If you loosely apply Lomography’s ten golden rules, you’ll do just fine.
- Take your camera with you everywhere you go.
- Use your camera any time, day, or night.
- Photography is not an interference of your life but a part of it
- Shoot from the hip
- Approach as closely as possible
- Don’t think
- Be fast
- You don’t have to know beforehand what you captured
- Or afterwords either
- Don’t worry about any rules.
Number 10 may be the most important. Don’t listen to others, stay true to yourself and your artistic endeavor. There are plenty of rules that can and should be broken.
To those 10, I’ll remind you of another 10.
- Luck, coincidence emergency and surprise are your friends.
- Experimentation is exciting. Expect the unexpected. Or don’t!
- Embrace the sensory effects of the street. Light, shadow, smells & sounds
- Leave the grind behind. Focus on you and your subjects.
- Street photos look better when printed. I prefer black and white.
- Look again. If something spots your eye, but you pass on it…go back. Your first instinct is usually correct.
- Let loose. Have fun.
- Analog or film photography is making a comeback. Buy a cheap film camera.
- Analog will seldom disappoint because it is unique and challenging.
- Trust your senses over an LCD screen and electric sensors.
Urban, or street photography, combines what I love best. Walking, working with people, courage, risk-worthy opportunities and timing. Now grab your camera and start shooting!
