Leica or Not?

So if I was to start out in photography with a desire to become a street/narrative photographer, what equipment would I buy?

Controversial question you may say. I would agree with you. Many an argument I've had with brand specific owners who will start by proselytizing to me on the brand that they use. As if the world depended on my decision to buy Nikon or Canon or whatever they shot with.

First, let me say that I have seen great photos made with a cheap ass camera phone, good enough to run as an article in a trade press mag. The phone cost less than a hundred dollars. So frankly speaking, price tag and gadgetry wont really help you much if you suck at composition and post processing.

Next, lets ask ourselves the question. Do we wanna take the photo or do we wanna point the camera? Ok, if you answered yes to the last part, ignore the rest of the blog and buy a Nikon/Canon, send them 50% of the royalty money for the published shots you get. Well they did do your lighting and focus didn't they? So 50% is the least you can send them yes?

Now lets ask ourselves if we want to shoot in low to shitty light, same as Henri Cartier Bresson and Bob Capa. Yes? Bad luck with a DSLR guys, unless you can mirror lock up and/or use a tripod in the low to shitty light. Mirror slap gets ya below 1/125th of a second. Bummer eh? Maybe subtract a few % from what you give Mr Nikon/Canon for this inconvenience of a less than sharp shot, hey you could call that edge blur art in some circles.

Flash you say? Want to announce to the subjects you are shooting that you are there? All your shots will consist of people giving you peace signs and silly grins at best. Riots and violence in some parts of the world. Maybe invest in some travel insurance along with your Megablitz.

And a big ass lens is a long distance photographer, not a street photographers tool. Standing several hundred meters away from your subject, you will never feel the vibe and your shots will suck. You really have to get right in there to get "that" shot. 50mm country typically. 35mm for the brave. Note primes, you have no time to zoom unless uncle nikon is doing your focusing etc. And if he is, why not set it up as a remote with a timer and go do a latte while he shoots "street"?

So what to choose for those low light street walker shots on rainy evenings in desolate places?

Digital of course, film is just too hard to get in many parts of the world, especially where shots are interesting. I say this sadly as nothing quite matches the magic of pulling a roll of film you just developed from the canister and biting your nails as you wait for it to dry.

And I want to take all the credit for the shot, composing, focusing, aperture setting, shutter speed and triggering. Say no to auto focus, its for pussies and amateurs. (If your an amateur, no problem, go ahead and grab a nikon or canon, the low end ones work as well as the expensive ones, spend your money on fast optics instead of gizmo bodies, it wont make your dick size change don't worry).

So manual is good, no mirror is good, flash-less natural light is good, unremarkable camera profile (read stubby looking) is good, oh and being able to see what is about to walk into your shot. Nearly forgot about that. So you've composed a shot and all of a sudden somebody or thing is about to cross the view field. If you are looking down the black hole of a DSLR bad luck, if you have a rangefinder with both your eyes open then it may be that award winning shot, just wait for it then bang. Your decision, not the cameras. Yet another benefit of a rangefinder.

My answer is Leica. You just cant beat a range finder for crystal sharp shots handheld at 1/8 of a second, unobtrusiveness and manual. Leica optics are rivaled by none. The bodies are just functional, as in reliably they just keep working and working. Many of us have old Leica M series film bodies, mine was 35 years old when I first bought it for less than a grand in a second hand shop in Tokyo. My what a tool it was and still is.

Rangefinder, simple and easy to use, no mirror slap, small in profile etc etc.

Cost? Yeah I know, but there is a reason for this expense. Its the best. You dont need an M9 immediately. Second hand M8's are very cheap and old Leica and Leitz lenses are still awesome. Borrow one for a week, shoot a street or two. You will know its for you.

Note that the above is specifically for street photographers, I dont want wailings from fashion/landscape/art/whatever photographers. Really guys, I dont need another Nikon/Canon/Hassy, been there, got the t shirts.

Flickr & Comments

Flickr would have to be one of the best internet tools for photographers no matter what genre you shoot or what level you have achieved in your art.

