Reflections of women in a window.

Mary Carron Interview

Brandon BallwegJun 1, 2023

In this interview, Mary Carron, an avid photographer, shares her journey from early fascination with photography to rekindling her passion for it after an absence from the craft. Mary specializes considers herself an outdoor photographer, but she also does street photography and documents public places, drawing inspiration from renowned photographers like Fan Ho and Vivian Maier. Mary’s photographic style combines minimalist compositions with layered scenes, capturing the essence of everyday…

Two boys jumping off a platform into water.

An Exclusive Interview with Valérie Jardin

Brandon BallwegApr 30, 20236 min read

Valérie Jardin is a self-taught photographer with a passion for street photography that shines through in her captivating images. Her minimalist style, focus on light and shadows, and ability to capture fleeting moments make her work stand out. But what inspires and motivates her to create? What makes a street…

People waiting for a subway train.

Martin U Waltz Interview

Brandon BallwegApr 30, 20235 min read

Martin U Waltz is a photographer, writer, and educator based in Berlin, Germany. He has written and co-authored several books on street photography and published many articles on street photography. He is a passionate photography teacher and offers photography coaching and photography workshops in Berlin. His work has been shown…

A family with luggage sitting on a handrail.

Photographer Interview: Inside John Hughes’ Fascinating Photographic Journey

Brandon BallwegApr 26, 202310 min read

John Hughes is a street photographer who has been capturing the vibrancy and diversity of Cambridge, London, and more for over 30 years. He fell in love with photography at a young age when he discovered the magic of the darkroom, and was introduced to street photography during a school…

A train conductor looking out of window and passengers.

Lukasz Palka Interview

Brandon BallwegApr 8, 202312 min read

Lukasz Palka is an exceptional photographer based in Tokyo whose art reflects his unique perspective on life. Lukasz’s work is the culmination of rigorous exploration and visual discovery, as he seeks to capture the beauty in the mundane and the extraordinary in the everyday. His lens takes us on a…

Brunette Mexican woman walking down a sidewalk wearing a red devil costume

Alex Coghe Interview

Brandon BallwegApr 5, 20238 min read

Alex Coghe, a street photographer, has a unique perspective on photography that comes from his life experiences. He is self-taught, and his journey to becoming a professional photographer was anarchic, with a lot of experimentation and frustration, but also a lot of satisfaction. Coghe’s work is a total reflection of…

Old couple parked and asleep in a silver car in front of a lush green hill on a cloudy day.

Wojciech Ryzinski Interview

Brandon BallwegApr 3, 20239 min read

In a world where everyone is a photographer, it takes a true artist to capture life’s fleeting moments on the streets. It also takes relentless drive and dedication. Not only is Wojciech Ryzinski a very hard working photographer, he has a very artistic eye for composition, color, and light. In…

Street photo of a man with surprised expression peeking out over a pink flower bush

Max Gor Interview: London-Based Street Photographer

Brandon BallwegMar 24, 202312 min read

Max Gor is a photographer whose passion for street photography has become the main focus of his work. As he learned about different genres of photography, he realized that taking pictures of strangers candidly called to him. Influenced by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Bruce Gilden, Ernst Haas, Fred Herzog, Harry Gruyaert, Saul…

Blonde woman walking down sidewalk carrying Dior bag hand in hand with a man.

James Maher Interview

Brandon BallwegMar 7, 20235 min read

James Maher is a New York native, a graduate of the International Center for Photography, and a portrait, event, and street photographer. He’s the author of three photography books on street photography, travel photography, and photography marketing. I invited him for an interview to discuss his approach to photography. Below,…

A Canon lens with a petal lens hood on a light-colored wood table.

The Purpose of Camera Lens Hoods & Why You Should Use Yours

Brandon BallwegJun 10, 20224 min read

If you just bought your first camera kit, you may be wondering what the plastic thing is that came with your lens. Maybe you’ve been doing photography for a while and even have been using your lens hood but haven’t questioned why. The downside to lens hoods is that it’s…

A woman looking down in front of a market. There's a man holding a phone and two women exiting, one in a wheelchair.

