Take Ian's Challenge
Ian MacDonald is a professional image-maker whose ability to find extraordinary images in very ordinary scenes has built him a strong reputation in the street photography genre
The Art of Being Present
Slow down and notice the beauty around you by picking one of Ian’s four elements of street photography and practicing the art of being present and observing. Go on a photo walk every day for the next ten days, make at least one photo each day, and share on social media using #MyFujifilmLegacy.
The Four Elements
Challenge yourself to slow your roll — your camera roll, that is — and notice the beauty around you. In the next 72 hours, hit the streets with your camera in hand for a photo walk. (Why 72 hours? Because we want you to make this happen!)
During your walk, stop to notice the details around you. Focus on a new element, keep changing it up. Create photos as you walk. Upload one photo, your favorite, to social media with #myfujifilmlegacy to join the conversation. Ready, set, go! You have 71 hours and 59 minutes left!
Tutorial recap
Background:
The background of a photo can mean lowkey emphasis — a subtle tool to make your subject pop. Scope out the walls and buildings. Size up the shapes, shadows, and colors for opportunities. Door frames don’t just frame doors, they frame subjects.
Light:
Shadow and light are big players in street photography. Because shedding light on something is more than just a figure of speech. Light bounces off objects, goes through windows, and defines shadows. Always be aware of what the sun is doing, and think about how you want to use it. A little sunlight can shape your subject, add depth or create feeling, Or it can determine what time of day you walk the streets — during the soft light of the morning or the magic hour of the early eve.
Composition:
As the photographer, you set the scene. Your framing leads the eye where you want it to go — to your subject. Among the countless ways to pull that off is the tried-and-true rule of thirds — dividing up the image into three sections with your subject at the innermost spot where the eye will ultimately fall. Or you can look for lines in your environment and see them as the impromptu guides that lead to your subject. Lines can also create symmetry or framing. Linear direction shouldn’t just be happenstance, but rather, a choice. Happy accidents are the byproducts of deliberate intentions.
Subject:
Choose your subjects wisely. While the subject is typically just the person who caught your eye – a young lady in a bright dress, an older man with a fun smile, a random guy crossing your amazing background – your subject may also be a bird or even a park bench. You might choose to approach subjects and save the discovery of the other three layers for later. Or you could find the perfect, well-lit background, and elect to wait for the perfect subject to enter the frame. Try different angles. Move around. Change up the elements and watch your subject change too.
The goal should always be to craft a compelling image, one that tells a story with the elements available.
Ian MacDonald
Ian MacDonald is a professional image-maker whose ability to find extraordinary images in very ordinary scenes has built him a strong reputation in the street photography genre. However, it took a long time and untold trauma for Ian to discover his love for photography. After spending 20 years as a paramedic, he was diagnosed with PTSD and had no choice but to give it all up. It was during his recovery that Ian realized the power photography held in alleviating his symptoms. Making images of the city streets not only gave him a reason to leave the house, it also helped him to move forward.
For more inspiration, discover Ian’s story here.
You may also like...
Let's Keep in Touch!
Stay up to date on New Products, Promotions, and Special Offers!
COUNTRY / REGION