Not only does it faithfully display what you have to say allowing you to show the world your proud snaps, it does so with such minimal bullshit and very low key ads. And all this is free, or $35 for a Pro Account. Still so very cheap compared to a website and trying to get yourself googled enough to get hits.

Its simple. Post your shots, join groups which interest you, then post your photos to these groups, make new friends and next the world opens to you.

Although I exhibit through a few galleries and have an agency which sometimes remembers I am alive, I get the most bang for buck always from Flickr. Most of my work is sold directly to Flickr users. All for $35 a year.

My groups all pertain to my genre, narrative photography, however I have many friends who shoot everything from florals to amazing landscapes.

A word though to some Flickr users (yes you know who you are). In the street genre, the shot you see is as is where is. Think about that for a minute. Got it? Ok so your comments about try to shoot it from this angle or I would take out that element simply ar'nt applicable in the street world where things happen in an instant and that scene just shot WILL NEVER OCCUR AGAIN. So if its not the way you would have shot it, who cares? Just shut up. Like the shot as the artist performed it for what it is and move on.

The street genre is rapid fire compose and trigger. Hardly anyone does much post processing in these street groups cause its realism they aim to show.

If you are Henry Cartier Bresson, OK comment. But the rest of you? Shut the fuck up and show us your best shots.

We won't comment other than in admiration that you got out there and did it.

Shooting The Urban Void

As this blog expands into a review and explore sheet over the coming years, I'd like to work through what I find as the attraction of shooting people/humanity in all its forms.

The genre (for want of a better word) is known as Street or Narrative Photography. Whilst it doesn't have anything to do with photographing a street so to speak, a lot of shooters find the open public venues as an ideal subject space within which to capture life's comedy and drama. Hence the tag.

To me, the true definition of the genre lies in the word narrative.

The old adage of a picture is worth a thousand words gives a narrative photographer quite a bit of room to maneuver to get an idea or story brought through by his/her one shot of a time and place.

Never again can this moment be repeated.

The photo of a place stamped with the emotions and actions bought forth by the inhabitants of that space are timeless. Its the general chaos over which the photographer has no control that when it comes together, offers a perspective of transcendent reality to the viewer, "my place" but another world. The mundane becomes the circus.

So on this note, what makes a successful shoot? First in my mind is awareness. One has to sink into the surrounds, so as to blend with the inhabitants of the space within which you are trying to showcase the unreality of this madness called life. This is not always easy as you may be a cultural oddity yourself depending on where you are shooting.

The second factor I feel is important is patience. With awareness, you can sense a scene is about to unfold. Get comfortable, be patient, then nail it as it happens.

Third is rhythm. Your rhythm. My first 10 to 20 shots are always crap, until I find my rhythm then things begin to flow. Rhythm involves many factors, camera controls being instinctive, a feel for the surrounding pace, intuition of people patterns within the general street bustle plus a host of indefinable stuff. Rhythm. No rhythm on the day, best to switch off and head for an espresso somewhere nice. Got rhythm, get shooting.

Fourth is location. Your Mum might think that photos of you in your lounge room are good, but if you really want to do well in this genre, hit the streets baby. Go to where its all happening.

Fifth is creative awareness of your chosen genre. What defines your vision of a good shot? More on how to appreciate style trends in a future blog, but be part of a community which shares the values of your genre. It's a great help. Seeing what others are doing can stimulate your own concepts into action. I try to spend time each week looking at other photogs work and being wowed with their creativity. Never be threatened by others you perceive as "better" than you. Frankly, in the art world, there really isn't any such thing as better. Art is just not competitive, its art and simply stands alone as what it is.

Sixth is equipment. Yeah its the last thing. Whilst I use Leica for most of my street work, I have seen great stuff done with a camera phone. More on the pixel race and gear in later blogs, but the message here is do not be fixated on equipment other than just know how to use it. What ever you shoot should feel like an extension of you. You don't have time to play with adjustments, the moment is either decisive or just another shot bound for deletion.

