Hey Guys, this week i just decided to share my favorite quotes from some of favorite photographers as well as a few others that can be applied to photography as well. Just to let you know they are not in any particular order.
21 Inspirational/street/photography Quotes.
1.“If your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough” – Robert Capa
2.“The Pictures are there, and you just take them” – Robert Capa
3. “The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible” – Oscar Wilde
4. “My photography is a reflection, which comes to life in action and leads to meditation. Spontaneity – the suspended moment – intervenes during action, in the viewfinder.” – Abbas
5. “If a photographer cares about the people before the lens and is compassionate, much is given. It is the photographer, not the camera, that is the instrument.” – Eve Arnold
6. “Photography is the only language that can be understood anywhere in the world.” – Bruno Barbey.
7. “I never thought I would become a photographer.” – Rene Burri
8. “Still images can be moving and moving images can be still. Both meet within soundscapes” Chien-Chi Chang
9. “It’s not how a photographer looks at the world that is important. It;s their intimate relationship with it.” – Antoine D’Agata
10. “The photographer is filled with doubt. Nothing will soothe him.” – Raymond Depardon
11. “The whole point of taking pictures is so that you don’t have to explain things in words.” – Elliott Erwitt
12.“I love photographing. It’s that simple.” – Stuart Franklin
13. “Ultimately photography is about who you are. It’s the truth in relation to yourself. And seeking truth becomes a habit.” – Leonard Freed
14. “I want the viewers to be moved into the lives of the people that they are looking at, the visual experience is incredibly emotional.” Paul Fusco
15. “I am not an artist. I am an image maker.” – Thomas Hoepker
16. “I love the people I photograph. I mean, they’re my friends. Ive never met most of them or I don’t know them at all, yet through my images I live with them.” – Bruce Gilden
17. “Taking pictures is like fishing or writing. It’s getting out of the unknown that which resists and refuses to come to light” – Jean Gaumy
18. “The photograph is completely abstracted from life, yet it looks like life. That is what has always excited me about photography.” – Richard Kalvar
19. “A photographer is an acrobat treading the high wire of chance, trying to capture shooting stars.” – Guy Le Querrec
20. “I think good dreaming is what leads to good photographs.” – Wayne Miller
21.“I am forever chasing light. Light turns the ordinary into the magical.” – Trent Parke
The above Quotes as i said are one of my best inspirational photography quotes, of course there are a thousands quotes out there which might be more appealing to you than the one i mentioned above but let me know in the comment section which of the quotes above is your favorite, indicate by number.
If you have any question concerning photography please feel free to write down in the comment section or send me email; Jessykigen@yahoo.com. also if you need amazing presets let me know in advance soon or later i will come up with my own personal presets and i would love to share it with you guys.
if you find the post helpful or interesting feel free to share. Thank you.
Author. Jessy Kigen
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live to the fullest and age wisely photo by Jessy kigen |
21 Inspirational/street/photography Quotes.
1.“If your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough” – Robert Capa
2.“The Pictures are there, and you just take them” – Robert Capa
3. “The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible” – Oscar Wilde
4. “My photography is a reflection, which comes to life in action and leads to meditation. Spontaneity – the suspended moment – intervenes during action, in the viewfinder.” – Abbas
5. “If a photographer cares about the people before the lens and is compassionate, much is given. It is the photographer, not the camera, that is the instrument.” – Eve Arnold
6. “Photography is the only language that can be understood anywhere in the world.” – Bruno Barbey.
7. “I never thought I would become a photographer.” – Rene Burri
8. “Still images can be moving and moving images can be still. Both meet within soundscapes” Chien-Chi Chang
9. “It’s not how a photographer looks at the world that is important. It;s their intimate relationship with it.” – Antoine D’Agata
10. “The photographer is filled with doubt. Nothing will soothe him.” – Raymond Depardon
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| P E R S O N A L I T Y . photo by Jessy Kigen |
11. “The whole point of taking pictures is so that you don’t have to explain things in words.” – Elliott Erwitt
12.“I love photographing. It’s that simple.” – Stuart Franklin
13. “Ultimately photography is about who you are. It’s the truth in relation to yourself. And seeking truth becomes a habit.” – Leonard Freed
14. “I want the viewers to be moved into the lives of the people that they are looking at, the visual experience is incredibly emotional.” Paul Fusco
15. “I am not an artist. I am an image maker.” – Thomas Hoepker
16. “I love the people I photograph. I mean, they’re my friends. Ive never met most of them or I don’t know them at all, yet through my images I live with them.” – Bruce Gilden
17. “Taking pictures is like fishing or writing. It’s getting out of the unknown that which resists and refuses to come to light” – Jean Gaumy
18. “The photograph is completely abstracted from life, yet it looks like life. That is what has always excited me about photography.” – Richard Kalvar
19. “A photographer is an acrobat treading the high wire of chance, trying to capture shooting stars.” – Guy Le Querrec
20. “I think good dreaming is what leads to good photographs.” – Wayne Miller
21.“I am forever chasing light. Light turns the ordinary into the magical.” – Trent Parke
The above Quotes as i said are one of my best inspirational photography quotes, of course there are a thousands quotes out there which might be more appealing to you than the one i mentioned above but let me know in the comment section which of the quotes above is your favorite, indicate by number.
