Every week we are taking a more in-depth look at some of the headline speakers at our forthcoming Festival of Outdoor Photography, who reveal why their talks are a must-see for anyone passionate about landscape, wildlife, travel and street photography.
Indeed, it’s the turn of street photography this week as we put the spotlight on a speaker who will need no introduction to many AP readers, namely Damien Demolder.
A creative commute
Damien is a former editor and technical editor of AP, and remains a regular contributor. Writing aside, he’s also carved out as a big reputation as a street photographer and workshop leader. He talks more about his background and what you’ll learn about street photography on his guided photo walks at the Festival of Outdoor Photography below.
‘When I moved away from being the technical editor of AP, I wasn’t testing cameras anymore, so there was less opportunity to take photos,’ he explains. ‘As a result, I would get an earlier train in to the City of London from my home in Essex just to give myself time to take photos of people for my own enjoyment. It didn’t occur to me that it was ‘street photography’… when somebody mentioned I was really into it, I was like ‘er really? Yes I suppose I am.’
As Damien explains, what become an interest on the way to work grew into something much bigger. ‘For a long time it was the only kind of photography I was doing and street photography became a real passion. It has also informed my other photography, including even portraits and even product photography.’
Street photography misconceptions
Damien has some interesting insights into people’s biggest misconceptions about street photography, an area he will be exploring more in his walks at the Festival of Outdoor Photography (get your discounted tickets to his photo walks here)
‘People think that street photography is really difficult and that photographing strangers in a public place is terrifying… they assume everyone will be aggressive and punch them in the face! The reality of course if that most people don’t care, unless you make a nuisance of yourself. I teach how to take street photos without upsetting anyone or spoiling their day, so there is no chance of confrontation.
There’s a misconception too that street photography is some kind of ‘rush’ thing involving lots of walking, but actually it’s a more leisurely pursuit. You only need to work one small area really hard, looking for opportunities, rather than rushing around waiting for something magical to appear in front of you.’
What to make of smartphones and street
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room, smartphones. Does Damien think smartphones have helped or hindered street photography?
‘Smartphones don’t tend to have the same reaction times as a top mirrorless camera,’ he muses. ‘It’s only a fraction of a second but you can miss the moment. They tend to have a much more limited focal length, too, although with higher resolutions now available you can zoom right in. In general, however, smartphones just tend to be more fiddly and aren’t really designed to take pictures all day. The phone keeps resetting itself with things like exposure compensation. It’s also hard to get convincing background blur too, as it’s not done by physics but by software.
Having said all this, there is nothing ‘wrong’ with using a smartphone for photography and smartphone photographers are more than welcome to come along to my course at the Festival of Outdoor Photography. For many people, a smartphone will be the camera they always have on them, and that’s great.’
Light duties
I’ve been on one of Damien’s street photography workshops, and I soon realised it was also a workshop on making the most of light. ‘Most people don’t really look at light or notice it in the way that allows them to make the most of it,’ he explains.
‘The way the light falls on a subject in street photography is crucial. You can photograph the most ordinary subject in amazing light and it becomes an amazing picture, and the reverse is also true. Interestingly great photos are rarely about the subject matter.’
Developing your own style
There are several approaches to street photography, from moody monochrome to entertaining shots involving visual puns and quirky coincidences. What does Damien thinks are the current trends? ‘I’d say the trend is now all about ‘style,’ with cinematic colours and colour grading… a lot of street photography is now relying on getting a particular ‘look.’
But yes, those visual puns and funny juxtapositions are still popular – the nun walking past the bra advert, the kingfisher sitting on a no fishing sign and so on. There’s nothing wrong with this, as photography is also supposed to be entertaining, but everything in moderation, and you should also be trying to develop your own style.’
So how do less experienced street photographers go about doing this? ‘I’d say look at the work of other photographers you like, and see what you can borrow and adapt yourself,’ observes Damien. ‘After a while, you start to take pictures that rely on consistent elements, and this then becomes your style. If you go ‘looking’ for a style it doesn’t work, it develops gradually. Just shoot what you like in a way that you think is interesting and always think about what you are doing.’
Damien’s talk at the Festival of Outdoor Photography
We’ve covered a lot of general ground already, but what specifically will people get from Damien’s photo walks at the Festival of Outdoor Photography?
‘The main thing I will do on my photo walks is to look for interesting light, and show you can find interesting light in surprising places. We will be looking for elements of the urban landscape that create interesting images and will focus on a few core elements – light, exposure, composition – and and really hammer this home.If you can master these elements, it will transform all your photography, not just your street work. It will change the way you see.’
What is Damien’s preferred choice of equipment for street photography, and why? ‘I like to use 50mm ‘standard’ lenses when shooting full frame, or 25mm lenses on Micro Four Thirds and 35mm lenses on APS-C. I like prime lenses with a fast aperture to get shallow depth of field effects, but a fast mid-range zoom is also fine. You don’t need to bother with a long lens. My favourite camera bodies are the Panasonic S5 Mark II and GX9, as they are compact, discreet and easy to use.’
For full details on the Festival of Outdoor Photography, which takes place at the Royal Geographical Society in London from May 30th to June 1st, see here – don’t miss your chance to get discounted tickets too!
