streetphotography by daniel hoffmann

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      Daniel Hoffmann

    Street photography  

    with photos by Daniel Hoffmanncomments and analysis by Ronald Beams

      Second edition

    ISBN 978-87-996850-0-4

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    able of content

    Foreword by Gene Lowinger 3Daniel Hoffmann - about my photographic interest 4Ronald Beams - about my photographic interest 5Daniel Hoffmann - Why this book 5

    Chapter 1“More photo talk, less equipment talk”:

    Waiting or the train 7Playing games on the steps 9Dogs meeting in the street 11Walking the dog 13Late night discussion 15

    Come here, baby! 17Granddad pushing buggy 19Cool Britannia 21Hey you 23Love in New York 25Smile, BABY, smileeeee 27Making a phone call 29Te eye is watching you 31Don´t take a photo o me 33

    Te “mobile” photographer 35Ghost chasing boys 37Hurry up Mum! 39“It was like this” 41Pizza delivery 43Multi-tasking 45Cool dudes! 47An unusual ace 49

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    Chapter 2

    My top 10 tips for better street photos:

    1. Shoot rom the hip 522. Shoot at a close distance 543. Use a poster or an interesting background and then wait 564. Do a tight cropping 585. Use your photo to tell a story 606. Shoot in low light using high ISO 627. Street photography can be taken anywhere in public 648. Ask or permission beore taking a street portrait 669. Use lines, curves, pattern and geometric figures 68

    10. Convert to black and white 70

     Chapter 3Additional street photos:

    About additional street photos 72Now even more on sale 73Te suspicious look at the bubble machine saleswoman 74

    “Tat´s my car - that’s my doll” 75elling jokes to the street cleaner 76

    Chapter 4Street stories of China 77Faces o China 90

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    Daniel Hoffmann -About My Photographic Interest:

    Born 1959 - Living in Viborg, Denmark 

    I have been an amateur photographer since

    I was 14 years old, when I got my first camerawith shutter speeds, apertures, film speed, butwithout a light meter. Te first photos I tookwere in black and white and were developed bythe camera shop. I didn´t know anything about phototechniques, so the photos were very poor quality.

    o learn more, I borrowed some books about photo techniques rom thelocal library. Tese taught me about the importance o shutter speed,

    aperture and ISO. Afer some months o careul saving, I bought an SLRcamera and I ound out that i I developed the films and photos mysel, itwas only hal the price o the camera shop, so I bought adarkroom. Suddenly photography became my biggest hobby.

    Since then, my interest in photography has grown, and I have experi-mented with many different types o photography, but mainly landscapeand travel photos. Troughout this time, I have taken some street photos,but not as many as I would have liked to, as I have elt uncomortabletaking photos o people on the street.

    It was first afer I started using the photo sharing site 500px.com in 2011,that street photography really caught my interest. wo street photo-graphers, who were very active at the time on 500px.com were GeneLowinger and Tomas Leuthard. Both o them have taken some veryinteresting street shots.

    I learnt the “shot rom the hip style” rom Gene Lowinger and thisgave me the confidence to take more street photos without eelinguncomortable. It made me eel much less inconspicuous when takingstreet photos.Gene is now mostly writing about street photography on his blog, which

    I ollow weekly. Gene is currently living in New York, and most o hisphotos are rom Manhattan. I had the great pleasure o meeting Gene,when I visited New York.

    Tomas Leuthard is rom Switzerland. He has taken some very inspiringphotos too, but it was his first two e-books about street photo-graphy that inspired me most. You can download his e-books or reerom his website.

    Should you wish to contact me about any o the content o this book,please write to me at [email protected] 

    Should you wish to purchase my book as a hardcopy, visit BLURB.COM.Use the link on www.streetphotography.dk 

    Useul links:My own sites:www.streetphotography.dk

    www.danishphoto.dk 

    Gene Lowinger: genelowinger.blogspot.comTomas Leuthard: thomasleuthard.com

    Tis Book: ISBN 978-87-996850-0-4

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    Ronald Beams -About My Photographic Interest:

    My personal photographic approach is

    primarily documentary. I enjoy takingpictures o regular people doing regularthings in regular places. Daniel’s imagesofen do this, and I ound mysel stoppingrequently to examine them in detail –exploring why they appealed to me with the orce they did. When photoslike these are posted where remarks are encouraged, I invariably com-ment. I’m always quick to acknowledge, however, that I am not a critico any merit. I simply find elements in the photos I would have missedhad I taken a casual look only, and moved on. Once an image arrests myattention, I look or what most photographers look or: line, shape, tone,color, pattern, ocus, blur, angle -- trying to understand what these ele-ments added to the subject matter o the photograph -- subject matter ismy primary interest.

