Even the experts never stop learning, After a while most people become proficient with a camera if they practise long enough, but it is all about composition and finding the photograph and then knowing how to manipulate what you have in front of you. You also have to have an artistic element for street photography as well. Great shots, the guy smoking did it for me. could have been the easiest shot of the night, but it works.
I liked the shots with the fellow walking his bicycle and the other three riding by in a line illuminated by the light. It's great that you have some interesting locales where you can line up some very interesting shots. And everybody seems friendly and supportive. I have had a number of experiences where they weren't. Long time since I been to Cardiff. Spent part of my honeymoon there and in London. I guess my highlight in Cardiff was the castle and the Peacocks. In there as you go in one area, just before you go through a door, you look up to the ceiling and there is a scary face looking down on you. I have been to a lot of castles in Wales. As a kid we used to go to Cardiff and Newport shopping. We went up some mountainous road, I think it was called Fiddler's Elbow and over the other side, to go to the market in Abergavenny. Newport must be much bigger now. I'm from Garndiffaith originally. Now I reside in the frozen, barren, northern wasteland called Canada. LOL I enjoy your explanations of what you are doing, I feel like I'm along for the trip with you. I like your style, keep doing what you do.
Your videos are really fascinating as you share these experiences. As well Street Photography itself is fascinating as I'm just learning. Back button focusing seems very helpful, and a topic I want to understand. Thanks so much for your videos, Gareth!!!
Another great street video Gareth, first....all top notch photos. It's definitely number 3 for me. I like the symmetry and the cyclist to the left is helping by looking at the subject in the centre who is playing his part in the image, the right hand cyclist is also looking at the subject. Two strong leading lines on the bridge point the eye over to all three. Awesome job mate.
Gareth absolute great images off basic locations, great eye of using the shadows off pillars with capturing pedestrians. Love the fella smoking looked so natural as if you modelled him into position . Great vlog
Yay! Im gonna take the credit for prompting this shoot, and some great ideas you've given me in return! Lots of points i was thinking- "ooh that's where i shot!" :)
I have been shooting for over 30 years, but I only started using back-focus a couple of months ago... I never looked back since.... it's definitely the way to go ;)
#3 for me Gareth, you’re getting good at this genre. It’s the 22nd of February, that made me chuckle. The only one I thought of was the couple walking towards you.
Nice one Gareth, really liking these Street vlogs, No 3 or 6 where my favourites. BBF for me all day long, using the command dial on the XT-2. Keep up the great work.
Hey John, thanks mate! appreciate you watching! i know it can be scary but its insured and i cant stand not getting pics through fear.. plus when its your job your often shooting in environments that scare you! especially events! i used to have a shit camera for them events but im insured so screw it haha. hope your well mate!
Another enjoyable vlog mate. Excellent images I have know idea how you do it, I hate photographing people I find it really frustrating getting it right. I’ve used BBF for years and would never change 👍
Hey mark! hope your well mate! thanks for watching! - i think people get flustered when pointing a camera at people.. just seeing them as a small shadow or dark object barely unrecognisable helps! :-)
Brilliant Gareth - well done! Street photography and at night! I am also local to Cardiff and know how difficult it can be to shoot street in familiar areas where you can’t claim to be a tourist. I have been using my X-pro1 with old fast manual lenses with great effect but it obviously slows things down. I note all the pre-focussing even with your digital lens so I presume for your style if street shooting it’s fine? Enjoyed your video, many thanks. Fady
This video is a great gem; wonderful experience, explanation of the creative process, and application. I've been pondering the benefits of back-button focus as an emerging photographer. As a street photographer, do you use/recommend back-button focusing for the more candid captures? Also, what are some of the major drawbacks that you have found for using the traditional half-press focus method? Thanks.
I'm a native of Birmingham and have never tired of shooting its streets and people even though I've been at it for more years than I care to remember. So, as you suggest, give your home city a go, I fairly sure you won't be disappointed.
With my X-100f I am more inclined to set the camera on M, pre-focus on the 'spot', and wait for someone to reach that point. With the drive set at 3 fps you can start shooting as they approach the spot and pass through which will give you a choice of foot positions ... eg. right foot forward.
