2:57 Portrait of lad with a bag. Don't stress about the strap. Honestly, it's part of the composition and leads the eye to the pillar just to (our) right of the subject, thus leading us around the photo. It's cool.
Love the shot of the guy leaning against the black wall with street background. So authentic, seems to tell a story about personal expression in the street.
What helped me most was your sentence: "I almost never get a 'no'". I'm doing streetportraits as well, but I really have to jump over my shadow for that. I'impressed, that you even ask beautiful young women for a portrait. I wouldn't dare to do that. I were afraid, they might be offended. That's why I'm focusing on elder men, which are quite interesting subjects for me especially if they "lived a life". Thank you for your great videos. They help me a lot!
Great discussion, Paul, very helpful. With the headphone guy, him sat down in the stairwell looked very good, you could see the light in his eyes as you say, and you got fantastic detail in his face - so expressive. First thing I thought of about the camera strap guy was, Oh no it's me! -- because on holiday I'll hand my wife the camera and she never thinks to mention my strap has dragged my shirt into total disarray, and I don't think to check, and afterwards I think gosh ten seconds to fix things up would have made such a difference. Then the second thing I thought was, I'll bet we have better luck asking for them to set down a bag if they are in a group - in case they are anxious about pickpockets!
@@el0blaino yeah I had no excuse as the people I usually ask are in a pair or a group!! But I know next time. In the moment I’m becoming better but I’ve still got work to do. I spend so much time thinking about the light I have missed things at times. The more I do the better I get. I’m excited to get back out there again and photograph strangers
@@paulreidphotography What lens where you using for these portraits? the one with the guy in the shade and then the girl in the shade with the street in the background?
The full body portrait was fantastic! Good call on that one. And, I love your approach to asking for a portrait. I think that I'll try using that for my first attempt--after I find a good location that is well lit. Thanks, Paul!
Very good video subject Paul... Most of the time in street photography the moment is the thought while the lighting is secondary if at all. But taking the time to find the light makes the difference between a snapshot and a photograph. This video reminds us to keep lighting in the forefront of thought.
Beautiful. Interesting how you put the light onto them. In portrait, my experience says 80% is the background. My tip for portrait against wall, putting away a little bit more, to get more bokeh/blur. See 14:37 is perfect portrait to me and 16:28. My big inspiration is photograph book: Raised By Wolves by Jim Goldberg
It’s important the background isn’t distracting. However the background can give context and be part of the portrait. In those cases the background becomes much more important than a none existent blurry background
Amazing photos and great knowledge that you are sharing. Do you prefer to shot your portraits on full 28mm? or do you use the crop modes… or when du you choose to crop if so?
Thanks for sharing, great people and portraits. Do you ask people to sign a release form? I do take the odd street portrait myself and wondering if I should make a release form.
Hi Paul,, I recently have been shooting with some of My Vintage (Film Camera, Nikon F n FM Cameras 50 f1.4 n 85 f1.8 n 105 f2.5n 135 f2.8) lenses on My Digital Nikon Z cameras,, The Vintage look is Very Interesting !!!!!! ThankYou for this Great !! exploration of street portraits :) :) :)
Great work Paul. I suppose the ‘flat’ light of a cloudy day is still contrasting with the shadows. Great tips to find cover for the subject, and to ask couples or groups whereby I assume subjects are more likely to say yes. The colour ones work really well. Do you still use a reflector?
@@paulreidphotography Can you remind me how big your reflector is please? Not sure about carrying one around all day if too big. I did see someone gets the subject to 'read' an open newspaper as a reflector - possibly easier to carry and disposable ;-)
Hi, new to your channel and immediately subbed. Loved your work / art. You are an inspiration. Question, do you like your q2m over your q3? Image quality wise? Or iso / night shots? Thank you
These are lovely portraits Paul, but if I may ask the question that don't you think here the Q2 with its fixed 28mm lens is the limiting factor? Even with a 50mm one could get a lot closer without causing distortion and using a wide aperture could have thrown the background out. Although, some context to the photos may have been lost.
For portraits 28mm is limiting. But it’s through those limits that I have grown as a photographer. You find a way round these things. In the case of 28mm, where you place the subject in the frame matters a great deal and I’ve found a sweet spot and the right distance to be from the subject.
