What does it take to be a full-time street photographer? A damn good pair of shoes, a lot of H2o and let’s not forget a camera and lens.
I thought it might be interesting for me to write a blog about doing street photography full time and how I make a living from it, this comes from the one question I get asked more than any other “how do I make a living from it?”
The simple answer is I don’t, yes I do workshops and one to ones but it’s not enough to make a living, I’m very lucky to have a wonderful wife who supports me and my photography, she never complains that I’m not spending enough time with her or why I’m I always out with the camera, etc, I get friends and family telling me that I should get a real job and give up on this stupid dream of becoming a renowned street photographer, but my wife tells me not to listen to them and to carry on doing what makes me happy, she is the one person who pushes me, she is always there when I’m feeling down or lost and she’ll always give me the kick in ass when I need it lol, she really is amazing and I owe her so much.
Sometimes my wife and son will grab a camera and hit the streets with me, it’s a great way to spend some time together and it means we’re never just sat in front of the TV like mindless zombies (we don’t even own a TV).
I spend most of my time shooting on the streets of Cambridge, it’s not too far to travel to and from and I’ve always loved this city and it’s people. I’ve found that being a full-time street photographer working for myself is that I have set myself goals, or I’ll just end up with the same photos over and over. So I have to try and keep things fresh, work on projects or push myself to use a different focal length for example. In the past 2 years (since using Fujifilm cameras) I’ve been more focused on what I take out on the streets with me, this, in turn, helps me focus when I’m working. An example of this would be taking just one lens and camera out, this is to prevent me from being distracted about what I should be using. I never worry about time or how far I’ve walked or for that matter how many photos I’ve taken.
I always wake up fresh and excited for what the day might bring, being a street photographer you never know what the day will bring, yes I might be shooting in the same place I did the day before but I could end up with a moment that I’ve never seen or expected. It’s these unique experiences that keeps street photography fresh for me, therefore it never gets old. I spend hours on the streets and it doesn’t matter if I’m having a bad day I stick with it, the ever-changing conditions have swung in my favour enough times for me to know it’s worth the grind.
I live in a small town which is challenging for street photography, In 2017 I went along to the London street photography festival where I was lucky enough to meet up with Rammy Narula an amazing street photographer based in Bangkok, not only did I get to meet him, but I also went to his talk, hearing how he is not going to travel to far from his home to shoot and being able to find everything he needs on his doorstep, this, in turn, inspired me to take a closer look at where I lived and questioned my previous objections which limited my perception of local street photography. Doing this has now allowed me to be on streets every day, by staying local I’m now able to shot daily and in turn, I have found a few good spots in my hometown where I have good photos. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone has paid dividends, I plan on pushing myself more in my hometown.
I never leave my house without my trusty Fujifilm X-E3, it doesn't matter if I’m just heading to the local shop or going out for a meal with the family my camera is always with me. This has been since I switched to Fuji X system. Previously this would not of been possible with my DSLR, since moving to Fuji this has now become more practical and insisting to take the camera out and this baby really packs a punch.
My advice for anyone wanting to follow their passion is simple really, DO IT and DON’T let anyone tell you you can’t do it. You only have one life, don’t waste it.