    I once judged an in-house photography contest or a large American cor-poration. Te only photo I remember o the several hundred Iexamined that day was o a young girl with an enigmatic smile, herhands behind her back, standing in ront o several boys who openly

    displayed lighted cigarettes between their fingers and smoke curling upout o their mouths. o this day, I still wonder i that young girl in thepinaore also had a cigarette behind her back. It had such strong subjectmatter that has stuck with or over orty years.

    Why this book?by Daniel Hoffmann

    I got the idea or writing this book when Istarted posting my photos on the website500px and received comments like “greatshot”, “excellent” and so on. I greatlyappreciate these comments, as it provesthat people have not only taken the time to view my photos, but also toexpress their opinions o them.I ofen received comments rom a guy called Ronald Beams in the US.Ronald made some very thoughtul and in-depth analysis o my photos.Tis encouraged me to look at my photos again and see details I hadn’t

    noticed beore.I had never seen this type o in-depth analysis beore on Flickr, 500px orany o the Danish photo sharing sites I use.So I approached Ronald and asked i he would be willing to comment onmy street photos or this book. I was very happy, when he replied “YES”!

    I think, that when amateur photographers meet to talk about theirhobby, they spend too much time discussing “photographic equipmentand tools” instead o talking about what they see, eel and experience,when talking and looking at photographs.

    Hence my message for this book: “More photo talk, less equipment

    talk”

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    Chapter 1

    “MORE PHOO ALK,LESS EQUIPMEN ALK”

    photos by Daniel Hoffmanncomments and analysis by Ronald Beams

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    itle: Waiting or the trainPhoto: Daniel Hoffmann

    Location: Lecco, Italy 

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Both figures on the right show an inordinate interest in what the figures on the lef are doing, one reading a news-paper and the other texting on a cell phone. Te expressions o the two observers suggest they disapprove o whatthey see. Nothing in the image suggests why. wo figures are involved in what they’re doing. wo other figures are

    involved in a sort-o visual kibitzing. Te guy with the large, open newspaper is absorbed in what he’s reading. Teother guy with the small, closed paper stares a little malevolently, perhaps disapproving o the other paper’s edito-rial policies. Te girl with the scar may simply be a little cold in body heat as well as temperament, and disapproveso how the “texter” is dressed and how she’s impervious to the weather. I find the un in this image is how reely youinvites conjecture.

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    Whilst on holiday at Lake Como in Italy with my amily, we decided to take a day trip to Milan. We drove to the

    nearest train station, Lecco, and took the train to Milan. As we had plenty o time beore the train departed, I de-cided to spend the waiting time taking some street photos.Te first thing that caught my eye, was an image o two men, one younger and one older, standing reading a news-paper and a magazine respectively. Te younger was holding his briecase between his legs in a rather comical way.In ront o them were two girls sitting on a bench. I took 4-5 photos o this scene rom different angles, but I thinkthis one was the best o them all.

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    itle: Playing games on the step

    Photo: Daniel HoffmannLocation: New York City 

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Te strong slanted horizontal lines in this composition direct my attention to your two main subjects. Your correspond-ing slanted vertical lines lock your subjects into a tight rame that arrests my attention exactly where the you intended.Te black circle off to the right repeats the shape and tones o the two boys, while the two chained circles add aninteresting contrast. Te angle o the boys’ legs and arms provide a reinorcement o the array o angles and lines yourimage emphasizes. Te shoes illustrate both the basic “angle” scheme you present, and also, the pair on the right con-trasting in direction with the pair on the lef, capture an interesting visual tension. Te concentration on the aces o theboys indicates a typical teenage ascination with typical teenage electronics, suggesting something o the common activi-ties o all young people (boys).

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    I just passed these two boys playing games on the step, I turned around, took the shot, and carried on walking. Teywere so engrossed in their games, that I don’t even think they noticed me taking their picture.

