wander round London any day. Nice video I really enjoyed it.
As a street photographer, there are no boring places. You look for lines, contrasts, depths in a photo, and for people who complete your pictures. It's the art of being a photographer to tell your own specific story with the photos you take.
Great video. Not boring! The empty carnival rides seemed interesting. Colorful and evocative of abandoned leisure activities. I would like to have seen a few more shots of them.
Fantastic video and great to meet and chat to you. I admire your creativity not just in your photography but how you present it on UA-cam. Dans work in Cleethorpes is sublime and I completely agree to how people will enjoy his decade of capturing this small seaside town. Thank you again for all you do.
It’s so interesting to hear you all say sleepy English towns are boring as an American. We have rustic Americana, and the big cities. The real challenge for those of us on this side of the pond is without a doubt: the suburbs. Soulless strip malls and long stretches of just road. I definetly don’t have the artistic skill to capture something interesting from that, I’m sure someone is. But man it’s hard, bc everywhere u talk about the video was made for people: abandoned towns, sleepy villages, big cities. What’s human about the parking lot of Costco?
Yeah I feel there could be a photographer up to the challenge to specifically go after parking lots. Maybe have cool car if your lucky. But I'd rather see an old cabin with peeling paint for that rustic vibe.
I think the interesting part of those places you can find in either human interactions, or graffiti/ kind of that corporate feeling hit with a little rebelion. Not sure if that made much sense but focus on the out of the ordinary in places like costco where everything is ordinary.
I feel like part of it is the novelty. I would love to go to the USA and do some shoots of suburbia, strip malls, urban decay, old cars etc. But if I lived there yeah maybe it would get boring. I live in a small British town and a lot of it feels dull or generic to photograph, but I lived in another country it would seem quite cute and exciting to go there for a little shoot.
You need to come for a trip to the Wirral in such a small peninsula we have everything from lush country side, long beaches & promenades, rustic country villages to bustling town centres and plenty of unique places to visit. We’re nestled right in the middle of Cheshire, North Wales and Liverpool. Would be well worth a trip for you.
Great video, Mike! Thank you for all the explanations and taking us along with you on this shoot. I am curious about the camera bag that you are using in one of the scenes (black w/ top zipper it looks like). Great job!
Thank you for this video I actually live in Tokyo which would be a top 3 world places to take street photo, while I think my forte is street portraits, I always always always have issues trying to take minimalist pictures, I am blown away in threads when I see an amazing composition of a simple street traffic sign , I am baffled in just how good of a stop sign can look with the right composition and I've been trying to replicate this but I always fail even in a great place like Tokyo, man I wish I was a more complete photographer
I had a proper LOL when you opened to a shot under the Humber bridge. I really think North Lincs is right up there with the dullest places in England…and i grew up in Hereford, so i’m starting from a very low bar 😅
August in a thick jacket? You're mad Mike! It is still 31.7*C at 6pm here ugh .. (89*F) .. All the ocean front stuff seems pretty capable stuff ..Now I know to visit northern England in late August for the best weather :) .. So good .. Nice video ..
Thank you, a lot of those pictures were editing with my preset pack ‘authentic streets 3.0’ but also i recommend Dan Bakers preset pack ‘st Ives’ which I used a little here as well
Thanks for the vid mike..I used to say this so much times .I live in small island 🏝️ and love street and documentary photography. I just carry the camera with me all time..one side note if you living a quiet area starting projects help you out in fixing your creativity scratch... kudos and cheers mate
Yep it can be dull in Hull but Cleggie is just nostalgic place. I live in Hull and spent many days in Cleethorpes during my early childhood. I follow Dan on Instagram and my personal camera of late has been the Fuji Xpro3. Love the film sims. Was nice to see Little Swiss and Hessle foreshore featured.
I've lived beside the Humber my whole life and I've photographed this area a lot. It's fascinating watching someone make photos here with a fresh perspective. And as a local I can confirm Hessle is boring. Beautiful but boring, It's part of its charm
Great video, Mike!. At 13:41 of the video I saw your zipper top bag. Looking for a bag like that for my 2 scheduled European trips in early & mid 2025. I normally do not carry a camera bag, just camera with lens & a prime in my waist/fanny bag or coat pocket, depending on the weather.Thanks from Ontario Canada.
