@@seanyessmannLiterally just said this to my wife 1 hr ago. Jamie is a treasure! I stumbled on this video today completely by chance and I am hooked! Hope you are feeling better Jamie, I am completely confident that you are creative one way or the other...
I appreciate how carefully you produced this video - the graphics, transitions, timing, and your delivery are all beautifully done. Not to mention your intelligent content. You make UA-cam look good.
There’s no one better on YT with the production value, clarity, and the substance, than your work. Can’t thank you enough, on behalf of all photographers.
I was a photojournalist between 1999 and 2012. Now I am half way through the video and suddenly my favourite youtuber talks about my favourite living photographer. BLISS. Welcome back Jamie!
Dude.. 12 minutes in and I had to stop the video tomwrite this... thank you from the bottom of my heart... in my years of watching videos, reading photobooks, chatting with pros and gazing at photos to learn, i never came acroas such valuable advices. I can't believe i'm learning all this for free... you are an angel.
This has got to be one of, if not THE best photography channels on UA-cam. I love the depth and intentional thought of the videos. Thank you for creating this space, Jamie.
When I first got The Suffering of Light my mind was truly blown. "How did he manage to get these shots?!?" I'm a huge fan of letting dark areas fall to blackness and I love his color choices. I can only hope to take a Webb-ish photo one day. :) So glad to see you back, Jamie! I hope you're feeling better. You make UA-cam a better place with your work.
@@mgscheue Use a wider lens, you will notice that a lot of the subjects just fall right in to place on their own. And also when you see an interesting subject, you can almost place him anywhere you want and he will make the photograph stand out. Also try to look for the areas where the light devides the potential field of view in different lit zones, then just wait for the subjects to pass by that area. Of course it takes hundreds of attempts to get that right image. We also only see the best shoots, he probably had hundeds of film rolls just to get couple of those high quality images
“Be intentional”… after 18 years as a photographer, I stopped using zoom lenses. We have become lazy sometimes just zooming into people and objects. I switched to only using 35 and 85mm primes now. It forces me to move and I have found that I get more interesting angles and started to appreciate compositions. It has actually make me love photography again.
To be fair, zooming and changing the distance to the subject with a fixed focal length lens are two separate things giving different results. You can change the distance also with a zoom lens, but cannot zoom with a fixed lens (other than crop).
I like primes primarily because they make me take better photos (as I'm forced to visualise more). 35 and 85 are a magic combination. That's my pairing of choice too.
@@babaarcuszatir The point I'm trying to make is that using zoom lenses can sometimes result in tunnel vision, similar to a sniper waiting for the perfect shot. At events, for instance, you might find yourself stationed at the back with a 70-200 lens, potentially missing other opportunities. I've noticed that when I use prime lenses, I'm more proactive in scouting the surroundings, even beyond the viewfinder. This approach makes me work harder to be intentional, leading to more creative compositions. While it's possible to achieve this with zoom lenses as well, I find that primes change my mental approach to photography.
This is fine for a leisurely and narrow (ouch!} approach to photography. Great if it works for you. Many of us in many situations, do not have the luxury of working with just 2 focal lengths and simply walking up to your subject to get closer This doesn't work for public music and performance events or for sport, or shooting boats from the shore or air shows, or weddings from a fixed position or anything really that requires specific shots from an unalterable distance. Even when you can move, zoom lenses are not evil. Different focal lengths have different characteristics. Choose the perspective you want THEN move to the ideal position. The creative opportunities of wide angle or telephoto lenses shouldn't be dismissed Restricting yourself to only two perspectives doesn't give you freedom, it just restricts all your photographs to only two angles of view. The one advantage of primes of course are larger apertures and finer control of depth of field.
@@desohare8683 I appreciate your perspective on the practical versatility of zoom lenses, especially in constrained shooting environments like sports or events. I am very aware of that. I also shoot wildlife and event photography. My point about "being intentional" with prime lenses is less about dismissing zooms and more about rediscovering a personal connection to the craft of photography. Using primes challenges me to engage more deeply with the environment, moving physically to find the best shot rather than adjusting the zoom. This approach has reinvigorated my passion for photography by pushing creative boundaries, even if it's not always the most practical choice in every situation. Each lens type has its strengths, and choosing one over the other can shift not just our techniques, but also our artistic vision.
I'm glad I discovered this channel. Most others focus on the technology and the physics of photography and the "getting that jaw dropping shot". This channel is refreshing in how it explores the art of it all.
You're someone who can talk about actual "photography" but not gadgets and technology. Thanks again for more great knowledge and inspirations throughout your video.
Thank you so much. I want to keep it free so anyone can watch it regardless of their means, so thank you very much for supporting me. I really appreciate it.