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    itle: Dogs meeting in the streetPhoto: Daniel HoffmannLocation: Ebeltof, Denmark 

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Both dogs are straining to touch noses and both grinning owners add tension to your image by holding them back. I theevent turns into a “dog fight” o any sort, the gentleman in the middle appears ready to reeree. I like the way you centeredthe “observer” in the middle o the sun-lighted ence and then repeated the design behind him in shaded pickets that seema little out-o-place on what could be a roo. Te dog on the lef looks more intent on making riends than the one on theright. Te right-side dog, even though it leans against the pull o the taut leash, comes across as more guarded and perhapsa little earul. You’ve captured a wide array o squares and rectangles and circles and lines that serve to mold your imageinto a whole. Te larger shaded area subdues a portion o your composition and helps direct my attention to the figuresinteracting in your scene. Te two men’s opposite hands in their pockets, neither o which is thrust in deeply, adds a slightconnection between the pair that seems to give them a more intimate relationship. Interestingly, the graphic on the reuse

    container mimics the outstretched hand o the man next to it. A little subtle humor, perhaps?

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    Tis photo was taken outside a shop in Ebeltof, whilst waiting or my wie to finish shopping.

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    itle: Walking the dogPhoto: Daniel HoffmannLocation: New York City 

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    All o the primary figures move almost in unison, their march emphasized by the low dog-level camera angle you chose.Te dog and one man look in the same direction, likely directly at the camera. Tis gives your image an additionalimpact, in that it jerks my attention up along the same low angle and into your composition. Te woman closest to theanimal has a purse in her hand with a design totally at odds with the patterns on her dress, and brings up a slightquestion about ashion. Te lady with the dog has it on a leash that winds and unwinds, and she uses a special wraparound the dog’s neck that strongly indicates the animal is not trained or the leash and likely charges away ofen enoughthat the woman is orced to use something to cushion the dog’s abrupt misbehavior. One guy is wired or stereo and onewoman is on a cell phone, unaware o those around them. All o the background figures are walking off, as i retreatinginto oblivion. Te rigid vertical lines in the buildings provide an austere background that reflects the indifference and

    lack o involvement or which New York City is notorious. elling shot o a big city.

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    I was sitting down on the pavement to get some low angle shots, when the dog went past. Te dog owner smiled at mewhen she saw me taking the photo. I think she thought it was nice o me to be interested in taking photos o her dog.

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    itle: “Late night discussion”Photo: Daniel HoffmannLocation: New York City 

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Looks like a hot summer night with a serious conversation going on. Te “Roasted Nuts” sign doesn’t reer tothe trio, but, still, adds a touch o humor. I even took the “itan” word above the leaning gentleman assymbolic o his intensity. You have a lot o un elements in your image. And your exposure in dead-on.

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    Tis photo was taken about 11 p.m. near imes Square. Te two stall holders were deep in conversation whilston a break.

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    itle: Come here, baby!Photo: Daniel Hoffmann

    Location: New York City 

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Te man sitting in the oreground and gesturing may be talking, as the woman seems to react to him in a way that

    suggests she’s comortably involved with him. Te man just beyond the doorway in ront o her appears impatient, orperhaps even a little disgusted. Te central figure is sitting on something that looks make-shif and has some oldedreading material he doesn’t seem especially taken with. Te lady’s shoes are particularly interesting, as they add inchesto her height. You have a lot going on, and you provide a lot interaction between your subjects. I find all it kind o un.

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    Tis shot is rom Manhattan. I liked the image o the guy sitting on a fire hydrant calling out to the young lady in thedoorway. It wasn’t until I received Ronald’s comment, that I noticed the man standing impatiently behind her.

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    itle: Granddad pushing buggy Photo: Daniel HoffmannLocation: Milano

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Your image has a mild touch o irony to it. Te elderly man is guiding a baby in a stroller and the two women are

    hurrying by with purses slung over their shoulders, like renzied shoppers or perhaps office workers. Te woman’simage closest to the building is reflected in the window, which subtly draws attention to the reflection o an otherwiseunseen lady standing perhaps at the curb and acing the other way. Te way you’ve positioned her cleverly establishesthe other buildings reflected in the window and clearly emphasizes a street in a major city. Your camera is angledslightly to the lef and creates an array o oblique lines that combines with the moving figures that nicely blend into anoverall effect o motion. Te man’s ace is the only one clearly shown. Tis effectively singles out his expression, whichseems a little austere, perhaps even disgusted, and is totally at odds with the caring action he has involved himsel in. Ifind this an interesting, even puzzling dichotomy that piques and holds my interest.

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmannn:

    I assumed the person with the buggy was a grandather taking his grandchild or a stroll. He was walking very slowly,as i he had plenty o time, whilst busy businessmen and women and younger students were passing him by. o me,this photo symbolises why children love their grandparents - they have lots o time!

