Most street photographers will advocate getting out onto the streets often and staying out for a few hours at a time if we expect to come home with any decent images. However, for those of us who are more casual street shooters that may not always be possible and we tend to try and make the most of any random opportunities that come our way. Sometimes these sessions will yield nothing but potential images, but they do give us an idea of what to look for on the streets and what might present itself in a full street photography session. * Recently I had arranged to meet some friends to visit an art exhibition. I arrived earlier than the appointed time so I had thirty minutes to spare to do some street photography. I acknowledged to myself that it wasn’t enough time to do justice to any street images but I decided to use the time as an opportunity to see what I should look for on the streets. Although I was rushing a little, and therefore came away with a few badly focused images, I do feel that some of them give me an idea of what to look out for and of the potential that is there for a proper street photography session. Below are a few of the images with a description of what they tell me to look for in the streets. CHECKING FOR INFORMATION Tourists are always a potential subject. These images may not be very interesting but tourists in a city often do provide interesting interactions, or we might spot an expression that suggests a story. A SPLASH OF COLOUR Bold colours can make an image stand out. Sometimes its enjoyable to try and find contrasting colours. They may not make great images but they do help to train your eye. MORNING ROUTINES - IN THE STREET... ...AND IN THE PARK Watching out for what people are doing at particular times of day can yield some interesting images. With these images I was looking out for storytelling opportunities as stories help to hold a viewer's interest. A MORNING RUN IN THE PARK A MORNING WALK IN THE PARK It's always worth keeping an eye open for something unusual. There is a little humour in this image and that's what I like to look for on the street. CHATTING IN THE STREET A human moment always makes for a good image. I watched the little girl chat to the musician for a few minutes. She asked lots of questions and he engaged with her. A different angle may have produced a better result but I don't like to take images of children's faces so I had to settle for a back view. I think it can still tell the story of the interaction. STREET PHOTOGRAPHY What about photographing the photographer? I like how I also captured the image of the statue on the man's phone. FINAL THOUGHTS Not only did this quick photography session help me think about what to look for on the streets, it was also enjoyable in itself. I felt privileged to be an observer of the morning routines of the city and glad to be able to document them with my camera. I created a lasting memory and I discovered once again what it is that appeals to me about street photography. If you have 30 minutes to spare in a town or city I would whole-heartedly recommend taking out your camera or phone camera and seeing what the streets have to offer. You might be pleasantly surprised!

When I was around ten years old I got my first camera and all I wanted to do was enjoy taking photographs and hopefully not spoil too much of the expensive film. Later, when I got my first SLR camera, my aim was to improve my skills and to take some worthwhile pictures around my local area. I put considerable pressure on myself to ‘achieve’ something with my photography and as a result I began to lose interest in taking out my camera as I felt I could never reach my own high expectations. Now that I have returned to photography, and intend to take it seriously, I want to ensure that it will be a lifelong interest and that I will continue to enjoy the passion for photography that I have today. However, I still often feel that I should capture a ‘compelling’ photo every time I go out with my camera, or at least get a photo that I like, and this isn’t always what happens. Sometimes I get home and look at my images only to realise that I have nothing worthwhile to show for my outing. So, rather than become frustrated and disappointed, I have decided to consider what, for me, is really most important in photography. IMPORTANT ASPECTS IN PHOTOGRAPHY I suggest that there are three important aspects to photography, especially for those who are beginning to take photography seriously. Without doubt, it is important to be able to capture a decent image. It is important for our self belief, if nothing else, that we succeed in getting an image that we are really proud of, at least occasionally. Yet I have often come home with poor images knowing that my photography outing has still been worthwhile, so to me, getting a good image is not most important in photography. Another important aspect of photography for beginners and hobbyists is to see measurable improvements in our photography skills. We want to know that we are making progress, that we are learning more about our camera, about composition and use of lighting, about being creative with our photography. These are all vital to our development as photographers and obviously it is important to pay attention to this aspect of photography, and to give it the importance it deserves. But the element of photography that I have identified as being the most important in photography is enjoyment. Granted, if we don’t occasionally get good images or if we don’t see progress, we are likely to lose heart and not enjoy our photography, as I once did. But I believe that if we go out with the intention of enjoying our photography shoot, regardless of whether we get a good image or master a skill, then we have more chance of achieving these outcomes also. Today my aim is still to improve at what I am doing and to capture some worthwhile images but those are not the most important aspects of photography for me at this stage of my journey. What I value most is the enjoyment of being out with my camera, the sense of relaxation I feel when photographing, and the feeling of being in the moment, focused on what I am doing, having space and time for myself. This gives me the freedom to experiment, to photograph what appeals to me, and to not feel pressured to come home with a winning photograph. In fact, most of the images I show here on my website are mediocre at best, but they illustrate a work in progress, skill development and, above all, the results of an enjoyable pastime. Here are some images I have taken on recent photography shoots. Some are street/urban images, some are landscape and others are general photography images of subjects that caught my eye. None of them would be considered to be great images but I enjoyed capturing all of them and that enjoyment is, to me, what is most important in photography. Walking with pigeons I like the humour in this photograph. The two pigeons appear to be going for a walk with the girl. Shadows I enjoyed waiting by this old wall for an interesting subject or subjects to come along. Insect on a leaf I recently bought a relatively inexpensive macro lens and I enjoy experimenting to see what I can capture. Leafy abstract I enjoy playing with colour, shape and texture to see what I can create. Walking in the rain Sometimes I enjoy taking out my phone and capturing a random subject that catches my eye! What's ahead? I am always drawn to including leading lines in my images. FINAL THOUGHTS My aim for my photography is not to take an amazing picture, win a competition or gain thousands of likes on Instagram. My aim is to go out with my camera and enjoy the experience. I believe that if we slow down, take away the pressure of having to get a certain result, and just go out to enjoy what we are doing, we will inject passion and fun into our photography and these often, in my experience, translate into better images, increased confidence in our technical and creative skills, and an overall more enjoyable experience. What do you think?

