I lived 25 years of my life in Hong Kong from 1987 - and have a very emotional and close connection to the place. To hear your line about how people in HK have changed and are more worried about being watched or photographed is heart breaking. HK's soul sounds like it has changed. Great video.
I find getting close in street photography really difficult, mostly for the reason you said, the subject is aware of it and they get anxious and paranoid. Coming from a place of empathy it's not something I'm comfortable doing, especially if people already feel insecure in their lives. Loved this video, overall very inspiring! Thank you for sharing!
I love the sentiment you share on “getting close” and the alternative meaning. Your video resonates with a video of Sean Tucker quoting another photographer about “Bruising the Scene” when getting too close to affect the subject. Some new street photographers these days get too close and it just seems disrespectful of others space. You can still capture life on the streets without gettin within arms distance from them. I wish more street photographers documented street life in a wider context.
For 20 plus years I was a wedding/portrait photographer. What I found was that getting in close caused my subjects to become affected by my presence and by that I mean the natural look in their faces and the scene became awkward. So I set to use a telephoto and shoot reportage style from a distance. A new dynamic was unfolding when I shot like this because the people looked and reacted naturally because they were unaware of me taking their pictures. In 2013 I decided to shoot people on the streets and so wedding photography being a stage set if you like was like photographing Ground Hog Day. Wash rinse repeat. I needed a more unscripted world in which to photograph and street photography became my playground. I never listen to the greats of any genre, I just do my thing. There are no rules in photography that were meant to be unbroken. A photographer who inspired me was not a street photographer, but photographed models in the streets of New York on 35mm not the expected medium format. He is David Bailey. I also like the work of Aussie street photographer Trent Parke, but ultimately I follow my own path. Great video as always.
I like that approach as well. Also taking pictures with a shorter lens when they think they aren't being photographed such as at an air show or car show. Everyone thinks I'm taking pictures of the airplanes.
I was exactly the same way in weddings. I used Olympus 4/3 and my favorite lens, by far, was 35-100(70-200)mm f2. I even did a whole (informal) event with a 150(300)mm. I really hated doing posed portraits...you can't get the same expression and interaction. If you haven't already, search for Pierre Lambert here on youtube too.
I find i can get the same candid look not by hiding but from the opposite, by being there up close. People get used and forget i am not just another guest
@@ericsinchina: I think you need a mix of candid and posed photos. In candid photos your subjects are like side NPC characters, but in posed photos they suddenly become the main character. Which means that there is something for everyone. If they get used to you shooting candid photos during an event, you will find that they tend to become more natural in poses photos.
Hello, I am Sunny from Hong Kong. And I started crying near at the end of your video. Thank you very much for your great work and I feel the love of you to this City and People. Hey! We still love you. You will not be alone. Thanks a lot Ivan! You have woken me up.
I never thought about it this way... the close photo is like a "trophy"... I have been feeling this lately, as street photography has become more of a thing. So many photos are more of a game of chicken than telling an actual story. Im thankful for you sharing your thoughtful approach to photography here, because I think you can inspire people to up their game, not only through your beautiful and thoughtful photos, but through your astute and articulate observations on the genre.
Thank you for sharing this point of view ! It's refreshing to hear that. I think you're spot on when you say : "a photo up close can also be a trophy for many street photographers", or "I just don't want to make people feel uncomfortable", and "if I do [get close] it needs to be a moment that I think is worth documenting". I'm gonna be very blunt, but I don't really like what people call "street photography" nowadays. I'm not even gonna address Bruce Gilden who, as another famous photographer said, is just a bully. But most of the time, what people call street photography is simply a slightly blurry close up snapshot of an annoyed / angry person with a random city landscape in the background, or a snapshot of someone walking in a ray of light between two buildings. There is no sense of composition or framing, the moment is completely boring and random, and it cannot even be used as some form of journalism because it lacks any form of context. It's simply getting into people's faces for the sake of it. We're far from what Leiter, Meyerowitz, Bresson or Erwitt would have produced - of course, we're not all as talented as them, but we should be inspired by their talent. So anyway. I think your approach is a much better one :) So again, thanks for sharing.
This spoke to me. Thank you. I think the Webb version makes sense. I think of it as “never sacrifice emotional connection merely for physical proximity.” Sometimes the feeling you are trying to evoke is loneliness, isolation, despair, emptiness, and closeness may work in some cases but hurt in others. You said it very well. From the other side of the Earth, thank you my photography brother!
Thanks for this really open and honest video. You not only comment on the personal hurdles you have experienced but on the sad and unwelcome changes to modern society and psyche. Keep up the great work 😊
Your videos always come out at the right time, at least when I need them or I'm confused. It's like the inner voice of the subconscious that guides me. Thanks. Perfect as always.
Very well said, I think what you’re developing is a “ social conscience “, you are aware that not everyone is comfortable having a stranger stick a camera in their face, you are respecting others and that can only be a good thing, as with many things in life, there is a time and a place, great vid !
well a lot of people will tell you that you have to get rid of that social conscience and be „bold“ if you want to be a „good“ street photographer in the first place
@@manuelsen69 and a lot of people would be wrong ! There are hundreds of thousands of street photos taken with a longer lens that “ stand up “ beside one’s taken with a shorter lens, it’s not about how “ close “ you can get physically ( as mentioned in the vid ), I can get really close to a bollard but it isn’t particularly interesting is it ? It’s about a combination of things, light, subject, composition, etc etc etc but just thinking getting “ close “ is gonna give you keepers every time is wrong.
Thank you! Well said. I like how you introduced the concept of your subject's discomfort. Earlier you said, that in the past, getting close meant getting out of your own comfort zone. True. But if the price is impinging on the subject's comfort zone, some thinking should go on. If it becomes a power play between photographer and subject, some thinking should go on. "I can do this, and you can do nothing about it." The word "trophy" should ring a bell. The excuse "I am doing a service for history" rarely rings true if the subject is condemned to suffer, to whatever degree. Of course, there will be different circumstances which make for a much more mutually appreciated situation. Those opportunities will be precious. Thank you again. This was important.
