The dictionary definition of the term TRIPTYCH is: a set of three associated artistic, literary or musical works intended to be appreciated together. A triptych typically refers to a work of art that is divided into three sections or presented in three parts, usually presented in vertical form. Alternatively, there can be a middle panel which is larger than and flanked by two smaller works. However, the term is also used more generally to describe anything with three parts which are connected to form a single unit. It is this latter definition that is often used in photography. It refers to three photographs which can be displayed as a unit due to their connection with each other. Connections can be based on a range of criteria such as: similar colour taken in the same general area three different views of the same subject similar style, e.g. all abstract Triptychs can be used in any genre of photography and can be adapted to suit all weather conditions. Here are 3 advantages of using the triptych technique in photography. You will probably think of many more. #1. This technique offers you increased opportunities for creative photography You are not using the same techniques for each image and that encourages you to think more creatively. Knowing that you will take three connected images means you will not be limited by one shooting style. You might have a wide-angle shot, a close-up shot and a mid-range type shot to illustrate your chosen theme. One example might be in a coastal area where you capture a wide-angle shot of a building or distant ship, a mid-range shot of sea and rocks and a close-up of a piece of seaweed on the sand. The more you look for creative opportunities to use the triptych technique, the more inspiration you will find. These three images were all taken in the same area but show very different aspects of the area within a small radius. #2. This technique encourages use of photographic skills Instead of capturing just one image at a location you will be looking for three images that have a connection. This will encourage observation, careful planning to get a good composition, use of different techniques and camera settings, and careful consideration of the type of images you want to capture. You may want to tell a story with your image set; you may want to create a set with a similar colour theme; you may want to create a set of images using different depths of field. Whatever your ideas, you will be utilising many of your existing photography skills, while learning or improving many more. The three images above were taken in the same area and show different aspects of the same subject so technically they form a triptych. However, for a triptych to be successful to me it has to meet another criterion - would I like it displayed on my wall? In this case the answer is no as there is too much included in the images and I prefer simplicity. However, the possibilities for experiment are endless when practising this technique. #3. This technique encourages us to print some images Most of us will agree that images look better in print than on digital media, yet most of us don't print our images very often. The triptych technique is based on displaying three images as a unit and this may encourage us to consider printing our triptych sets, possibly changing our display regularly. The three images below, taken at the same location, are on display in my home in large format. I have several variations of the scene and I regularly change the display. Triptych images are generally displayed in vertical format so it is worth remembering this while out shooting. I also believe that if our eventual outcome is to print and frame out triptych set of images we will pay more attention while capturing our photographs to ensure that we end up with images that we are proud to display in our home. Each set of three images will look much better when printed and displayed as a unit of three than they do on digital media. I hope I have convinced you of the advantages of trying the triptych technique in your photography. If you haven't already tried this technique, you might like to give it a go. Happy shooting.

If, like me, you enjoy doing street photography you will know that the best places for doing this type of photography are big cities and towns where there are lots of people and a lot going on. But many of us don’t live within everyday commuter distance of large cities, and even if we do it may not be possible to travel there all the time. What if we live near a small town with very few people on the streets? Is there any point in going out with our camera in this type of environment? I am going to suggest that there are lots of benefits of doing photography in small towns. For a start, every time we go out with our camera, no matter what the location, we are learning something new and improving our craft. We are also spending time enjoying the outdoors and doing what we love, and that can’t be bad. But what are the more specific benefits of doing photography in small towns? I have identified 7 particular benefits that I have discovered from my own experience but there are probably many more. 1. It is great for beginners Doing photography in a small town is a great way for beginners in photography to ‘cut their teeth’. The pace is slower, you have plenty of time to wander and look around and decide what you want to capture, and you begin to discover what I believe is an important concept in photography - what it is that conveys the essence of the place you are in. When I first started street photography I went to a busy place with a lot going on and I really didn’t know where to start. Being in a small town, strolling around with your camera and soaking up the atmosphere, gives a sense of the street without the hurried pace and confusion of the city. That will come later! 2. It encourages observational skills Arguably we could say that all types of photography encourage observational skills but I think small town photography does this in a particular way. We are not focusing on people so the emphasis will be on what could be called still-life street photography, and this gives us ample opportunity to observe buildings, markets, street furniture, street sculpture, street art, advertisements, signs, shop fronts, displays, reflections, features unique to that place, and so on. Street sculptures can make interesting images Colours and shapes make interesting images and often show up in small locations. Graffiti can make an interesting abstract image. Even rubbish bins can feature in this type of photography when captured from a unique angle. 3. It can be done in any small town, village or hamlet If we can vary the location so that we are not visiting the same location all the time we will have a new experience each time. Every small town and village has its own unique character and features. Some have a river nearby, others have unusual buildings. Some places make creative use of colour in their environment, many make a great effort to welcome visitors and to be inviting to strangers. This ethos permeates their town or village and is reflected in their street environment. When I get a feeling in a town that it is open and inviting to visitors I want to stay there for a while, amble around and capture some of this atmosphere. It is a uniquely different type of street photography. 