Greetings from San Francisco! Personally, I find sleepy English towns incredibly picturesque. Wherever you’re from, you’re likely to view it as boring and commonplace, but there are interesting subjects to be found anywhere if you can only view them with fresh eyes.
These are not boring photos. These are inspiring photos. Subject matter isn't the most important aspect, the framing, composition, tonal range, lighting/shadows, balance/imbalance, plays a huge roll in each and every photo.
I’ve notice since photographing, that I’m more present when I go out. Like more aware of my surroundings, which is absolutely wonderful for someone who zones out as much as I do lol. People talk about how taking pictures isn’t allowing you to fully enjoy the moment, but I’ve honestly felt like I’ve been more in the moment lately because of taking pictures. Tho to be fair, I’ve been getting into film photography, so I don’t see the image after taking it. I think that helps me not get too caught up in staring at multiple images and instead to just focus on composing and exposing it properly
I see a video series coming out of this mate - shooting peoples sleepy English towns and making them interesting. You could just tour the UK and meet up with people who say that their town is boring and show up realise it is boring, you've wasted £100 on petrol and you got no bangers hahaha but honestly if I had a chance to do that, I would!
Was so confused when I clicked on that video and didnt see james popsys. I love how the whole style of the video is basically exactly the same as james' videos
Always try to look at a place as a tourist would try to make it new and exciting like you have never been there before and you will find subjects to photograph
That spot was really interesting, but then I’m in the Canadian wilderness, so it’s all about perspective. Also, sunshine and blue skies can be highly overrated. We just came back from Hawaii and some of my best shots were in the mountain cattle ranches with limited palette on semi cloudy days, in B&W
Really like the shots of the ice cream stand! Just subscribed yesterday and really like your contents mate. Anyone know what focal length of the lens? Most of the shots look really pleasing in the eyes, frame wise.
Sometimes is not about the location or the final result ... Is the freedom of taking pictures , visit locations old Or new , and see with different perspectives from other people, explore some details... Is the Joy of taking photos ...
Great video Mike, can’t believe I was over there last week, camping in Barton Upon Humber, even had a day in Cleethorpes too. Would have loved to gone on the Meet Up but I doubt my wife would have liked me leaving her while we were on holiday, would have been ok if my Stepdaughter and her fella would have been with us maybe but leaving her on her own, with no car, not a chance.
it‘s very interesting that people that try to explain why boring don’t exist, seem to never have been stuck in boring place for an extended period of time. The problem isn‘t the boring place itself, it‘s being stuck there and having no other places. Is the place you are stuck at has millions of possible subjects, compared to 10, that is a huge and valid problem.
You're surrounded by nature with trees and beaches. Those places actually look fun to shoot whenever. I wish I had places like that. The only high traffic area in my town is a sketchy gas station and I'd rather not have my camera out for that. There was literally a violent robbery near there just a couple days ago. 2:50 Even that graffiti looks like a straight up Banksy.
5 місяців тому+2
There’s a funny difference between boring places and being bored with a place. I personally live in a beautiful and vibrant town, that has a good amount going for it. (Boulder, CO) But I’m pretty bored of it recently. Like REALLY bored of it. I can go to a 1 horse town in the mountains of Colorado and be totally inspired by old rubbish, old posts, and barns. So I feel a lot of this is mindset. At least for me, finding something interesting in boredom is my personal practice. Without letting my candy-brain neurons constantly seeking novel things
Devon raised some of the most spectacular photographers and cinematographers in history. Sleepy towns can produce giants. James Ravilious, Brian Griffin, Roger Deakins, David Tatersall. Sort of amazing that these visual masters were inspired by the same small region.
i think people that complain about boring places do so because they are stuck in boring places for a very very long time. I have been mostly stuck in this small boring city for 2 years due to constant injuries. Sure you can take some pictures in boring places, but there is just so much interesting stuff to see..
As a city dweller, I feel that the photos I take in my parents' hometown look better... I guess "sleepy towns" just has the right amount of people on top of its vintage street signs and shop blocks... Imo the beauty of suburbs are the most difficult to capture 😅
I keep hearing sleepy old English town and thinking: that's not boring, I live in another continent, another hemisphere. That's all novelty for my eyes. Then Dan put it perfectly. It's all about perspective. Edit: which made me think about MY sleepy town.