Wow. It's been a long time, Jamie. Hope you're well, or at least some semblance of well. At any rate, it's heart-warming to hear and see you talk in your nuanced and spot-on way about photography and art again. Presented with carefully selected examples and translated into tasteful and engaging video. It's not least the things that matter to us that help to sustain us.
Great to see you back, Jamie, and I hope you're fighting fit. Love your use of motion graphics to illustrate concepts- and of course the way you deliver philosophical aspects of the art. Cheers!
Brilliant video Jamie - really informative but, as with all of you work, the quality of the video makes it a real pleasurer to watch. So glad that you are able post it. Hope that you are well. Thank you.
@@BernhardSchwarz-xs8kp yes, of course, that's why I wrote "creating" and not "taking pictures." Jamie's videos inspire me to be creative in any field I know and not just photography. Also I really like his editing style as well as his tasteful animations. There is always a lot to see and learn for me.
Excellent video Jamie 🙏🏻 I believe people who shoot with long lenses and wide aperture think subject is THE ONLY important thing , everything else is just distraction. While that might suit particular situations, it doesn’t convey stories as an environmental portrait ( wide angle /controlled DOF). You pinned it perfectly. Thank you
The amount of work that went into this video is astounding. The examples of composition overlaid with grids and dialogue was very helpful. I just want to genuinely thank you for such great work. I love to learn and your examples, thoroughness, and the level of love of art you demonstrate are outstanding. Thank you kindly.
Ok, this explained things in ways I've never considered or managed to understand before. Literally got my creative juices excited over what's next, how to play with it and what can be learned. Love it!
@@jamiewindsor Yes, of course, Jamie. I think it's more in the sense that he doesn't do much for me emotionally. His craft is astonishing. To be able to organize so many elements in a harmonious way is incredibly challenging. He is unique. Love your channel. I hope you are doing well!
Another fantastic thought provoking video Jamie. Part of my reason to jump upto full frame, is that I love the ethereal feel to street portraits, shot at
Great video, as always, Jamie. Lovely to see you back, and looking well. Appreciate that the video is aimed at both beginners and advanced photographers. Finally, i don't think most people realize how much work goes into this style of video especially editing.
I don't know what you did to the YT algorithm but this video has been in my recommended every day for the past 2 weeks and I've finally been bullied into watching it
Jamie is one of the very few best teachers on YT. IMO, he's at the very top of Photography education with Sean Tucker of UK and Simon D'entremont of Nova Scotia, CA.
Not only are these helpful photography tips, I think your filmmaking and storytelling style is really beautifully dialed in here as well. ☺️ The way you left the natural pauses in your conversation hi-lights some unique part of your speaking pattern that really kept me engaged all the way though. It elevates the feeling, from a viewers perspective, like what you are saying is really important. Thanks for sharing this!
Shoot any sort of landscape scene and you have to bring the scene into foucs with narrower aperture. It does make the shot more challenging because you have no choice but to consider the full composition. When i shoot portraits or sports, i find it much easier because you don't have to worry about the background as much and can blur it as much as possible. With sports shutter speed overrides all else usually. Great video!
Good to have you back Jamie! One thing that I think every photographer misses, overlooks or under appreciates at some point is the element of luck. Alex Webb is a phenomenal photographer, I am also a big fan. But in a couple of interviews I have seen with him, even he admits that, although ALL of the techniques you mention in the video are paramount and used by him for all the photographs he shows, seeing the moment and understanding in a split second to take the shot is just as important. A lot of his images, taken 2-3 seconds before or after just wouldn’t work in the same way. Having the eye to see the potential in a shot, seeing the vision, setting the camera for that vision and having the patience and idea to get the shot is all very well. But if the elements just don’t fall into place, then all that technique, vision, idea and foresight just is not useful at all. Luck is a huge part of this and his kind of photography. Being a wedding photographer myself (and many others will agree), will always say there is that one wedding where nothing happens. And it’s true. The same can be said of many other situations. That’s not an excuse to be a bad photographer, it’s the reality of the art we love and adore. Excellent video as always Jamie! Keep up the good work!
Haha a beautiful and extensive analysis of Webb's visual language disguised as a basic video on aperture. Brilliant as always! I had not seen some of the images and they floored me.
As I was researching beyond my Alex Webb books, I just seemed to find an endless trove of amazing images. He seems to have the ability to just keep churning out amazing shot after amazing shot.
@@jamiewindsor so many would be any other photographer’s best capture. Constantly finding the most elegant split-seconds in a busy scene. Do we know how ‘repetitive’ his contact sheets are, generally speaking?
Great to see you again! Still remember seeing Alex's work for the first time - some 20 years ago. To this day I'm in awe of his compositions. Great video with fantastic analysis (as always).