4. It helps you find ‘triggers’ Working in a small town helps you watch for 'triggers’ in a relaxed environment. Many street photographers go out with some triggers in mind, some particular ideas as to what would make a good photograph, and they watch out for these or try to seek them out. Again, a small town can be a training ground for spotting triggers and I have often seen catchy shop names or signs in small towns that are not so prevalent in cities. Another option is to take a shot that has potential but isn’t quite there yet, and make a note of how it could be improved and what it would need to make it a worthwhile image. Even if the answer is more people or a busy environment it is still a worthwhile exercise. For example, I like taking pictures of threes. When I keep a lookout for threes in a small town environment, even if the subject is not very interesting, I am training my eye to spot more interesting threesomes when the opportunity presents itself in a busier place. 5. It facilitates the hunting approach to street photography There are often considered to be two common approaches to street photography – the fishing approach and the hunting approach. In the fishing approach the photographer finds a background or scene that he or she likes then waits for a good subject to come along. Some photographers wait long periods of time to get the picture they are looking for but it pays off if they come away with a successful image. The hunting approach is where the photographer keeps moving around, watching what is happening, on the alert for an interesting scene or subject, ever watchful as a hunter hunting its prey. The fishing approach requires people to move into a scene whereas the hunting approach can be adapted to hunt for ideas, hints, suggestions, and sometimes nothing more than potential images but in the midst of many misses there may be one hit, one gem that stands out in some way, and the hunt has paid dividends. This image is not that gem but I think it's a good example of finding something when you spend time hunting and trying to be a bit creative with what you find. 6. You get to see the real place Usually in street photography there is a tendency to go to more crowded spots. That’s where the most people are and where most things are happening. But it’s often not where the real people are. In small towns, or the outskirts of bigger towns we can get a more authentic view if the place and appreciate the location from the point of view of the locals. 7. You can look for abstract images Abstract images can be found anywhere and are not unique to small towns yet the unhurried pace can lend itself more to looking for these type of images or creating them from the scenes around us. I plan to do a whole photography shoot taking only abstract images, just for enjoyment and to see what I can capture. Benefits of doing photography in a small town: final words I have tried to give some suggestions as to why I think it is worthwhile considering small towns and villages as legitimate street photography venues. Even if these places are not considered proper street photography locations they are good for our overall photography, even if just for practising our skills and enjoying a photography outing. Do you do photography in a small town? Share your experiences in the comments below.

Recently I was contacted by Brandon Ballweg, street photographer and founder of www.composeclick.com , and asked if I would do an interview for a series he was doing on his website. I was happy to agree and found myself included among more well-known photographers. I pointed out in the interview that I consider myself to be primarily an outdoor photographer, and I am interested in many types of outdoor photography rather than exclusively street photography. However, over the last year I have developed a great love for street photography and was delighted to share my thoughts about my new-found passion. One of the questions which Brandon asked was, 'What is the point of street photography?' It is a question which set me thinking about the essence of street photography. Is street photography more than just snapping random people in the streets? Does it have a real purpose? Below is the answer I gave. Brandon Ballweg: What do you think the point of street photography is? My answer: On one level street photography is an enjoyable genre of photography that allows us to go out with our camera and become part of the street theatre that is playing out before our eyes. We get to observe things that others may not even see, witness the humorous, the quirky, the weird happenings that are part of daily life on our streets, and capture these moments for others to see. Street photography brings joy and fulfilment to the photographer, and we have only to look at the work of any of the great street photographers to know that it also brings immense pleasure to the viewer of the images. On another level, street photography is an important part of our social history. The photographs of great street photographers of the past have left us a uniquely valuable visual legacy documenting a way of life that is no more. I recently visited a photography exhibition in my home city of Dublin, Ireland. The exhibition was not based on the work of any one photographer but rather was a collection of photos from amateur photographers who had documented life on the streets of Dublin in the nineteen fifties and sixties. The exhibition gave a real flavour of life at the time and spanned a range of topics from children's street games to snapshots of the everyday lives of the local people and they presented a vivid picture of living conditions common in inner city Dublin at the time. These photographs are a real example of how photography provides a glimpse into our past. Contemporary street photographers, particularly those whose images stand out in the crowded field of contemporary street photography, are now documenting places, cultures and people’s way of life for future generations. Street photographers also have an important role in documenting pivotal events of our generation, as witnessed by the ‘tough’ photography of Joel Meyerowitz resulting from being given exclusive access to Ground Zero. In the last few years too, images of people going about their daily routines wearing masks will forever be a reminder of the time of the worldwide COVID 19 pandemic. I think the important role of street photography in our society shouldn’t be underestimated. You can read the full text of my interview here

