Diving into 28mm street photography with Fuji XF 18mm f2 + X-T20

Josef Koudelka writes in his Journals: "I try to photograph what doesn't exist. What exists so rarely that we are sometimes not even aware of its existence or that only a few people can realize its existence." I deeply identified with this quote.
In the recent months I slowly began shifting into using XF 18mm f2 for my street walks after using XF 35mm f1.4 for about 4 months exclusively. Perhaps it was initially just me looking for a breath of fresh air or just its small size factor but slowly I began to create a strong bond with 28mm focal length.
Many photographers rightly say that with 28 mm you have to get close to the subject. I think this observation doesn't really represent the true essence because the spot where it truly shines is in its ability to capture a wider scene - a microcosm of human interactions and getting closer is just a necessary side effect.
The look I tried to achieve with 50mm (XF 35mm f1.4) where one frame tells multiple "stories", the image that appears chaotic but contains an order began to take a shape and a form and the switch felt like a revelation. The photo that dances between chaos and order.
The scenes captured through 28mm often don't look very close to what they look like in reality due to its wider view and compressed look which gives to a photo a certain renaissance paintings feel. It makes people appear as if they live inside the picture itself, rather than the real world. This is the type of existence that I understood from Koudelka’s quote. The creative playground of the flattened perspective of 28mm focal length that gives photos almost dreamlike quality fully immersed me..
This is a selection of daytime photos I took in April-May 2024 in Prague and Chania.
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[@streetandurban]

your photos always have a lot of atmosphere. it's a pleasure to watch your videos.

[@tomasmano]

Thank you so much, really glad that you enjoyed it! :)

[@bjornb6961]

Blown away by your photos - I especially love the horse-and-man-looking-at-each-other shot, with the couple in the back in perfect stride, what a great moment! So many other great shots, too. I’m genuinely impressed and a bit jealous TBH 😅

[@tomasmano]

Thank you so much Björn, glad you enjoyed it, really appreciate it!

[@diegopai3878]

me encanta el diseño y desarrollo del vídeo, y por supuesto las fotografías.

[@tomasmano]

Muchas gracias Diego!

[@brumsy.official]

This was a joy to watch ! I really hope this channel gains traction because it’s totally deserved. Splendid shots, great edit and music choice ❤

[@tomasmano]

Thank you so much Brumsy, means a lot! :) Looking forward to see more of your work! :)

[@bartazare]

Amazing shots!!! 🔥

[@tomasmano]

Thank you so much Bart, really appreciate it!

[@user-nl3sl4si1f]

Нравятся Ваши фото в низком ключе и контровом свете. И музыка тоже удачно подобрана!

[@tomasmano]

Thank you so much, appreciate it!

[@eortizfoto]

Beautiful work ❤

[@tomasmano]

Thank you so much Eduardo! Looking forward to see more of your work in future! :)

[@craig_cunha]

Great photos!

[@tomasmano]

Thanks a lot Craig, appreciate it!

[@inFAdepT]

Love your photos, do you also have the 27mm f2.8? and if you do, would you prefer the 18mm f2 or the 27mm f2.8?
Im trying to pick between these two lenses for street photography

[@tomasmano]

Thank you so much, really appreciate it! I don't have XF 27mm but I plan to buy it next! I think if you're in the street photography in the long run you may eventually end up getting both. It really depends if you've already chosen a certain look that you would like to pursuit. Subjectively I would assume XF 27 can give a quicker gratification and can be easier to experiment with so based on that I would choose that one. Also due to its popularity it should be easy to resell if it doesn't fits you. On flicker there are groups for both of these lenses so you can review their images if your are still undecided. Hope that helps!