HI Gareth, great video. Thanks. Can you share which sort of AF settings we should set up? should we use Zone? Single shot in Continuous Mode? I haven't figured that out yet as I am getting not sharp images all the time! I am quite new to photography and I have a Fuji X-E3. I hope you can help. Cheers, R.
hi ricky! thanks for the comment mate.. i always use single shot with the single focal point set to centre.. i wouldn't rely on that af to shoot constant focus.. especially in low light.. so yeah single shot focus and re compose center focal point but not on the smallest setting.. thanks Ricky! hope that helps :-)
Your style is producing some great atmospheric images. I really like it. Try a seaside resort town, they are always full of interesting old folks. I've had some good results doing that lately.
Really good content Gareth. I use BBF because it "feels" right, but your vid describes really good practical reasons why you should use it. Subscribed :)
You’re like me, you shoot landscapes and street. Cardiff was my home city and I went to university there. Now I live in Bristol. I shoot a lot of street photography at Saint Nicholas Market in the centre of Bristol. It has a great vibe there, lots of little cobbled streets and market stalls and some characters too. I’ve got to get back to 3 Cliffs Bay to do some more landscapes soon though.
I get your idea of back button focus. Personally I don't like using it because when I'm handholding, the camera tends to shift causing a slightly out of focus shot. In your situation, I'd prefer to focus using the half-shutter and then switch the camera to manual focus to lock it in. Just another method to achieve the same result.
Great photos and video once again. Have you thought about slight motion blur while shooting street photography at night? I think the results would be great!
nice to see my home town ;) great images and I agree it's hard to see your city in a photographers perspective due to familiarization, a great vid and much appreciated, I also use back button for all my photography, particularly macro work, keep up the good work fella.
👍 Spot on vid, advice, and images, Gareth. Did I miss a troll under a bridge?? My guess at a missed photo is at 7.26 min, the parking spot with the human form on it - could be interesting when in proximity to a live subject. Knowing the territory helps develop situational composition sensitivity, in my opinion. A new locale can be too distracting - sensory overload. Fav image is 9. I use BBF all the time - best button depends on camera model, ergonomics, and personal preferences. The shutter halfpress still does exposure lock, something that doesn’t always pan out for me. Proper exposure can shift just before shutter release when AEL is still tied to shutter - kinda like focus error. What’s your take?
Loving your work, at the underpass location around 10 mins in, a subject smack dab in the middle of the red wall section would have been perfect comp for me. what are your thoughts?
Liked no 3 - his hand gesture was funny and added to the shot. Also liked the colour version of No 7 - really nicely balanced comp and the brick floor leading directly to him...cool. Was the missing comp at 11:20 - the alley under the Debenhams sign?
hey Gareth 👋🏻 nice vlog man. I've been thinking of switching to BBF, for a little while. and you have proved it works really well for street photography, but I was wondering if you used BBF all the time?
Cardiff for street photography,especially if there's no events going on is really hard work & very testing but for the most part always worth a half day. of course if that fails a quick visit to Newport usually works out quite well.
There is reason most great photographs were and are made with single exposure vs rapid fire continuous leave it to chance method. Continuous drive= easiest way to lose the decisive moment, in my opinion.
Great video as usual. I love Cardiff. South wales is beautiful. I must get down there again. I know the beacons quite well as my family come from a little place nearby called Hirwaun. Are you getting much use from your a7iii or are you using your X-T3 more. I'm interested to know because I'm thinking of upgrading to something a bit more professional. Basically I want some weather sealing and 2 card slots.
All your photos turned out to be great. However capturing a man in flight (#5) is something special, at least to my liking. I tended to use back button focusing quite a lot, especially on my Canon 5DmkII, which autofocus was horrendous. 5DmkIII made me lazy however 😇 On that camera I simply move the focussing point and fire the shot. Now on Fujis in this case I'll either use my 5DmkIII workflow or I'll work manually; much more precise than back focussing, but than agin I don't shoot neither X-Pro nor X-100 line but rather XT2...
Nice Vid Gareth and well done to Wales today (win over Australia at the RWC). How do you approach noise reduction with these kind of images shot at ISO 6400?