There are many different opinions on street photography. For some photographers, it is the only type of photography they enjoy, and they have discovered how to achieve a good street image every time they go out. Other photographers may find street photography appealing but don’t live close enough to a city or town to give them opportunities to practise the genre. Some photographers may specialise in landscape or general photography and only dabble in street photography from time to time. Others may find candid photography on the streets to be a daunting prospect and something they tend to avoid. There are also those photographers for whom street photography has no appeal whatsoever. In fact, that was my earliest experience – a belief that it wasn’t for me! When I started photography, street photography wasn’t on my radar. I was anxious about getting too close to people on the street, afraid that I would be encroaching on their privacy. But that was not my only hesitation in giving this genre a try. I honestly thought that street photographers just captured random images on busy streets and I didn’t see the appeal of that. Fast forward to today and I can say that street photography is becoming one of my favourite types of photography. But it has been a journey to get to where I am now; a journey of learning from others, experimenting, opening my mind to new possibilities and being happy to enjoy the experience rather than expecting perfect images every time. Recently I began to think about why I find this type of photography so interesting and captivating. Why has street photography ‘grown on me’? I think it boils down to a sense of being part of something bigger, a sense of involvement, almost a feeling of playing the part of an extra in a huge street drama. The main actors in the drama are the people who populate the street – the daily commuters, the workers, the shoppers, the coffee drinkers, the friends and lovers, the dog walkers, the families, the animals. The scenery, or backdrop to the drama, is the city or townscape - the streets, shops, offices, bus and train stations, parks, signs, hoardings, colours, light and shadow. The action is what is happening involving these actors and their environment. It is about how they interact - the intimate gestures, the looks, the interplay between people and places, the humorous incidents that take place unexpectedly, the strange juxtapositions – all the things that make up the drama. As street photographers we are part of the events unfolding around us. We observe the bigger picture. We hear snippets of conversations. We watch interactions among people. We share a unique moment with people we may never see again. And by standing by with our camera, ready to capture images of anything interesting that catches our eye, we see things that others don’t see. Our camera allows us to express our unique view of what we see around us and present it to the world. To sum up I hope I have answered my question, what makes street photography so captivating? Street photography is a unique genre of photography that is loved by many. It is this uniqueness that really appeals to me. I love the sense of capturing a moment that will never come again. But it is not a genre that is easy to master or immediately successful. I believe that we have to fully immerse ourselves in the drama of the street, become an observer of street life and appreciate all that we see, if we are to make interesting street images. It may not be easy and it may not appeal to everyone but street photography is a genre that, with patience and perseverance, we can grow to love.

When we think about what makes a good photograph, we usually accept that one of the variables is composition – how the photographer has composed the image. A good composition is essential if the image is to appeal to the viewer. A simple image will stand out, but so also will a complex one; colour will stand out, and so will black and white, if the composition is right. When an image stands out for me, when I gravitate towards it, I can't always explain why but I know that certain compositions just work for the viewer. I believe that when a photographer, through a combination of experience, learning and intuition, knows exactly how to achieve an interesting composition and to make good use of the available light, there is every chance that the resulting image will stand out for the viewer, regardless of whether that image is simple or complex, shot in colour or black and white. I have struggled to understand exactly what makes a good composition and how to achieve that. I know that the human eye is drawn to how an image is presented in the frame and that composition guidelines that help to make the image more interesting and visually appealing have been around for centuries. However, I have found that putting these guidelines into practice when composing an image is not always easy to do. A few things have helped. # TAKING LOTS OF PHOTOGRAPHS This might seem obvious but taking lots of photographs helps us to develop an intuition for good composition. As I began to critique my own images I could see where a composition didn’t look quite right, and I could look for ways to improve the image. Sometimes a slight crop would improve the composition but more often there were glaring faults and I had to accept that I needed to learn from my composition mistakes and try to improve next time. # TRYING OUT DIFFERENT COMPOSITION TECHNIQUES I have studied the various composition guidelines (there are a lot of them!) and tried to incorporate them gradually. Not all the composition techniques will be needed in any one image, and some will be used more commonly than others. I try incorporate techniques such as adding a foreground and mid-ground element to provide depth; framing my subject within the frame, sometimes called sub-framing; using leading lines to draw the viewer's eye into the frame and varying perspective to provide more interest for the viewer. I might spend some time making use of a technique such as leading lines until I feel happy that I have mastered the use of this technique, then work on another. This approach has helped me keep composition guidelines at the forefront of my mind so that I avoid making any glaring mistakes. # STUDYING THE PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERS The third way that has helped me overcome my struggle with composition is studying the work of great photographers. Spending time with photographs that have withstood the test of time is a good way to help understand what it is that makes them great. I try to work out how these master photographers have placed elements in a frame in such a way that we are drawn to look at their images time and time again. I find that the best way to study the master photographers is to see their images in print. Photography books allow you to spend time looking at a photograph and to come back to a photo you like time and time again. Photography books are not cheap but I often find a gem in my local library, and second hand bookshops are also a good source to try. I have also invested in one or two collections and these have helped to introduce me to photographers I may have been unaware of but whose images are sufficiently highly regarded to be included in a compilation. A FINAL WORD Getting to grips with composition in photography is not easy, yet in my opinion it is the single most necessary aspect of photography that we need to master if we are to create good images. I hope that some of the suggestions above will help you if you are struggling with composition. Above all, keep shooting.