‘Learn wisely, trust yourself and know when to block out the noice’. Wisdom of great tenderness and age beyond years. Advice that might be attended to by us all in light of these revealing times that we are collectively living through🦋 Thank you Ivan for the most perfect presentation...yourself, and your work, is a delight to behold.
I did a four year degree studying photography in college. I wish your videos were around then. They would have provided so much value and context to these isolated concepts. I think a lot of your ideas very much identify that fundamental difference between knowledge and wisdom. I'm so grateful that you put these out there for free for anyone to access.
A very thoughtful and considered perspective. I appreciate you sharing this. There’s an intimacy to getting up close that I enjoy but more importantly, it allows me to briefly share a space with someone else, hopefully for the better. I think about a lot of the things you’ve mentioned and I also wonder am I a better human if I’m capturing unnoticed. There’s no right or wrong tbh, but it is fascinating to have these conversations.
great video ivan, and a topic that isn't talked about enough. getting close isn't always the best idea, often it's better to back up and help build the story by including more of the environment. I find some of greg girard's street/documentary stuff to be a great example, a lot of his street stuff isn't that close but gives you such a good sense of space that you wouldn't get if he was close!
100% this resonated with me so much. The mantra of getting close is so confrontational and introduces such antagonistic vibe to the photography, like you are a big game hunter (you were spot on with calling them “trophies”)
People are reacting to you as much as your camera. I suppose, if you’re not very social or very personable and don’t really know how to handle confrontation then back away. Just remember that using a 600mm lens across the street rather than being five feet away and snapping pictures doesn’t make what you’re doing any less intrusive. Do what works for you just know that whether you’re five feet away or five hundred feet away it’s the same thing, the only difference is in you perception
You are correct. I've spent years doing a 'Bruce Gilden' for all of my street and events work. However, after following Steve McCurry for years, I came to realise recently that his work is so powerful because he always includes mulitiple layers or stories within one image. I've always shot a 1.4 wide angle so the face of my subject is sharp, but the background was always blurry - but I was missing out on telling a bigger story. Now I've changed lenses and perspective and the rest and I'm seeing a change to the better in my images. Thanks for taking the time to tell your story.
f8 and above is your friend. Photos take a whole different level when you add layers while making sure that foreground, middleground and background is tack sharp. Gives your work depth.
Ivan, I think you are a very talented filmmaker. I like the pace of your videos, the colourgrading, the music and editing. The scripts and narration are so well thought! Most of UA-camrs try to make fast-paced contetend to grab attention. Your videos remind me of Tarkovsky movies. I appreciate that a lot. You say: «When I’m out shooting, I always feel as if I’m collecting scenes for my movie» - and that’s exactly how it feels when I see your work!
Absolutely nailed it. Get close is only half of the good advice. Step back is the other half. As much as getting in close to a subject makes a portrait better, stepping back makes a scene better. When you can use both to find options, or balance between subject and context, then you have good advice. Randos shot close with a mess of a background, made black and white to not be distracting isn't the same as when you actually consider the scene and work it for the best of both worlds. The decisive moment is worthless to story if you aren't in the right place to capture the world it happened in.
How we were just talking about this today and the end result, how the photo will be used.. will someone want to hang up a picture of someone weird super close up or is it more zine/book material? The question always was made clear in the end, the photo itself can actually be appreciated more if faces aren't the main subject. The entire frame needs to be appreciated equally. I can't tell you how timely this is for me. How did you know this video was what I needed to hear? What a time man. And I wanna say some people aren't appreciating your photos as much as the video. What made this video to me most is the photos and how well they convey what you said. Let's keep working brother.
Yea like we discussed, your mindset and approach completely changes once you figure out what your shooting for. Keep grinding, see you on the streets man 👊🏻
I love how many layers you added to the question of getting close. I found myself in the rut of thinking I can only be good in street photography when getting close - but this video helped to take a step back (literally) and rethink that whole concept. Thanks for the inspiration and thanks for making me add Hong Kong to my list of places I need to visit one day.
I enjoy being in a sweet spot where I’m close enough but not so close that my presence is affecting - if not ruining - a moment that I’m trying to capture. I also like my photos having the feeling of observing and not necessarily being involved in the moment as this reflects how I feel I see the world
Another absolutely beautiful piece of cinematography and story telling! Thanks so much for sharing your feelings and personal experiences with us! I have definitely gone through some of these experiences when shooting. I find often times where I’m shooting in the world, time of day, crowdedness, or even my mood, can all influence how close I’m getting to the subject. I think it’s a very natural adaptation the more you shoot. The situation in HK is very unique though and it’s incredibly thoughtful and selfless of you to have such consideration for your subjects. ❤
Loved this man! So interesting to see all of us youtube bros going through the same phases😂 I also stopped going close for the sake of going close. The images at the end were awesome👍🏻 You can really see how you developed as a photographer. Going close emotionally is where it's at😎
This approach of photography as movie (having different types of shot instead of always being close) is quite interesting. I don’t think it’s too hard to tell whether you should get close or not, as your immediate feeling after pressing the shutter will answer you.
It's exactly the same with wildlife photography. At first, you want to be the closer with the animal you want to photography. Because it means your hide was good, you were enough patient, you were lucky... But now I prefer to have my subject in a more "wide" scene. The more I practice street photography, the more I find a lot of similiraties between the two practice (wildlife and street). As usual your video is a masterpiece :)
This is a brilliant comparison. Simply, street photography IS wildlife photography. It’s just with a different species. And you want to capture homo sapiens in its natural habitat. 👌🏼🧠
Great video. I am shy, and don't feel comfortable about getting too close. And you can't blame people for worrying where you will show the photo in these digital times.
Hi Ivan, this video is on point on so many levels. Getting close is not always a great thing. I think the new and younger photographers need to understand this before listening to bad advice. You are absolutely correct, a variety of wisely chosen frames, wide, medium, and close up give the audience a broader spectrum of the story you are telling.