To be honest it gets easier the more you take. When you can show examples of what you do it makes things a lot easier. In the last video I posted you will see the couple don’t even ask. However at the end of the session I showed them my instagram and my TH-cam channel as well as making sure I get their contact details in case I want to enter them in any competitions that require permission.
Paul, my 'ask' is a lot like yours and I have a high success rate. Many times the subject will first ask me what I'm doing this for and I've never found a suitable answer. Sometimes I say it's my hobby, but I don't like that response. Other times I've said I like to do street photography and I'm doing a 'People Project.' Another answer is that I am an amateur photographer and I like to do street portraits of interesting people. None of these is really satisfactory. What do you say? I'm a grandpa so I think that works in my favor to make people less suspicious.
Paul, I apologize, I am new to your page. I have a quick question...do people ask you to provide the photo you take back to them? If so, how do you do it? Do you gather information from them (email address...etc) or direct them to your page?
Usually I give them my details and ask them to get in touch with me. I get their names for sure and learn a little about them through conversation. Most times they are just happy to use my photos as their profile picture
Love the Q2M portraits against the wall.
2:57 Portrait of lad with a bag. Don't stress about the strap. Honestly, it's part of the composition and leads the eye to the pillar just to (our) right of the subject, thus leading us around the photo. It's cool.
Amazing portraits. Enjoyed every minute of this video. Many thanks.
Love the shot of the guy leaning against the black wall with street background. So authentic, seems to tell a story about personal expression in the street.
@@JohnPatrickWeiss thanks very much! I love that one too! I think the street certainly adds to the atmosphere
What helped me most was your sentence: "I almost never get a 'no'". I'm doing streetportraits as well, but I really have to jump over my shadow for that. I'impressed, that you even ask beautiful young women for a portrait. I wouldn't dare to do that. I were afraid, they might be offended. That's why I'm focusing on elder men, which are quite interesting subjects for me especially if they "lived a life". Thank you for your great videos. They help me a lot!
Staying around museums and other artist places will definitely help the acceptance of what you are doing. What beautiful work here.
Great discussion, Paul, very helpful. With the headphone guy, him sat down in the stairwell looked very good, you could see the light in his eyes as you say, and you got fantastic detail in his face - so expressive.
First thing I thought of about the camera strap guy was, Oh no it's me! -- because on holiday I'll hand my wife the camera and she never thinks to mention my strap has dragged my shirt into total disarray, and I don't think to check, and afterwards I think gosh ten seconds to fix things up would have made such a difference. Then the second thing I thought was, I'll bet we have better luck asking for them to set down a bag if they are in a group - in case they are anxious about pickpockets!
@@el0blaino yeah I had no excuse as the people I usually ask are in a pair or a group!! But I know next time. In the moment I’m becoming better but I’ve still got work to do. I spend so much time thinking about the light I have missed things at times. The more I do the better I get. I’m excited to get back out there again and photograph strangers
Great video. Just what I was looking for. Thanks
Wonderful work as always 🙌
You developed the redhead!
This type of video is the 💣 please more of this. Wow. Strong work!
Thanks so much!! I really appreciate it!
The film portrait with the busy background! I think the reflection adds so mutch feeling to the portrait! 🥰
@@PatrikSkiffardFoto there’s certainly something about it that breaking my own rules made a better image
@@paulreidphotography What lens where you using for these portraits? the one with the guy in the shade and then the girl in the shade with the street in the background?
The full body portrait was fantastic! Good call on that one. And, I love your approach to asking for a portrait. I think that I'll try using that for my first attempt--after I find a good location that is well lit. Thanks, Paul!
Thanks so much!! Yeah location is takes so much pressure off
Very good video subject Paul... Most of the time in street photography the moment is the thought while the lighting is secondary if at all. But taking the time to find the light makes the difference between a snapshot and a photograph. This video reminds us to keep lighting in the forefront of thought.
It does make a huge difference
Beautiful. Interesting how you put the light onto them. In portrait, my experience says 80% is the background. My tip for portrait against wall, putting away a little bit more, to get more bokeh/blur. See 14:37 is perfect portrait to me and 16:28. My big inspiration is photograph book: Raised By Wolves by Jim Goldberg
It’s important the background isn’t distracting. However the background can give context and be part of the portrait. In those cases the background becomes much more important than a none existent blurry background
Very instructive tips and advices!
