Have you ever tried writing a sentence about nothing ?
No , me either , have you ever tried photographing nothing ? it’s not easy …
Dare I suggest that in writing , photography and mathematics zero x zero = zero .
How many times have you walked about aimlessly looking for pictures for nothing to appear , in fact the key word in the previous sentence is “Aimlessly” , no clue , empty headed ,without a plan , hoping to get lucky , call it what you will !
The reason your seeing nothing is because you have not developed an idea of what you are looking for , what is your plan , would you know a good pic if it turned up , can you see the wood for the trees ?
Street Photography has a list of generic triggers , umbrellas , long shadows , blurry figures , bright colours etc all are starting points when the inspiration levels are low but these ideas are not sustainable in the long term , generic approaches and subjects usually inspire generic Street Photographs , if your happy with that , your sorted , if not read on …
Before we get into this let me be clear that I’m not suggesting a conceptual approach to Street Photography , excluding risk ,serendipity and instinct from your photographic SP tool box would be to remove the best bits and leave very little to work with but that does not let you off the mental preparation hook , at the very least togs should have a “Wish List” of realistic photo aspirations for the day ahead , the world is a big place , the realisation that you can’t photograph everything should help you identify the “Something” that you can !
This “Have a plan” thing is really a mental trick that will trigger a mental alertness and hopefully put a spring in your step when starting a shoot , the plan needs to be flexible and adaptable to the point that it is more of a start up guide than a fixed plan but at least you have walked through your wish list and are more likely to respond when your “Wishes” appear or evolve !
A abundance of happiness, positivity and belief are always present in my successful shoots on the street , as the song says “Don’t worry be happy”, Street Photography is the best mental , physical and creative exercise possible , don’t just walk about with a bit of photographic jewelry around your neck , identify your objectives and stay switched on , take breaks re-asses your approach , enjoy !
If your not thinking , your skiving !
Think CREATIVLY , see alternative’s , look beyond , look deeper , think about light , background , composition !
Keep looking , watching and learning from the activities in front of you , lookout for repetitive behaviors with visual appeal, be patient and ready, history does repeat itself if you wait around long enough !
Street Photography is not easy , take failure on the chin , they say it is preparation for future success ?
It’s been a long lay off for most , don’t expect too much , get the shutter firing and realise things are different, shots are harder to find !
In short , sort your head out and adapt to the new SP landscape !
David Barrett shot the pandemic crisis during 2020, The Testing Times project is in progress and can be seen by clicking above .
The State Of Britain series is complete, it explores everyday life during the Brexit era and gives visual insights into British identity, aspirations and post-truth uncertainty .....
Check out the new UK Street Shop on this site to buy Prints, Walks & More …
He is based in the South West of England .