Premium quality in every sense. Always love your videos. This whole subject is one that I'm sure has cost a lot of photographers a heap of cash because they got convinced that are not real photographers unless they have the fast glass and glue it wide open "like the pros".
When I bought my Pentax 67 off this guy on eBay, he sent me a message telling me I'd need to buy some ND filters for it as I must only shoot the lens wide open at f/2.4 (very wide aperture for a medium format). He said that there is no point in shooting the camera at any other aperture. What a weird thing to say.
Thank you for showing how to break out of the self imposed boundaries of shallow depth of field by providing clear and concise guidelines for doing so or to courage necessary to embark on this path intuitively.
Alex Webb is incredible. Was lucky enough to meet him and his wife for their Brooklyn book release. He’s a true master and how many amazing photographs he has is really hard to comprehend.
In my opinion grids are overused in the analysis here. They can be a fantastic way to focus your compositional by intention but some of the grids superimposed onto the images shown in this video seem tenuous. Anyway, I greatly appreciate any kind of analysis, even if it is tenuous, because analysis always forces you to think about things. The fact I can have an opinion on whether it’s tenuous or not, in itself this is an interesting talking point. It’s a great video you made.
I generally feel this way about grids too, but I see their purpose when giving advice aimed at all experience levels. Explaining composition using grids is probably much clearer for people who have no idea where to start with it! Some have a good 'natural' eye for it, gained through experience and time without too much concern about rules, others really don't have an instinct and need to be led to the idea. Even with my dislike of grids I have found them useful sometimes when struggling to get a satisfying composition, no matter how loosely they may adhere to any imaginary lines in the end. It is an interesting point about essay writing generally though, as it does feel a tangential subject to the main focus (heh) of the video. For example I wonder if many really go straight to a fancy bokeh capable lens without being aware of fundamental composition concepts, but instead just need a reminder that they may be neglecting the continued practice of those skills from an over reliance on blur. But overall it felt to me that the video was in all a nice overview on how thinking critically about composition and focus can improve photography, bring individual creative voice to an image, while also providing the foundational technical information needed to achieve that.
So many of us need to watch this - especially newcomers. I've been shooting commercial cinematography for 20yrs and still found value here. None of us know everything!
Wow! Easily the most thought provoking video on photography I've ever watched! If it weren't dark out I'd already be out the door with my camera to try out some of these insightful techniques. As someone who has long tended to view "street photography" as banal cliche I was stunned by the complex creativity of Alex Web's imagery and I hunger to,see more of it!
Great tutorial. I like it that you're using other people's work as examples and not just a self promotion video. A lot of the advice here of using manual focus and aperture settings etc were the norm when I started photography. Using a hand held light meter too. I've spoken to camera users who didn't know what ISO, ASA and DIN actually meant or their relationship to each other. Fundamental information really.
Great video. Shooting strictly wide open is exceptionally common for newer wildlife photographers, since again it's a style where you often don't have a lot of control or a lot light. For the first several years I shot only wide open but once I started learning to use wider depths of fields it open up more opportunities I missed before.
Bokeh is the laziest way to direct a viewers attention. And I’m as guilty as the next one. But when you look at the great photographs of the past, what made them great, was the whole scene and not some 1.2 blur. Okay - I had to get that out of the way - back to the video :)!
True. Though people had to be more thoughtful and creative with their composition pre-digital age, because film wasn't cheap. So people really had to weigh out what was worth shooting or not.
Hi Jamie! So happy to see you back! Thanks for this great content, as always! The way you drove me through different ideas while watching your video is great! Thanks so much for your creativity and for being that helpful!! 🙌
When I started shooting film, my mom’s advice that she previously got was “f8 and be there”. I also love how my old manual focus lenses provided distance ranges for each aperture directly on the lens.
The point about knowing your apertures and distances is great. I got a four thirds camera many years ago with a decent prime lens and immediately cranked up the depth of field on everything. Took what I thought was a great close-up portrait of a friend, only to find when I opened it on my computer that only the tip of his nose was properly in focus.
Easily my favourite photography channel, always excited to see a new video, thank you for sharing your knowledge and articulating and conveying your point using fantastic examples to help us understand how these techniques come together. I always feel inspired to go and shoot after watching this content. Thank you!
Thank you so much for your content, for sharing your knowledge with us. This video will not only make me look different to the world, but now I understand how to look at photographers work with more insight and appreciation!
Many thanks once more Jaimie- your tutorials are so clear, concise and above all inspiring. I always want to run out with my camera immediately after watching one of your lessons.