Hello, I also uses m11-p for photographs. do you capture the scene exactly as you intend it? I'm curious how you predict and account for the slight delay between pressing the shutter and the actual moment the shot is taken with the m11-p.
Dude, you gotta check out my city-it’s such a boring place for photos. No cool architecture, no tourist spots, just a run-down industrial vibe mixed with random tacky stuff that makes no sense at all.
I'd like to think that your boring old town is an exotic new place for someone that's never been there, even if they themselves live in a similar place. Trying to see your everyday mundane places with new eyes is hard but once you do you can start taking amazing photos. Or you can be like me and take the most mediocre photos of the most interesting places lol.
I love photos with no people in them, trees without leaves, empty park benches... It means you have to create the interest with our observations and point of view. FYI, I find nothing "boring" about this location, it's just not a city.
There is no such thing as a boring place, only boring moments. When one takes the time time to find those magical moments it’s such a good feeling
I would argue: “…only boring photographers” hahaaha😅
That’s why I just stay home with my gear.
Photograph ants in the backyard. Dust on my window sill.
maybe boring for him, not for us :)))
There are ugly places. American suburban hellscape, for example. What do I do? Take a picture of the trash in the gutter by the Wendys? It's a space not meant for humans and I'm trying not to be despondent.
White flat wall with nothing around thats boring
"how to photograph in boring places". shows most beautiful seaside with neat buildings and wonderful nature..... Well, time to go photograph thrash cans
Literally lol. My carbon copy, low-middle class suburb is BORING
All about perspective. One person’s boring location is another person’s wonderland.
@@jtakesnolsthis sounds really great tbh hahah
Exactly what I thought... This place is beautiful, mi town full of nest of cables everywhere and awful architecture, and everyone see you because you have a camera in your hand. That is boring and... A little dangerous.
At 74, I'm looking back and thinking I should have taken pictures to be prepping for possible "then and now" series....fifty to sixty years ago my home town looked a bit different. Everywhere looks changed now. Maybe I need to dig through my fathers pictures and revisit those locations. Maybe he did the groundwork for that series. Maybe this will make some of these boring days feel different.
Great plan! Do that.
About 15 years ago I was doing a PR (not photography) job on an Edinburgh University project called The Disconnected Mind. It was amazing. On 4 June 1947 in Scotland, 70,805 11-year-old school children born in 1936 sat the same intelligence test in a standardised way as part of the Scottish Mental Survey 1947. And it included all kinds of other survey questions about background, eating habits etc. We had the chance to run the same study (plus advanced brain scans etc) on the same 'kids', now in their old age. To find out about long-term brain development, dementia, lifestyles etc. It was amazing, getting tons of the same people together. I remember me being a bit scared because the bossy/confident national newspaper photographers lined them all up on steps of a big building in Edinburgh and I was worried they might all come tumbling down like bowling alley pins! But yeah, it was a great example of a story about people in either half of their lives. I was chuffed to get a big card from the scientists thanking me for promoting it all to help with donations. I still have that card.
Thank you for your comment, I was going through old locations that I had been to on Google Maps and realized that I remember those places so differently, I should have taken a picture of those places to compare then and now.
I see boring light here - not boring places. For me it is always the light that makes the difference.... As you can see in the end of this video, the light gets more interesting, and so do the images. ;)
Very good outlook!! I agree!!!
None of these places are boring though, lol. This place looks like a cute cozy lil' slice of heaven on earth!
"How to photograph boring places"
*has a thumbnail at a beach
Exactly.. Beach. Pier. Rides. Clam Diggers. Shopping town. Food. People.
Brings a Leica. hehe. 🤷🏻♀️
@@EMC2recordingsas an Australian, the beach is in fact a very boring and run of the mill location lmao
@@mollie6578 come to grey and boring ohio. that beach looks like a paradise compared to what im working with on a daily basis lol
I think that was his point. All locations are interesting to the right person; just have to have confidence that you can compose a shot correctly, whether you see it as interesting or not.
Boring places are some of the best places to take photos because they make you as the photog stretch yourself! They force you to come up with a story, an idea, a concept, a perspective, a way to see something mundane in a new way. One of my favorite exercises when I'm in a rut is to pick a boring location or a specific item or topic and shoot a series of 10-15 photos of that single thing, make each one unique in some way, and try to find a new perspective for each one, then present them as a series like a mini exposition. It helps my mind to open up and see things in a new manner
This video summarizes why I take photos: I do it for me, and I can do it anywhere at any time. It is the process that is interesting. Looking for good frames. Problemsovling on the fly to get the best composition.