In my last post I said that in my opinion composition is the single most necessary aspect of photography that we need to master if we are to create good images. I believe that to be true, but does it mean that we have to slavishly follow composition rules? We hear a lot about composition rules in photography. Although many photographers like to refer to them as composition techniques rather than rules, there is undoubtedly an accepted set of conventions of composition designed to ensure that our images work for the viewer. Tradition tells us that there are certain ways to compose an image to make a visual impact on the viewer. All photographers are aware of conventions such as the rule of thirds, the golden spiral, the golden triangle, balance in images, and so on. Line, shape, form, number and scale all play an important role in composition, as does the relationship between elements in the frame. While it is important to pay attention to these conventions, it is equally important to trust our own instincts regarding composition. We usually have our own innate sense of what looks right. When we look back at a series of photographs, we tend to have a good idea of the ones that work and those that don’t quite work. However, we often come across a dilemma. We are not sure that if we trust this innate sense while we are composing our images, rather than being bound by rules and regulations imposed from outside ourselves, the viewer will also recognise the ‘rightness’ of the composition? We are constantly encouraged to place a compositional grid on our camera screen and place our subject(s) along the intersecting lines. But if we allow ourselves to be bound by these types of restrictions, are we in danger of losing our own sense of how an image should look? Indeed, our own originality? Obviously, there is a body of evidence to suggest that the human eye responds in a particular way to certain visual stimuli. We don’t want to risk composing in a way that will not have visual appeal. So, we must strike a balance. We must ensure that we neither relegate composition to a set of rules nor completely ignore time honoured conventions of composition. But there must be a place for using our intuition, our natural instinct for how a photograph should work, for looking through the viewfinder and ‘seeing’ in our own way. HOW EDITING CAN HELP COMPOSITION To continue the point that we usually have a good idea of which images work, it is often in an editing program that our innate sense of the rightness of a composition kicks in, and by careful editing we can achieve the look we want. If nothing else, by examining our own images, and establishing what works, we train our eye for composition and develop as photographers. CELEBRATING THE UGLY In The Complete Guide to Photographic Composition, author Tony Worobiec writes: “…if we become over-concerned with composition we may not truly engage the viewer. With some images the creation of a disquieting mood is more important, and it may be necessary to introduce ‘ugliness’ and imbalance in order to achieve this.” This rotting leaf may not be beautiful, and if it had been lying on the ground it would probably have been ignored, but the sun lighting it from behine adds a beauty that is not always seen. FINAL THOUGHTS - WHO DO WE TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS FOR? The answer to this question might well influence our approach to composition 'rules'. If we are interested in taking part in photography competitions, if we show our work on social media to get as many 'likes' as possible, or if we simply value others' opinions of our photographs then we are likely to want to stick as closely as possible to the accepted 'guidelines'. But if we photograph for ourselves, if our own opinion is the only opinion on our work that matters, and if we want to develop our own unique way of taking photographs then maybe we will want to 'break the rules' occasionally, experiment with different ways of doing things, be courageous, try and fail and try again. I believe that our photography will benefit more from this approach than from slavishly sticking to rules. Here are some images that may not be considered to be ‘perfectly’ composed, nor are they beautiful images, but they have a certain something that I like, and I am trusting my instincts in showing them. What do you think?