If you have any question concerning photography please feel free to write down in the comment section or send me email; Jessykigen@yahoo.com. also if you need amazing presets let me know in advance soon or later i will come up with my own personal presets and i would love to share it with you guys.
if you find the post helpful or interesting feel free to share. Thank you.
Author. Jessy Kigen
WHY IS COMPOSITION IMPORTANT
what is composition, and why is it so important?
In essence , composition is all about putting together objects /subjects in your view finder in a such a way as to emphasis the bits you want to make them stand out in just right way.
Those objects that include anything in the foreground, the background, Those that "frame" the picture and most importantly light.
Photography is fun form of art that a lot of people are engaged into. Artist all over the world have created some sort of uniqueness in there shots, people around the globe have appreciated the aftermath of remarkable photography.
QUESTION: Do you know what makes these photos look amazing? it is because of photography composition each one has.
Below, i have put together the value of composition or importance of photography composition.
1. SHOWS PERSONALITY
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| photo by Jessy Kigen K A U T H A R |
When you compose a photo it can also give a sense of personality. it will appear originally owned by you and can also speak for itself. Apart from telling a story you show your audience your style that whenever they see your picture they will automatically know its you that owns that piece.
2. CREATES ENGAGEMENT.
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| photo by Jessy kigen |
A photographer in one way or the other would like to engage himself with the audience at any cost, thus he/she produce or creates an appealing photo where people appreciate it only if it looks very appealing. since photographers always want his images to be noticed and given appreciation , the proper application of photography composition technique should be observed.
3. PROFESSIONAL LOOK.
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| Photo by Jessy Kigen |
Arguably not all photographers are professional but all photographers have their own photography composition technique, for the non professional photographers try use those techniques so you can get a great image that seem like an output of a professional. With that you will surely be more encouraged to improve your photography skills and experiment on various techniques with the apt photography composition.
4.MAKES A PICTURE UNIQUE.
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| Photo by Jessy Kigen |
Most of the upcoming photographers are afraid to experiment different shots and choose which ones look a lot better. This brings me to the statement ; Every work of art strives to be unique. In every shot you make try as much as possible to be different. This way, even if you have the same subjects with other photographers each one will be unique because of the composition.
5. IT CREATES BALANCE.
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| Photo by Jessy Kigen |
Balance is vital for a picture, you have to make sure that the elements in the image look balanced and not distorted . As a photographer you should also see to it that the subject and the background are positioned well inside the frame so that you will get a good shot. It would be so presentable if your background is so large and your subject is mostly like a dot.
There is a lot more we can talk about but man must eat so permit me to stop at this point, its your turn now.
I am working on my own photography presets, soon i will post them in this platform.
written by Jessy Kigen
PHOTOGRAPHING A STRANGER
Photographing a stranger is something that is intimidating to a lot of photographers and its completely understandable why. we are indulging ourselves into another persons life, and they might or might not be willing to let us photograph them. we might get turned down or forced to be in an awkward situation. but this struggle is something that is really fascinating because in a few short moments you can go from barely knowing someone to creating an image with them that captures their true personality in photographic form. Most people who enjoy street shooting, live for these pictures. Often unrehearsed, they are the product of year of practice or sometimes dumb luck. but behind the camera, there are photographers who are constantly working of the nerves to take one more picture.
People around the globe see photography differently. Nothing makes this more apparent than pointing a camera at someone. some are natural exhibitionist and others believe with religious conviction that photographs are evil. Unfortunately for photographers there are no name tags declaring, " i enjoy having my picture taken."we must feel out our subject, maybe even interact with them first before they will allow their picture to be taken.I have been photographing strangers for long time now, some were successful than others. luckily, there have been no disaster just a few sour faces. some agree to be snapped while others ask you a lot of questions like, where are you taking my picture?, who are you?..there are many challenges when you try to advance to a stranger asking them for picture pose ..but below i will give ideas on how to approach a stranger.