I absolutely love this video. I follow a lot of UK photographers & it seems like there is always something interesting to shoot there. I always think, ‘if I were there, I could do that too’ but what I should be thinking is, ‘if they can find something interesting to shoot where they live, then so can I’.
Love this take, definitely agree
"No place is boring if you've had a good night's sleep and a pocket full of unexposed film"..... Robert Adams😎 Nice vid and images, thank you
As photographers we sometimes get stuck in the “grass is always greener” fallacy. The truth is there’s no better spot than your own backyard to take photos. No one knows it as well as you.
Love the things you said and showed in this video. It really goes out to toss away the myth of "you have to be at an interesting place/event to take interesting photographs". You just shared a wonderful mindset every artist can practise! The world will show us its beauty naturally while we're just out there documenting, collecting each bits of mundane little moments that feel magical when we look back :)
Interesting and boring are relative. I live in a major city in Texas and would find a sleepy little English village to be a fascinating subject. Your friend would probably love the change of seeing a modern city that combines cowboy culture.
am in houston and couldnt agree more. guess i too just need to walk around with my camera out hahaha
I've thought of photography as an opportunity based pursuit. The way you've chosen to highlight and capture "boring" places shows that a good photographer can create their own opportunities
i've seen many photos that you took, you are such an inspiration for me just to take my camera and go take photos. Amazing creativity and talent. You're one of the few that made me invest in X100VI and just take my camera where ever I go.
Love to hear it! Thanks for watching and enjoy the camera :)
Mike you just depicted what fun photography can be where ever you go. Such an uplifting video, I thank you!
Great points you make here. I live on a small farm in Australia with no passing traffic and only one road in walking distance. It’s pretty picturesque and constantly changes with the light and seasons, but I still get a bit bored of it. I tried restricting myself to a prime to add in some challenge. Recently I’ve bought a super zoom so I can mix up the perspectives on any walk. Now I just need to grow some of that British weather resilience - I’ll be out in the fog but if it’s windy or wet, forget it!
just randomly stumbled upon this video-never seen any of your videos before-and want to say how grateful i am for this!! first of all, you took some really awesome shots!!
second of all, i’ve been feeling like i’m in a huge photography rut lately, sometimes to the point of thinking there’s no point of bringing my camera when i go out somewhere, and i want to use what you and Dan spoke of in this video to try to push myself. even if i don’t think i’ll see anything, i should bring my camera anyway. there’s no way of guessing what moments and scenes will be presented to me. may as well have my camera in tow!
Again, as you mentioned, the point is to go out and notice things and have FUN! I think looking for detail shots is another way to find interesting shots in "boring places". I think my favorite shot here was the broken fence shot. I love the simplicity and every day feel. Thanks for taking us along!
@@charliejg thanks for watching! Glad you enjoyed those moments ✌️
These photos are just absolutely incredible. You give the images motives, and that's so much better than snapshots that just look good on Instagram. Fire.
Ahh thank you so much!
Luv this video Mike. You are spot on. Moments present themselves unexpectedly and it’s being alert to those moments that is the key. And the best camera is the one you have with you at the time. Even a phone camera 😊
kinda crazy that i discover your channel yesterday, and today you upload this just as i was overthinking about going out and shoot. I live in cancun and used to live in mexico city where i was pretty used to chaos and a lot going on which was great for photos, here i tend to think that everything feels touristic. But with this new perspective you are giving i feel like i can observe cancun differently now
Hope you enjoy the channel! Thanks
Thank you for the continuous inspiration and motivation. I recently went to London (from the US) and I left not satisfied with my photos. I constantly feel defeated, but your videos give me hope and drive to keep going. Please never stop making your art.
Cheers for a wonderful video. We all struggle with the mojo of "boring" places... But you're helping us look, to truly look. Thank you. Subscribed!
“The world has a funny way of showing up!” 👌🏻
I've photographed a bit in both these locations - it being in my back yard - almost exclusively street. This video really helped me think about the same locations in a new way. So a big thank you.