A thoughtful reflection, I am so bored with all of the same old street photography videos, shooting street images (and terrible pov's) without any meaning or narrative. Great work and storytelling Ivan - you are clearly a very accomplished photographer with something interesting to say - respect.
Excellent production Ivan! There are two rules in Denmark protecting privacy in relation to photography: you can't take a photo in public that clearly identifies a person without their consent; and you can't publish that photo without their consent. So it's a good challenge to work within these constraints. You might take a step back like you do; or document activities on the streets with a group that have already given their consent; or ask to take portraits; or create more abstract street photography like Saul Leiter, Trent Parke or Siegfried Hansen for example, etc.
Thank you for making this video. Beautiful photographs, wonderful story, and having respect for those that are the focus of our art resonates within the art- and makes it stronger still.
I’m one of those who is not comfortable getting close and sits back feeling slightly uneasy with the whole thing! Great video again. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and pictures.
That is a telling sign that it is not for you. You need a lot of confidence in yourself and your work to be able to do eye contact and close up street photography. Keep on practicing and finding your passion.
Very well said! This is something I’ve been thinking a lot about over the past few years. As HCB said in the decisive moment “the profession depends so much upon the relations the photographer established with the people he’s photographing, that a false relationship, a wrong word or attitude, can ruin everything. When the subject is in any way uneasy, the personality goes away where the camera can’t reach it.” We should strive to be more empathetic!
This is one of the best videos I’ve found on UA-cam. Only some of us that indeed try to do street photography understand your feelings about shooting close. For me this video has a double importance: I’m moving to HK soon and appreciate the tips and advice of shooting there. I’m following your channel now. Can’t wait to see more. Thank you so much 🙏
I believe "capturing the moment" "connecting with it" and "able to tell a story around it" are essential aspects of a street image. To achieve an image output that we ourselves feel good about, if we need to bend certain well-settled advices I would do it by all means. End of the day although I share my images with rest of the world to appreciate, but primarily I take an image to satisfy my own inner artist.
Hong Kong is one of my favourite places I have been. People were friendly, and the city looked like an eye candy. And your video reminds me of how I felt there. I hope I can experience this Hong Kong again some day..and you too..
one of the best videos on street photography i have viewed for a long while . it is an inspirational experience when you express your emotional feelings about your images . thank you .
I'm at a point in my art and photography where I've been really trying to figure out my subject. Something that's always held me back from street photography or taking photos of people is my fear of being judged or even worse confronted for it. I've always struggled with this for as long as I've been taking photos. The thought that I don't really need to "get close" and still be appreciated is a comforting one. I want to take more photos that move me creatively and this video really helped me look at things from a different perspective. Thank you
one of the most scenic shot in HK, glad to see a fellow HK/Canadian here. wish I started photography when I was in HK but never hurts to start now being in Toronto. Hope to see you around someda. Keep up the amazing content.
Just discovered you and your channel and it's all fantastic, seeing so many familiar places in HK with your photos is a real treat. Cheers mate, all the very best, Jay.
I got the sense of where you were going with this thesis from the photos you shared at the beginning. Too many people giving you looks, not enough relaxed natural poses. Very well made video!
Hey man. This is the second video of yours that I watch. And i gotta admit, I'm in love. You're amazing at this. I felt like I was watching a more than AAA quality documentary. This should be played in a museum of photography. I look up to you with so much respect. I get those rare conflicting feelings where on one side I feel extremely attracted to the content and want to consume it all. But on the other, I want to take it very slow so I can enjoy it more and avoid that feeling I get when I finish something I love like a book, a great movie, or documentary (or series). Thank you for bringing this to me (and us the public).
A very moving video. The perspective shifts from photo advice to personal story to awareness of others and the Hong Kong social issues are lovely storytelling. Thank you.
It’s true that close up is nice. However, sometimes I feel the need to fill the frame with some background so I can tell a story. Love your work as always Ivan! Keep them coming
Likely the best video on UA-cam today on street photography. I too have been doing this type of work for the best part of 40 years (I’m 55 now) and my motto was always 'get in close'. But now I’m not as keen. Being from England, it is somewhat similar here in terms of CCTV surveillance and as I get older, I’m far more aware of the need for privacy. You’re absolutely right. Getting in close now, is more about a connection with empathy than it is with just putting a subject in a frame to make something to be amused by. Thank you for making this important point as well as film.
This video was exactly what I needed right now. I've been shooting weddings for the past few years and my whole style has been based around getting in close to get the feeling that you were there when viewing the photos. I'm now transitioning into shooting more street and real life documentary photography and feel like finding scenes is more beneficial in telling the stories I want to tell. There is definitely a lot to be said for getting close, but there is also more than one way to tell a story and the contrast between those such as Bruce Gilden and Saul Leiter is a good example of that.
I think some people think getting close is ALL you need for a nice photo. The closeup shots of characters doing random stuff gets boring fast. I much preferred your layered photos of Hong Kong over the close ones. I'm more in favor of showing a scene and making the viewer feel immersed.
I came here to say something similar. There's a lot of street photography that does seem like random and pointless shots of surprised strangers. To me the picture should tell a story and that can either be close or not.
@@carlospelay9642 Nearly all of the popular "street photographers" do that.. At that point, it's like...okay..what exactly am I looking at, why is this person interesting? Why should I care about them.
Incredible video! It was shot beautifully and the editing was amazing! I love how the photography got better as you stepped back a little. I think it gave you room to be more creative!
Love this topic. Love hearing someone else voice the very debate that silently happens in my mind. And as usual, beautiful visual odes to this magical city. Thank you.
I've been feeling this lately too, maybe the pandemic had some play in this, but there really needs to be a clear and objective intent for getting close to a subject. I find stepping back and complementing a given subject with some context adds depth, and as a result evokes more emotion and intimacy for viewers. You're right, getting close doesn't always mean feeling close.