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    itle: Cool BritanniaPhoto: Daniel HoffmannLocation: London

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Te mannequin on the cycle is visually interpreted with such a clever placement and exposure it presents the lielessfigure with enough lie-like elements that only the subtle reflections and lettering at the bottom right o the windowprovide positive proo that the scene is o a window. Te man with his legs crossed, a can o what could be beer inhis lef hand, stands with an inebriated expression that contrasts dramatically with the happy world shown in thewindow display. His hand is without a wedding ring, which adds a telling element to his loneliness, as well as to whatmay be his desolateness. Tese kinds o juxtaposition subjects are becoming more common, but the expression thisone captures on the man’s ace makes your image special.

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    I took this photo o the lonely beer drinking man in ront o a “Cool Britannia” shop, hoping to show the contrastbetween rich and poor.

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    itle: Hey you...Photo: Daniel HoffmannLocation: New York City 

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Because o the city’s reputation or rudeness and crass behavior, the “New York” lettering on the window blends withthe man’s acial expression and evocative eyes to combine into a menacing expression that is reinorced by his sizeand bulk. He seems to tower over the girl with an almost threatening presence. She’s looking into his eyes and clearlysees where his eyes are ocused. Her short dress and bare shoulders are both appropriate or the warm weather andsensual without being suggestive. Te man sports a cheap pen in his pocket and what might be a loose bow tie drapedacross one shoulder. Te young woman looks special. Te man looks common.

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    Just a lucky shot taken near imes Square, o a young girl in a pretty dress being “noticed” by the security guard.

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    itle: Love in New York 

    Photo: Daniel HoffmannLocation: New York City 

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Wow, you show two people clasped in each other’s arms, which or me expresses a moment in which they are thecenter o their universe. Te gentleman in the white shirt on their right reacts to their joy with an expression o hisown joy at their happiness. Te lady with the cell camera pretty much does what seems universally true o users othose devises – she’s so intent on what will surely be a picture that is so routine that she’ll soon dump it rom herphone’s memory. All the while, her involvement with her cell phone makes her impervious to the touching couple thatcaught your attention and that o the ellow standing near them. By visually recording the pair in the midst o busysidewalk traffic you isolate their universe rom all the others happening around them.

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    It was important or me to get the top o the tall building in the background in the rame, to catch the mood at imesSquare.

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    itle: Smile, BABY, smileeeee...Photo: Daniel HoffmannLocation: New York City 

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    While the curly-haired baby being held is cute, the expression on the cell phone guy’s ace is priceless. Ten, too,you provide a touch o mystery -- Why is the guy with two cups holding one that looks empty or near it and theother looks ull and over-flowing? Also, who is Minnie Mouse waving at? Great un!!

    Comments by Daniel Hoffmann:

    imes Square is filled with all kinds o people dressed up. Here it costs just two dollars to be photographed withyour avourite cartoon character.

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    itle: Making a phone callPhoto: Daniel HoffmannLocation: New York City 

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    errific. Getting up close with a wide angle lens creates an intimate treatment o three people, two in animatedconversation and one texting -- two dressed inormally and having un, the other in a suit with an expression thatis the opposite o un. But wait! Te guy scurrying past with his backpack appears to be on a cell phone. Tewoman’s ace and the man’s gesture make this a compelling image. Te range o activity in it adds to the un.Really nice.

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    I took 4-5 shots outside our hotel, where this businessman had stopped to make a phone call, but it was first whenthis happy couple walked past, that I got the shot I wanted.

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    itle: Te eye is watching youPhoto: Daniel HoffmannLocation: New York City 

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Perhaps “the eye” eels threatened by the circular shapes displayed near their cartons, shapes akin to his own. Yourhumor comes off uninterrupted as you composed your image without aces to compete with “the eye”. Clever -- andperceptive.

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    In Chinatown I noticed this man with the big eye on his shirt. Suddenly he looked down, and I got this great shot.

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    itle: Don’t take a photo o mePhoto: Daniel HoffmannLocation: London

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Te young man on the right shows an almost inordinate interest in your gentleman with the cane. Tis impressionis helped along by the man’s robust physique and the way you’ve placed him ront and center, yet crop him rom hisshins down. Tis technique emphasizes the looming figure, and presents him in a visually dominating posture. Teyoung ellow to the lef stands in rigid contrast to your other two, who are tilted in the same direction. Tey seemintegral to the action o your photo, while the other figure is rigidly uninvolved, his tense body almost projecting asense o ear. Te cluster o figures in the background, unessential as they are to the action, add a visual interest towhat would otherwise involve a series o rectangular tiles and lines leading to a blank space.