Nice pics at the Humber Bridge - would contest that Cleethorpes is far from boring the 200 metres from the Pier to the Big Wheel (thats quite small really) is Mecca for Street Photos I would much rather go there than wander round London any day. Nice video I really enjoyed it.
As a street photographer, there are no boring places. You look for lines, contrasts, depths in a photo, and for people who complete your pictures. It's the art of being a photographer to tell your own specific story with the photos you take.
Great video. Not boring! The empty carnival rides seemed interesting. Colorful and evocative of abandoned leisure activities. I would like to have seen a few more shots of them.
Definitely check out Dan Baker on instagram he shoots down there all the time 👌
My job doesn't allow phones so we use computers. I love watching videos like this all day instead of movies. Very inspirational and informative!
Fantastic video and great to meet and chat to you. I admire your creativity not just in your photography but how you present it on UA-cam. Dans work in Cleethorpes is sublime and I completely agree to how people will enjoy his decade of capturing this small seaside town.
Thank you again for all you do.
Thank you! Great to meet and chat last weekend.
@@MikeChudley👌
The bait diggers shot was top notch.
I loved those snaps 🙌 glad you liked them
watching it reminded me how I love Mike’s interviews, wish to see more of them😊
It’s so interesting to hear you all say sleepy English towns are boring as an American. We have rustic Americana, and the big cities. The real challenge for those of us on this side of the pond is without a doubt: the suburbs.
Soulless strip malls and long stretches of just road. I definetly don’t have the artistic skill to capture something interesting from that, I’m sure someone is. But man it’s hard, bc everywhere u talk about the video was made for people: abandoned towns, sleepy villages, big cities. What’s human about the parking lot of Costco?
Yeah I feel there could be a photographer up to the challenge to specifically go after parking lots. Maybe have cool car if your lucky. But I'd rather see an old cabin with peeling paint for that rustic vibe.
I think the interesting part of those places you can find in either human interactions, or graffiti/ kind of that corporate feeling hit with a little rebelion. Not sure if that made much sense but focus on the out of the ordinary in places like costco where everything is ordinary.
I feel like part of it is the novelty. I would love to go to the USA and do some shoots of suburbia, strip malls, urban decay, old cars etc. But if I lived there yeah maybe it would get boring. I live in a small British town and a lot of it feels dull or generic to photograph, but I lived in another country it would seem quite cute and exciting to go there for a little shoot.
Exciting to see, Mike. What a fun way to look at it. It's not always an award shot. Sometimes, it's just the practice.
Precisely this - it’s always practice
You need to come for a trip to the Wirral in such a small peninsula we have everything from lush country side, long beaches & promenades, rustic country villages to bustling town centres and plenty of unique places to visit.
We’re nestled right in the middle of Cheshire, North Wales and Liverpool. Would be well worth a trip for you.
I really like the perspective that you have in photography. Keep it up
What a fab video. Beauty can be found anywhere, which you just proved to be true.
boring places are my favorite to take pictures. silent, no people, tranquility. perfect
Boring places are the most fun to photograph
I always find water is a good bet to add interest either with a reflection or some dynamic motion
Some of us were named after a church in Cleethorpes (St Aidan's). Thank you for gracing my part of the world with your fine photography/videography!
Great video, Mike! Thank you for all the explanations and taking us along with you on this shoot. I am curious about the camera bag that you are using in one of the scenes (black w/ top zipper it looks like). Great job!
Thank you for this video I actually live in Tokyo which would be a top 3 world places to take street photo, while I think my forte is street portraits, I always always always have issues trying to take minimalist pictures, I am blown away in threads when I see an amazing composition of a simple street traffic sign , I am baffled in just how good of a stop sign can look with the right composition and I've been trying to replicate this but I always fail even in a great place like Tokyo, man I wish I was a more complete photographer
I had a proper LOL when you opened to a shot under the Humber bridge. I really think North Lincs is right up there with the dullest places in England…and i grew up in Hereford, so i’m starting from a very low bar 😅
Nice video, completely agree with you on the boring part. I do think coastal towns are very photogenic.
August in a thick jacket? You're mad Mike! It is still 31.7*C at 6pm here ugh .. (89*F) .. All the ocean front stuff seems pretty capable stuff ..Now I know to visit northern England in late August for the best weather :) .. So good .. Nice video ..
