Back in 2015 I was active in an online critique group that specialized in Street Photography, "More Like Magnum Street Critique". I was interviewed by one of the Moderators after being called out as member of the month. The group has long since faded into the fog of Flickr past but the article remains- here is an excerpt:

  

"...I proudly present our member of the month for April 2015, Mr. Jonathan Potts!! Jonathan has always been a great member of the group, in the sense that he isn't only a great photographer, but also an excellent critic. His critiques are always in depth and constructive. Personally, I have benefited from his critiques a lot and I'm sure there are many members in the group feel the same way, too. Let's explore Jonathan with his truly inspired interview.

 

Which country/ city are you based?

 

I live in Ottawa, Canada’s capital city which has the dubious honour of being the second coldest capital in the world, behind Mongolia’s Ulan Bator. It’s very much a cosmopolitan, four season’s kind of place that offers a myriad of cultural and recreational activities for everyone. Add to that the fact that it’s fewer than a million in population, it has a personable, small town feel, making it easy to call home.

 

My work involves a lot of travel, mostly to Europe and the US which presents a lot of varied opportunity to capture the antics of man in his natural habitat.

 

What got you interested in street photography?

 

I’ve always been an avid people watcher and a student of human nature. As a self-taught photographer who will only shoot in manual, I found it very challenging to photo people in the street. The pace of human activity, the huge difference in available light in different directions, the degree of clutter, colour, and tone of background always offers tremendous challenge when exposing.

 

Its ironical to me that Street Photography is far and away the most commonly attempted genre and yet also the most challenging to get right.

When you nail a street photo you know it and can feel it right away. There is a particular kind of satisfaction the we shooters share that is unique in that regard. I dabble in portraiture and landscape but my default genre is Street or Social Documentary as I sometimes refer to it. The genre demands a high degree of technical skill as well as a willingness to observe patterns of human behaviour

 

My association with the folks in the ‘More Like Magnum Street Critique’ group has helped me grow as a photographer and an artist.

 

Who are your heroes when it comes to street photography?

 

I’ve purposely avoided studying the masters too closely as I have only recently begun to find my own voice as a photographer and felt that concentrating too heavily on the giants that have paved the way might somehow suppress my own individual growth as a photographer.

 

I’m a big fan of the work of Robert Klein, Eugene Smith, Garry Winogrand, and of course Henri Cartier-Bresson.

 

James Nachtwey, who isn’t a street photographer so much as a war photographer, to me is the poster child for the photographic ethos. His quiet demeanour, tireless effort and social consciousness serves as a great example to all of us who would dare point our lens at the world around us. There is a fantastic documentary about his work on YouTube that I highly recommend.

 

Do you have any blogs that you read regularly?

 

I rarely take the time to read the many fantastic blogs that are on the internet these days, preferring instead to watch the many YouTube channels available that specialize in photography. They are a great resource put together by many gifted and generous photographers that help spread the news about what we do and how we do it. They're for the most part a fantastic resource for those who are just beginning to explore the photographic universe that is street photography.

 

I used to follow Dom Bower, Jared Polin and now and again Eric Kim. These guys typify the many Bloggers who take the time to share technique, advice and inspiration for those of us learning the craft.

 

What would you consider a street faux pas?

 

This is a great question and I would have answered it differently a year ago. To me the most important thing to keep in mind is that we need to show respect for the subject in our work and present them in a manner that does not degrade their personal dignity.

 

That is not to say that you shouldn’t be creative, gritty, use artistic licence or even be biased in your presentation. Quite simply it means that you are mindful of the need to balance the rights of individuals to their privacy against the right of the public to know, and present an image that compromises neither.

 

Most of us when we start out photographing on the street, shy away from approaching people and getting to know them before taking their image. Once you have mastered that skill, your game will move quickly to the next level. Convey a sense of pride in your work, and invite participation rather than attempt to steal a moment. You will get turned down on occasion but you will find the benefits far out way the effort. Getting closer and capturing the personality of the street will benefit your portfolio and your love of the genre. It will also help you to develop a personal, recognizable style.