Recently I met a friend for coffee. I had my small Olympus camera with me as I intended to do a bit of street photography while I had the opportunity. My friend expressed surprise that I had taken such a keen interest in street photography given that she knew I was a great fan of landscape photography. Her first question was, ‘why street photography?’ As I gave her my answer she realised that I really do have a passion for street photography and we began to explore the genre. I have encapsulated the main aspects of our discussion in a Q&A format below. Our conversation has helped me to clarify my thoughts on street photography and why this genre of photography is beginning to appeal to me so much. Q. Why street photography? I thought you were totally dedicated to landscape photography? A . I was and when I go out to do landscape photography, I am still totally dedicated to what I’m doing but I think it’s no harm to diversify a little and I must admit that the whole area of street photography is growing on me, despite the fact that I didn’t think it would. Q. What do you mean? A. Well, initially I didn’t see the point of it and I found it difficult to find anything interesting, anything worth bringing home, so I dismissed it as a genre. Q. What changed? A. A street photography workshop right here in Dublin. I spent an afternoon under the guidance of a good street photographer who gave us pointers and then let us off to see what we could find. It was the first time I captured anything remotely interesting in terms of a street image. Smoking Break Q. Surely, street photography is just a matter of capturing random people on the streets. I don’t see the appeal of it myself. A. That’s exactly how I once viewed it too, but it’s not what street photography is meant to be. If you look at the images taken by some of the masters of street photography you’ll see that there’s much more to a street image than there appears to be at first. It’s like looking at the work of a great artist, you have to really look and see. Seeing what’s there, beyond first impressions, is the real secret. Q. So there are good and not so good street images? A. Definitely. There are a lot of ingredients that go into the creation of a good street photograph. They have to stand out somehow and the best street photographers know how to create these stand-out images. I can only hope to learn from them. Q. So what is it that makes a street photograph stand out? A. I answered this recently in an interview I did for a site called www.composeclick.com. I think it’s a combination of things – composition, use of light, having an interesting subject, shooting at the right moment. Then there are also a lot of other variables that come into play that help to make a compelling image, one that stands out from the crowd of street images. Things like capturing something funny or unusual, people doing odd things, repetition of colour or pattern, a word play in the street, contrasts such as light and shadow, big and small, or maybe it’s an action or even an expression that stands out. It’s a matter of paying attention and spotting something worth capturing. It’s not always easy to do but that’s part of what makes street photography so compelling. Spring Cleaning Q. I know you are interested in mindful photography. Street photography seems to be a little more frantic and not as gentle or easy-going as landscape photography. Would you still see it as a mindful pursuit? A. Yes, absolutely, but in a different way. When I go out into the street or the park or to a shopping centre with camera in hand I become fully engrossed in what I am doing and I can forget about all the concerns of life for a while. It’s not so much an escape as something that enriches my life, and is therefore conducive to my wellbeing, which is what counts for me. Street photography supports our wellbeing in many ways, both physical and mental. As well as that it can be fun chasing an image, and having fun is never a bad thing! A Walk in the Park Q. Do you think you’ll ever do mostly street photography or will you continue with landscape as well? A. I don’t see myself specialising in any particular type of photography as it is the variety that keeps me interested. I love to experiment with different genres and discover what I need to do to improve at each of them. Location often dictates the type of photography I do, weather conditions can be a factor, and sometimes I just change genres to increase my motivation. All types of photography bring me joy and fulfilment. I hope I answered the question, Why Street Photography? If you are not sure if this type of photography is for you, you might like to read some more of my recent posts on this topic. As always, thanks for reading. I hope this discussion was useful. If so, please feel free to share it.

I once read a reply from a photographer who was asked if he did street photography. His answer was that he didn’t want to fill his computer memory with pictures of 'random people in random places doing nothing interesting'. I was just becoming interested in street photography at the time and I was disappointed by his answer yet I couldn’t explain, even to myself, what I liked about taking photographs involving people in public places. Today I can answer that question for myself. I don’t see random people in random places doing nothing interesting; I see unique individuals going about their daily lives and when a group of individuals gathers in a common area they bring together a small part of the huge diversity of human existence. It is this diversity I love to witness and capture with my camera. I have taken seven of my recent street images, very different in nature, and analysed why I took this photograph. I asked myself, What drew me to the scene? Why was it worth photographing? What do I like about the image that makes it worth keeping? Each of the images was an experiment for me in street photography, and explaining why I took this street image has helped me on my learning journey. Image 1 This first image was taken in a small town in Portugal called Vila Real de Santo Antonio during my recent stay there. I spent around 3 weeks in the town and I went out walking each morning when the early morning light provided strong contrast. As I walked around I saw people doing all the regular things people do on a regular morning - going to work, opening shops and cafes, setting out stalls for the