manchester wedding photographer
Goodbye 2020
Street Photography is Weird.
I wouldn’t say I like street photography – Not my words but the words from a friend.
At first, I was a little bit confused by this statement because I am a street photographer, and this is my thing, but then I realised it is not the like, but maybe its the understanding of street photography that he doesn’t understand.
Street photography from an outsider looking in can seem a little bit strange. We walk around open spaces and take pictures of strangers. Sounds weird.
Some use street photography for documentary purposes, and some use it to express their creative mind.
To get a real understanding of street photography, we need to delve into the back catalogue of those that have gone before us. I have made it my business to study Gary Winogrand, Joel Meyerowitz, Cartier-Bresson, Saul Leiter, Harry Gruyaert, Alex Webb, and Tony Ray-Jones, Ernst Haas and many more. It is not about emulating them. It is about seeing the possibilities.
What I love about street photography is not knowing what you will see. You cannot go out there and think I will get this or that because it does not work like that. You must go with the flow, and if it happens, then it happens.
I go out there with a blank canvas, and sometimes I will return with what I think is a masterpiece and then there are the days that I can come back with a bag of shit.
Slow down, take your time and get some decent footwear.
Keep the Faith
KV
FUJIFILM X100T CLASSIC CHROME -MANCHESTER
Shooting the Bride and Groom.
One of our friends asked me if I could photograph their wedding, and they got a swift thanks but no thanks. When I was focused on my street work, and to be honest, I thought wedding photography was beneath me. Talk about being narrow-minded.
It was a decision that I soon regretted, and I would like to say sorry to my friends for that swift and final no. The wedding went ahead. We all had a great time but looking back, that was probably the push my photography needed. But hey, we live and learn.
Since turning down my friend’s offer, I have gone on to photograph numerous weddings either independently or as a 2nd photographer. So why the change of heart? It became noticeably clear that if I were to progress, I needed to challenge myself and see what I could do.
Once I broke through my own ignorance barriers, I started to open my mind to other photography work offers. All have had there own learning curves, and I have gained some valuable experience on the way.
There is something about the energy of the wedding day that gives me this buzz of excitement. Everything from the bridal prep to the first dance is pure energy, and we all get swept along on this wave of emotion, and I am there in the middle of it, trying my best to stay sharp and keep focused.
My coping mechanism for all this nervous energy is to stay tuned in to my environment, practice some mindfulness, and treat the day as one long street photography walk.
Like I have said before in my previous blogs, why be something I am not when its easier to be me.
In October, I will be shooting the wedding of Abbie and Matt. They are a wonderful couple, and I have known Matt for many years and regard him as a good friend. It will be an absolute pleasure to photograph their wedding, especially after everything that has gone on this year.
The wedding photography industry is a tough nut to crack, and there are thousands of photographers out there all chasing the same clients, breaking into the industry takes time and balls of steel.
Is Wedding Photography something I want to pursue as a full-time business? Maybe in the future, but I am simply happy being the street photographer who enjoys shooting the bride and groom.
Keep the Faith
KV