Thankyou for this escape from lazy conventionality. The narrative and dynamic flow in the frame is so important. I haven’t seen it so well discussed in the age of UA-cam influence. I thought your exploration of Alex Webb’s photographic eye was really on point. That narrative layering in composition is even enhanced by particular lenses and the way that they render focus and depth transitions. When the world discovered Bokeh as a concept, it just highlighted Fan Ho, Cartier Bresson and Sebastiao Salgado as compelling image makers by showing how acknowledging and honouring depth of focus creates grounding for a subject.
Hi Jamie. Thank you for this. A fascinating and meaningful video. I have learnt more here in 17.28 minutes than the half a dozen or so other videos watched weekly. The content here has made me change how I see and compose my images.
Hi Jamie, Your videos are brilliant. Full of useful ideas, knowledge, and photography skills well explained. I use your channel to teach my photography students; we all learn together and go out to shoot and practice afterwards. Thank you so much for your excellent work.
Animations in Jamie's videos are one of his distinctive identity signs, and, along with his excellent taste for graphic design, probably what make his videos stand so much apart from the crowd. I love his aesthetics. Great to see you back Mr. Windsord
I’m glad you highlighted the golden triangle, section etc., a graphic representation of the fibonacci sequence that is part of nature and was a tool of all of the classical painters, it’s far more powerful than the rule of thirds as a compositional technique. Most modern cameras include the grid on their screens and Lightroom/Photoshop provide the spiral, grid and triangles in their crop tools
Once I got into the habit of shooting f5.6 and higher, I started to have a lot of fun with the freedom of thinking more about composition than focus. It really makes a difference in your perspective.
I've been shooting (editorial and commercial jobs) since 2000. Back then there was a push to have more selective focus--especially for food and still life. While some clients these days seem comfortable with selective focus, I'd say 85% or so want EVERYTHING in focus...thank god for Helicon Focus. The deep focus issue has become so ingrained in me that I have to remember to try selective focus while shooting. And back in the film days I shot 4x5 film so I was pretty addicted to shallow depth of field imagery.
Mate, you put so much love in your videos. Always excited for a new one of yours, but I get it that those extensive breaks are what it takes. And I think it's worth it
Learned more in 17 minutes than in the last dozen photography videos I have looked at. Bravo.
Literally just said this exact same thing to my wife at the end of the video!
@@seanyessmannLiterally just said this to my wife 1 hr ago. Jamie is a treasure! I stumbled on this video today completely by chance and I am hooked! Hope you are feeling better Jamie, I am completely confident that you are creative one way or the other...
So glad to see more from you again, Jamie. Wishing you healing, positivity, and strength.
I appreciate how carefully you produced this video - the graphics, transitions, timing, and your delivery are all beautifully done. Not to mention your intelligent content. You make UA-cam look good.
There’s no one better on YT with the production value, clarity, and the substance, than your work. Can’t thank you enough, on behalf of all photographers.
I was a photojournalist between 1999 and 2012. Now I am half way through the video and suddenly my favourite youtuber talks about my favourite living photographer. BLISS.
Welcome back Jamie!
A Jamie Windsor vid always brightens my day! Love the tips :D
Dude.. 12 minutes in and I had to stop the video tomwrite this... thank you from the bottom of my heart... in my years of watching videos, reading photobooks, chatting with pros and gazing at photos to learn, i never came acroas such valuable advices. I can't believe i'm learning all this for free... you are an angel.
This has got to be one of, if not THE best photography channels on UA-cam. I love the depth and intentional thought of the videos. Thank you for creating this space, Jamie.
Glad to be back, Jamie 👍
When I first got The Suffering of Light my mind was truly blown. "How did he manage to get these shots?!?" I'm a huge fan of letting dark areas fall to blackness and I love his color choices. I can only hope to take a Webb-ish photo one day. :)
So glad to see you back, Jamie! I hope you're feeling better. You make UA-cam a better place with your work.
His work is really amazing, isn't it?
I can’t imagine how his brain works. So much going on at once in his photos and it all works. They’re often like puzzles.
@@mgscheue Use a wider lens, you will notice that a lot of the subjects just fall right in to place on their own. And also when you see an interesting subject, you can almost place him anywhere you want and he will make the photograph stand out.
Also try to look for the areas where the light devides the potential field of view in different lit zones, then just wait for the subjects to pass by that area.
Of course it takes hundreds of attempts to get that right image. We also only see the best shoots, he probably had hundeds of film rolls just to get couple of those high quality images
@@S3l3ct1ve All excellent ideas. And I did recently see an interview with him where he said he does shoot a lot.
“Be intentional”… after 18 years as a photographer, I stopped using zoom lenses. We have become lazy sometimes just zooming into people and objects. I switched to only using 35 and 85mm primes now. It forces me to move and I have found that I get more interesting angles and started to appreciate compositions. It has actually make me love photography again.
To be fair, zooming and changing the distance to the subject with a fixed focal length lens are two separate things giving different results. You can change the distance also with a zoom lens, but cannot zoom with a fixed lens (other than crop).