day, cleaning and preparing shop fronts, painting, cleaning the streets, having an early coffee, chatting to neighbours and co-workers. Children were heading to school; runners, walkers and dogs were having their morning exercise; a yoga class was taking place in the park. Some visitors were strolling along taking in the atmosphere while others were taking their seats outside the cafes to people-watch in the cool of the morning. I was there to witness this slice of life every morning and I immersed myself in all that was going on. I particularly loved the way the sunlight provided streams of strong contrast against the buildings and how it back-lit features of the town landscape. I returned a few times to the spot where this image was taken. I liked the strong contrast between light and shadow, and I moved around the scene to get different perspectives. When I found a position I liked I waited for an interesting subject to come along. I particularly like this image of the street cleaner who was part of the fabric of the town every morning. In some versions of the image I underexposed to leave few details in the shadows, but I do like this version where the cleaner’s cart is just visible in the shadows yet it doesn’t feature prominently to detract from the main subject. Image 2 The second image I have chosen is a street scene with a few things going on within the frame. There are three layers - foreground, mid-ground and backgound - and these add depth to the image while inviting the viewer to move around the frame. I am just beginning to experiment with this type of image so the image itself is not wonderful but it is a type of street image that I want to do more of so it’s worth including in this study. The image would have been improved if there had been a main subject surrounded by smaller interesting scenes but unfortunately they didn't exist for this frame. I still think the image is worth keeping as it is an example of the type of image I will be looking out for. There is a little bit of interest to encourage the viewer to look around the frame. Image 3 This next image is inspired by the work of Fan Ho, who I greatly admire. Fan Ho was considered to be one of the most important street photographers of the 20th century. He managed to include light, composition and interest in his street scenes, three elements that combine to make a great image. Although he was not as well known as his western counterparts, the images he captured of Hong Kong in the 1950s and 1960s still inspire photographers today. In my humble image I have tried to see beyond the obvious to extract some meaning in the scene. On a simple level, people are coming and going on an escalator. Yet they are unique individuals each with their own story, their own reasons for being there, their own destination in mind. They just happen to converge at this point and capturing the image tells a small part of their story. Image 4 I love urban photography because of the opportunity to find interesting geometry. Sometimes I like to place a single subject in the frame surrounded by lines and shapes. I wanted to capture this image just at the spot where the subject was framed between two of the rails. Many of those going up or down did not make for a good image, often because they were looking down at their phones. I waited in the same position until I spotted this woman going up the escalator but obviously looking at something beyond. I thought that her expression added a bit of mystery to the image - what, or who, is she looking at? Image 5 I picked the next image simply for its visual appeal. I liked the prominence of the orange colour of the hi-visibility jackets, the three levels created by the workmen and the overall impact which it makes. Image 6 I took several versions of the following image, from different positions, as the women were chatting. In some versions I took a wide shot and included the surrounding building to put the subjects in context, in other shots I zoomed in a bit closer. In my view the image picks up a natural moment of interaction between two people who know each other well and there is something about capturing a human moment like this that appeals to me. Image 7 Finally, this next image is a bit experimental for me. I wanted to compose an image using different layers to add depth and interest. The options were limited but I have at least given it a try. Many of the greatest street photographers perfected the use of layers in their images. Layers create depth, they allow the viewer's eye to move around within the frame, they provide multiple connections and interest for the viewer in one image. However, layers are difficult to capture well. They have to be of interest and achieving that is the hard part. I have realised that to get an image with good layers I need to first of all find a scene that I think has potential, see if there’s an ‘anchor’ within the scene that’s not going to move, and wait for the other elements of the scene to come together. In this image the people were already sitting at the table and the two men were standing talking. However, there was a gap to the top right so I waited to see if someone would pass by. I took the image too soon and didn't position the man who was walking properly, allowing him to overlap with the man who was bending down. This type of image making is a real challenge for me but I intend to keep working at it. Final thoughts I don't consider any of the above to be great images, or even good images, but they were worth taking because they each taught me something and they give me the incentive to keep working on my images and to make progress in my photography journey. I believe that street photography is difficult and challenging. A moment can make a great difference in photography and I have missed many moments by not seeing what was around me. To quote the words of Henri Cartier-Bresson, widely acknowledged as a master of street photography, ‘There is a creative fraction of a second when you are taking a picture. Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera. That is the moment the photographer is creative. Oop! The Moment! Once you miss it, it is gone forever.’ In each of the images here i saw something that drew me to the scene and urged me to press the shutter. I don't think I managed to catch any decisive moments, but I'll keep working to find them. If you found this post useful please feel free to share it.