Ah haha. Thanks mate. Yeah lots of happy Welshies here haha. Tbh I don’t touch noise reduction. I don’t like the effect it has. Especially in Lightroom. But I don’t sharpen in Lightroom either. Photoshop is better for nr. But with the fuji as long as I’m exposed correctly in Camera I don’t worry about noise up to 10,000.. plus I dont lift the shadows in my street pics. That’s where you’ll see the noise appearing 👍🏻😊
Nice work, Gareth. Thanks for not being a lofty bugle-mouth "expert". You show us that you're learning and improving like the rest of us.
Haha. Very much so. Never stop learning mate. And I’m certainly no expert 😂👍🏻
Hmmm. "bugle-mouth" - Jared Polin comes to mind....
What’s a bugle mouth? Lol
@@GarethDanks A loud mouth.
12:03 longest christmas tree i have stand in my room ,was 10th of June ^^ i love Christmas
Thanks Gareth
You’ve made the back focusing button very clear
Even the experts never stop learning, After a while most people become proficient with a camera if they practise long enough, but it is all about composition and finding the photograph and then knowing how to manipulate what you have in front of you. You also have to have an artistic element for street photography as well. Great shots, the guy smoking did it for me. could have been the easiest shot of the night, but it works.
Funny how you want to improve your street photography and I learn so much from you. Thanks for all your inspirational video's.
Haha always wanna learn mate. I’m so glad to hear you learn from my adventures 😊👍🏻
I liked the shots with the fellow walking his bicycle and the other three riding by in a line illuminated by the light. It's great that you have some interesting locales where you can line up some very interesting shots. And everybody seems friendly and supportive. I have had a number of experiences where they weren't.
Long time since I been to Cardiff. Spent part of my honeymoon there and in London. I guess my highlight in Cardiff was the castle and the Peacocks. In there as you go in one area, just before you go through a door, you look up to the ceiling and there is a scary face looking down on you. I have been to a lot of castles in Wales. As a kid we used to go to Cardiff and Newport shopping. We went up some mountainous road, I think it was called Fiddler's Elbow and over the other side, to go to the market in Abergavenny. Newport must be much bigger now. I'm from Garndiffaith originally. Now I reside in the frozen, barren, northern wasteland called Canada. LOL
I enjoy your explanations of what you are doing, I feel like I'm along for the trip with you. I like your style, keep doing what you do.
Photo 8. I think is the best I liked the tunnel there because the colour of the walls really highlight and focus the eye to what you want to depict.
Hey thanks for the comment. Glad you liked the pic. Appreciate the feedback 😊👍🏻
Your videos are really fascinating as you share these experiences. As well Street Photography itself is fascinating as I'm just learning. Back button focusing seems very helpful, and a topic I want to understand. Thanks so much for your videos, Gareth!!!
Great vid only just found it. For me shot 9 is best as I like the way the chap was framed by the green and white wall. 😀
Wait till the Irish hit Cardiff.... Another gr8 Vlog... Like the idea of back button focus... Will pop over to instagram
Great advice Gareth, I’m now using back button focusing on my original X100
Gareth you have captured some amazing pics from scenes that I wouldnt have even given a 2nd look, amazing.
Very enjoyable video. I enjoyed the Birmingham one as well. Keep them coming.
Another great video Gareth! Keep up the good work!
Caerdydd!! Love my city. Great video.
Haha thanks james!
Lots of perfect examples to illustrate the usefulness of ‘back button’ focusing👍
I really enjoy you walking us through your thought process in setting up a shot! Good stuff!
thank you so much Mark!
Love your videos Gareth, great to see the thinking behind your shots. Very inspiring.
Hello Gareth, very inspirational video for me. Well done as always .....
Another good video mate, was the missed shot 5.35
No idea now I’d have to re watch it haha
Great to see my local city at night, number 3 was amazing, great interaction with your subject..
very good I love shooting at night especially light trails
Inspiring and pedagogical. Fantastic !
Hey thanks so much Jon. Appreciate that. Glad you enjoyed mate 👍🏻😊
Another great street video Gareth, first....all top notch photos. It's definitely number 3 for me. I like the symmetry and the cyclist to the left is helping by looking at the subject in the centre who is playing his part in the image, the right hand cyclist is also looking at the subject. Two strong leading lines on the bridge point the eye over to all three. Awesome job mate.
Gareth absolute great images off basic locations, great eye of using the shadows off pillars with capturing pedestrians.