 

What is your process, do you shoot on your commute, do you designate time for your street photography? Do you listen to music?

 

I devote a certain amount of time strictly to street photography and cruise my favourite haunts to get the shots I want every week. I often listen to music while shooting but not always. Sometimes I find the banter of a market place or a sidewalk café to be more effective in helping me read and anticipate an interesting situation. There are pros and cons to listening to music while working. I do find it relaxing and inspirational though. A lot of street photographers have strong opinions one way or another. When travelling I like to wander a little off the beaten path. I’m always mindful of where I am and the cultural differences and try to be as inconspicuous as possible.

 

What does your significant other think of this disease? (lol)

 

My wife unfortunately doesn’t share my passion for photography and to a degree resents the time I spend doing it. It’s less problematic now that my productivity is much higher and I don’t slow her down as much when we travel...LOL

 

What camera setup do you use? Do you have multiple cameras you utilize? Why?

 

I rarely work Street with more than one camera body at a time, although it is tempting. I’ve often thought one DSLR with a 28mm or 35mm prime and another with a with either an 85mm prime or 24-70mm Zoom would be a very flexible rig, but it is way too conspicuous and will make it difficult to fit into the background.

 

The equipment I use depends on light conditions. I try to stick to prime lenses because of the image quality is just that much better. I have three favourite bodies for street work; Nikon D800, an Olympus EM-5 and a Nikon D4s. The latter two are the most often used.

 

The D4s is an excellent low light camera, as I never use flash in a public place. It also can give me 11 frames a second if there is some interesting action underway. The Olympus is great for getting close without becoming part of the action. As a micro 4/3rds camera it looks like a high end point and shot and is far less conspicuous than a professional full frame camera body and 24-70mm f/2.8 lens combo.

  

What constitutes an image you want to upload to the critique group?

 

When I consider a shot for posting to “More Lie Magnum Street Critique” I’m mindful of the expertise and quality of work by the participants. I’m also appreciative of the ethos of providing meaningful critique. ‘Magnum is less about showing your work and more about inviting constructive criticism. Being open to receiving that and participating in the process has forced me to up my game in composing, processing and presenting the storey I want to tell.

 

If I'm experimenting with a particular composition I'll post it and take advantage of the willing expertise at hand to tell me what does and doesn't work

  

How would you describe your shooting style?

 

I would use terms like revealing, inclusive, and detailed among others. I like deep depths of field, sharp detail and of course motion blur. I have a lot of fun doing long exposure shots in public places. One of the great aspects of the camera is how it so effectively constructs illusions with time, space and tonal gradation.

 

I find the best approach to getting great compositions on the street, to be that of the Great Master- Henri Cartier-Bresson. Choose an interesting background and wait patiently for life to appear with all of its glorious antics. You're bound to produce some good work with this approach as well as develop a keen eye for great scenes to work with.

 

What message would you like to send out to the other members?

 

I would say participate in the process. Have a few shots in mind before you go out and start shooting, against a particular background or location. Make a few different exposures; different focal lengths, distances, portrait and landscape, and different angles of the same or near same subject. Once you get the RAW files into digital negative format, look at them as thumbnails, say in PS Lightroom’s Library loupe view and decide which compositions work best. All good photos almost without exception work as a thumbnail. It may take a few outings to a particular scene in different weather and lighting conditions, working it closely before you finally get the portfolio shot.

 

When you have created the photo you want, put it in the pool and be open to constructive criticism. Don’t be afraid to push back and get clarification if you don’t agree with or understand a comment. Participate, learn from and offer your honest opinion on others work and be patient with the many other interested and talented shooters in the group and we will all grow as Street Photographers.

 

Also remember in the end its your photo and therefore what matters most is whether or not you are happy with the result- or continue to strive to make it better…

Remember what Leonardo Da Vinci is quoted as saying, "Art is never finished, only abandoned."

 

Have fun and Good Shooting!"

  

Interview on YouTube with Nathan Rupert on his channel, Photographer Profile: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iMIpSY85K4