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.

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?