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    Tis photo is rom the London Underground. It wasn’t until I got home and saw the photo on my computer screen,that I realised that the man was looking directly in my camera, so he MUS have seen me take his photo.

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    itle: Ghost chasing boys

    Photo: Daniel HoffmannLocation: Aarhus, Denmark 

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Te two boys and ghost, leaning in the same direction, provide a striking oblique movement to your three figures, whichis urther enhanced with the leaning posts, especially the lamp post. Te boys appear put into flight by the towering figurein translucent white. Te ghost’s black eyes add a threatening touch, giving your treatment an extra macabre element thatsets a dark tone, in spite o the figures being in daylight. One o the ghost’s hands is drawn back and, rather than appearthreatening, gives extra dimension to your figure, as do the two stilt columns underneath the costume that provide afloating aura that makes this photo something special. You chose to shoot at eye level. Tis adds to the ethereal quality oghost and is the perect perspective.

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:Te circus was in town, and approximately 100 meters away rom the circus arena, there was a smaller tent being used as adressing room by the different artists. Te ghost appeared out o this tent and made it’s way towards the circus arena. Tetwo boys in the picture were chasing the ghost, shouting and teasing. Suddenly the ghost turned around andstarted chasing the boys, and at this moment, my camera said “click”.

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    itle: Hurry up Mum!

    Photo: Daniel HoffmannLocation: London

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Catching a great candid expression is always a major accomplishment. You caught two! Te pair o males being outsidea Ladies’ shop looking in is special. Te boy’s hand stretched out in back o the man gives the two a connection o realwarmth.

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    Tis boy and his ather were waiting patiently outside a womens clothes shop or a long time, waiting or his mum to

    come back.

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    itle: “It was like this!”Photo: Daniel HoffmannLocation: London

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Te contrasting expressions o the two men are delightul. Te raised hand and open mouth suggest a real commit-ment to whatever the man is saying. Te other man leans orward with hands behind his back, a riendly smile onhis ace, all showing he is both agreeable and interested. Te window reflection nicely establishes the area the menareconversing in.

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    Tese two riends were having a animated discussion outside a caé in London. You can just see my reflection in theupper right corner o the picture.

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    itle: Pizza delivery?

    Photo: Daniel HoffmannLocation: Randers, Denmark 

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Great treatment. Te two figures hurrying down the sidewalk with their pizzas perectly match the leg movement inthe graphic behind them, Clever!

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    I saw this wall art and waited or about 15 minutes beore these interesting people passed by.

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    itle: Multi-tasking

    Photo: Daniel HoffmannLocation: London

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Delightul. Te lady is in her own world with her book and what looks like a cell phone. Te graphic o the boy to thear right seems almost to have come to lie and to wave at the disinterested woman outside. What a nice, humoroustouch.

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    Te girl leaning on the shop window was reading her book whilst texting on her phone and I thought her reflectionblended in well with the shop display behind.

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    itle: Cool dudes!Photo: Daniel HoffmannLocation: Aarhus, Denmark 

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Graphically, these two ellows could be taken or twins: hair, hands in pockets, expressions, sunglasses, pants – or leaderso the march. Everyone seems to all into step with your main characters, one guy even carrying his coffee the same wayand wearing similar sunglasses. How interesting that two women walk side-by-side with their arms olded and hair nearlyidentical. o the ar right, both the male and emale have heads turned, albeit in opposite directions. You present a paradeo characters worth spending some visual time with. Tanks.

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    I spotted these two guys walking down the street, and thought their ashionable clothing and similar aces would made aninteresting photograph.

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    itle: An unusual acePhoto: Daniel HoffmannLocation: New York City 

    Comment by Ronald Beams:

    Tis image stopped me dead in my tracks. You cleverly position the vendor so you emphasize her hanging scale -- withwhich you replace your head and ace, giving a resh interpretation to a common event. You also have three male figureswho tilt their heads at the same angle, although acing in differing directions. Te diamonds in the lady’s blousecontrast overall with the round shapes o the various ruits and vegetables, as well as two curved arcs that nicelycomplement roundness o the scale. Tis is a un treatment well done.

    Comment by Daniel Hoffmann:

    Tis photo was taken in Chinatown, New York, and was just an ordinary tourist shot or my holiday album. When youtake a lot o street photos, you sometimes get lucky and get unexpected results. I didn’t notice that the “ace” o the scaleshad replaced the woman’s ace in this picture, making it a rather special photo.