Love the fella smoking looked so natural as if you modelled him into position . Great vlog
Hey thanks so much Archie mate. Appreciate that. Glad you enjoyed. 👍🏻😊
Awesome shots!!Would love to see more street photography related videos..love from India❤️
Hey man thanks so much. That nice of you. Will be doing more mate. Thanks for watching 😊👍🏻
Great video Gareth and thanks for sharing it. Looking forward to the next one already.
Yay! Im gonna take the credit for prompting this shoot, and some great ideas you've given me in return! Lots of points i was thinking- "ooh that's where i shot!" :)
I have been shooting for over 30 years, but I only started using back-focus a couple of months ago... I never looked back since.... it's definitely the way to go ;)
Enjoyed going out and about Gareth !!
Interesting crops for street work, might try some. And great b&w processing. Cheers
Brilliant again Gareth. Best shot is between 3 and 4. Very inspiring.
Nice outing, Gareth. I like the one shot of the blonde girl walking under the overpass the best.
Hey Jim. Thanks mate. Funny thing is I nearly removed that picture from the video haha. Glad you enjoyed mate. Appreciate the comment 😊👍🏻
No 3 is great,
Thank you Martin 👍🏻😊
Nice job mate....I use back button focus religiously! FairPlay for getting stuck into it
Great video. Nice easy manner in front of the camera and a good talk-through on the shots. Subscribed on the strength of this.
Loved the image of the three lads on the bikes.
Nice shots of the Diff 👍
I really enjoy your vlogs. Thanks for sharing them!
Thanks so much dan 👍🏻
Very nice , I love street photography, but sometimes you need to be careful as some people don’t take it very .
You do yes. But as long as your discreet and on public land. 👍🏻😊
Another brilliant street photography video! Really does inspire me to give it ago myself and try something new from landscapes etc
Excellent video again and your street photography videos have definately inspired me to get out and try this style.
Nice video and pictures Gareth 👌🏼
Thanks for posting Gareth, I have started using bbf a couple of weeks ago, I like it!!!
Ah your very welcome. Yes it’s game changing. You won’t go back. 👍🏻😊
Brilliant Garath, I love your video style. I’m just getting used to bb focus myself 👍👍
hey thanks Steve! appreciate that mate! i cant use normal focus now :-)
Great Video and enjoy the coffee
Great video, love the shots
Nice insight Gareth. Image No 9 for me was my favourite. Although the girl in the underpass was a close second.
Awesome style and tip for bbf,,, been trying it out...
Thanks john. Hope it works for you mate 👍🏻😊
Another great video, quality shots all of them as far as I'm concerned. Keep up the great work Gareth, very inspiring.
Been a big fan of back button focus. I know some don’t like it at all which means it just does not suit them. It suits me quite well.
same here mate! could never go back :-)
#3 for me Gareth, you’re getting good at this genre. It’s the 22nd of February, that made me chuckle. The only one I thought of was the couple walking towards you.
Nice one Gareth, really liking these Street vlogs, No 3 or 6 where my favourites. BBF for me all day long, using the command dial on the XT-2. Keep up the great work.
Ah yeah I tried that on the xt2. I was worried it might wear it out haha. Seems a popular option. Thanks so much for watching 😊👍🏻
Very nice video. I'd be scared with all the drinkers at that time of night taking interest in my camera gear. Very inspiring stuff
Hey John, thanks mate! appreciate you watching! i know it can be scary but its insured and i cant stand not getting pics through fear.. plus when its your job your often shooting in environments that scare you! especially events! i used to have a shit camera for them events but im insured so screw it haha. hope your well mate!
Picture nr 5 really talked picture language to me...Gareth: Great night street vlog and Energy...!
Hey thanks so Much Jakob. Appreciate the comment mate 😊👍🏻
Brilliant video! Made subscribe to your channel.
Excellent vlog/tutorial as ever, it makes my journey to work so much easier 👍
haha! thanks so much john! not driving i hope haha
@@GarethDanks No mate on the train in a world of my own jealous of your pin sharp photos 😀
Another enjoyable vlog mate. Excellent images I have know idea how you do it, I hate photographing people I find it really frustrating getting it right. I’ve used BBF for years and would never change 👍
Hey mark! hope your well mate! thanks for watching! - i think people get flustered when pointing a camera at people.. just seeing them as a small shadow or dark object barely unrecognisable helps! :-)
alway very inspring to watch your video
Nice video, Going to setup my xt3 for back buttom focus....