So awareness, patience, rhythm, location, genre style definition and equipment will help you tell a story. But YOU are the one who is the narrator.

Time to hit the road, and practice the art of the storyteller in the real world. A bard or a minstrel, with a camera instead of a lute.

Posted from Singapore

If You are in Singapore and Need Equipment

Singapore is a hub for shooters heading to other remoter regional destinations. Its your last outpost. Equipment failure in south east asia can be totally catastrophic for your assignment (even if you have a spare body). No need to bla bla about Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh or Jakarta, sorry folks been there got the T Shirt but buying stuff in any of these cities is very time consuming and if you want Leica bits or film (real film not the consumer grade) then your just plain outta luck.

So having just spent 6 months here working on my two books, Springs Winter and Excuse Me, Are You Singaporean (I know I know, shameless plug), I can now feel comfortable in recommending locations here in the city state that actually give a shit about you and your gear.

For Film, Paper, Chemicals and Bitz

Ruby Photo @ Peninsula Hotel Shopping Complex 3 Coleman Street Tel +65 63380236

The Aunite and Uncles in this enterprise have literally been there and done that as far as film and print. Seems there is no question they can't answer. The prices are very fair, and they discount for pro's and students.

This is the only shop I have seen outside of Tokyo which has real stock in large quantities.

Leica/Nikon/Zeiss/Canon Bodies and Glass and Accessories

There are lots of "photo shops" with so called "bargains" in town, however the very best prices and service (wow what service) is obtained from Gope's Foto & Film in Tanglin Shopping Centre on 19 Tanglin Road (don't get confused with Tanglin Mall like I did, Mr Blur...)

Ask for Sundar or Gope. These guys very much know their shit and frankly you wont beat their prices no matter how hard you bargain on Orchard. And if they don't have it, they will get it for you promptly. They are reliable and remember you, can't beat old fashioned customer service. Phone number is +65 67372633

Used/Pre-Loved Gear or New Voightlander
You cant beat Prime Cameras in the Peninsula Plaza, across the road (Coleman Street) from Ruby Photo. Web Site is here http://www.primecamera.com.sg/

Ask for Leslie (and tell him Mike sent you hehe). Bargain, but Les normally has the right price on his gear so you might move him 10% or so, but you get good used stuff that is problem free. Be warned there are many second hand dealers of camera gear, but I have found that these guys have zero quality control and quite often sell non functioning equipment. The opposite is true with Les and Prime, everything is high qual.

Places to avoid
Cathay Photo, a little rude and overpriced
Ben Photo, an uncontrolled market, buyer beware.
Orchard Road, if you do buy from these guys dotted in the plazas there, make sure you check what's in the box BEFORE you hand over the cash. These guys charge extra for kit camera standards such as batteries etc. High pressure sales guys have no place in this world

Other standard kit can be purchased quite reasonably in Funan, including Mac stuff (however Mac service is still best covered at the Atrium on Orchard Rd)

Peoples Park

Ya know, you can spend days walking through malls or you can look in the other direction and immerse yourself in humanity rather than "things? This can lead to all kinds of strange and interesting experiences. A simple "I wonder whats over there" can really make for a very productive day.



A misdirection from a taxi driver and I found myself at a giant shopping mall, teaming with people. On a walk through looking for food, the true nature of the mall emerged as a front for a much vaster complex of housing development apartment blocks known as peoples park.



Characters everywhere. Live upsatirs, giant community gathering areas downstairs. Food stalls, places to just sit. Full of interaction. Life.



To be successful photographing on the streets you need to blend in and become as unobstrusive as possible. We all have our techniques and what works for me may not work for you, but this particular shoot took me an hour at least to become unnoticed. The Chinese community seems to be borglike with a shared awareness, especially of people with cameras.



Patience is a virtue, mind you so is persistance, and eventually images start to flow.



The mundane rhythm of life is intoxicating with a camera in your hands



Persist, persist, persist oh and location helps

Peoples Park Complex Singapore, the entire set can be found here http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikefrancisphoto/

VII