As in all pursuits, we can sometimes lack the motivation to go out and take photographs even though we love photography. We tell ourselves: The weather is too bad… I'm tired shooting in all the same places… There's no point, I'm not getting any good shots… We can come up with lots of excuses and unfortunately some of them work and keep us from getting out there doing what we love. As well as that, we have commitments and responsibilities that mean we can’t always head off to a new location, yet we feel that our everyday photography in our own locality has become stale, often to the point that we don’t want to take our camera out at all. It's at these 'lean times' that we need to have some ideas in our photography toolbox that we can use to shake things up a bit and give us the incentive to get out and enjoy photography again. These are my 7 go-to tools that I use when I experience these photography slumps. They work regardless of your preferred genre of photography. All the images were taken in my local park, where I go regularly for photography, and where I also regularly feel there’s ‘nothing left to photograph.’ I'm always proved wrong when I use one of these 7 tools. I took one idea at a time, so I had at least 7 photography sessions lined up. And of course, they all bear repeating! So, if you feel the need to spice up your everyday photography, why not try out at least one of these ideas. 1. TURN YOUR CAMERA TO ITS MONOCHROME SETTING We often talk about using black and white photography to give our photographs a distinctive look, but many times we take the original photo in colour and convert to black and white in an image editing program. Yet there is something special about changing our camera to its monochrome setting and seeing the image in monochrome as we shoot. This gives a totally different perspective to what we see through the viewfinder, and I think it offers a fresh approach to capturing regular subjects. I have often found this to be a game changer on those days when I felt there was nothing new to photograph. There may not have been anything new, but there certainly was a new perspective and that has always helped to revive my interest. 2. GET CLOSER If you are a photographer who specialises in close-up or macro photography then this tip won’t apply to you as you’ll be doing this already, but many of us tend to shoot the ‘bigger picture’ and ignore more close-up subjects. Yet it is amazing what we discover when we look closely, see tiny details that are usually overlooked and capture these details with our camera. The world of close-up and macro photography brings a new perspective to our image making, and there is an amazing tiny world out there to explore as well as many variations of composition and style we can use. 3. GET INVOLVED IN A PROJECT When we have an ongoing project, or several ongoing projects, we have an incentive to keep finding new images to add to our project. I am currently engaged in a project entitled Human Influence in the Natural Environment. This gives me scope for making images in many different settings and it also provides a centre of interest for those days when I think there is nothing to shoot. It also provides me with an endless amount of subjects to choose from and an opportunity to really think about my photography. 4. TRY A NEW APPROACH A new approach can be different things for different photographers. I have been going to my local park for photography for some time and my images tend to focus on nature and woodland images. But there are lots of people in the park, as well as places where people gather such as a courtyard with café and craft shops, and a walled garden. It can be interesting to capture images of people going about their daily routines, which vary from day to day. Recently I tried a street photography technique of shooting through a shop window to add some layering to my images, while on another occasion I tried natural and human made examples of sub-framing. Looking up, instead of always looking around, has also added some interest to my images. 5. TRY TRIPTYCH PHOTOGRAPHY Triptych photography is an approach that involves making three related images which are presented as a set. Each photograph in the set works on its own but also works in harmony with the other two images when viewed as part of the set. I recently wrote a post in which I dived more deeply into this approach. When we use the triptych approach in our photography it means we photograph more purposefully, carefully choosing images that will work together as a set and which might potentially end up as wall art! 6. GET CREATIVE WITH ICM Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) is an approach to photography that encourages us to throw aside the rule book and get creative. It encourages experimentation and discovery, and the results can often surprise us. ICM refers to a technique in which we intentionally move the camera while pressing the shutter to give a blurry, more painterly look to our images. Movements can be up and down, side to side or circular using different shutter speeds to attain different results. Another technique is to turn the focus ring while pressing the shutter to create a burst of colour, as in the top image below. If you haven’t already tried this technique, it is well worth giving it a try. There are many online tutorials that will help to get you started. Clusters of different coloured flowers can help you create an interesting abstract image. 7. TELL A STORY WITH ONE IMAGE This is another technique which helps you to photograph more intentionally. You are not just focusing on an image of something, you are looking for an image that tells a story -an image about something. This can be difficult but also rewarding when you view the image and know that it depicts something that was important for you to capture. Does this image tell a story? In this post I have given 7 ideas to help spice up your everyday photography. I have used each of them at various times and they have all helped motivate me when my motivation has been low. I hope they will work for you too. Which of these ideas do you think you might try?