THE IDEA OF PHOTOGRAPHING STRANGERS
you see an interesting person by the side of the
road, before you stop him you must have an idea of the shot that you want to create of this person. what will they be doing?how will they be posing ?what will be the background?.
HOW TO APPROACH A STRANGER
SUMMARY
To sum up -be friendly , smile,enjoy yourself. Remember this is fun, what we do!!!
have been doing this for 5 years now and i feel more rejuvenated to go and shoot more, meet new people, interact and learn from them.
please leave a comment below.
"If your Photos are not good enough, then you're not close enough - Robert Capa.
written By Jessy kigen
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| Old is Gold. photo by Jessy Kigen (Cyprus,Lefkosa) |
street photography requires a lot of balls, you have to get close enough to your subject, and with people, invading personal space is uncomfortable (and possible hazardous to health) for both photographer and subject.shooting with a longer lens, it appears to be slightly snobbish- it isn't seen being hardcore enough. In fact , those days it seems if your not at f/8 hyper-focal (the distance between a camera lens and the closest object which is in focus when the lens is focused at infinity.) and sticking your camera and flash right up to somebody's nose then you're not really doing street photography
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| The original photo by Jessy Kigen Actually there's another approach though. in my own opinion its much harder to shoot wide open with a relatively wide lens - say nothing longer than 35mm - and shoot without your subject knowing you're there. This is what i like to call stealth method - you dont want to draw attention to yourself and better yet, shoot without even bringing the camera to your eyes . Normally it takes a huge amount of skill and practice to nail shots this way, because you must be able to both guess focus correctly ( if manual focusing )or know where you AF box is going to go - and at the same time know your lens well enough to visualize the field view. |
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| The eye should learn to listen before it looks photo by Jessy Kigen |
HOW TO APPROACH A STRANGER
It doesn't matter what you say to people, the most important aspect of approaching people is being genuine, warm, friendly and calm. people will read your body language before you open your mouth, so if you come off as tense they will probably think you are shifty. If you are not smiling, people are going to to think you're unfriendly of course being a bit nervous is natural, i still get nervous too. its totally normal but the more you practice, the calmer you'll become. Then you'll settle into yourself more, got a little pattern going and it'll be much easier, it doesn't matter much what you say , how you say it, or what you are working on, how people react to you is almost 100% because of your body language and the feelings you have when you approach them.
"you can find pictures anywhere, its simply a matter of noticing things and organizing them. you care about whats around you and have a concern with humanity and the human comedy".
Elliot Erwitt.
BE QUICK, BE PREPARED
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| Golden hour photo by Jessy Kigen |
I took the photo above in Cyprus few weeks ago, i was heading for the sunset with my girlfriend on a project called TTRE (Through The Readers Eyes )which i will talk about in the future articles, As we were walking towards the sunset an old man driving a tractor passed at my frame and bang!! there it was. Because i was prepared with my camera and because i always see whats going on around me i was able to capture it straight away.
SUMMARY
To sum up -be friendly , smile,enjoy yourself. Remember this is fun, what we do!!!
have been doing this for 5 years now and i feel more rejuvenated to go and shoot more, meet new people, interact and learn from them.
please leave a comment below.
"If your Photos are not good enough, then you're not close enough - Robert Capa.
written By Jessy kigen
Hi guys its been awhile since i published on my blog .....now am back . I recently went through my email address and i got a question from one of my readers Martin, Martin asked me the following,
" have been a loyal reader of your blog and i noticed in your photographs they all in black and white and not even one is color "....
Q: Whats the mechanism behind all this, why not use color in street photography ? color or black and white. Thank you.
I really appreciate Martin asking the question. This has been day to day issue that i encounter as a street photographer. why do you photograph the street in black and white and not color?
There are many pros and cons to both color and black & white in street photography.... i will talk about it below.
Before we get started a simple google will do, search street photography, you will realize that you will get most of the images are in Black & white. further more, when people think about street photography they always think about classic black & white images taken by the likes of Ansel Adams, Dias Arbus and Robert capa.
for me i don't believe that street photography is meant to be taken in black & white or color. There are cases that black & white are more appropriate and in other times color is more appropriate. In this article i will outline the difference between both mediums, while describing when it is appropriate to use either.
BLACK & WHITE STREET PHOTOGRAPHY.
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| "when you photograph people in color you photograph their clothes, but when you photograph in black & white you photograph there soul" Ted Grant photo by Jessy Kigen |
when you check out a black & white photograph you likely to see the classical and nostalgic look all together. Black & White reminds us of our past which we often romanticize and idealize. Not only that, but we don't see the world in black & white which makes this image more interesting to look at. Black & white photography creates more artistry intensity than color... that's for my own opinion.