I love doing photography at the coast. I have photographed cliffs, rocks, lighthouses, boats in the harbour, seascapes, even seaweed on beaches, and I have enjoyed it all. Yet I have not done a lot of photography in seaside towns. Recently I was introduced to the work of UK photographer Dan Baker, who makes most of his images in his local seaside towns (@danbaker88, Instagram), and I became inspired by his work and the unique view he presents of life in a typical seaside town. So I set off to do some photography in my own nearest seaside town and I was delighted to find numerous photographic opportunities. So, what makes a seaside town great for photography? Seaside towns have a lot of elements and features that provide potential for interesting compositions. Most seaside towns have some type of walkway, promenade or pier, which are often well populated and give us a chance to do some people-watching and possibly capture some interesting street images. Apart from promenades filled with people, there are seaside cafes, beaches and funfairs which provide busy scenes. Often we will capture unique human interactions, bold summer colours, or unusual happenings which we can capture with our cameras. The pace of life in a seaside town is often more relaxed than that in a busy city street. It might be easier to get an image of human interaction. I was watching this scene for a while. For most of the time the boy was looking around, then suddenly he turned to look at the man, who looked at him as they both ate from their ice cream cones. It was a nice, intimate moment to capture. Seaside shops have unique design features, with shape, line and pattern being prominent among these features, and they make for good compositions. They are often surrounded by brightly coloured beach balls, plastic buckets and spades, and other colourful beach toys and they have constant queues outside, making them interesting locations for a photograph. Seaside towns, particularly those with funfairs and amusement arcades, offer opportunities to capture vibrant colours and movement and they have numerous features that offer potential as sub-frames. Throughout our ramblings around a seaside town we can observe many photo opportunities that tell an interesting story of a day by the sea. There are also lots of opportunities to have fun with long exposures and capturing motion. FINAL THOUGHTS... Although I took these images during a quick visit to a local seaside town, and I used my phone camera, I do know that the potential for good images is endless and I intend to return with more time to spend. If we immerse ourselves in the sights, sounds, smells and activities of a busy seaside town we will come away with at least some images that are worth keeping.

Recently I was travelling on an intercity train. I had some time to spare before departure so I decided to people watch and see if there were any potential photographs. After watching commuters come and go for some time I realised that I could stay there all day taking photographs and still not come away with anything worthwhile. Why do I say this? Although there were lots of people they were just doing everyday things and there was literally ‘nothing interesting to report’ in terms of street photography. This often happens and this is what makes street photography a difficult genre of photography to perfect. Indeed, I often watch POV videos from experienced street photographers and wonder why they took a certain photograph as to me it didn’t show anything of interest. Often they are demonstrating the fact that good street images are not easy to come by, and often it is only when I look again that I see – something funny, an interesting juxtaposition, bold or matching colours, two subjects that mirror each other, an unusual stance or expression, a layered image – and I realise that interesting things will not appear and invite us to take their photograph. We have to work at seeing them, and that’s what these photographers have tried to do. Sometimes facial expressions can tell an interesting story. So, how can I improve at street photography? I recently wrote a post about what I consider the point of street photography to be, and I do believe it is a very worthwhile type of photography. But when I am faced with getting an individual photograph how do I make it meaningful? How do I make it impactful? In his forward to a book by street photographer Matt Stuart, entitled Think Like a Street Photographer, Derren Brown said that Stuart, ‘lifts a veil of drabness from the world to disclose unfamiliar, arresting moments’. How does he do that, and is it possible for all of us to find those unfamiliar, arresting moments? The frustration I feel with street photography is not unusual. One of the most well-known street photographers, Alex Webb, said that ’street photography is 99.9 per cent about failure’ and that he often felt ‘defeated by the street’. Obviously, as an amateur photographer, I am not going to go out to do street photography and immediately capture a worthwhile image. But there are some things I can do that will help make my photos more meaningful, lower my failure rate and help me improve at street photography. If you are experiencing frustration with your street photography, don’t despair. It happens to everybody but there are some things you can try that might help you come home with a few more meaningful street images. #1 BE PATIENT – THE PICTURES WILL COME Patience is required for all types of photography. We will seldom arrive at a location, see a great image before us, and capture an amazing shot. However, in street photography we need to be patient over many outings. I have gone out many times, or been in places where I might have expected to get a decent image, and come home with nothing worthwhile. I have had to accept that this is the nature of street photography and tell myself there is always next time. What I have discovered is that good images do occasionally happen and that patience does pay off eventually. #2 BE ALERT - WORK AT SEEING I think many of us are guilty of looking but not seeing. I certainly am. But we need to work on seeing if we are to find interesting images on the streets. We need to be constantly on the alert, paying attention, on the look-out for potential images. We almost need to predict what is going to happen so that we are there, with our camera at the ready. The image below is an example. I looked across the street and saw the purple flower. I thought, 'someone passing by wearing purple would be good'. I looked further along the street and spotted this man in a