Summer is not generally considered to be the best time for photography, particularly for landscape photography. The light in summer can be very harsh, there’s not a lot of variation in colour and most landscape subjects don’t look their best. Aside from using summer to scout locations that you might come back to in other seasons, is there anything you can do to develop your photography during the summer months? I don’t want to leave my camera aside for the summer so here are 9 ideas to help you make the most of summer photography. #1. DO URBAN/STREET PHOTOGRAPHY Summer is often the best time to do urban photography as the sun produces strong areas of light and shadow providing ample opportunities for creative photography. In addition, summer is the time when people are out and about, streets are bustling with activity and there are numerous opportunities to find interesting images. This makes street photography particularly appealing. I must admit that I am more likely to do street photography when it is warm outside and I don’t have to contend with biting cold or constant rain. But aside from that, summer brings out the best of our city streets and towns. It is the time when streets are full of colour and energy and a great mix of all human activity. While landscapes will wait for autumn to come around to look their best, the streets are looking their best in summer and this is when there is potential to capture some truly unique moments. I love early mornings for street photography, when people are starting off their day. I love to watch them travel, meet others and carry out their morning routines. Midday offers different opportunities with different people populating the streets, while weekends bring out families, groups of young people and festivities while colourful characters adorn the streets. Night photography in summer can also be an exciting activity, capturing nightlife and fantastic city lights, sunsets and silhouettes. Summer is without doubt the season that brings people out into the streets so it is ideal for street photography. #2. GIVE MACRO PHOTOGRAPHY A TRY Summer is a great season for macro photography. Flowers are at their best, insects are in abundance and if conditions are dry and warm we can get as close as possible to our tiny subjects, especially if it involves lying on the ground. Macro is an interesting genre of photography. It allows us to capture images of subjects that are usually ignored or taken for granted. We see them close-up and in great detail and it is fascinating to bring the small world to the attention of our viewers. Macro photography increases our powers of observation and gives us the chance to reveal the extraordinary in the ordinary. It requires patience and perseverance as there is often a long wait to capture our subject, but when we do the results are so worthwhile. I don't have a dedicated macro lens, but I do like to try close-up photography whenever I can. #3. GO TO THE COAST While all seasons are good for coastal photography, and many photographers feel that the calm conditions in summer are not ideal for capturing dramatic seascape images, I would suggest that we can look at this in another way. Why not go to the coast in the early morning or late evening and witness the magnificent colours of the sky over the horizon as day begins and ends? Why not soak in the calm atmosphere of the sea as it ebbs and flows and try some long exposure images? Why not explore rock formations, coastal vegetation, sandy beaches? Why not try some abstract photography? The coastline is constantly changing and there is always something to be seen and photographed. #4. VISIT A SEASIDE TOWN Seaside towns are great for doing candid photography in summertime. They are lively and usually buzzing with activity. If you don’t want to do street or candid photography there are all kinds of interesting shapes to be found in seaside places. Amusement arcades, funfairs, street vendors, food and ice cream stalls all provide unique subjects for us to capture and they also offer opportunities to experiment with compositions such as sub-framing. No matter how small the seaside town may be, summer will bring out it’s best side. #5. TELL A STORY THROUGH YOUR IMAGES Another idea for summer photography is to try storytelling through photography . UK photographer James Popsys advocates taking a photo about something rather than of something. He believes that if a photograph is about something the viewer will stop awhile, think about what is happening, ask questions and guess what the story is about, whereas an image of something is just that, an image of something and fairly self-explanatory. It can be difficult at times to know if an image tells a story, and if that story is interesting to others. For example, I believe that the first image here tells a story. We wonder what the man is doing and can guess that he is getting his boat ready to take it into the water. By contrast, the second image, taken in roughly