I like primes primarily because they make me take better photos (as I'm forced to visualise more). 35 and 85 are a magic combination. That's my pairing of choice too.
@@babaarcuszatir The point I'm trying to make is that using zoom lenses can sometimes result in tunnel vision, similar to a sniper waiting for the perfect shot. At events, for instance, you might find yourself stationed at the back with a 70-200 lens, potentially missing other opportunities. I've noticed that when I use prime lenses, I'm more proactive in scouting the surroundings, even beyond the viewfinder. This approach makes me work harder to be intentional, leading to more creative compositions. While it's possible to achieve this with zoom lenses as well, I find that primes change my mental approach to photography.
This is fine for a leisurely and narrow (ouch!} approach to photography. Great if it works for you. Many of us in many situations, do not have the luxury of working with just 2 focal lengths and simply walking up to your subject to get closer
This doesn't work for public music and performance events or for sport, or shooting boats from the shore or air shows, or weddings from a fixed position or anything really that requires specific shots from an unalterable distance. Even when you can move, zoom lenses are not evil. Different focal lengths have different characteristics. Choose the perspective you want THEN move to the ideal position. The creative opportunities of wide angle or telephoto lenses shouldn't be dismissed
Restricting yourself to only two perspectives doesn't give you freedom, it just restricts all your photographs to only two angles of view. The one advantage of primes of course are larger apertures and finer control of depth of field.
@@desohare8683 I appreciate your perspective on the practical versatility of zoom lenses, especially in constrained shooting environments like sports or events. I am very aware of that. I also shoot wildlife and event photography. My point about "being intentional" with prime lenses is less about dismissing zooms and more about rediscovering a personal connection to the craft of photography. Using primes challenges me to engage more deeply with the environment, moving physically to find the best shot rather than adjusting the zoom. This approach has reinvigorated my passion for photography by pushing creative boundaries, even if it's not always the most practical choice in every situation. Each lens type has its strengths, and choosing one over the other can shift not just our techniques, but also our artistic vision.
I'm glad I discovered this channel. Most others focus on the technology and the physics of photography and the "getting that jaw dropping shot". This channel is refreshing in how it explores the art of it all.
You're someone who can talk about actual "photography" but not gadgets and technology. Thanks again for more great knowledge and inspirations throughout your video.
Your videos are always so delightful to watch. Glad you’re posting and hope all is well!
The GOAT of photography videos on youtube
Him and Sean Tucker may I add.
I think Pat Kay does a great job explaining different compositions and visual patterns. Definitely worth checking out if you like this type of video.
Thanks Jamie. Content this good shouldn’t be free. Have a great day. Ian.
Thank you so much. I want to keep it free so anyone can watch it regardless of their means, so thank you very much for supporting me. I really appreciate it.
I love how the images are edited to visualize the content. Well done. Thanks.
The quality of your posts is top tier. So glad to see you continue. Thank you.
Christmas came early this year: new videos from Jamie Windsor!!!!!!!
Wow. It's been a long time, Jamie. Hope you're well, or at least some semblance of well. At any rate, it's heart-warming to hear and see you talk in your nuanced and spot-on way about photography and art again. Presented with carefully selected examples and translated into tasteful and engaging video. It's not least the things that matter to us that help to sustain us.
I love your style of video and you have a really engaging delivery approach. The content is spot on too! Thanks Jamie
Welcome back, i was so happy when i saw this video pop up! :) Hope your doing well. Thank you for another great video.
First class video. Someone who understands how to use DoF, rather than just the technicalities of it.
That differentiates the camera buffs from a visual artist.
Great to see you back, Jamie, and I hope you're fighting fit. Love your use of motion graphics to illustrate concepts- and of course the way you deliver philosophical aspects of the art. Cheers!
Thanks!
Thank you so much.
Brilliant video Jamie - really informative but, as with all of you work, the quality of the video makes it a real pleasurer to watch. So glad that you are able post it. Hope that you are well. Thank you.
Thank you
Glad you're back.
Every time I watch one of your videos I feel inspired and want to start creating something immediately.
Thank you!
Ever thought about the idea that there are more ways to "create" than shooting pictures?
@@BernhardSchwarz-xs8kp yes, of course, that's why I wrote "creating" and not "taking pictures." Jamie's videos inspire me to be creative in any field I know and not just photography.
Also I really like his editing style as well as his tasteful animations.
There is always a lot to see and learn for me.
Excellent video Jamie 🙏🏻
I believe people who shoot with long lenses and wide aperture think subject is THE ONLY important thing , everything else is just distraction. While that might suit particular situations, it doesn’t convey stories as an environmental portrait ( wide angle /controlled DOF). You pinned it perfectly. Thank you
The amount of work that went into this video is astounding. The examples of composition overlaid with grids and dialogue was very helpful. I just want to genuinely thank you for such great work. I love to learn and your examples, thoroughness, and the level of love of art you demonstrate are outstanding. Thank you kindly.
