Important note. IM NOT done with street photography. These are just some thoughts youtube, creativity, and the photography world. Thanks for watching!

Tiktok photographers asking people to post for portraits on the street and calling it street photography ruined it 💯%

I believe there is value in sharing the bad photos. Not for the sake of pumping out content, but to show a clear and realistic view on what street photography is and how even someone you might look up to also takes bad photos..

These videos are not about the final result but about seeing how people view things differently while photographing. I find more value in picking a photographers brain over just seeing their quality photos

Finally someone said that. Unfortunately most of the creators running up and down the street with gear and shooting people's back in bookeh or using telephoto zoom in front of them. These photos are mostly amazing and great looking that's why good cameras are in high demand, but these photos are all the same, snapped without thinking about composition and story telling.

I’ve always found Kai’s photography and personality so inspiring. Especially for me showing that you can have fun with it and not take it too seriously, but also create good stuff

"not all photo days are successful" that statement you made boosted my confidence in my photo taking.

Walkie Talkie's with Paulie B is the best Street Photography-focused thing on KZfaq. Nothing compares IMO. Most of the people being interviewed aren't KZfaqrs and have been doing it for years and are actually know as street photographers, not KZfaqrs doing Street Photography.

It's not just the photography that people are tuning into, it's the experience. Walking and travel videos also experienced a surge during and post-pandemic for the same reason... people like to live vicariously through the KZfaqrs. I stumbled into street photography on KZfaq not as a photographer but coming from my fondness of walking videos. It just seemed a natural progression.

I guess I'm in the minority here and will disagree. Weekly or Bi-weekly videos that are street focused....are just that. I can go out every night to capture images but it may only be one of those days that I am able to capture something I'm proud of. KZfaqrs putting out videos - Good or bad images....is all great. It is a reflection of all of us. We don't only go out and capture bangers ever time. Seeing others going out and having great days or bad days is fine. I'm not going to stop watching because you had a bad day or the images were crap. Overall I don't care for overly saturated "fake" color street images. But I still enjoy watching those KZfaqrs go through their process. Maybe for the KZfaqr you have in the back of you mind you want a GREAT image / Great video or the views will be down, the income won't be as high. I'd think most people that watch these videos aren't just looking to see the amazing shot. They are watching to see the process. The wins. The losses. The person. So from a viewers perspective I'd disagree with this "ruined" street photography idea.

Yes I'm so tired of all the Leica F-boy content in New York. It's all the same and I'm so tired of hearing about your M6 and how you load film.

As someone who wasn't on photography KZfaq at all, I didn't even realise KZfaq was responsible for the street photography revival. When I was first learning about photography in my early teens, the energy of street appealed to me and was always the main thing that I wanted to do. I never thought it would be a money maker so it was always my creative outlet. It's always been where I experiment and centre myself. This was a fascinating look into how so much of modern street became "leading lines, natural framing, rule of thirds, objects in the foreground, reflections" as basically a repeating thing to the point everyone's work looks the same. I think Paulie B's Walkie talkie series solves the problem here somewhat. You don't need great photos with that because the purpose is the person he's spending the day talking to and hanging out with, not the photos. It kind of allows either of them to have bad days because the photos aren't the main draw.

I really miss the “Evan’s voice over days” ; I discovered your channel during pandemic and it really helps me in a healthy way! And yes, KZfaq is nowadays a constant marketing campaign...

This video really validated how I feel about street photography at the moment and why I’ve stopped posting for awhile now. Thanks for making this this!

Let's face it...KZfaq has ruined a lot of things but if it wasn't for KZfaq, I would haven't found people like Kai, Evan and Taylor.