the same location, is just an image of a lone tree. By focusing on storytelling, even in summer we can capture some compelling images. #6. DO A PROJECT Doing a project can give you an interest and a focus for summer photography. I like to pick something that has potential to be ongoing. For example, my first project was boats and I looked for unique and interesting ways to photograph boats whenever I saw them. In fact I still love to photograph boats so this project is ongoing. Last summer I began to photograph motorcycles and this has extended into this year. I keep all the images from my projects in separate folders and I intend to use them for photobooks. I find that this is an interesting way to keep photographing regardless of the weather conditions, and the fact that I have an end product in mind keeps me motivated. #7. TAKE ON A CHALLENGE This is a similar idea to a project except that it is usually shorter in duration. I have taken part in several photography challenges during the past year and I find that going out with a challenge in mind helps to keep me focused. The latest challenge I am taking is to photograph movement so I kept this in mind on a recent visit to the coast. #8. WORK ON YOUR COMPOSITION TECHNIQUES This might be the least interesting of the summer photography ideas but it is useful. Sometimes I go out in ideal conditions and I come away with a poor image because I didn’t get the composition quite right. Using less optimal conditions to work on composition and experiment with different techniques works for me because it takes away the pressure to return with a good image for my efforts. In this case, improvement is the goal and hopefully the rewards in the form of good images will be seen at a later stage. #9. GO WHERE THE SUMMER CROWD GOES Summer is great for carnivals, street parades, field events, festivals, visitor attractions and many more occasions where people gather. They are colourful, energetic, diverse and often provide very unique and interesting photographic opportunities. Why not check out a summer event near you! The strong sunlight can be seen in the photograph (taken with my phone!) so it can't be classed as a good image, but sometimes you can catch a moment when the sun isn't so strong. The main thing is to be there! FINAL THOUGHTS Summer may not be the best season for landscape photography but that does not mean that there isn’t something to photograph. I find that it’s the season to branch out, try something new and discover all the photographic opportunities that I might be missing. So don’t let summer get in the way of your photography. Embrace it, challenge yourself and enjoy what you discover. Viewing Tower, Avondale, County Wicklow, Ireland Before You Go... Why not have a look at some more of my blog posts on related topics?

There are varying views among photographers as to which season is best for photography. Those who do street photography look for strong light and shadow so summer is very suitable for this type of photography. Many landscape photographers don't like summer precisely because of the harsh light which makes everything too contrasty and they prefer autumn or winter when the light is more muted. Autumn brings diversity of colour and texture to the landscape and the light is soft and warm. Winter brings a harsher landscape that can lend itself to minimalist images and is often great for fabulous sunrises and sunsets. Fog and misty conditions are favoured by most landscape photographers as they convey mood and mystery, and these conditions are less likely to be found in summer. But there is a time of year that appeals to me for landscape photography and that is where spring changes to early summer. Colours become vibrant again and everything seems fresh and new. Mornings and evenings are bright and give plenty of time to get out with our camera and capture some of the things we see around us. Early summer is a time to immerse ourselves in the abundance of nature, to observe, to wander, to be present to our surroundings and hopefully to come home with some pleasing images. We have had a pleasant month of May in Ireland. It has been unusually warm and dry so there have been no excuses not to get out and take some photographs. I have enjoyed getting out regularly into nature and have taken pictures of things that caught my eye. No pressure, just relaxing photography. This short gallery gives a flavour of some of the images I took during the month of May. I like the way the stone wall curves around and leads to the gap in the trees. A sheep grazing in the gap would have completed the picture! A classic rural scene What is it about photographing sheep? Setting up the Sunday market Taking a quiet moment Again? View through the railings Sunday morning run. I love to capture threes This image just called me The start of a fantastic walk. I walked for miles along the canal bank enjoying all that nature had to offer. What is your favourite season for photography?