Ok, this explained things in ways I've never considered or managed to understand before. Literally got my creative juices excited over what's next, how to play with it and what can be learned. Love it!
A Jamie Windsor video is always a special treat! I can’t say that I enjoy Webb’s work. I admire it, though.
We all have our different tastes and it makes the world more interesting.
@@jamiewindsor Yes, of course, Jamie. I think it's more in the sense that he doesn't do much for me emotionally. His craft is astonishing. To be able to organize so many elements in a harmonious way is incredibly challenging. He is unique. Love your channel. I hope you are doing well!
What makes my heart flutter is another Jamie Windsor video!
You make a few but quality content!
Your content is absolutely the best, keep up the great work, thank you
Thank you for showing me Alex Webb. What incredible photos.
Another fantastic thought provoking video Jamie. Part of my reason to jump upto full frame, is that I love the ethereal feel to street portraits, shot at
Great video, as always, Jamie. Lovely to see you back, and looking well. Appreciate that the video is aimed at both beginners and advanced photographers. Finally, i don't think most people realize how much work goes into this style of video especially editing.
Thank you. They do take me a long time. I get a bit too obsessive about details to be fair.
@@jamiewindsor and it more than shows in the quality of the videos and how well the narrative and the story you are telling flows. ❤️❤️
I don't know what you did to the YT algorithm but this video has been in my recommended every day for the past 2 weeks and I've finally been bullied into watching it
Jamie is one of the very few best teachers on YT. IMO, he's at the very top of Photography education with Sean Tucker of UK and Simon D'entremont of Nova Scotia, CA.
Not only are these helpful photography tips, I think your filmmaking and storytelling style is really beautifully dialed in here as well. ☺️ The way you left the natural pauses in your conversation hi-lights some unique part of your speaking pattern that really kept me engaged all the way though. It elevates the feeling, from a viewers perspective, like what you are saying is really important. Thanks for sharing this!
Shoot any sort of landscape scene and you have to bring the scene into foucs with narrower aperture. It does make the shot more challenging because you have no choice but to consider the full composition. When i shoot portraits or sports, i find it much easier because you don't have to worry about the background as much and can blur it as much as possible. With sports shutter speed overrides all else usually.
Great video!
Good to have you back Jamie!
One thing that I think every photographer misses, overlooks or under appreciates at some point is the element of luck. Alex Webb is a phenomenal photographer, I am also a big fan. But in a couple of interviews I have seen with him, even he admits that, although ALL of the techniques you mention in the video are paramount and used by him for all the photographs he shows, seeing the moment and understanding in a split second to take the shot is just as important. A lot of his images, taken 2-3 seconds before or after just wouldn’t work in the same way. Having the eye to see the potential in a shot, seeing the vision, setting the camera for that vision and having the patience and idea to get the shot is all very well. But if the elements just don’t fall into place, then all that technique, vision, idea and foresight just is not useful at all. Luck is a huge part of this and his kind of photography. Being a wedding photographer myself (and many others will agree), will always say there is that one wedding where nothing happens. And it’s true. The same can be said of many other situations. That’s not an excuse to be a bad photographer, it’s the reality of the art we love and adore.
Excellent video as always Jamie! Keep up the good work!
I like the way you select a photographer to illustrate the veideo's theme. Nice to have you back! Thanks for one more freat video!
The way you presented these concepts was perfect! Excellent video, as usual!
Haha a beautiful and extensive analysis of Webb's visual language disguised as a basic video on aperture. Brilliant as always! I had not seen some of the images and they floored me.
As I was researching beyond my Alex Webb books, I just seemed to find an endless trove of amazing images. He seems to have the ability to just keep churning out amazing shot after amazing shot.
@@jamiewindsor so many would be any other photographer’s best capture. Constantly finding the most elegant split-seconds in a busy scene.
Do we know how ‘repetitive’ his contact sheets are, generally speaking?
Yes Jamie is back ! The care you put into your videos and the content are missed around here.
Great to see you again! Still remember seeing Alex's work for the first time - some 20 years ago. To this day I'm in awe of his compositions. Great video with fantastic analysis (as always).
Premium quality in every sense. Always love your videos.
This whole subject is one that I'm sure has cost a lot of photographers a heap of cash because they got convinced that are not real photographers unless they have the fast glass and glue it wide open "like the pros".
When I bought my Pentax 67 off this guy on eBay, he sent me a message telling me I'd need to buy some ND filters for it as I must only shoot the lens wide open at f/2.4 (very wide aperture for a medium format). He said that there is no point in shooting the camera at any other aperture. What a weird thing to say.