Tell me about it, awful for August 😂 it’s normally pretty nice
Although your location is not totally boring, you have done a good job of showing the hidden gems that can be found. Thanks for the inspiration.
i like the warm colors and tone on the pictures, especially the red awning. do you sell the preset you're using? can you share?
Thank you, a lot of those pictures were editing with my preset pack ‘authentic streets 3.0’ but also i recommend Dan Bakers preset pack ‘st Ives’ which I used a little here as well
Very inspiring stuff and I love your compositions :)
Thanks for the vid mike..I used to say this so much times .I live in small island 🏝️ and love street and documentary photography. I just carry the camera with me all time..one side note if you living a quiet area starting projects help you out in fixing your creativity scratch... kudos and cheers mate
It's a good thing we all love different things. That location is amazing to me for photos, while a busy street would be hell for me.
Yep it can be dull in Hull but Cleggie is just nostalgic place. I live in Hull and spent many days in Cleethorpes during my early childhood. I follow Dan on Instagram and my personal camera of late has been the Fuji Xpro3. Love the film sims. Was nice to see Little Swiss and Hessle foreshore featured.
I've lived beside the Humber my whole life and I've photographed this area a lot. It's fascinating watching someone make photos here with a fresh perspective. And as a local I can confirm Hessle is boring. Beautiful but boring, It's part of its charm
this video really gave me a new perspective on things nice vid man
Love this comment, thanks
Great video, Mike!. At 13:41 of the video I saw your zipper top bag. Looking for a bag like that for my 2 scheduled European trips in early & mid 2025. I normally do not carry a camera bag, just camera with lens & a prime in my waist/fanny bag or coat pocket, depending on the weather.Thanks from Ontario Canada.
Looks like a Bellroy 10L Venture Sling. 😊
“Boring places”. ? 🤣 He’s literally driving to an amusement park on the beach.
Cleethorpes ain't boring! Sorry i missed this year's meet up, looks like it was a good day!
Greetings from San Francisco! Personally, I find sleepy English towns incredibly picturesque. Wherever you’re from, you’re likely to view it as boring and commonplace, but there are interesting subjects to be found anywhere if you can only view them with fresh eyes.
Good video and advice.
I live in the most boring place in the UK - I've only managed to take, and upload, 242 photo's (so far).
These are not boring photos. These are inspiring photos. Subject matter isn't the most important aspect, the framing, composition, tonal range, lighting/shadows, balance/imbalance, plays a huge roll in each and every photo.
I’ve notice since photographing, that I’m more present when I go out. Like more aware of my surroundings, which is absolutely wonderful for someone who zones out as much as I do lol.
People talk about how taking pictures isn’t allowing you to fully enjoy the moment, but I’ve honestly felt like I’ve been more in the moment lately because of taking pictures. Tho to be fair, I’ve been getting into film photography, so I don’t see the image after taking it. I think that helps me not get too caught up in staring at multiple images and instead to just focus on composing and exposing it properly
I see a video series coming out of this mate - shooting peoples sleepy English towns and making them interesting.
You could just tour the UK and meet up with people who say that their town is boring and show up realise it is boring, you've wasted £100 on petrol and you got no bangers hahaha but honestly if I had a chance to do that, I would!
Was so confused when I clicked on that video and didnt see james popsys.
I love how the whole style of the video is basically exactly the same as james' videos
Love this video, you got some lovely shots. What bag are you using?
Thanks! Belroy 9L :)
Always try to look at a place as a tourist would try to make it new and exciting like you have never been there before and you will find subjects to photograph
That spot was really interesting, but then I’m in the Canadian wilderness, so it’s all about perspective. Also, sunshine and blue skies can be highly overrated. We just came back from Hawaii and some of my best shots were in the mountain cattle ranches with limited palette on semi cloudy days, in B&W
Really like the shots of the ice cream stand! Just subscribed yesterday and really like your contents mate.
Anyone know what focal length of the lens? Most of the shots look really pleasing in the eyes, frame wise.
Very interesting and thought provoking must try it out myself see what I see! Thanks very much
trying b&w in boring places always works for me
You should have popped over to the Wolds, 20 minute drive from Cleethorpes..
Sometimes is not about the location or the final result ... Is the freedom of taking pictures , visit locations old Or new , and see with different perspectives from other people, explore some details... Is the Joy of taking photos ...