I often wonder what the secret is to capturing a good street photography image. What is it that makes the difference between an image that is mundane and ordinary and one that stands out from the crowded field of street photography images and catches the viewer's eye? Is it good observational skills? Is it careful planning? Is it luck? All of these may play a part but unfortunately there is no guarantee that we will get a good image every time we go out to do street photography. Yet I would suggest that having an idea of what we are looking for when we do street photography can be a good starting point. Street photographer Mike Chudley talks about having triggers for your street photography. Triggers are those things you look out for on the street. They are the key moments that hook you into stopping and taking a second look. You might be on the lookout for particular colours, or for a splash of vivid colour in an otherwise dull background. You could watch out for certain gestures, unusual activities, people’s reactions to something that is going on or humorous events. Your triggers might be strange juxtapositions, reflections, silhouettes, pockets of light, good options for framing or sub-framing your subject. In fact, anything that you watch for to include in your images, that will help to make your images more visually appealing, can be your triggers. With more practice in street photography you will begin to become aware of what these triggers are for you. When you go onto the street with your triggers in mind, and actively watch out for them, it will help you to avoid taking random shots of people doing nothing interesting, which only leads to an uninteresting image. If your trigger is of interest, and triggers will vary from person to person, there is some chance that your image will also be of interest. Essentially, for me, street photography is about narrative. It is about showing how I perceive what is happening in front of me. It is about telling the story of a place and its people. But telling that story is not a simple process. It is not just a matter of ‘pray and spray’, just pointing the camera and shooting. Getting a good street image requires patience, good observation and being able to capture the image at just the right moment. It is getting that moment, what Henri Cartier Bresson called ‘the decisive moment’, that will make all the difference to our final image. Triggers, or hooks, that help us to keep a lookout for certain things, will go some way to helping us capture even a tiny bit of that photographic magic. Here are some of my triggers: Reflections - under a watchful eye! An abundance of one colour... ...or a repetition of the same colour. The man's colours are matching the colours of the building. I waited for someone in white to come along. A human moment. Pockets of light and shade I particularly like to place a solitary figure in a position with strong light and shadow. Someone dressed slightly differently. Often if I particularly like a location or space it will become my trigger. Then I wait for a subject (or subjects) to come along. I try to look for opportunities to use sub-framing. What are your triggers?

It’s a Sunday morning in April. A combination of family commitments and very wet weather have meant that it has been more than a week since I have been out with my camera. The forecast promised a dry morning with some sunshine, but the rain has continued overnight and the morning is dull and misty, although at least it’s dry. I had hoped for some early morning sunshine to get my photography up and running again but as I prepared to go out my expectations, and my spirits, were low. However, I decided that, for the sake of my photography mental health, I needed to go out. At least I would get a walk, even if I didn’t come back with any images. I wasn’t sure where to go on this dull morning. Would I go to the local shopping area and try some urban landscape, maybe get some black and white images? Would I make the most of the aftermath of rain and opt for my local park? I could try for some close-up images of raindrops on flowers or photograph some spring colours glistening after the rain. In the end, the pull of nature won out and I headed off to the park, still without much idea of what I would photograph. I brought two lenses with me, my 35mm 1.8 and my 18-200mm general telephoto lens. I thoroughly enjoyed my morning, as I always do despite my initial reservations, and I even came home with a few images. Granted, I may not have got any keepers, but I had fun experimenting - using the monochrome setting, getting some close-ups with my 35mm lens and capturing some of the beauty of nature after the rain. How do we beat the photography blues? Just get out there with your camera and see what you can find. Here are some images of the day. ICM (Intentional Camera Movement) I was glad I got out with my camera on this Sunday morning. I enjoyed experimenting, trying out different techniques and challenging myself to come home with some images on this dull morning. I had a very enjoyable hour - I was out in nature, breathing fresh air, taking exercise and immersing myself in the peace and stillness of the morning. These are just some of the benefits I gain through doing photography. All I have to do is show up!