57 Street Photography Tips for Better Street Shots

Brandon BallwegFeb 9, 202239 min read

Street photography is a great way to capture the everyday beauty around us. It’s a form of documentary photography where the photographer captures candid moments from everyday life. Street photos are typically taken in urban environments such as city streets, parks, and other public spaces.  I’ve been doing street photography…

A parking garage at night with light blue columns.

Street Photography ISO: How to Manage Your ISO in Changing Lighting Conditions

Brandon BallwegJan 24, 20225 min read

Street photography ISO is tricky; on the one hand, low ISOs give you better image quality; on the other, high ISOs let you shoot at smaller apertures and higher shutter speeds.  The key is finding a balance so that you can get the results you want for your style of…

A woman looking down in front of a market. There's a man holding a phone and two women exiting, one in a wheelchair.

Underexposed Street Photography: Here’s How & Why I Do It

Brandon BallwegJan 18, 20224 min read

If you’re a fan of street photography, you may have noticed that underexposed street photography can be really compelling. It’s a spin on reality that doesn’t look overdone or cliché, like with HDR or overly-Photoshopped photography. In other types of photography, it’s more common to raise exposure and shadows in…

A man on a loudspeaker out of focus.

Street Photography Shutter Speed: Freeze the Action or Create Motion Blur

Brandon BallwegJan 13, 20226 min read

Street photography shutter speed is highly dependent on what you want to achieve with your street photography. For example, do you want to freeze the action so that it’s like a preserved moment in time, or do you want to create a sense of movement by creatively using motion blur?…

A small black lens and camera combo.

Best Focal Length for Street Photography: 6 Focal Lengths for Every Situation

Brandon BallwegJan 11, 20227 min read

While I wish there was a single best focal length for street photography that would fit every situation, it’s not exactly a possibility. There are wide-angle prime lenses that do the majority of what you need while being small and discreet. There are ‘normal’ focal length lenses like 50mm that…

Photo of a simple street photography gear setup with a camera, lens, strap, and camera bags.

Street Photography Gear: Pack Light to Focus on What’s Important

Brandon BallwegJan 6, 20229 min read

Street photography gear is often over-thought. Gear, to some extent, is an essential part of making street photos though. My philosophy on street photography gear is to keep things as simple as possible and travel light. Street photography gear is great, but having too much of it can weigh you…

A closeup of a camera lens with the aperture blades stopped down.

What’s the Best Aperture for Street Photography?

Brandon BallwegJan 5, 20227 min read

Your choice of aperture for street photography is one of the main elements that will determine the look and feel of your images. That’s because it affects your depth of field or how much of your photo is in focus. Having creative control over my field is important as a…

Image of a gray aperture opening on a camera lens.

Street Photography Aperture Priority: When and How to Use It

Brandon BallwegDec 30, 202110 min read

Street photography is an amazing outlet for photographic creativity. But one thing that can get in the way sometimes is keeping up with your camera settings to get the correct exposures. In street photography, moments are fleeting and pass in the blink of an eye, so obviously, you want to…

A portrait of a group of three young women and two young men.

Best Aperture for Portraits: Perfecting Depth of Field in Portrait Photography

Amy GraceDec 29, 202110 min read

When shooting portraits, whether they’re of friends, family, or clients, it’s important to get the most flattering photographs possible. Using apertures creatively can lead to some impressive shots, but there’s also an art to knowing when to use which settings. That’s why portrait photographers need to understand the effects of…

A guy slacklining on a line tied to trees on a beach at night as people watch.

Night Street Photography: Gear, Camera Settings, Techniques

Brandon BallwegDec 23, 202111 min read

Shooting street photography at night can make compelling images, but it’s also very challenging. Obviously, the biggest challenge is that you have less available light to work with. Low light can make it difficult to get proper exposures, and your camera’s autofocus may struggle. Regardless, there are ways to overcome…