A Photographer’s Rant

This week I rant about what I am up to, plus I share some thoughts on gear, social media and a few current projects. It is going to be a wild ride, pour yourself a coffee and hang on! This post features some older photos, which I have submitted for screening with the Royal Photography Society (RPS), more abut that later…

Social Media

I am not that active at the moment on social media and am not posting much at all. Instead, I have been working on a selection of photos to gain my LRPS (Licentiate Royal Photography Society) with the RPS. If I am successful I will gain the letters LRPS after my name, which should certainly give my work increased credibility. Please keep your fingers crossed.

Getting critical feedback is vital if we are to improve our work, and lose the moniker of street photography as an utterly crap genre. The RPS is a clear way to gain photography education, and the price is very reasonable. Check out the RPS HERE. You will also get access to magazines and monthly competitions. My selected images for the LRPS required a degree of re-working and selective sharpening to be considered for my application.

For social media I am tending to focus on Mewe. In my opinion, Mewe is the most attractive option for replacing the G+ Street Photography Community group (Google + is being killed off). Mewe provides the greatest forum for discussion. Flickr, Instagram and Facebook are all getting too impersonal. Facebook also ruins your photos! You are all invited to the SPC Mewe group – link below. Please get involved. The site will provide educational posts and weekly challenges.

www.mewe.com/join/street_photographers

Projects

Another way to improve as a photographer is to get involved with a project. I am currently working with a group of people on a book, based around Bangalore. This involves heading to a location and HAVING to get a good photo. As a street photographer I am used to heading out and seeing what I can get, there is never an external expectation of capturing great images. Being taken somewhere and having to succeed certainly adds pressure. The project is providing an opportunity to explore my environment and meet some interesting characters as well as extending my photography skills.

My New Sony A7iii

I certainly have not ‘jumped’ from Olympus and my trusty Em5ii. The Sony is proving itself a wonderful tool, but I still prefer my Olympus lenses. The cost of high-quality Sony glass is prohibitive. I know there are options out there that will match, or surpass my Olympus line-up, but it will be a while till I can afford to invest in my new system.

Next Week..

Next week I am off the the Nilgiris hills, somewhere in the middle of know-where. Hopefully there will be lots of photo opportunities. However, no Wifi, so I will be enjoying a week of social-media absence. Bliss..

Take Care and Keep Clicking, Chris x