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    Chapter 2

    My top 10 tips

    or betterstreet photos

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    1. Shoot rom the hip

    Shooting rom the hip is in my opinion the most important way o getting good candid street photos.Tis can be done by letting the camera hang in a strap around your neck and resting on your stomach (best or horizontalshots) or by carrying the camera in your arm against your lef or right hip (best or vertical shots).

    Tat means, you can shoot pictures, without having to look in the camera viewfinder.O course, you will need to practice a lot in the beginning, but it gets easier. I think it works very well with a 16-24 mm lens.(24-35 mm ullrame)I like to rest my lef arm on the camera and press the shutter with my thumb or I use a wireless remote control in my jacketpocket.You can control the camera’s vertical angle by leaning backwards. o get the perect picture at exactly the right angle I like tohold the shutter button down or continuous shooting whilst leaning.Shooting rom the hip gives a lower photographic perspective, which I don’t consider to be a problem and most o thephotos in this book are actually taken using this method.

    Tis photo is a good example o shooting rom the hip.In Queens, the temperature rose to 40 degrees(104 Fahrenheit) and many people were using umbrellasto protect themselves rom the heat o the sun.

    itle: Protection rom the sun

    Photo: Daniel HoffmannLocation: Queens, New York 

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    2. Shoot at a close distance

    For me, street photography is all about taking candid shots o everyday people doing every day things - generally in black and

    white and using a wideangle lens. o achieve this, you have to get very close to the people you are taking photos o.Te amous Magnum member and war photographer Robert Capa once said: “I your photographs aren’t good enough,you’re not close enough”. I say: “I your street photos aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough”.It´s generally not a problem to take photos at a close distance in a big city because o the huge number o peopleconstantly moving around and the noise levels o both people and traffic. It’s even easier in tourist areas as peopleare so used to having their pictures taken.It’s a good idea to check i your camera has a silent mode or use in quiet locales, as the noise rom the shutter may be heardby the subject.My camera has a silent mode, but actually I don´t use it, because I think the noise rom the people and the street is

    enough to hide the shutter noise.

    Tis shot o the lady selling hats on the streets oManhattan is both shot rom the hip and as you can see,at quite a close distance.

    itle: New York Hatseller

    Photo: Daniel HoffmannLocation: New York City 

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    3. Use a poster or an interesting background and then wait...

    You might notice an interesting poster, wall painting or other type o background, which can in many cases be used as a good

    basis or street photos, as shown in the example below with the poster o the young well-dressed woman.Te window display caught my eye, and I waited a ew minutes or an interesting subject to walk past. Te old lady with thewalking rame came strolling past me and I took the shot to show the contrast between young and old.What I didn´t see when I took the photo was that the old lady was looking or “extra virgin minerals”?! Tat was just a pieceo luck, and I think it completed my photo.

    Instead o using the old lady as the subject, I could have waited or a young well-dressed woman similar to the one onthe poster to walk by, or or a man with his head turned to look at the woman on the poster.

    For another example o using background or street photo,you can go back to page 43 and look at the photo to the photo“Pizza delivery?” where the background was a painting onthe wall. A background could also be patterns or stripeson the ground, like looking down on a pedestrian crossing.

    itle: Maybe I need some “extra virgin minerals”

    Photo: Daniel HoffmannLocation: Aarhus, Denmark 

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    4. Do a tight cropping

    Tere is an old rule in photography saying: When you lookin the viewfinder - look to the our corners and i you don’tsee anything important there, then GE CLOSER.

    O course the rule can also be applied, when you havetaken the photo, just crop it away using computer sofware asI’ve done here (original uncropped photo to the right).

    I saw this girl on the other side o the street walkingquickly and purposeully with a key in her hand and wearingearphones rom a mobile phone or an MP3 player. I presume

    she was listening to music. I wanted to get a photo beore shepassed the graffitti and the bicycle, as I thought this would bea good background or a street photo.I only had a ew seconds, so I just raised the camera and shotrom the hip, there was no time or changing ocal length.As a result o this, there was too much wall and too much othe street in the oreground, so I cropped the photo to give abolder image.

     itle: Te key to musicPhoto: Daniel HoffmannLocation: Randers, Denmark 

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    5. Use your photo to tell a story It’s great i your street photos can tell a story, pass on a message or inormation, or just make the viewer smile. In my opinion,this is best done using a simple composition.

