Topic: John Free: get better at street photography

[Francois]

Practice no Tension Street Photography tips John Free

[Chris A Fraser]

This guy is awesome!

[calbisu]

And his photos are just great, love his sense of composition, specially the street photography set.

Here is the link to his website:

 http://www.johnfreephotography.com/galleries/

[Owlsflight]

I actually just watched this 2 days ago! Sage advice from a seasoned veteran. This was a great video for sure.

[mickld]

That was a great video - but his blog is even better! Hadn't heard of John Free - his articles are little gems of advice.

[Francois]

And if you check out his youtube channel, there's more to be seen

[calbisu]

That was a great video - but his blog is even better! Hadn't heard of John Free - his articles are little gems of advice.

Yes! Just looked at it this morning, like very much his photo-philosophy, someone that drinks from Robert Frank, Eugene Smith and Cartier Bresson must have a lucid mind 

http://www.johnfreephotography.com/blog/

[rpmdrd]

5 Fs system.  A good practice when out on the streets.

[Photo_Utopia]

Interesting video, not for the reason I thought it would be but rather for the extremely odd presentation and slightly confrontational manner.
This guy seems like the person you get stuck with on a train, plane or bus that has a manner that just makes me feel uncomfortable.
 I went to his site and his photo's are very good, his tips are OK but there is no way I'd go to a seminar or workshop based on what I see on his channel-possibly it's just the presentation as he seems genuine.

I like his images, and his overall message and he seems nice guy-I feel I'm intruding a little when watching his you tube channel....
YMMV as they say

Edited for clarity.

[calbisu]

Interesting video, not for the reason I thought it would be but rather for the extremely odd presentation and very confrontational manner.
This guy seems like the person you get stuck with on a train, plane or bus that's just plain nutty. I went to his site and his photo's are OK some very good ones here and there his tips are OK but there is no way I'd go to a seminar or workshop based on what I see on his channel.

I like his images, and his message and he's a nice guy-I feel I'm intruding a little when watching his you tube channel....
YMMV as they say

Ha, ha, yes Mr. Hafner, I totally agree with you, I am sympathetic to his philosophy and his dedication to photography, and some of his shots are superb; but as you said he might be the nutty-eccentric guy next door (even before I said he must had a lucid mind  ) still his dedication to photography and results are there, and who I am to say he is nuts when myself I have been called nuts and crazy on the streets when photographing?

[Photo_Utopia]

Carlos
I editited my post and you seem to have replied just before my edit. I don't think he's nutty, I withdraw and retract that. Having watched one of his seminars online where he talks of the beauty of taking and image and just cries.. at that point the knowledge exchange stops. empathy takes over.
I've been to many seminars over the years, and given a few, possibly it's my typical British reserve but there's something I find uncomfortable, and ~I wish I'd never mentioned it so ignore my post.

[ManuelL]

Oh my, watching these videos I get flashbacks of people philosophising at me on parties, all the time getting closer to me while I was backing away until I was standing with my back against the wall....

That said, I agree that it is important to practice (the most difficult thing may be to identify what you need to practice to get better at the type of photography you want to do). What I don't agree to is that people can still be used as "props" in street photography they used to be some time ago. In the time of facial recognition software the photographer has a greater responsibility and has to consider how he or she is portraying a subject. (But that would dip into discussion if classic street photography is still possible in general).

[calbisu]

Carlos
I editited my post and you seem to have replied just before my edit. I don't think he's nutty, I withdraw and retract that. Having watched one of his seminars online where he talks of the beauty of taking and image and just cries.. at that point the knowledge exchange stops. empathy takes over.
I've been to many seminars over the years, and given a few, possibly it's my typical British reserve but there's something I find uncomfortable, and ~I wish I'd never mentioned it so ignore my post.

No problem at all!!!