The thing that gets me with many things in photography (and art related fields) is it used to be about total FREEDOM. Now, everything has to be labeled and stuffed into a genre. Everything seems to have to look a certain way, or have certain elements. This whole current trend on YT of "street photography" is a double edged sword for me. It's getting a ton of people into photography with actual DSLR/Mirrorless cameras, but it's creating a whole slew of people who are thinking photography HAS to be a certain way. Creating followers doing what others are doing, not leaders/free minded artists. Not saying it has to be groundbreaking difference, but for example...there's this MASSIVE trend, especially with YT creators (not you, but many others) that are overly obsessed with sharpness. The photos look flat, feel flat, and just don't grasp my attention at all. But as long as the photo is so sharp it can almost slice your retinas, then somehow it's a 'great photo'. I recently looked at some of the classic famous photos and one thing I noticed in most every single one of them was they ALL had flaws....extreme grain, some slightly out of focus, etc. In 2023 with YT photographers, they would have been written off as bad photos. Unsurprisingly, they are legendary for a reason and grasp peoples attention. More importantly, they actually tell a story without words. They make me think deeper about what's actually going on. Many 2023 YT channel photos just make me think, "Ok, someone's drinking coffee next to a window...anndddd...?". It's almost as if YT photography has become doing pictures without thought, not putting the ideas first then taking a photo. I still watch your videos and content, but I've stopped watching a lot of other people's channels because I'm tired of them being about specs, about trying to hawk a Fuji, and just doesn't have any photos or anything new that catches my attention, usually HDR'ed to death. Sorry for the long rant! Keep up the great content on the channel and keep shooting great photos!

I definitely understand and can agree with the point you’re making in terms of incentives of making the videos versus quality of the art. I think you did a great job of conveying the message as well. Great video!👏🏽👏🏽 HOWEVER, as someone who was heavily inspired and motivated to get into street photography from your videos, I think the value you provided to me was the insight into the process. I was one of those people who thought street photographers were out every day coming home with a roll full of hits. Your insights, advice, and vulnerability into the process allowed me to understand the struggle of capturing the “randomness” you described. It helped me understand that most photos I took would be bad and finding that one banger is rare and that’s the joy of street photography. I’ll of course miss those videos and would love to see a come back. But outside of the monetary/creative value I hope you see the benefit that you provided for me and others who will forever be thankful for your inspiration and vulnerability for the years you’ve been willing to share with us. You’re the GOAT in my book, wishing you brother but success bro❤️

Refreshing video mate. Love hearing your perspective on this. Not a street photographer myself but have a great appreciation for the art of it.

Spot on! A great analysis of a phenomenon that has been growing over the years of pretty boring photos classified as "street" photography just because the arena was the street!

Your street photography videos are some of my favorites to watch which I’m editing. But I love the point you are making. Seems like you are asking people to hold art to a higher standard. Which I always appreciate.

I love videos like this and would love more. I've been feeling like a lot of social media street photography is homogenising, becoming more of the same for various reasons, and real thoughtful pieces looking at why and how we approach photography, like this, are gold.

Wow...beautifully articulated! That sums up what I have been trying to say for a long time in such a precise and eloquent way. Well done! By the way your shots are awesome!

Love the way you edited those winter shots!

KZfaq and Instagram have made street photography homogenous. Everything looks the same and there are very few unique voices because photographers are following trends, using the same gear, following the same advice and taking inspiration from the same handful of photographers (Fan Ho, Saul Leiter, Alex Webb, Daniel Arnold etc). When they should be attempting to photograph the world from their own unique perspective. I don't agree that it's ruined it though. There's just a lot more of it and most of it is boring. -Shane

Famous last words! That’s why I print and that’s why I won’t stop. Btw, I don’t have a single KZfaq video:) and not planning to. What I leave is tangible, flick-through books I prefer to ‘sell’ to conversations with people I meet - and their words are currency I save and value more than real money. Great video Evan! Loved the thoughts shared!

Great video Evan. Very interesting thoughts. I just went to see a Salgado exhibition and even if it’s not street photography made me want to put more effort and work into creating a stronger “travel photo diary”. I also decided to shut down all social media and go back to only have a personal website. I’m only an amateur but I feel much more motivated now that I’m taking these types of commitments. Keep it up💪🏻

This is a very articulate and thoughtful take on something I've felt for a while too...well said

Really interesting perspective! You've got some solid points in here that have me thinking more about the relationship between art and content creation 🤔

I gotta say as an OG subscriber I do miss your walk around shots you made it was fun to watch your process a lot of the newer ppl out here don’t seem as authentic

Very cool perspective. I never really equated street photography videos to entertainment, more of a way to learn what goes on in a more experienced photographers head.

Wow! What a great conversation. Never thought of it this way, but it all makes sense.