Love this take on the advice! Just as photographers pick different focal lengths for different scenarios, for street photography I think focal length and distance should also vary depending on the subject and narrative. That being said, like many beginners I often find it difficult to physically get close, which I want to improve on through practice. But I’ve decided to take my time doing so, and as some others mentioned in the comments, not getting close for the sake of getting close.
Very well narrated. I have followed this approach for decades..respecting my subject's right to their intimate space over public space. Being a Asian, I appreciate this more.
Thanks Ivan. . I followed a street photography group that went through a phase of really getting in peoples faces. Almost egging each other on with with the Like system of social media and jokes about people obviously not happy about having their picture taken. A lot of the pictures weren't even that good; at least showed little background or foreground composition. I don't like to think of there being a victim of my art, or lack of art as the case may be. Photography is just a hobby for me and yeah I could go and shoot in peoples faces. I'm a 6' 5" shipbuilder and don't generally worry about possible clashes but what for? A handful of Likes on social media; a picture that someone who doesn't have any artistic knowledge won't even know why they like. I'm a middle aged master tradesman and am not looking to start a new career in photography. I'd kind of decided to not follow my photography peers anyway and your video has firmed my opinion. One doesn't always have to be physically close to resonate with the subject. Different people view closeness differently too. As an introvert, 70-200 is close enough 😄
Brilliantly done. Educational. Wonderful watch. Thanks, Ivan. I'm just a new photographer who shoots mainly sports, action and wildlife. However, this week, for my first experience, I watched a video on Saul Leiter (and recognized his influence on you in just the first few minutes -yellows/reds, frame in frame). My first years were focused on exposure, composition, and physical proximity. This year, my focus has "evolved" to include "emotional proximity", and I'm finding this a very challenging task. Appreciate you sharing your own challenges in a moving and motivational way. Many thanks.
In photography there are no rules.I agree 100% that the most important is the .I personally shoot with 28-35-50mm.It depends on the place,the crowd,the mood,the Covid recently and a lot of other thinks.Most favourite focal length is 35mm,50mm second and 28mm the third.
Your reflection and re-orientation of your photographic approach very much impressed me. I, too, have made people feel uncomfortable with my camera, never even considering they might be right to think bad of me. Becoming a better photographer not only involves improvement of technical skills but also ethical evolvement at the same time. I found people photography so much more rewarding once I sought people´s approval for my photos. I want them to get something good out of my photographic work as well. Took me years to get there ethically.
Thank you for the experience shared and I like how you interrupt those quotes as well as the storytelling style for our HOME in recent years... For photographer like you should feel the minor changes in the society... I had put down SLRs since Covid... the last trip to Taiwan in June 2023 has made me start shooting candid street photography again when I back HK. To me there is no substantial changes to most HKers and speaking the same language actually makes me able to "get closer" to strangers. There is always hope that we are still open-minded and adaptive to macro changes but as the same time retaining our own characteristics.
Yet another beautiful film, Ivan, like a poem. And your film and photos proves you are completely right about closeness or the lack of it. It isn’t about meters or feet. ❤
This was a very well done video. I love the colors, most of the pictures with high contrast, the soft melody and your calm voice… but most of all the message you send. I’ve never been a kind of street photographer as I am much to shy to get close to people. But on a vacation to New York I asked some people for permission to shot a close up photo… this is not street photography I know, but these are some of my most beloved pictures of people I didn’t know but had a conversation about the shots I took. And every time I look at these pictures I remember the situation and the people and these make the pictures very worthy to me. Thanks for sharing your thoughts in such a wonderful video.
I lived 25 years of my life in Hong Kong from 1987 - and have a very emotional and close connection to the place. To hear your line about how people in HK have changed and are more worried about being watched or photographed is heart breaking. HK's soul sounds like it has changed. Great video.
I find getting close in street photography really difficult, mostly for the reason you said, the subject is aware of it and they get anxious and paranoid. Coming from a place of empathy it's not something I'm comfortable doing, especially if people already feel insecure in their lives.
Loved this video, overall very inspiring! Thank you for sharing!
I love the sentiment you share on “getting close” and the alternative meaning. Your video resonates with a video of Sean Tucker quoting another photographer about “Bruising the Scene” when getting too close to affect the subject. Some new street photographers these days get too close and it just seems disrespectful of others space. You can still capture life on the streets without gettin within arms distance from them. I wish more street photographers documented street life in a wider context.
For 20 plus years I was a wedding/portrait photographer. What I found was that getting in close caused my subjects to become affected by my presence and by that I mean the natural look in their faces and the scene became awkward. So I set to use a telephoto and shoot reportage style from a distance. A new dynamic was unfolding when I shot like this because the people looked and reacted naturally because they were unaware of me taking their pictures.
In 2013 I decided to shoot people on the streets and so wedding photography being a stage set if you like was like photographing Ground Hog Day. Wash rinse repeat. I needed a more unscripted world in which to photograph and street photography became my playground. I never listen to the greats of any genre, I just do my thing. There are no rules in photography that were meant to be unbroken. A photographer who inspired me was not a street photographer, but photographed models in the streets of New York on 35mm not the expected medium format. He is David Bailey. I also like the work of Aussie street photographer Trent Parke, but ultimately I follow my own path. Great video as always.
I like that approach as well. Also taking pictures with a shorter lens when they think they aren't being photographed such as at an air show or car show. Everyone thinks I'm taking pictures of the airplanes.
I was exactly the same way in weddings. I used Olympus 4/3 and my favorite lens, by far, was 35-100(70-200)mm f2. I even did a whole (informal) event with a 150(300)mm. I really hated doing posed portraits...you can't get the same expression and interaction.
If you haven't already, search for Pierre Lambert here on youtube too.
I find i can get the same candid look not by hiding but from the opposite, by being there up close. People get used and forget i am not just another guest
@@ericsinchina: I think you need a mix of candid and posed photos. In candid photos your subjects are like side NPC characters, but in posed photos they suddenly become the main character. Which means that there is something for everyone. If they get used to you shooting candid photos during an event, you will find that they tend to become more natural in poses photos.
