RPS - Street Photography

Get out and do it!

A 4 session workshop series facilitated by Joe Houghton

March 2023

Participants Portfolio

4 x 2-hour sessions where we explored Street Photography

Assignments between each session based on shooting to a theme

Discussion and constructive critique by everyone - a shared and co-created learning journey

David Jones

Aberdeen Heroes

The narrow court with its colourful street art drew me to take this image along with the reflections on the walls and stone floor.

The murals? Dennis Law and Annie Lennox, both from Aberdeen.

David Jones

Concentration

A very last second image, thankfully I had my camera in my hand and set up ready, otherwise, I would have missed this.

Gin O'clock

A candid shot taken as I walked past the cafe window. I don’t think the two ladies saw me; they were so engrossed in their conversation. The image has had very little post processing, but I did notice the gin bottle on the table.

David Jones

Musical Stairs

A reflection in the window of a music shop. This was an experiment, the shop lights were very bright but the steps were dark and don’t get much daylight. I didn’t expect it to work but it did without much post processing.

Just shows, it’s always worth trying.

Huw Thomas

A Quiet Read

During the course we have been encouraged to play with different compositions and styles. In the same coffee house (different day) this lady was reading her book with the gorgeous February light streaming in on her. I had just read up about painter Edward Hopper and with his compositional style in mind I composed this image. The picture required very little post processing - sometimes you are just lucky.

Huw Thomas

Melancholy

Whilst walking the streets I try to capture images with a strong narrative that demonstrate the varied emotions of the human condition. This chap was just staring out into the distance, but to my eye it spoke of longing or loss.

Tight Spot

Just wandering round the local town and saw this teenage couple eating their lunch. The girl was quite bemused when I complimented her on dramatic tights and was happy for me to take the shot. I thought it would make a nice dramatic mono image.

Huw Thomas

Crossing legs

Another panning shot - where the captured sharpness of the woman’s legs gives a little focus, against the gorgeous blurred colours of the red crossing and shops behind. This one has made the wall at home!

Huw Thomas

Urban Arrow

Decided to try something a little different. I have seen many panning shots or racing cars and bikes entered in club competitions, so I thought I would try using the same technique on the street.

Modern Schoolroom

Just having coffee in the local coffee house when it struck me that all the window seats were taken with people working from home. I asked the front lady if she minded her photo taken - the light was lovely and great leading line to the girl reading at the end. It was a bonus they were all doing different things!

Linda Gower

City Hall

City Hall in Norwich is a fine building with impressive stone lions on the steps. I waited for quite some time before someone emerged from the door to become the focus of my composition.

Linda Gower

Man in ground level mirror was taken at lunchtime when one end of Norwich market place becomes an open eating place. This image shows a reflection in a mirror that was at ground level propped up against a stall. It’s so much easier to take surreptitious portraits when not looking directly at the subject…

The Arcade is another of Norwich’s iconic landmarks and proved a fruitful subject for the arches brief. I took several shots but preferred this one of the intrepid cyclist, presumably breaking the law.

Linda Gower

In the cafe mirror is the shot I like more and more. It was an opportunist shot while I was having a coffee before getting started!

McDonald’s window is just what it says. Historic city centre planning regulations decree that McDonald’s facades have to be sympathetic to their surroundings. This one in Norwich has a the glorious St Peter Mancroft church opposite which, on a beautiful sunny day, is reflected in the window along with passers by.

Margret Preece

I live in a very small village where street photography is more of a dream, you can wander around with hardly anyone to be seen.

Therefore I like to travel to London, and recently I spent a day in the Tate Modern asking myself ‘what do people do in the Tate Modern other than looking at the works of art, and how about all those children? What do they do there?

Big space, small child. What's the story?

One small child, one bench and one television in a big space – what’s the story?

I took several quick shots when I first saw this child, and then I realised how engrossed she was, she had no idea I was there. So I took my time, found a better angle, lined up the verticals and horizontals where possible etc. And she never became aware of me.

Margret Preece

Cartwheels in the Turbine Hall, Tate Modern

The turbine hall again, it is such an empty and tempting place; this time the little ones are showing off a dance routine whilst the rest of the family looks on.

Dance step demonstration

The turbine hall again, it is such an empty and tempting place; this time the little ones are showing off a dance routine whilst the rest of the family looks on.

Margret Preece

Good to sit down - don't nod off...

This lady must have had a tiring day. I like the juxtaposition of the two people looking in opposite directions and past each other. Is there a connection or are they strangers?

Where do we go next?

Dad is taking his two small sons for a day out. What made him take them to the Tate Modern? He does not seem to know where to go next. Has he been told about the turbine hall and is he taking his sons to play here? Or is he going to introduce them to some works of art? More questions.