I love landscape photography. Whether it is a rural landscape, coastal landscape or woodland landscape, the pull of nature has been a strong feature in influencing the direction of my photography. Until recently, I didn’t consider that urban locations might be considered in the genre of landscape photography. For me, towns and cities provided occasional opportunities for street photography, which I enjoy, but that was as far as it went. Recently I have started to explore urban areas near my home as potential locations for urban landscape photography and I have been pleasantly surprised by the results. I have discovered a love for this type of photography and after many outings to different urban locations with my camera I have discovered ways to enhance my enjoyment of urban photography. If you think you would like to try urban landscape photography here are 7 ways to help you explore this genre to see if it is for you. Enjoy. 1. Experiment with different types of shot One of the most surprising aspects of this type of photography is the number of photographic opportunities you can find just by looking up. Many of the best and most interesting architectural features are on top of buildings and there is an abundance of different shapes, lines, patterns and unusual features just above our heads. Looking down, too, can offer many surprises as we find a similar abundance of design features. Why not try a unique angle? Shoot through glass, or bars, get close to your subject, find a ready-made frame to shoot through, include a foreground interest. I often walk past on street level without looking down. With my camera I discovered a different scene below ground level You don’t need to just shoot from standing height; get creative and you’ll make more interesting and unique images. Urban photography offers us opportunities to capture wide-angle shots taking in a wide vista, close-up shots of patterns, shapes and colour, and everything in between. Urban landscapes are not all about buildings. Including people in their natural environment helps to tell the story of the urban location 2. Explore shape Exploring shape is one of the most interesting aspects of urban photography, simply because of the sheer diversity of shapes that we find. Vertical, horizontal and diagonal lines compete with or complement curves; triangles vie with squares, rectangles and circles for design dominance. There are sleek modern designs existing alongside traditional structures. Designs from various architectural eras often co-exist with the most up to date design ideas bringing character and diversity to cities and towns. 3. Use reflections Reflections are a great compositional technique in all genres of photography and they can be found in abundance in urban settings. Rain puddles often yield great reflections, as do wet streets. Glass in shop fronts are a way to experiment with reflections and are always readily available. The model in the window appears to be watching what's going on in the street. 4. Experiment with light Light and shade can play an important role in urban photography. Sun shining on buildings can throw up shadow areas providing a contrast with the light and providing opportunities to capture interesting shadows. 5. Explore black and white Urban photography is a natural candidate for colour photography given the amount of colour we find in urban settings. Yet it is well worth experimenting with black and white urban photography as it can yield some compelling images. I like to use the monochrome setting on my camera while shooting as it helps with the composition of black and white images. However, sometimes I notice that a certain image would look good in black and white so I try converting in Lightroom. A good idea is to try a black and white urban landscape project of an area near you. 6. Include a human element It’s not quite street photography, yet adding a human element to our urban photography can give a sense of place and tell the story of the location in a special way. It can be worthwhile to keep a look out for ‘characters’ who inhabit the place or people who are doing something interesting or are dressed in a particular way. While this may stray into the realm of street photography, I believe it is a valid way to depict the entirety of an urban landscape. After all, what is an urban landscape without its people? 7. Try capturing the city at night A night-time urban landscape will yield different images than those offered by the same landscape during the day. Street lights, neon lights, flashing lights, reflections, light trails from cars, people captured under the city lights will give a totally different picture of the location and will add to the story of the place. *** I hope these tips encourage you to try out urban landscape photography for yourself. It may open up a whole new set of photographic opportunities for you to enjoy. If you have your own tips for urban landscape photography, please do share them. If you try out some of the tips mentioned above, I’d love to know how you get on.

I am often asked this question and I have difficulty in giving a correct answer. I could say that I like all types of landscape photography yet I also enjoy making abstract images and doing ICM photography. I could say that I enjoy street photography, but it might be more accurate to call it urban photography, and I have enjoyed experimenting with architectural imagery too. I could say that I like to photograph flowers and making close-up images in nature, and that I really love minimalist photography. I could say that my favourite subject to shoot is trees, but I could also say that I love photographing boats and bridges and walls and gates, and even houses and other buildings, particularly old buildings. So, it’s not easy to give a quick answer to the question... I have discovered that the best, and most accurate, answer I can give is to say that I love to experiment in photography. I don't want to confine myself to one or two genres, and I hope to continue diversifying and discovering new photography passions. Here are some recent images that are characteristic of my photography. Do you ever ask yourself what sort of photography you do? You might be interested in your answer.

We often hear the saying, ‘The only time we have is now’. Even if we are not always able to live in the present moment there is no doubting the truth of this statement. We might regret things we did or didn’t do in the past, and continually focus on them, or we might be a person who is constantly living for some future event. However, the reality is that the past is gone, never to be repeated, and the future has not happened yet, and may never happen the way we envisage it, so all we have is now, this moment. This truth was brought into stark reality for me last week when I had made great plans for the day and the upcoming weekend, only to unexpectedly twist my ankle. I spent the next two days with my foot elevated, applying ice on a regular basis, and all plans went by the wayside. It was a salutary lesson because I tend to live in the future more than I should. I constantly think about what I’ll do tomorrow, or next week, or when I’m on holiday. It’s a bad habit since I am not guaranteed a future. So, I have been making a conscious effort to stay in the moment as much as possible. How does photography help us to live in the present moment? I would say that of all the activities I do, photography is the one that keeps me most focused on the present moment. When I am out with my camera making an image, I am intent on getting the right settings, lining up a good composition, checking the edges of my frame for distractions, watching what the light is doing and concentrating on what is going on in the moment of capturing my image. All other thoughts leave my mind. The stresses of the day just past, or the worries of the day to come, are temporarily left behind as I focus on this photograph. When I go out with my camera on a regular basis, I build a habit of being present in the moment and it becomes my place of solitude, the place where I most want to be, the place where I can forget everything else and just be present. I love to take images that reflect this reality, images that are uncluttered and that capture this moment in time that will not come again. These images add to the serenity of the moment and help keep me grounded in the present. Next time you want to escape the stresses of daily living, take a walk with your camera. Spend time in your chosen location. Engage all your senses. Don’t just take a snapshot, be intentional about your image, about the subject, the composition, the settings. Take your time, be patient, be present and photography will teach you to live in the moment.