Really impressive work ❤
Thanks so much!!!!!
Amazing photos and great knowledge that you are sharing.
Do you prefer to shot your portraits on full 28mm? or do you use the crop modes… or when du you choose to crop if so?
I always shoot 28mm and only crop if I decide after that a horizontal portrait looks best as vertical
Thanks for sharing, great people and portraits.
Do you ask people to sign a release form?
I do take the odd street portrait myself and wondering if I should make a release form.
I think that seems a bit much. Just gather details
Great photos. Do you ever email the subjects a copy?
I do sometimes or send on instagram
Wow so glad i found your channel. Amazing portraits and great video! So these were all at 50mm and 28mm?
Indeed they are!!
Hi Paul,, I recently have been shooting with some of My Vintage (Film Camera, Nikon F n FM Cameras 50 f1.4 n 85 f1.8 n 105 f2.5n 135 f2.8) lenses on My Digital Nikon Z cameras,, The Vintage look is Very Interesting !!!!!! ThankYou for this Great !! exploration of street portraits :) :) :)
I think it’s wonderful!! I can’t get the same look from digital!!
Nice vid, Paul. Good, useable advice. Do you tend to gravitate towards the same areas or just anywhere?
I’m all over the place! But I do look to see where I can shelter people from that light from above
Paul, Your street portraits with your Q2M are fabulous. Great advice about how to use light. Do you have your subjects sign a model release? Thanks.
Thanks so much. So contact details is enough.
Great work Paul. I suppose the ‘flat’ light of a cloudy day is still contrasting with the shadows. Great tips to find cover for the subject, and to ask couples or groups whereby I assume subjects are more likely to say yes.
The colour ones work really well.
Do you still use a reflector?
@@johnwaine56 thanks mate! I haven’t cracked open the reflector for a while but I think it will be making a return for those overcast days
@@paulreidphotography Can you remind me how big your reflector is please? Not sure about carrying one around all day if too big. I did see someone gets the subject to 'read' an open newspaper as a reflector - possibly easier to carry and disposable ;-)
Getting good catchlights one of the most difficult things outside without flash or reflector.
It is indeed. It’s all about controlling the light without those extra items for me.
Hi, new to your channel and immediately subbed. Loved your work / art. You are an inspiration. Question, do you like your q2m over your q3? Image quality wise? Or iso / night shots? Thank you
The Q2M over the Q3 for me always
terrific
These are lovely portraits Paul, but if I may ask the question that don't you think here the Q2 with its fixed 28mm lens is the limiting factor? Even with a 50mm one could get a lot closer without causing distortion and using a wide aperture could have thrown the background out. Although, some context to the photos may have been lost.
For portraits 28mm is limiting. But it’s through those limits that I have grown as a photographer. You find a way round these things. In the case of 28mm, where you place the subject in the frame matters a great deal and I’ve found a sweet spot and the right distance to be from the subject.
I would be interested to know what you say to people when they ask "what do you want to use the photos for?"
To be honest it gets easier the more you take. When you can show examples of what you do it makes things a lot easier. In the last video I posted you will see the couple don’t even ask. However at the end of the session I showed them my instagram and my TH-cam channel as well as making sure I get their contact details in case I want to enter them in any competitions that require permission.
Paul, my 'ask' is a lot like yours and I have a high success rate. Many times the subject will first ask me what I'm doing this for and I've never found a suitable answer. Sometimes I say it's my hobby, but I don't like that response. Other times I've said I like to do street photography and I'm doing a 'People Project.' Another answer is that I am an amateur photographer and I like to do street portraits of interesting people. None of these is really satisfactory. What do you say? I'm a grandpa so I think that works in my favor to make people less suspicious.
There’s a free lesson on the members page on my website that addresses this. Go check it out
@@paulreidphotography I will. I subscribed to your course but haven't started it yet.
Paul, I apologize, I am new to your page. I have a quick question...do people ask you to provide the photo you take back to them? If so, how do you do it? Do you gather information from them (email address...etc) or direct them to your page?
Usually I give them my details and ask them to get in touch with me. I get their names for sure and learn a little about them through conversation. Most times they are just happy to use my photos as their profile picture