    In this photo rom Brooklyn, I noticed the unusual way the man was standing, with his arms turned back and his stomachpushed orward as i he was trying to stand to attention, while the woman talking on a mobile phone passes him by. Just beoreshe walked past him, he looked directly at her and I took the shot.

    itle: Looking at women in BrooklynPhoto: Daniel HoffmannLocation: New York City 

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    6. Shoot in low light using high ISO

    Don’t be araid o shooting street photos in low light, as shooting with high ISO is not a problem or modern cameras. Generally, the

    background light in cities is enough or taking pictures, and can give great light and antastic shadows.

    I find it better to get a sharp photo at high ISO with just a little bit o noise, than to get an unsharp photo at low ISO with no noise.

    When you are in tourist places, you are ofen stopped by people trying to sell you something. It could be to ask you to rent a bike, see atheatre perormance, or as in the photo below to visit a certain restaurant. Tis is what I do: ell the person you will take a photo o themwith the advertising sign on so you will remember the restaurant and the phone number. Tat’s what I said to this young man, and hestopped, stood still with his sign and looked directly into the camera and I got my shot.

    itle: Te sign holderPhoto: Daniel Hoffmann

    Location: New York City 

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    7. Street photography can be taken anywhere in public

    Remember, street photography is not only photos taken in the streets, but can be taken anywhere in public. You could be at the beach, thetrain station, at an art exhibition, a ootball stadium, or in the park as shown here.

    Tis photo was taken in Central Park. At first sight I noticed these two older ladies sitting and relaxing on the bench. Suddenly a runnerstopped to stretch her legs. I think it completed my photo and in a way told a story about what people are doing in Central Park.

    itle: Relaxing, reading and running in the park

    Photo: Daniel HoffmannLocation: New York City 

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    9. Use lines, curves, pattern and geometric figures

    I you use lines, curves and patterns in your street photos, you can create even more interesting street shots. Buildings, walls, stairs,pedestrian crossings etc., can help to give your street photos a great composition. Te ather o street photography Henri Cartier-Bressonused this a lot. A typical example is his photo “Hyeres, France 1932”.

    In my photo rom Chinatown New York, I used the stairs to create a diagonal composition, pointing down to the man. Tis photo is notshot rom the hip and maybe that´s why I managed to get eye contact with him or just a ew seconds, in the time he was trying to locatehis lighter in his pocket.

    itle: Cigarette break in ChinatownPhoto: Daniel Hoffmann

    Location: New York City 

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    10. Convert to black and white

    Te great Canadian photojournalist ed Grant once said: “When you photograph people in colour, you photograph their clothes, butwhen you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls”.

    In my photo o the red and white dressed “Gray Line” salesman, I can see exactly

    what ed Grant meant.

    I’ve thought a lot about why I convert nearly all my photos to black and white, andit’s simply because I love black and white photography. I like the tones, thebeautiul shadows and I think it´s easier to tell a story or communicate amessage using black and white because you don’t get conused by the colours.

    I started my photographic hobby, by developing my own black and white photosin the darkroom, and it’s difficult or me to say how much the magic o the

    darkroom has influenced my current work in the digital age.

    Te “Gray Line” salesman, was trying to sell me a bus trip whilst at the sametime talking to a customer on his mobile phone. I was standing very close tohim, which you can tell rom the low angle o this shot resulted rom my shootingrom the hip.

    itle: Hallo...Photo: Daniel HoffmannLocation: New York City 

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    CHAPER 3ADDIIONAL SREE PHOOS:itle: Now even more on sale.Location: New York City

    I noticed this well-dressed business-like woman sitting with

    the “Now even more on sale” sign over her head. I ound it so unny that I just had to take the photo...

    itle: Te suspicious look at the bubble machine saleswoman.Location: New York City 

    Te story behind this photo is that the bubble machine saleswomanstanding on a corner in Manhattan has caught the attention o the twochildren, hoping they will ask their mother (who has her back to them)

    or money to buy a bubble machine.

    itle: “Tat´s my car - that’s my doll”Location: New York City 

    On a busy shopping street in New York, these two amilies meet toshow their recent purchases. Both children are very protective otheir new toys.

    itle: elling jokes to the street cleanerLocation: New York City 

    Tese two building workers were teasing and telling jokes tothe street cleaner.

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    Chapter 4

    Street stories rom China

    (March 2015 - Tis chapter is added to the second edition o the book)

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    A month afer finishing and publishing the English (first) edi-ti thi b k i J 2013 I t ll d t Chi t i t

    As a street photographer - it is antastic to visit a country withh diff t h t b i h t h d th t I d t

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    tion o this book in June 2013, I travelled to China as a touristwith my amily or 9 days. It was an amazing experience.