Urban landscape photography was not a photography genre that I paid much attention to until recently. I considered landscape photography to involve mainly natural elements such as mountains, rolling hills, lakes, trees and sky or a coastal environment such as sea and cliffs. Alternatively, in my mind, there was street photography in urban locations. During the last few weeks, I have found that opportunities for traditional landscape photography have been scarce. The weather in my part of the world has been dull and grey, with flat light and very little sunshine. In such conditions there is nothing to bring a landscape image alive. However, I have wanted to get out with my camera and since I don’t live close to a busy street area, I decided to try urban landscape photography, rather than street photography, by attempting to document aspects of the human made environment. There are a few advantages to this type of photography: (a) Although good light, or shafts of light among the shadows, does enhance any image, this type of photography can also work in dull, or even wet, conditions. (b) It doesn’t require expensive equipment and can work well using just one or two lenses. (c) It can help us to practise different skills and get creative in new ways. (d) Urban landscape photography encompasses aspects of street photography and aspects of architectural photography but it is broader and not as restrictive in nature. It therefore gives more scope for regular photography outings in an urban setting. Urban landscape photographs are often wide-angle shots, taking in more than one subject. They can include busy streets, often shot from an elevated viewpoint, skylines, or cities at night. But they can also focus on single subjects, such as interesting structures, or even parts of subjects; the small details that make up the bigger picture. While traditional landscape photography involves finding appropriate locations which are conducive to good compositions, urban landscapes can be easier places in which to compose images since they are designed by people who specialise in working with shape, form, line, scale and pattern. In fact, the main elements of photography are also dominant elements in architecture and design, so working with the geometry of buildings can produce some pleasing images. I have had difficulty in recognising geometrical patterns in rural landscapes so studying shape, line and pattern in urban landscapes should have a knock-on effect in developing my skills in this area. I have come to realise that regardless of the type of photography we do, it is all about exploration. We explore the wider world in landscape photography, we explore the small world in macro photography. In street photography we explore the nooks and crannies of the street environment we find ourselves in, while in urban photography we can take that even further to explore buildings, structures, busy streets and all that makes up a bustling urban environment and the people who inhabit that environment. In an urban environment there is a lot happening, above us as well as around us, so it offers us unique opportunities to practise our observational skills and to capture images of subjects that others may not notice. We can make use of different perspectives, use leading lines, look for interesting patterns and repetition, explore shapes and unusual features. Sometimes, disrupting a pattern can add emphasis to our image! We can shoot from a single focal length, emphasise texture, shape and pattern by shooting in black and white, get out during a rain shower or photograph at night to see the city through different eyes. *** As always, it is worthwhile to look for guidance from professional or semi-professional photographers who are producing work in this area. I have been watching the urban landscape photography of James R. Burns on his YouTube channel. James works in areas such as Halifax and Bradford and he produces some interesting urban photography images making use of the shapes and patterns he sees around him in these urban settings. He will often limit himself to one lens or photograph entirely in black and white for a more formal study of the urban landscape. Conclusion Urban landscape photography is a fascinating type of photography once you begin to immerse yourself in all that it entails. Urban landscape photography is about structures and buildings, but it is not solely about structures and buildings. Urban landscapes include shop windows, buses, cars, bicycles, crowded streets. They include street signs, graffiti, litter, advertisements and umbrellas! They include colour, creativity and drama. We can include all these elements in our exploration and try to find ways to turn them into interesting images. By seeing the urban landscape in the same way as we see the traditional landscape, and by being open to exploring all that we find there, we are opening ourselves up to a whole new world of photographic opportunities. Why not try some urban landscape photography for yourself.