You’ll prefer it. Give it lots of practice and you’ll never go back.
Brilliant Gareth - well done! Street photography and at night! I am also local to Cardiff and know how difficult it can be to shoot street in familiar areas where you can’t claim to be a tourist. I have been using my X-pro1 with old fast manual lenses with great effect but it obviously slows things down. I note all the pre-focussing even with your digital lens so I presume for your style if street shooting it’s fine? Enjoyed your video, many thanks. Fady
Amazing vid as always, your photos are awesome
Hey thanks so much. I really appreciate that mate 😊👍🏻
Awesome work as usual bud 👍
This video is a great gem; wonderful experience, explanation of the creative process, and application. I've been pondering the benefits of back-button focus as an emerging photographer. As a street photographer, do you use/recommend back-button focusing for the more candid captures? Also, what are some of the major drawbacks that you have found for using the traditional half-press focus method? Thanks.
I'm a native of Birmingham and have never tired of shooting its streets and people even though I've been at it for more years than I care to remember. So, as you suggest, give your home city a go, I fairly sure you won't be disappointed.
Thanks paul. Yeah I enjoyed the challenge 😊👍🏻
With my X-100f I am more inclined to set the camera on M, pre-focus on the 'spot', and wait for someone to reach that point. With the drive set at 3 fps you can start shooting as they approach the spot and pass through which will give you a choice of foot positions ... eg. right foot forward.
That’s exactly what I do too. I’m guessing I didn’t explain it too well in that case lol. Thanks for watching 😊👍🏻
HI Gareth, great video. Thanks. Can you share which sort of AF settings we should set up? should we use Zone? Single shot in Continuous Mode? I haven't figured that out yet as I am getting not sharp images all the time! I am quite new to photography and I have a Fuji X-E3. I hope you can help. Cheers, R.
hi ricky! thanks for the comment mate.. i always use single shot with the single focal point set to centre.. i wouldn't rely on that af to shoot constant focus.. especially in low light.. so yeah single shot focus and re compose center focal point but not on the smallest setting.. thanks Ricky! hope that helps :-)
Living 20 minutes away from there now so knew all your locations. Might see you on the streets one day..... just don't laugh at my old XT1's 😅🙏
Great videos Gareth. 👍
thanks mate :-)
I shoot almost exclusively at night, so it's always nice to see what others do when they shoot at night
thanks for sharing! so you switch MF, then focus on a point, and then it locks there or what
Your style is producing some great atmospheric images. I really like it. Try a seaside resort town, they are always full of interesting old folks. I've had some good results doing that lately.
Cracking video, rude to choose a favourite, they are all good 👍👏👏
Haha thanks so much mark 😊👍🏻
Really good content Gareth. I use BBF because it "feels" right, but your vid describes really good practical reasons why you should use it. Subscribed :)
You’re like me, you shoot landscapes and street. Cardiff was my home city and I went to university there. Now I live in Bristol. I shoot a lot of street photography at Saint Nicholas Market in the centre of Bristol. It has a great vibe there, lots of little cobbled streets and market stalls and some characters too. I’ve got to get back to 3 Cliffs Bay to do some more landscapes soon though.
Nice vid! whether you are in Tokyo, New York or.. Cardiff, all you need is good light :)
Another great video, very interesting. You've got a real talent with street photography.
hey thanks mark! appreciate that mate!! glad you enjoyed! - still too much rabbiting on this one or not? haha
@@GarethDanks There's quite a bit, but it's good rabbit. :)
I get your idea of back button focus. Personally I don't like using it because when I'm handholding, the camera tends to shift causing a slightly out of focus shot. In your situation, I'd prefer to focus using the half-shutter and then switch the camera to manual focus to lock it in. Just another method to achieve the same result.
Great photos and video once again. Have you thought about slight motion blur while shooting street photography at night? I think the results would be great!
I think you really nailed the streets, but I think I would have shoot the drummer at around 11:51 and the tree was interesting at 12:04. Nice video.
Great video, I take it you don’t get agro at night, electronic shutter 👍 do you use single point focus point? Thanks.