@@jamiewindsor at the aperture ring wouldn't have been worn out!😄
Thank you for showing how to break out of the self imposed boundaries of shallow depth of field by providing clear and concise guidelines for doing so or to courage necessary to embark on this path intuitively.
Alex Webb is incredible. Was lucky enough to meet him and his wife for their Brooklyn book release. He’s a true master and how many amazing photographs he has is really hard to comprehend.
In my opinion grids are overused in the analysis here. They can be a fantastic way to focus your compositional by intention but some of the grids superimposed onto the images shown in this video seem tenuous. Anyway, I greatly appreciate any kind of analysis, even if it is tenuous, because analysis always forces you to think about things. The fact I can have an opinion on whether it’s tenuous or not, in itself this is an interesting talking point. It’s a great video you made.
And the fact you made me look up tenuous 🤔😊
tenuous use of "tenuous" here imo
I generally feel this way about grids too, but I see their purpose when giving advice aimed at all experience levels. Explaining composition using grids is probably much clearer for people who have no idea where to start with it! Some have a good 'natural' eye for it, gained through experience and time without too much concern about rules, others really don't have an instinct and need to be led to the idea. Even with my dislike of grids I have found them useful sometimes when struggling to get a satisfying composition, no matter how loosely they may adhere to any imaginary lines in the end.
It is an interesting point about essay writing generally though, as it does feel a tangential subject to the main focus (heh) of the video. For example I wonder if many really go straight to a fancy bokeh capable lens without being aware of fundamental composition concepts, but instead just need a reminder that they may be neglecting the continued practice of those skills from an over reliance on blur. But overall it felt to me that the video was in all a nice overview on how thinking critically about composition and focus can improve photography, bring individual creative voice to an image, while also providing the foundational technical information needed to achieve that.
So many of us need to watch this - especially newcomers. I've been shooting commercial cinematography for 20yrs and still found value here. None of us know everything!
Wow! Easily the most thought provoking video on photography I've ever watched! If it weren't dark out I'd already be out the door with my camera to try out some of these insightful techniques. As someone who has long tended to view "street photography" as banal cliche I was stunned by the complex creativity of Alex Web's imagery and I hunger to,see more of it!
So glad to have another great video of yours in my feed. You were missed, Jamie! The quality of your videos is unmatched.
Delightful seeing you again posting a gem of a video. My favourite guy of all time
I'm so glad you're back. Hope everything goes well
Your authenticity and production value is always high level. Top work Jamie!
The Alex Webb work, causes an energy and discomfort. You can’t help but skim your eyes around the entire image. Your video is brilliant. Thank you.
Great tutorial. I like it that you're using other people's work as examples and not just a self promotion video. A lot of the advice here of using manual focus and aperture settings etc were the norm when I started photography. Using a hand held light meter too. I've spoken to camera users who didn't know what ISO, ASA and DIN actually meant or their relationship to each other. Fundamental information really.
Great video. Shooting strictly wide open is exceptionally common for newer wildlife photographers, since again it's a style where you often don't have a lot of control or a lot light. For the first several years I shot only wide open but once I started learning to use wider depths of fields it open up more opportunities I missed before.
Always happy to see a new video from yours ! Definitely one of the most interesting photography channels around here :)
Still don't understand why your videos don't have milions of views 🤔
The details in your videos are just stunning ❤
cause people want quick and simple.
Your story telling is of another level! And so much to learn. Good to see you back.
Overjoyed to see another video from you. I've never heard of Alex Webb, thank you for exposing me to him, his work is amazing.
I’ve been in a such trap for over a decade and I’m so thankful, Jamie, for offering so many beautiful alternatives
This is so helpful to me as a beginner photographer! Guess I'll have a new UA-camr to binge watch.
great to see you back where you belong, instructing and inspiring us all . well done Jamie..
Great to see you back and healthy man! rebirth!
I've gone back to this again, enjoying it more the second time, Mr. Windsor.
Bokeh is the laziest way to direct a viewers attention. And I’m as guilty as the next one. But when you look at the great photographs of the past, what made them great, was the whole scene and not some 1.2 blur. Okay - I had to get that out of the way - back to the video :)!
True. Though people had to be more thoughtful and creative with their composition pre-digital age, because film wasn't cheap. So people really had to weigh out what was worth shooting or not.
Well said I’m not a fan of bokeh at all. I’m a big fan of Jamie Windsor you are top of the top as far as UA-cam photography teachers.
Love your vids 👍
Hi Jamie! So happy to see you back! Thanks for this great content, as always! The way you drove me through different ideas while watching your video is great! Thanks so much for your creativity and for being that helpful!! 🙌
I totally agree with this statement, especially since I have been guilty of doing it, too.