    Whereever we went, we met riendly and smiling people. Itwas a antastic experience to visit this beautiul country, and Iwould love to visit China again.

     A stranger is a friend, you have not yet met. Te author and theoldest man of a small village near the Great Wall.

    Although we spent most o our time visiting tourist attractions, Imanaged to find some time or street photography.On the ollowing pages - I will show you some o the street photos Itook, mainly in Beijing, Jixian and a village by the Great Wall.

    such a different approach to being photographed that I am used toin Europe. I you want to take a street photo o a Chinaman - justsmile and ask.O course, the majority o the people I communicated with werenot English speaking, and I could not speak Chinese. So I usedgestures and pointed at my camera and then at the person I wanted

    to photograph, together with simple English words.Tey then had the possibility o shaking their head or waving theirhand in ront o their ace i they did not want me to take theirphotograph.  Te street photographer   in action

    Not one of the friendly peopleI asked if I could take their  photo, said no! 

     A mother and her lovely boy 

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    Te Opera House and National Grand Teatre is in my opinion one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. I took a photo in front of it, of somecleaners. Tey were cleaning the water in front of the building, just as I arrived and I took a few photos. I think that this one is the best photos,because the three people are shown on different levels. 79

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    In this photo from Jixian, I first noticed the elderly man on the right with a hat, thick lensed glasses and a walking stick. I thought he was a greatstreet photo character. He was looking in his bag for something. At the same time a man and two women stopped right in front of me.Tey practically emptied one of the women’s bags, as if they couldn’t find what they were looking for.

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    When we were walking through the old Hutongs of Beijing, I saw these four men sitting outside a house having a cosy chat.I took a photo, waved to them, said thank you, and continued walking. 81

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    I took this photo in a village next to the Great Wall. Te man with the glasses was a tourist, who shared his pipe tobacco with some of the local menin the village. Although they could not communicate because of the language, they laughed and had fun together just like old friends,whilst sharing the tobacco.

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    When children are playing, they sometimes like to tease each other. Tat was what these two boys were doing in one of the streets of Beijing. Te girl in theright hand side of the photo, running in to view, was trying to get the ball from the two boys. She did not succeed in getting the ball, because every timeshe was close to the ball, one of the boys threw the ball to the other and vice versa.

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    Tese construction workers were restoring some of the old buildings in a Hutong in the centre of Beijing. I thought the building materials of the big whiteboard, together with the workmen and the passing cyclist was a good setup for a street photo.

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    Tis photo was taken in a market street in Jixian. Tere were a lot of outdoor shops like this one in the street. I asked these two shopkeepers for permissionto take a photo of them in their shop.

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    Tis photo was taken shot in the Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall. Here it is possible to look at Beijing in the small scale of 1:750. I went up to the firstfloor to take a photo showing the scale of the exhibition against that of an actual person. I liked the relaxed way the man on the ground stood with hisarms behind his back. 86

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    I really wanted a photo of the cleaning woman, who was sweeping along the metal barrier at Te emple of Heaven in Beijing. I liked the round hatshe was wearing and together with her broom and dustpan and the barrier, I thought it would make a great photo with good lines and excellentcomposition. I was just waiting for her to come closer to me, when this young couple placed themselves between us. 87

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    As a street photographer, I like people wearing hats and in this particular case also a dust mask and sunglasses, so this man in Te Forbidden City was agreat character for me. At the same time, two boys were taking photos synchronously at one side, which I think completed my photo. When I later had anarticle published in an issue of Street Photography Magazine, this photo was used as the cover photo.

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    Tis photo is from the 798 Art Zone in Beijing. Te Art Zone is a great place to visit for a street photographer. Here you can find a lot of exhibitions, art inevery shape and form imaginable and artists like this street painter. Te couple in the middle were waiting to be the street painters’ next models.

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    Faces of China:

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    Faces of China:

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    Faces of China:

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    Should you wish to purchase my book as a hardcopy (1. edition)

     

    See the link onstreetphotography.dk 

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    Tanks for taking the time to read this free PDF e-book 

    © 2013 : Daniel [email protected] 

    Copyright © 2013 by Daniel HoffmannAll rights reserved. Tis book or any portion thereof 

    may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoeverwithout the express written permission of the publisherexcept for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

    ISBN 978-87-996850-0-4