Great video Mike, can’t believe I was over there last week, camping in Barton Upon Humber, even had a day in Cleethorpes too. Would have loved to gone on the Meet Up but I doubt my wife would have liked me leaving her while we were on holiday, would have been ok if my Stepdaughter and her fella would have been with us maybe but leaving her on her own, with no car, not a chance.
it‘s very interesting that people that try to explain why boring don’t exist, seem to never have been stuck in boring place for an extended period of time.
The problem isn‘t the boring place itself, it‘s being stuck there and having no other places. Is the place you are stuck at has millions of possible subjects, compared to 10, that is a huge and valid problem.
Also, I live in a small town and everyone knows each other, so the social pressure is larger in this boring place
@@keviaaar 100%
can you make a guide for 85mm ? i know what you'v said about it, so it would be interesting to see them being used well
You're surrounded by nature with trees and beaches. Those places actually look fun to shoot whenever. I wish I had places like that. The only high traffic area in my town is a sketchy gas station and I'd rather not have my camera out for that. There was literally a violent robbery near there just a couple days ago. 2:50 Even that graffiti looks like a straight up Banksy.
There’s a funny difference between boring places and being bored with a place. I personally live in a beautiful and vibrant town, that has a good amount going for it. (Boulder, CO) But I’m pretty bored of it recently. Like REALLY bored of it. I can go to a 1 horse town in the mountains of Colorado and be totally inspired by old rubbish, old posts, and barns. So I feel a lot of this is mindset. At least for me, finding something interesting in boredom is my personal practice. Without letting my candy-brain neurons constantly seeking novel things
Devon raised some of the most spectacular photographers and cinematographers in history. Sleepy towns can produce giants. James Ravilious, Brian Griffin, Roger Deakins, David Tatersall. Sort of amazing that these visual masters were inspired by the same small region.
Every photo holds a story. Its up to you how you present that!
You didn’t travel to Fitties Beach! There are so many photo opportunities in and around Cleethorpes.
I wonder when do you usually use the black and white or what are the reasons do you usually make it b&w
Thank you, Mike!
I feel like having a good eye for framing and composition is half the battle
i think people that complain about boring places do so because they are stuck in boring places for a very very long time. I have been mostly stuck in this small boring city for 2 years due to constant injuries. Sure you can take some pictures in boring places, but there is just so much interesting stuff to see..
Love your photo! Amazing work
really nice video - friendly and down to earth - thank you
So nice of you
0:04 is just breathtaking
Thank you!!
As a city dweller, I feel that the photos I take in my parents' hometown look better... I guess "sleepy towns" just has the right amount of people on top of its vintage street signs and shop blocks... Imo the beauty of suburbs are the most difficult to capture 😅
I have to ask, how much post editing did you have to do with these images? They are incredible images and I congratulate you on them.
I keep hearing sleepy old English town and thinking: that's not boring, I live in another continent, another hemisphere. That's all novelty for my eyes. Then Dan put it perfectly. It's all about perspective.
Edit: which made me think about MY sleepy town.
Leaving a comment just to acknowledge the ‘puntograph’ of the tree’s place of passing. 10/10
Great video mate
Thanks!
Really appreciate the creative challenge of a boring place. Also, does anyone wonder if there was a body in that suitcase?
Try Grantham then 😂 you can take exciting photos of Morrisons or Gregg's or maybe the council estate if you still have your camera in your neck there.
Hello, I also uses m11-p for photographs. do you capture the scene exactly as you intend it? I'm curious how you predict and account for the slight delay between pressing the shutter and the actual moment the shot is taken with the m11-p.
Enjoyed this, Mike. What I like to do too 😊
Dude, you gotta check out my city-it’s such a boring place for photos. No cool architecture, no tourist spots, just a run-down industrial vibe mixed with random tacky stuff that makes no sense at all.
In Guyana the water is the same color as you guys dark gray color
Id like to see you try this in the midwest of the United States. A whole new level of boring
I'd like to think that your boring old town is an exotic new place for someone that's never been there, even if they themselves live in a similar place. Trying to see your everyday mundane places with new eyes is hard but once you do you can start taking amazing photos.
Or you can be like me and take the most mediocre photos of the most interesting places lol.
I love photos with no people in them, trees without leaves, empty park benches... It means you have to create the interest with our observations and point of view. FYI, I find nothing "boring" about this location, it's just not a city.