I don't know any professional "reportage" photography that was done with a long lens, and there are good reasons for that.
Hello, I am Sunny from Hong Kong. And I started crying near at the end of your video. Thank you very much for your great work and I feel the love of you to this City and People. Hey! We still love you. You will not be alone. Thanks a lot Ivan! You have woken me up.
一切盡在不言中。
I never thought about it this way... the close photo is like a "trophy"... I have been feeling this lately, as street photography has become more of a thing. So many photos are more of a game of chicken than telling an actual story. Im thankful for you sharing your thoughtful approach to photography here, because I think you can inspire people to up their game, not only through your beautiful and thoughtful photos, but through your astute and articulate observations on the genre.
Thanks man, always appreciate the support 🙏🏻
Thank you for sharing this point of view ! It's refreshing to hear that. I think you're spot on when you say : "a photo up close can also be a trophy for many street photographers", or "I just don't want to make people feel uncomfortable", and "if I do [get close] it needs to be a moment that I think is worth documenting".
I'm gonna be very blunt, but I don't really like what people call "street photography" nowadays. I'm not even gonna address Bruce Gilden who, as another famous photographer said, is just a bully. But most of the time, what people call street photography is simply a slightly blurry close up snapshot of an annoyed / angry person with a random city landscape in the background, or a snapshot of someone walking in a ray of light between two buildings. There is no sense of composition or framing, the moment is completely boring and random, and it cannot even be used as some form of journalism because it lacks any form of context. It's simply getting into people's faces for the sake of it. We're far from what Leiter, Meyerowitz, Bresson or Erwitt would have produced - of course, we're not all as talented as them, but we should be inspired by their talent.
So anyway. I think your approach is a much better one :) So again, thanks for sharing.
This spoke to me. Thank you. I think the Webb version makes sense. I think of it as “never sacrifice emotional connection merely for physical proximity.” Sometimes the feeling you are trying to evoke is loneliness, isolation, despair, emptiness, and closeness may work in some cases but hurt in others. You said it very well. From the other side of the Earth, thank you my photography brother!
Thanks for this really open and honest video. You not only comment on the personal hurdles you have experienced but on the sad and unwelcome changes to modern society and psyche. Keep up the great work 😊
Thank you!
Your videos always come out at the right time, at least when I need them or I'm confused. It's like the inner voice of the subconscious that guides me. Thanks. Perfect as always.
10:51 “The need for privacy is more important than ever…”
Subscribed right there!
Very well said, I think what you’re developing is a “ social conscience “, you are aware that not everyone is comfortable having a stranger stick a camera in their face, you are respecting others and that can only be a good thing, as with many things in life, there is a time and a place, great vid !
💯
well a lot of people will tell you that you have to get rid of that social conscience and be „bold“ if you want to be a „good“ street photographer in the first place
@@manuelsen69 and a lot of people would be wrong ! There are hundreds of thousands of street photos taken with a longer lens that “ stand up “ beside one’s taken with a shorter lens, it’s not about how “ close “ you can get physically ( as mentioned in the vid ), I can get really close to a bollard but it isn’t particularly interesting is it ? It’s about a combination of things, light, subject, composition, etc etc etc but just thinking getting “ close “ is gonna give you keepers every time is wrong.
@@0191Marko I totally agree, go tell that to all the "photography influencers" here on youtube who claim otherwise.
@@manuelsen69 wouldn’t waste my breath, the one thing that they haven’t got is “ longevity “, here today, gone tomorrow !
Best video I have seen this year. Thanks for sharing your thoughts🙏🏾
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Amazing take on this. Thanks for sharing
Thank you! Well said.
I like how you introduced the concept of your subject's discomfort. Earlier you said, that in the past, getting close meant getting out of your own comfort zone. True. But if the price is impinging on the subject's comfort zone, some thinking should go on. If it becomes a power play between photographer and subject, some thinking should go on. "I can do this, and you can do nothing about it." The word "trophy" should ring a bell. The excuse "I am doing a service for history" rarely rings true if the subject is condemned to suffer, to whatever degree.
Of course, there will be different circumstances which make for a much more mutually appreciated situation. Those opportunities will be precious.
Thank you again. This was important.
Always special when the subject acknowledges and accepts being a part of the process. It’s one of the best feelings in street photography.
‘Learn wisely, trust yourself and know when to block out the noice’. Wisdom of great tenderness and age beyond years.
Advice that might be attended to by us all in light of these revealing times that we are collectively living through🦋
Thank you Ivan for the most perfect presentation...yourself, and your work, is a delight to behold.
🙏🏻 thank you
I did a four year degree studying photography in college. I wish your videos were around then. They would have provided so much value and context to these isolated concepts. I think a lot of your ideas very much identify that fundamental difference between knowledge and wisdom. I'm so grateful that you put these out there for free for anyone to access.
Means a lot to hear that man, thanks!
One of the most beautiful and touching videos on youtube that I have ever seen! Thank you.
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
A very thoughtful and considered perspective. I appreciate you sharing this. There’s an intimacy to getting up close that I enjoy but more importantly, it allows me to briefly share a space with someone else, hopefully for the better. I think about a lot of the things you’ve mentioned and I also wonder am I a better human if I’m capturing unnoticed. There’s no right or wrong tbh, but it is fascinating to have these conversations.
Thanks man 👊🏻 That connection you’re able to make with people is one of the best feelings in street photography. Not giving that up completely.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts. It touched me. I am sorry that things have changed in Hong Kong. I was there many years ago and loved the city
great video ivan, and a topic that isn't talked about enough. getting close isn't always the best idea, often it's better to back up and help build the story by including more of the environment. I find some of greg girard's street/documentary stuff to be a great example, a lot of his street stuff isn't that close but gives you such a good sense of space that you wouldn't get if he was close!
Couldn’t agree more. Greg Girard is a huge inspiration and quite possibly why I’m shooting the way I shoot these days.