Below are the points at which i feel its better to shoot in black & white for the street photography.
TIMELESS LOOK.
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| Photo by; Eric kim |
All the masters in the history of photography, they are all taken in black & white (as black & white was the only type of film available back then). Think about all the memorable images you see in post cards or posters.... all of them are in black & white .
when we think of the past, for some reason we always imagine the memories and pictures in our mind in black & white .
SIMPLE.
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| Photo by Jessy Kigen |
-Black & white allows you to concentrate on the image itself, rather than color . you can pinpoint certain details in the composition, which may have been obscured by color. At times i also noticed that certain images can get far too busy when in color, and black & white allows you to cut back on some of the distraction.
COLOR STREET PHOTOGRAPHY.
-In my pictures you will find color reason being that color has a different feel and life to it when compared to street photography. In my opinion , it makes things come to life and feel more real and vivid. Not only that but when you are shooting in color you can color a variety of hues and tones that black & white cannot.
below are some reason why it is better to shoot in color than black and white.
*It allows to highlight certain element in an image.
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| Photo by Matt Stuart |
-With color you can highlight elements of an image which often get forgotten in black & white , for example in the above image by Matt stuart , the juxtaposition between the red and yellow add to the composition and balance of the image. Had this image been in black & white the red color may have been obscure against the background not only that, but the color red is strong symbol of mischief --which would have once again been lost in Black & white.
*Grab's your attention
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| Photo by. Trent Parke |
In this image by Trent Parke, the red color of the sign almost screams at you for its attention. This is due to the fact that we have emotional and psychological connections with certain colors - especially with the color red it yells "look at me!" therefore when shooting street photography and you really want your audience to look at something. color is definitely the way to go.
-Martin hope this Article will be of help, thanks for being a loyal reader of my photography blog.
--whats your take on the subject of black & white VS color for street photography? please tell me your opinion by leaving a comment below. Thank you.
check out more pictures and photo updates on the following links.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/51108747@N04/? flickr
https://www.facebook.com/slickphoto facebook page.
- The End-
Lifes light. Life is light. You can make light do anything you want to. Photography means 'light writing'...Jessy Kigen
Light Trails continue to be popular subject matter for many photographers and they can actually be a great training ground for those wanting to get their cameras out of manual mode and to experiment with shooting in low light at longer exposures.
Here is my story;
From a long day shoot on my way home i was amazed by the lighting and the way cars was moving up and down the great road of Thika road.
The sun had gone home there was slightly beam of light from the sun ....."The Golden moment"
I took out my camera to shoot the Golden Moment, but i realized for me to get a nice light trails from a moving car i need a tripod
Nooo!!!!! i had no tripod with me but i could improvise the Bridge Pavement or the wall to place my camera for steady shot with no shaky movement.
See what i photographed.
Camera Model: Canon Eos 600D
Iso speed : ISO-100
F-Stop f/20
Exposure time. 30sec.
You’ll also need a tripod (or some other way to making your camera completely still) as you’ll be shooting with long shutter speeds which will make shooting handheld pretty much impossible.
Not essential but helpful to have with you are lens hoods (to help block lens flare from ambient lights), remote shutter release cables or wireless remote controls, patience and some warm clothes if you’re going out on a chilly night.
Camera Model: Canon Eos 600D
Iso speed : ISO-100
F-Stop f/20
Exposure time. 30sec.
Light Trails continue to be popular subject matter for many photographers and they can actually be a great training ground for those wanting to get their cameras out of manual mode and to experiment with shooting in low light at longer exposures.
Here is my story;
From a long day shoot on my way home i was amazed by the lighting and the way cars was moving up and down the great road of Thika road.
The sun had gone home there was slightly beam of light from the sun ....."The Golden moment"
I took out my camera to shoot the Golden Moment, but i realized for me to get a nice light trails from a moving car i need a tripod
Nooo!!!!! i had no tripod with me but i could improvise the Bridge Pavement or the wall to place my camera for steady shot with no shaky movement.
See what i photographed.
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| The mighty Thika Road.(kenya) photo by Jessy Kigen |
Camera Model: Canon Eos 600D
Iso speed : ISO-100
F-Stop f/20
Exposure time. 30sec.
How to Shoot Light Trails
Equipment:
There is not just one particular type of camera and kit that you’ll need to capture light trails – however it is important to have a camera that allows you to have some control over exposure settings – particularly those that allow you to choose longer shutter speeds. This means you need a camera that has the ability to shoot in either full manual mode and/or shutter priority mode (something that all DSLRs and many point and shoot cameras have).You’ll also need a tripod (or some other way to making your camera completely still) as you’ll be shooting with long shutter speeds which will make shooting handheld pretty much impossible.