When I started shooting film, my mom’s advice that she previously got was “f8 and be there”. I also love how my old manual focus lenses provided distance ranges for each aperture directly on the lens.
One of my favorite creators on UA-cam. Great production and content.
The point about knowing your apertures and distances is great. I got a four thirds camera many years ago with a decent prime lens and immediately cranked up the depth of field on everything. Took what I thought was a great close-up portrait of a friend, only to find when I opened it on my computer that only the tip of his nose was properly in focus.
YESSSSSS What a Friday gift :) thanks Jamie I've missed your stuff on here
This video is amazing, Jamie! You're consistently one of my top inspirations as an artist. Absolutely loved how you explained depth of field!
The quality of the content and editing in these videos is outstanding!
another masterclass by a pure perfectionist.
one of my favourite content creatures out there, thanks again jamie.
If this is appealing to you - you are more into "visual art" than "cameras".
@@BernhardSchwarz-xs8kp i’d say that’s about right!
Always a pleasure watching a JW production. Always educational and at the same time, soothing and relaxing.
Easily my favourite photography channel, always excited to see a new video, thank you for sharing your knowledge and articulating and conveying your point using fantastic examples to help us understand how these techniques come together. I always feel inspired to go and shoot after watching this content. Thank you!
Absolutely wonderful that you are posting again, thank you for another brilliant post. Take it in your own time and don’t rush, take care!
This is a masterclass in creating an engaging teaching video
Thank you so much for your content, for sharing your knowledge with us. This video will not only make me look different to the world, but now I understand how to look at photographers work with more insight and appreciation!
Many thanks once more Jaimie- your tutorials are so clear, concise and above all inspiring. I always want to run out with my camera immediately after watching one of your lessons.
Thankyou for this escape from lazy conventionality. The narrative and dynamic flow in the frame is so important. I haven’t seen it so well discussed in the age of UA-cam influence. I thought your exploration of Alex Webb’s photographic eye was really on point. That narrative layering in composition is even enhanced by particular lenses and the way that they render focus and depth transitions. When the world discovered Bokeh as a concept, it just highlighted Fan Ho, Cartier Bresson and Sebastiao Salgado as compelling image makers by showing how acknowledging and honouring depth of focus creates grounding for a subject.
Good to have you back making videos again brother. Your video's are definitely up there with the best.
some of the best fitting and most consistent visuals I've ever seen. great video!
Hi Jamie. Thank you for this. A fascinating and meaningful video. I have learnt more here in 17.28 minutes than the half a dozen or so other videos watched weekly. The content here has made me change how I see and compose my images.
The master of script, editing and narrative!
Genuinely interesting and inspiring, without being pretentious. Great stuff.
this got me tearin' up 😢 wonderful analysis. more people need to see this
Grazie.
Thank you.
Really nice visual literacy explainer for the masses. Alex Webb has that 6th sense as if he can predict what's going to happen.
Thanks
Thank you. That’s very generous.
Nicely done! ❤
Hi Jamie, Your videos are brilliant. Full of useful ideas, knowledge, and photography skills well explained. I use your channel to teach my photography students;
we all learn together and go out to shoot and practice afterwards. Thank you so much for your excellent work.
That opening lineup 🤤🤤🤤
I still love those older EF lenses.
the 'position' text animation at 14:36 is so good
Animations in Jamie's videos are one of his distinctive identity signs, and, along with his excellent taste for graphic design, probably what make his videos stand so much apart from the crowd. I love his aesthetics. Great to see you back Mr. Windsord
Also noting the great use of sfx to support the animations
I am so exited when I see one of your video! The effect is wanting to be immersed in the craft after… lovely work as usual
I’m glad you highlighted the golden triangle, section etc., a graphic representation of the fibonacci sequence that is part of nature and was a tool of all of the classical painters, it’s far more powerful than the rule of thirds as a compositional technique. Most modern cameras include the grid on their screens and Lightroom/Photoshop provide the spiral, grid and triangles in their crop tools
Once I got into the habit of shooting f5.6 and higher, I started to have a lot of fun with the freedom of thinking more about composition than focus. It really makes a difference in your perspective.
I've been shooting (editorial and commercial jobs) since 2000. Back then there was a push to have more selective focus--especially for food and still life. While some clients these days seem comfortable with selective focus, I'd say 85% or so want EVERYTHING in focus...thank god for Helicon Focus. The deep focus issue has become so ingrained in me that I have to remember to try
selective focus while shooting. And back in the film days I shot 4x5 film so I was pretty addicted to shallow depth of field imagery.
Mate, you put so much love in your videos. Always excited for a new one of yours, but I get it that those extensive breaks are what it takes. And I think it's worth it