100% this resonated with me so much. The mantra of getting close is so confrontational and introduces such antagonistic vibe to the photography, like you are a big game hunter (you were spot on with calling them “trophies”)
People are reacting to you as much as your camera. I suppose, if you’re not very social or very personable and don’t really know how to handle confrontation then back away. Just remember that using a 600mm lens across the street rather than being five feet away and snapping pictures doesn’t make what you’re doing any less intrusive. Do what works for you just know that whether you’re five feet away or five hundred feet away it’s the same thing, the only difference is in you perception
You are correct. I've spent years doing a 'Bruce Gilden' for all of my street and events work. However, after following Steve McCurry for years, I came to realise recently that his work is so powerful because he always includes mulitiple layers or stories within one image. I've always shot a 1.4 wide angle so the face of my subject is sharp, but the background was always blurry - but I was missing out on telling a bigger story. Now I've changed lenses and perspective and the rest and I'm seeing a change to the better in my images. Thanks for taking the time to tell your story.
f8 and above is your friend. Photos take a whole different level when you add layers while making sure that foreground, middleground and background is tack sharp. Gives your work depth.
Ivan, I think you are a very talented filmmaker. I like the pace of your videos, the colourgrading, the music and editing. The scripts and narration are so well thought!
Most of UA-camrs try to make fast-paced contetend to grab attention.
Your videos remind me of Tarkovsky movies. I appreciate that a lot.
You say: «When I’m out shooting, I always feel as if I’m collecting scenes for my movie» - and that’s exactly how it feels when I see your work!
Really? After about 2 minutes of sad, plodding, monotone delivery, I had to bail. Even though I kind of wanted to hear his point.
Well said, I agree totally with what you said great video and keep it up, you’re a decent man 😊
Another great Video ! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings about this famous quote.
Absolutely nailed it.
Get close is only half of the good advice. Step back is the other half. As much as getting in close to a subject makes a portrait better, stepping back makes a scene better. When you can use both to find options, or balance between subject and context, then you have good advice.
Randos shot close with a mess of a background, made black and white to not be distracting isn't the same as when you actually consider the scene and work it for the best of both worlds. The decisive moment is worthless to story if you aren't in the right place to capture the world it happened in.
and you nailed that reply! Well put and thoughtful comment.
How we were just talking about this today and the end result, how the photo will be used.. will someone want to hang up a picture of someone weird super close up or is it more zine/book material? The question always was made clear in the end, the photo itself can actually be appreciated more if faces aren't the main subject. The entire frame needs to be appreciated equally.
I can't tell you how timely this is for me. How did you know this video was what I needed to hear? What a time man. And I wanna say some people aren't appreciating your photos as much as the video. What made this video to me most is the photos and how well they convey what you said. Let's keep working brother.
Yea like we discussed, your mindset and approach completely changes once you figure out what your shooting for. Keep grinding, see you on the streets man 👊🏻
I love how many layers you added to the question of getting close. I found myself in the rut of thinking I can only be good in street photography when getting close - but this video helped to take a step back (literally) and rethink that whole concept. Thanks for the inspiration and thanks for making me add Hong Kong to my list of places I need to visit one day.
Thanks Karin 🙏🏻 hope I’ll be in HK when you get a chance to visit!
I enjoy being in a sweet spot where I’m close enough but not so close that my presence is affecting - if not ruining - a moment that I’m trying to capture. I also like my photos having the feeling of observing and not necessarily being involved in the moment as this reflects how I feel I see the world
Another absolutely beautiful piece of cinematography and story telling!
Thanks so much for sharing your feelings and personal experiences with us! I have definitely gone through some of these experiences when shooting. I find often times where I’m shooting in the world, time of day, crowdedness, or even my mood, can all influence how close I’m getting to the subject. I think it’s a very natural adaptation the more you shoot.
The situation in HK is very unique though and it’s incredibly thoughtful and selfless of you to have such consideration for your subjects. ❤
Guess we need to make a trip to HK someday, we need to catch up for coffee or drinks. =)
@@travelhomedad 100% man! Let me know any time! I’m headed to Japan for a couple weeks coming up. But when I get back I’ll drop you a line!
Loved this man! So interesting to see all of us youtube bros going through the same phases😂 I also stopped going close for the sake of going close. The images at the end were awesome👍🏻 You can really see how you developed as a photographer. Going close emotionally is where it's at😎
That's because all these youtube bros are sheep and just copy each other on this shitty platform.
This approach of photography as movie (having different types of shot instead of always being close) is quite interesting. I don’t think it’s too hard to tell whether you should get close or not, as your immediate feeling after pressing the shutter will answer you.
It's exactly the same with wildlife photography. At first, you want to be the closer with the animal you want to photography. Because it means your hide was good, you were enough patient, you were lucky... But now I prefer to have my subject in a more "wide" scene.
The more I practice street photography, the more I find a lot of similiraties between the two practice (wildlife and street).
As usual your video is a masterpiece :)
Really interesting. Never had a go at wildlife photography myself, might have to try it out 😂
This is a brilliant comparison. Simply, street photography IS wildlife photography. It’s just with a different species. And you want to capture homo sapiens in its natural habitat. 👌🏼🧠
Great video. I am shy, and don't feel comfortable about getting too close. And you can't blame people for worrying where you will show the photo in these digital times.
The effort you put into this is incredible and the outcome is beautiful!
Thanks!
Thank you for such a personal and honest video. This is the one of the best videos about street photography i ever seen.
Hi Ivan, this video is on point on so many levels. Getting close is not always a great thing. I think the new and younger photographers need to understand this before listening to bad advice. You are absolutely correct, a variety of wisely chosen frames, wide, medium, and close up give the audience a broader spectrum of the story you are telling.
I really enjoyed this video. Thanks for a new perspective. And your editing skills are insane, just wow.
Fantastic Video ... Mr Ivan , you spoke through the mind of most of us * the photographers in terms of street photography!!
thank you for sharing valuable stories and not just bombarding us with fluff and "content"....