Not essential but helpful to have with you are lens hoods (to help block lens flare from ambient lights), remote shutter release cables or wireless remote controls, patience and some warm clothes if you’re going out on a chilly night.
Setting Up Your Shot:
Photographing light trails is not difficult – it’s as simple as finding virtually any road with cars going down it once the sun goes down. But getting a shot that grabs attention means putting a little more thought into choosing your location, thinking about timing and framing your image. Here are a few tips on how to set your shot up:- Timing/Light – one might think that the middle of the night is the best time for light trail photography (and it can be) – however one very effective time to do it is just as the sun is going down (just before and after). If you shoot at this time you’ll not only capture light from cars, but ambient light in the sky which can add atmosphere to your shots. You also might find that earlier in the evening you get a little more ‘action’ in your shot with more cars and even the movement of people through your shot.
- Creative Perspectives – some of the most effective light trail shots that I’ve taken and seen from others were taken from perspectives other than at the height of a normal person standing up. Get down low or find a place looking down on your scene that will create an unusual angle.
- Location – the most obvious thing with location is that you’ll need it to be somewhere near a road – however there’s more to think about than that. Choose a location that adds interest to the shot in some way. This might be one where there are well lit buildings along the road, one where multiple roads merge together to create light trails in different directions, on the bend of a road so that the trails sweep through the image, near a roundabout so the trails create circular shapes, in the middle of dual carriageways (on a triaffic island) so that you get traffic coming in two directions etc.
- Framing – the normal ‘rules’ of composition apply in
this type of photography. Images need some sort of point/s of interest,
the rule of thirds can be applied effectively, draw the eyes into your
image using lines smartly, foregounds and backgrounds should add to and
not distract from the image.
The mightyThika Road(Kenya) Photo by. Jessy Kigen
Camera Model: Canon Eos 600D
Iso speed : ISO-100
F-Stop f/20
Exposure time. 30sec.
- Choose a low ISO setting - this will give you images with as little noise as possible.
- Shoot in RAW if you have it -this will enable you to have more control in your post production work – particularly in getting white balance right (something that can be important as you’re shooting in a situation with lots of artificial light that can cause all kinds of color casts in your shot).
- Manual Focus - In low light situations cameras can struggle to get focusing locked correctly. The last thing you want is for your camera to be in and out of focus just as you need to hit the shutter release. Switch to manual focus and make sure your focus is upon a part of your image that is visually strong.
Using Bulb Mode
Many digital cameras have a mode on them called ‘bulb’ mode that allows you as the photographer to keep the shutter open as long as you wish. This can be very handy in this type of photography to time your shots with precision. If you use this you’ll want to be using a remote shutter release to stop any camera movement while the shutter is open.Am sure when yo follow up the process above yo will come with Amazing light Trails. Thanks for Reading.
Got some good light trail shots? i will be delighted if you share and we learn more on this blog......Am out #slickphotobyjessykigen......My story There life's. Article by. Jessy Kigen.courtesy of Digital photography school.
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| The streets from Above. photo by Jessy kigen |
The streets look so stunning from above, sometime i wish i could have a pilot friend to fly me around while shooting the streets from above. Anyway that's my wish, besides that, there are many ways to shoot the streets from above, the most efficient and affordable way is by trying to find the tallest building in your city get the legal access from the management then climb to the top ....Mount your camera in your tripod in this case to get steady and a balanced picture.
other ways of shooting the streets from above are , aircraft, helicopters, multirotor Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), balloons, blimps and dirigibles, rockets, kites, parachutes Drones.
I prefer using the tallest building because it affordable, efficient, yo can do a lot, you take your time Adjusting your camera and mounting it..then shoot at your own pace unlike the helicopter where everything is limited and expensive.....
when i shoot the streets i normally use my free hand because of the flexibility not unless am shooting light trails (long exposure)...this will force me to use a tripod .(You need a tripod (or some other way to making your camera completely still) as you’ll be shooting with long shutter speeds which will make shooting handheld pretty much impossible.).
On aerial photography above i used a Tripod because i was in a flat surface where i could mount my camera...and this enable me to get a nice city scape or a street view from above....the photo above was shot at KICC Nairobi courtesy of Slick photo by Jessy kigen .......Am out..My story there life's .. Article by Jessy Kigen. check more on my photography story and share out thank you.
You don't take a photograph, you make it..... Ansel Adams