I love to travel and when I visit new places, I enjoy doing street photography. Street photography is very different from landscape photography in that subjects are often moving rather than static, moments can be fleeting, photographs often have to be taken quickly with very little time to think and plan. But it is also exciting, meaningful and rewarding. Sometimes when doing street photography I just have my phone camera with me, rather than a dedicated camera, but it does the job because I am not looking for amazing compositions or pin-sharp images. I just want to find interesting subjects, compose well, capture the small moments and document everyday life in a place that is different from my place. There is something uniquely compelling about street photography, something that draws me back again and again. What exactly does street photography entail? There are many views on the topic. For some photographers, street photography must include people; to others that is street portraiture. Some photographers believe that including buildings is best called urban photography, while many others give a narrow definition of street photography and believe that what is known as street photography could be more accurately termed travel photography. James Maher, writing in The Ultimate Guide to Street Photography defines street photography broadly, as ‘candidly photographing life and human nature.’ Maher says that people don’t need to be present in a street photograph nor does it need to be taken in a city. He believes that street photography can be taken anywhere as long as it is a candid image, not something that is posed or manipulated. It is a topic to which I have given some thought and I find all the conflicting definitions very confusing. For my purposes I agree with James Maher’s definition and recommend reading his ultimate guide. In my opinion, street photography is candid photography, which may or may not include people, and it either captures a particular moment of everyday life in the place or it captures the essence of the place - its buildings, distinctive features, iconic landmarks, alleyways, markets, squares, meeting places, shops, cafes, as well as the people who frequent the place and the objects they may use there. The main word here is essence . We want to find out what the place looks like, what it sounds like, what people do there, how they interact with each other and with their environment; essentially, we want to discover what makes the place tick. Then we want to try to convey this essence through our images. What is it that makes street photography so compelling? Street photography is about life, it is about story, it is about giving people cause to feel a certain way about what they see. Street photography is also about self-expression; it is about showing others what we value, sharing our view of what is important to us. Some people would argue that a building or part of a building does not constitute street photography, but for me, if it draws my attention it is telling me something about the place, about the influences on the place over generations, so it is a valid subject. When I am in a place that is different from where I live, I often find characteristics that are distinctive of that place, and these have meaning for me. If that is more accurately called urban photography, that's ok with me. It's the feeling, the experience of capturing this essence of a place that is important to me. When shooting people, I don’t just want to see faces, I want to see expressions, interactions, people talking or laughing or engrossed in what they are doing. I want to see images that I relate to, that resonate with me in some way. The focus for me is on capturing people in relationship to other people or places, capturing man-made objects that have a human connection and capturing scenes that tell a story, that bring the place alive. Some of the best street photographs are produced when the images give a real sense of what it’s like to live and work in the place. I also believe that having a definite subject makes for a better street image. A subject adds interest and helps to tell the story of the place. The subject can be anything. An interaction between people is always a winner but it can also be an interesting building which is characteristic of the place, or it can be an object such as a bicycle, motor bike, cart or boat placed strategically. An interesting stall can make for a good subject, so too can a street corner or alleyway, especially when bathed in good light. A subject can be something that seems incongruous or out of place, it can be a pattern or shape that gives a flavour of the place, in fact anything that catches the eye can become your subject. The importance of composition By its very nature street photography is fast moving photography. It is often quick and spontaneous. We don’t set up a tripod or spend time composing the scene in a certain way. We often have to take our shot before the moment passes, which is all the more reason to have a good grasp of the principles of composition. If we need to shoot on the run, we need to know how to compose on the run also. It would be easy to just keep snapping and end up with nothing worthwhile, but with a little attention to our range of composition tools we can create images that look somewhat more aesthetically pleasing. To sum up Although I was reluctant to start street photography (see an earlier post, What Everyone Should Know About Starting Street Photography ) , it is a genre that I have grown to love. I might spend months doing landscape photography yet I am eventually called back to this candid photography on a street or in a town or anywhere that people gather. I find this type of photography uplifting and life affirming. Street images can capture real life human behaviour and human interaction and also show human influence on the built environment. Street photography provides visual stimulation, hustle and bustle, colour, texture, pattern, variety of human poses and expressions. In street photography I tend to be more spontaneous. I love to wander around, finding things to photograph. I go out with an open mind without any preconceived notions about what I want to shoot, and I allow my curiosity to lead me. It might lead me down an alleyway or following a shaft of light. It might lead me to experiment with reflections in shop windows or prompt me to look up to see what is overhead. Curiosity might encourage me to wait at a certain spot to see who or what comes along or it may keep me moving - checking out different streets in an area to find different scenes and different potential images. I believe that street photography captures the essence of what it is to be alive. It encourages us as photographers to be curious and to be fully engaged in the moments as we capture the fullness of life around us, and this is what I find so compelling about this type of photography. * In a few weeks I will be returning to Portugal. I will take my Olympus O-M10 and 14-42mm pancake lens with me for organised street/urban photography outings and my phone will serve as my second camera for those spontaneous moments that can crop up at any time. I am looking forward to the opportunity to capture the essence of the places I visit through my photography. If you enjoy street photography and would like some tips on improving your skills in this genre you might like to check out this article by Brandon Ballweg, photographer and founder of ComposeClick , which is described as ' a resource and community by and for photographers.' https://composeclick.com/street-photography-tips/ Updated Feb 23