A thoughtful reflection, I am so bored with all of the same old street photography videos, shooting street images (and terrible pov's) without any meaning or narrative. Great work and storytelling Ivan - you are clearly a very accomplished photographer with something interesting to say - respect.
Excellent production Ivan! There are two rules in Denmark protecting privacy in relation to photography: you can't take a photo in public that clearly identifies a person without their consent; and you can't publish that photo without their consent. So it's a good challenge to work within these constraints. You might take a step back like you do; or document activities on the streets with a group that have already given their consent; or ask to take portraits; or create more abstract street photography like Saul Leiter, Trent Parke or Siegfried Hansen for example, etc.
So, is there no paparazzi in Denmark?
Are there any Danish street photographers?
Thank you for making this video. Beautiful photographs, wonderful story, and having respect for those that are the focus of our art resonates within the art- and makes it stronger still.
I’m one of those who is not comfortable getting close and sits back feeling slightly uneasy with the whole thing! Great video again. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and pictures.
That is a telling sign that it is not for you. You need a lot of confidence in yourself and your work to be able to do eye contact and close up street photography. Keep on practicing and finding your passion.
This is so brilliant for the soul! I struggle with getting close and the fear of getting confronted! Thanks for sharing 👍
Very moving. Something I needed to hear. I had been beating myself up for not always getting close. Thank you.
Very well said! This is something I’ve been thinking a lot about over the past few years. As HCB said in the decisive moment “the profession depends so much upon the relations the photographer established with the people he’s photographing, that a false relationship, a wrong word or attitude, can ruin everything. When the subject is in any way uneasy, the personality goes away where the camera can’t reach it.” We should strive to be more empathetic!
冇錯，欣賞你嘅勇氣，街客真係要夠勇氣，踏出第一步去試
This is one of the best videos I’ve found on UA-cam. Only some of us that indeed try to do street photography understand your feelings about shooting close. For me this video has a double importance: I’m moving to HK soon and appreciate the tips and advice of shooting there. I’m following your channel now. Can’t wait to see more. Thank you so much 🙏
Thanks! Hope you have a good time in Hong Kong 🙏🏻
I believe "capturing the moment" "connecting with it" and "able to tell a story around it" are essential aspects of a street image. To achieve an image output that we ourselves feel good about, if we need to bend certain well-settled advices I would do it by all means. End of the day although I share my images with rest of the world to appreciate, but primarily I take an image to satisfy my own inner artist.
Your filmmaking made me teary towards the end. Wonderful storytelling about our city. Really appreciate you dealing with this topic
Hong Kong is one of my favourite places I have been. People were friendly, and the city looked like an eye candy. And your video reminds me of how I felt there. I hope I can experience this Hong Kong again some day..and you too..
you're such an inspiration to me man, your videos are always on point! Also, glad to have you back in HK
🙏🏻 thank you!
As an street photographer myself I can say this video has been really inspiring
one of the best videos on street photography i have viewed for a long while . it is an inspirational experience when you express your
emotional feelings about your images . thank you .
What a piece of art of a video 🙏🏼
Thanks
I'm at a point in my art and photography where I've been really trying to figure out my subject. Something that's always held me back from street photography or taking photos of people is my fear of being judged or even worse confronted for it. I've always struggled with this for as long as I've been taking photos. The thought that I don't really need to "get close" and still be appreciated is a comforting one. I want to take more photos that move me creatively and this video really helped me look at things from a different perspective. Thank you
one of the most scenic shot in HK, glad to see a fellow HK/Canadian here. wish I started photography when I was in HK but never hurts to start now being in Toronto. Hope to see you around someda. Keep up the amazing content.
I think you made a beautiful video. I love your perspective on “getting close”. Very respectful of other people. ❤
Your cinematography keeps amazing me with every upload
I understand, Ivan. I too am from and in Hong Kong. Take care.
Thank you very much for your thoughts.
Just discovered you and your channel and it's all fantastic, seeing so many familiar places in HK with your photos is a real treat. Cheers mate, all the very best, Jay.
The photograph taken under the overpass is beautiful!
I got the sense of where you were going with this thesis from the photos you shared at the beginning. Too many people giving you looks, not enough relaxed natural poses. Very well made video!
Thanks!
I always maintain my distance to the subject as it could be very intimidating to the subject. Great video, thank you.
Hey man. This is the second video of yours that I watch. And i gotta admit, I'm in love. You're amazing at this. I felt like I was watching a more than AAA quality documentary. This should be played in a museum of photography. I look up to you with so much respect. I get those rare conflicting feelings where on one side I feel extremely attracted to the content and want to consume it all. But on the other, I want to take it very slow so I can enjoy it more and avoid that feeling I get when I finish something I love like a book, a great movie, or documentary (or series). Thank you for bringing this to me (and us the public).
Thank you for the effort and sharing. Thoughtful insights. Lovely images. BIG thumbs up.
One of the best videos about street photography that I saw in long time, really good advice and thoughts about your own process
It is one of the better street photo videos I have seen in a long time
A very moving video. The perspective shifts from photo advice to personal story to awareness of others and the Hong Kong social issues are lovely storytelling. Thank you.
It looks like you're in Hong Kong again. Welcome back! Beautiful video and photography. I can relate entirely to your story. Keep up the good work
You’ve become Chow Sonnen, can’t let anyone get close
It’s true that close up is nice. However, sometimes I feel the need to fill the frame with some background so I can tell a story. Love your work as always Ivan! Keep them coming
Likely the best video on UA-cam today on street photography. I too have been doing this type of work for the best part of 40 years (I’m 55 now) and my motto was always 'get in close'. But now I’m not as keen. Being from England, it is somewhat similar here in terms of CCTV surveillance and as I get older, I’m far more aware of the need for privacy. You’re absolutely right. Getting in close now, is more about a connection with empathy than it is with just putting a subject in a frame to make something to be amused by. Thank you for making this important point as well as film.