Sherry Davis

Engrossed

This is an image that I have been trying to achieve for sometime as whenever I pass this coffee shop there is always somebody reading a book. I particularly like the fact that this composition uses the rule of three, capturing both the reflection of the main subject’s book along with that of another customer.

Sherry Davis

Bunny Ears

Sometimes street photography can turn towards the humorous side of life as in this image of a man pulling bunny ears in a café. I had stopped for a refreshment when the man opposite started to have an animated conversation with the person opposite him. The ear-like handle of the teacup acts as a natural frame.

Sherry Davis

The Golden Arches

The theme for the session was ‘arches and doorways’ and immediately I knew I wanted to capture a tableau of a McDonalds. I was lucky to find so many different stories taking place, from the delivery cyclist on the left to the man checking the window to see how his order is doing on the right of the image.

OMG!

There are layers in this image which I think work well together. The reflection through the mirror has captured the uniqueness of the retro shop window display opposite.

We also have a rather bored looking girl coming out of the shop, but for me the most captivating thing is the expression on the foreground girl’s face which asks so many questions.

John Anderton

Light, shadow and triangles

I love the shapes that can be created by light and shadow out on the street. I was walking along this shopping arcade, and I noticed how the scene in front of me was comprised of four, rough triangles.

However, I really wanted a figure to be centre-stage and so I waited a while for someone to walk down the exact centre of the walkway. Fortunately, this person obliged!

John Anderton

Tunnel-vision

We talked about the importance of leading lines in our images, and how they can create a sense of depth, so when I went out looking for doorways and arches, I knew that I also wanted to incorporate this into my image. I was particularly pleased with the way the railings lead the eye to the silhouetted figure and beyond.

Chinatown red

I’m also attracted to isolated splashes of colour, and I spotted how this banner, and the lanterns behind it, were standing out in the shadows in this scene found in Birmingham’s Chinatown. Again, I was also drawn to the high contrast light and the shadows cast by the figures.

Testimonials

"I joined this workshop because I have always been interested in catching everyday life in my photography and I wanted to learn more about it. And I was not disappointed (even though I was not able to attend as often as I would have liked and had to contend with some of the recordings which were very useful).

When I was able to be present I enjoyed the discussions between all participants and Joe, so much more rewarding than just one person lecturing. There were different viewpoints, all valid and all given a hearing.

The perfect learning environment, to my mind."

"I recommend this course to anyone who has an interest in street photography, you will not be disappointed.

This workshop has been friendly, encouraging, informative and more importantly fun.

I have gotten so much out of it. I now have the confidence to go up to complete strangers and ask them for their photograph, something I would not have dreamt of doing before the course."

Testimonials

"I looked to join Joe's course after completing a 2 year photographic diploma in night school (A level equivalent). The fortnightly zoom meetings were spaced far enough apart for everyone to be able to produce some new images each session - based on the suggested themes which were then critiqued by all.

The group was full of experienced and talented photographers and we learned a lot from each other, Joe chairing and steering the critiques and adding a few gems of his own. Great fun - many thanks."

I have always had a liking for street photography but didn’t seem to be progressing with my photography. Two years of illness and lockdown put my motivation at rock bottom. Having previously seen two of Joe’s online presentations at my local camera club I was pleased to find this course offered by the RPS.

Four online sessions are scheduled every two weeks, allowing time to digest the course content and prepare and present my “Homework” without any rush or stress.

Homework is critiqued by all those participating with Joe adding much to the discussions, Joe’s enthusiasm and knowledge for the subject shone through and he was truly inspiring.The group were talented, very friendly and willing to share their knowledge.

I have learnt much from this course, from other participants and from Joe, who has a wealth of experience to share, as a result I now find myself reinvigorated and ready to take to the streets.

Testimonials

"I set out to capture whatever takes my fancy, and street photography has always been the most enjoyable way that I have found to do this.

However, it can be a solitary pursuit so the opportunity to spend time (albeit online) with other street photographers, sharing images and ideas was really enjoyable.

I can honestly say that I came away from all four sessions feeling inspired and with an urge to pick up my camera and get out there."

Participants

Contact Information

To find out when the next workshops are running contact Mel Chalk at digworkshops@rps.org.

• Margret Preece - margretp@clara.co.uk
  
• Linda Gower - hollybank@gooseye.co.uk
  
• Sherry Davis - sherry.davis9093@googlemail.com
  
• Alan Pollock - alanpollock53@blueyonder.co.uk
  
• Dot Ward - dot.ward@ntlworld.com
  
• Liz Kenny - liz@lizkenny.uk
  
• Carmel Anne Morris - carmelanne.morris@btinternet.com
  
• David Jones - dbj@bearnie.com
  
• John Anderton - jranderton@googlemail.com
  
• Huw Thomas - huw.g.thomas@gmail.com
  
• Michael Walker - mikewalker_idsl@yahoo.co.uk
  
• Rebecca Bengey - rebecca@bengey.uk