HI Gareth, does your camera not have a silent mode with af-c. It sounds quite loud on the video. I'm sure the xpro2 does have silent shooting.
it does mate but i never use it due to artificial lights interfering with it.. :-)
nice to see my home town ;) great images and I agree it's hard to see your city in a photographers perspective due to familiarization, a great vid and much appreciated, I also use back button for all my photography, particularly macro work, keep up the good work fella.
Hey Richard. Thanks mate. Yeah I was genuinely nervous haha. Worked out ok tho 😊👍🏻
👍 Spot on vid, advice, and images, Gareth. Did I miss a troll under a bridge?? My guess at a missed photo is at 7.26 min, the parking spot with the human form on it - could be interesting when in proximity to a live subject. Knowing the territory helps develop situational composition sensitivity, in my opinion. A new locale can be too distracting - sensory overload. Fav image is 9. I use BBF all the time - best button depends on camera model, ergonomics, and personal preferences. The shutter halfpress still does exposure lock, something that doesn’t always pan out for me. Proper exposure can shift just before shutter release when AEL is still tied to shutter - kinda like focus error. What’s your take?
Loving your work, at the underpass location around 10 mins in, a subject smack dab in the middle of the red wall section would have been perfect comp for me. what are your thoughts?
Liked no 3 - his hand gesture was funny and added to the shot. Also liked the colour version of No 7 - really nicely balanced comp and the brick floor leading directly to him...cool. Was the missing comp at 11:20 - the alley under the Debenhams sign?
hey Gareth 👋🏻 nice vlog man. I've been thinking of switching to BBF, for a little while. and you have proved it works really well for street photography, but I was wondering if you used BBF all the time?
I do mate yeah. Unless tracking. 😊
Nice one Gareth. Gutted that England lost but credit to Wales :)
hey Simon! yeah great game tho! (if you live in wales haha) im not allowed to support england now haha.. Mrs will kill me!
Mate, another really top notch street photography video. The images are really inspiring me to give this genre of photography a go. :-)
hey man thanks for watching! yeah its really hard at night haha! itll be a damn good test for ya! lol
Yeah, I'm not worried.....much lol
Cardiff for street photography,especially if there's no events going on is really hard work & very testing but for the most part always worth a half day. of course if that fails a quick visit to Newport usually works out quite well.
Well done Gareth, glad you didn't run into some undesirables.
There is reason most great photographs were and are made with single exposure vs rapid fire continuous leave it to chance method. Continuous drive= easiest way to lose the decisive moment, in my opinion.
Great video as usual. I love Cardiff. South wales is beautiful. I must get down there again. I know the beacons quite well as my family come from a little place nearby called Hirwaun. Are you getting much use from your a7iii or are you using your X-T3 more. I'm interested to know because I'm thinking of upgrading to something a bit more professional. Basically I want some weather sealing and 2 card slots.
I think you have a great style I like that dark quality to the images. I may give that a bit if a go next time I get to a city.
Nice one mate, should come back over to Bristol sometime!
I’ll be over soon for sure. Can’t wait for a wonder 😊👍🏻
5:48 Nice!
All your photos turned out to be great. However capturing a man in flight (#5) is something special, at least to my liking.
I tended to use back button focusing quite a lot, especially on my Canon 5DmkII, which autofocus was horrendous. 5DmkIII made me lazy however 😇 On that camera I simply move the focussing point and fire the shot.
Now on Fujis in this case I'll either use my 5DmkIII workflow or I'll work manually; much more precise than back focussing, but than agin I don't shoot neither X-Pro nor X-100 line but rather XT2...
I have a adapted nikon lens on my fuji camera. Will bbf work or does it work with onpy electrical contacts lenses ?
Great video and images. Missed shot at around 9.57 : bike and man walking out of tunnel in same shot ?
Nice Vid Gareth and well done to Wales today (win over Australia at the RWC). How do you approach noise reduction with these kind of images shot at ISO 6400?
Ah haha. Thanks mate. Yeah lots of happy Welshies here haha. Tbh I don’t touch noise reduction. I don’t like the effect it has. Especially in Lightroom. But I don’t sharpen in Lightroom either. Photoshop is better for nr. But with the fuji as long as I’m exposed correctly in Camera I don’t worry about noise up to 10,000.. plus I dont lift the shadows in my street pics. That’s where you’ll see the noise appearing 👍🏻😊