This video was exactly what I needed right now. I've been shooting weddings for the past few years and my whole style has been based around getting in close to get the feeling that you were there when viewing the photos. I'm now transitioning into shooting more street and real life documentary photography and feel like finding scenes is more beneficial in telling the stories I want to tell. There is definitely a lot to be said for getting close, but there is also more than one way to tell a story and the contrast between those such as Bruce Gilden and Saul Leiter is a good example of that.
I think some people think getting close is ALL you need for a nice photo. The closeup shots of characters doing random stuff gets boring fast. I much preferred your layered photos of Hong Kong over the close ones. I'm more in favor of showing a scene and making the viewer feel immersed.
A matter of personal taste. But it is important to know that close is not always better.
I came here to say something similar. There's a lot of street photography that does seem like random and pointless shots of surprised strangers. To me the picture should tell a story and that can either be close or not.
@@carlospelay9642 ya man, agree. A moment trumps everything else for me.
@@carlospelay9642 Nearly all of the popular "street photographers" do that.. At that point, it's like...okay..what exactly am I looking at, why is this person interesting? Why should I care about them.
Fan Ho is the kind I like.
Incredible video! It was shot beautifully and the editing was amazing! I love how the photography got better as you stepped back a little. I think it gave you room to be more creative!
These visuals are straight out of a nostalgic movie. I'm speechless
Love this topic. Love hearing someone else voice the very debate that silently happens in my mind. And as usual, beautiful visual odes to this magical city. Thank you.
Love your short film. It should be renamed Tips For Street Photography In A Police State.
The opening "pedestrian crossing beep" made me homesick!
pure artist...felt in dzen, thank you Ivan
I totally agree with, understand, and support your reasons to respect people’s personal space when shooting. I’m enjoying your channel-keep shining!
I've been feeling this lately too, maybe the pandemic had some play in this, but there really needs to be a clear and objective intent for getting close to a subject. I find stepping back and complementing a given subject with some context adds depth, and as a result evokes more emotion and intimacy for viewers. You're right, getting close doesn't always mean feeling close.
Love this take on the advice! Just as photographers pick different focal lengths for different scenarios, for street photography I think focal length and distance should also vary depending on the subject and narrative.
That being said, like many beginners I often find it difficult to physically get close, which I want to improve on through practice. But I’ve decided to take my time doing so, and as some others mentioned in the comments, not getting close for the sake of getting close.
It's a dance. Giving space, taking space. Your presence makes you visible or invisible no matter the focal length/distance.
Absolutely love the journalistic style that you use in your videos.
Very well narrated. I have followed this approach for decades..respecting my subject's right to their intimate space over public space. Being a Asian, I appreciate this more.
Thanks Ivan. . I followed a street photography group that went through a phase of really getting in peoples faces. Almost egging each other on with with the Like system of social media and jokes about people obviously not happy about having their picture taken. A lot of the pictures weren't even that good; at least showed little background or foreground composition. I don't like to think of there being a victim of my art, or lack of art as the case may be. Photography is just a hobby for me and yeah I could go and shoot in peoples faces. I'm a 6' 5" shipbuilder and don't generally worry about possible clashes but what for? A handful of Likes on social media; a picture that someone who doesn't have any artistic knowledge won't even know why they like. I'm a middle aged master tradesman and am not looking to start a new career in photography. I'd kind of decided to not follow my photography peers anyway and your video has firmed my opinion. One doesn't always have to be physically close to resonate with the subject. Different people view closeness differently too. As an introvert, 70-200 is close enough 😄
wow. Alex Webb's quote made me come to a spiritual realization of how I connect with my own work. That's deep stuff, thanks for sharing.
That quote completed me 😂
Brilliantly done. Educational. Wonderful watch. Thanks, Ivan. I'm just a new photographer who shoots mainly sports, action and wildlife. However, this week, for my first experience, I watched a video on Saul Leiter (and recognized his influence on you in just the first few minutes -yellows/reds, frame in frame). My first years were focused on exposure, composition, and physical proximity. This year, my focus has "evolved" to include "emotional proximity", and I'm finding this a very challenging task. Appreciate you sharing your own challenges in a moving and motivational way. Many thanks.
Thank you for this thoughtful video. What a joy to find it. You included some photographs from right in front of where I used to live.
In photography there are no rules.I agree 100% that the most important is the .I personally shoot with 28-35-50mm.It depends on the place,the crowd,the mood,the Covid recently and a lot of other thinks.Most favourite focal length is 35mm,50mm second and 28mm the third.
Your reflection and re-orientation of your photographic approach very much impressed me. I, too, have made people feel uncomfortable with my camera, never even considering they might be right to think bad of me. Becoming a better photographer not only involves improvement of technical skills but also ethical evolvement at the same time. I found people photography so much more rewarding once I sought people´s approval for my photos. I want them to get something good out of my photographic work as well. Took me years to get there ethically.
Thank you for the experience shared and I like how you interrupt those quotes as well as the storytelling style for our HOME in recent years... For photographer like you should feel the minor changes in the society... I had put down SLRs since Covid... the last trip to Taiwan in June 2023 has made me start shooting candid street photography again when I back HK. To me there is no substantial changes to most HKers and speaking the same language actually makes me able to "get closer" to strangers. There is always hope that we are still open-minded and adaptive to macro changes but as the same time retaining our own characteristics.
Yet another beautiful film, Ivan, like a poem. And your film and photos proves you are completely right about closeness or the lack of it. It isn’t about meters or feet. ❤
This was a very well done video. I love the colors, most of the pictures with high contrast, the soft melody and your calm voice… but most of all the message you send. I’ve never been a kind of street photographer as I am much to shy to get close to people. But on a vacation to New York I asked some people for permission to shot a close up photo… this is not street photography I know, but these are some of my most beloved pictures of people I didn’t know but had a conversation about the shots I took. And every time I look at these pictures I remember the situation and the people and these make the pictures very worthy to me.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts in such a wonderful video.
Telling a story creates better photos than just a close up of a person.
Great insights and I feel the same. Thanks for this superb video 👍