purple jumper coming along. I knew he was about to pass the flower; all I needed was a gap in the traffic before he had passed by, and I almost got that. In the next image I saw the green van parked along the street. As I walked on, I saw the girl with a bright green jacket coming towards it. I turned and followed her to capture the image. Because I was on the lookout, alert for potential photos around me, I was able to react quickly and capture something with some interest attached. Neither of these is a great image but it’s not always the resulting image that’s important; it’s the fact that I saw something and was able to capture it. It was a combination of good luck (In the first case I waited for another person dressed in purple to come along, to make a better image, but no-one did), the fact that I was thinking about what might make a good image as I walked along, and that I was fortunate enough to have my camera at the ready, that resulted in the image, but it gives me confidence that being alert to my surroundings will eventually produce results. In the case of this image, I thought that spotting the juxtaposition of the sign advertising 'wrap of the day' with the discarded wrapping paper served to underline my point about keeping alert and on the lookout for interesting things. Watching for these type of connections is an important part of street photography. #3 KEEP PRACTISING There really is no substitute for practice. If you keep telling yourself that there’s no point in going out because you never see anything interesting, then you’ll be less and less likely to see anything interesting when you do go out. You have to be in for the long haul. I have been guilty of deciding that street photography is not for me because I don’t see anything worth taking. Then I change my thinking, realise that I need to work on seeing, and I keep getting out there and practising my craft. Matt Stuart agrees that really good pictures don’t come around very often, stating that in a good year he might come away with as few as ten ‘keepers’ ( Think Like a Street Photographer p.30) . It is for this reason that Stuart advocates putting in the hours, pounding the streets, because, as he says, although good pictures are difficult to come by, ‘if you’re out there trying, you are far more likely to get lucky’. To finish... I am going to repeat something that I have said before and it’s certainly true for me – getting good street images is not easy. But we can improve at street photography if we can be patient, get out onto the streets often and train ourselves to really see what is around us. These are the starting blocks for improvement and they will pay off. If you would like some further tips on how to improve at street photography, you might be interested in this video from street photographer Mike Chudley .

Have you ever felt frustrated with your photography? Have you ever felt as though, no matter how many times you go out, how long you spend with your camera or how many shots you take, you still come home without any special images? This is a feeling that is familiar to me. Recently I spent some time in a coastal region on the west coast of Ireland. I went out every morning with my camera hoping to get some decent photos of the magnificent landscape. However, and disappointingly, the beautiful scenery didn’t always translate into good photography. Although I do blame my lack of skill, I have to acknowledge also that most very skilful photographers often have a similar issue. In fact, when we see a finished body of work from a photographer we are only seeing a fraction of the total images that photographer has taken. However, our expectation can be high and frustration can set in when we are not reaching those expectations. On one of the mornings by the coast I was walking along by the seashore. It was a beautiful morning – calm and warm. I had hoped to get some images to use in my 2024 calendar for family and friends but I wasn’t happy with my compositions and the light was poor. I decided to stop trying so hard so I switched off my camera, walked along the beautiful beach and immersed myself in my surroundings. As I walked I began to notice what was going on around me. I became aware of the sound of the waves crashing onto shore then lapping at my feet, the gulls screeching overhead and the distant hum of the town coming to life. I saw the wonderful patterns in the dark and moody sky and watched as a chink of light appeared as the sun tried to break through. I felt the gentle breeze on my face and the soft sand beneath my feet. When I was ready I switched on my camera again and made some ICM images, some of which I am pleased with. It’s not always the end result that matters in photography; it’s the whole experience. It’s the process involved, the connection with our surroundings, and, maybe most importantly, our mindset, that helps us create the image. When I become mindful, when I stop and take in what is around me and become present in the moment, when I really connect with nature and people, I feel joy and gratitude and I give myself the best opportunity to capture a decent image. And that is why I love photography. You might like to watch this short video on a similar theme.

Most photographers have a good idea of the type of weather they prefer for their type of photography, and for most, wet weather would not be top of the list. Yet weather is one element over which we have no control so all we can do is adapt ourselves to the conditions. This year, after an unseasonably hot June, we had a very wet July and August in Ireland. We had day after day of grey skies and rain, with hardly anything resembling good light for photography. As we move on in the year it is important to make the most of outdoor photography; to get out with our cameras, in the fresh air, enjoying the natural landscape or walking the streets observing people going about their daily business. None of this is a very enticing prospect in the rain, and there will inevitably be more rain to come, so how do we make the most of rainy-day photography? Fortunately, there are several possibilities for photography on more inclement days. From macro images of raindrops to colourful umbrellas on the street, from reflections in puddles to creative abstracts, there are lots of photographic opportunities during and after the rain. Below are some of the rainy-day photography possibilities. ON THE STREET REFLECTIONS RAINDROPS I have confined this set of images to those which need rain to be possible. I hope they will inspire you to get out and find some images, even on rainy days.