Hey bro really loved the video thanks for the thoughts and insight 😎

I remember getting back into photography years and years ago and coming across Kai's videos. Had no idea at the time how many people were doing what he did but he certainly stood out. He also got me into Street Photography, a genera I had not really heard much of but began to find quite appealing. I'm a sketch artist / illustrator by nature as far as where my main artistic output is focused through but I've always had a soft spot for photography and I believe having two or more creative outlets is good for an artist. Anyway, this was a great video, took me back a bit and I've been keeping my eye on a lot of the photography channels centered around street photography for years though maybe not as much as you have been but it was interesting hearing you talk about the trends and recognizing them. Cheers, and Cheers to Kai, haven't watched a video by him in a long time. :)

Very thought provoking Evan. I’ve learned much about street photography from creators like yourself and whilst I enjoy the POV style, I get value from discovering the works of modern artists and the greats. And because of creators like you I’ve been exposed to other artists, like Webb, that i would probably not have discovered unless I went down a Google rabbit hole. Thanks for helping round out my overall photography journey.

Yet another interesting video, thank you. I appreciate the brevity and directness of your videos. They always feel as if you’re acknowledging that the viewer might have a busy life so you’re always cutting out the fat. Nutritious viewing! Those here who enjoy and/or lament the POV photography videos might enjoy the Imitative Photography channel. He has taken the POV approach to an interesting level by introducing *intent* - in this case, recreating the style and approach of a famous photographer. Very educational.

Great video, good conversation. Watering down the photography process to pump out content is most definitely a sign of the era we are in. As long as someone will like “art” without true substance, we will forever go down the road of quality being trumped by quantity. It is sad. However on the bright side, there are quite a few humans out there taking a real interest in shooting film and making real imagery. I have thought about making a vlog but I don’t think that I have the mental capacity to figure out what to record weekly and struggle with the demons in my head telling me that I suck and no one gives a shit about my process, thoughts, or opinions. Ha! That and I put too many expectations on myself. 🙃 Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us, it is appreciated.

I think you've got this wrong. Seeing a KZfaq photographer pump out mediocre photos doesn't degrade the art form, it makes it real. It reveals that even an ostensibly great photographer still has to take dozens of photos to get a banger.

Nice video, Evan. One thing that people spend time and show bad days also help reaching one good photo as you mentioned. In the past, this stage was not seen by audiences but now it is.

I never visit KZfaqr street photography channels for the reasons you mention at 3:40 yet ironically, I didn't know you existed until today! All my street-related interactions are off the computer. I started The Atlanta Street Photography Group in 2009 and we don't post on social media either. This has helped us stay true to the genre, which is the goal of our small group. I feel protective of SP as a very personal process and artistic outlet. I guess it's a different vantage point entirely. Thank you for this!

one of the best commentary on commodification of art I've heard recently

I’m about half way through the video, but I just wanted to stop and say that I think you are a really talented street photographer! I love your images, it was nice to sit down and view your shots. I will always be a huge supporter of photography channels that actually feature PHOTOGRAPHY in their videos.

I’ve always considered your street photography and videos to be way above par in the YT space!

do a part 2 on this subject, i really enjoyed listen too it

Great video well done 👏 could not agree more!

As somebody watching videos, I actually like seeing the bad or failed days, because it shows that not every single day or photograph is successful. It's the same with music. I would rather see folks' actual process - even if it isn't all that great - because it is authentic. That's one of the cool things about KZfaq. If I wanted to see only perfection or completely polished, finished products, there are folio websites, or Instagram, or something else.

Thanks! Enjoyed this video very much!

Thanks for mentioning Eric Kim. I knew him from Digial Rev. Was curious what happened him. He used to divide his subscribers with hia content and lack of direction on his channel..but his street photography game was second to none. The way he directed people even gettting two seperate strangers to become "friends/lovers" in photos was special

I really feel this. I find trying to document what I’m doing takes my quality down while simultaneously increasing my anxiety. I don’t know where my channel might go from here but I find that to be unacceptable. Photography was cathartic. KZfaq made it chaotic.

Thank you! Great video and perspective.

And I wondered why all of a sudden I've lost my interest in street photography. Now I know why. And now I regained it. Thanks man!

If I see another street photo of someone walking into a shaft of light I thing I’ll scream.

Loved this video! In my opinion this is definitely a hot take that needs to be brought up more often, especially since the genre has become diluted in recent years because of the monetization drive coming from KZfaq and social media. Don't get me wrong we all have to bring food to our tables, but the dilution is definitely a real byproduct of us trying to play the algorithm game on KZfaq and social media to make a living. Cheers!

First of all, great video. It is what it is. Most people are looking at YT as a mean of financial income. I think especially during COVID, when a lot of people were out of work or working from home, which made becoming a YTR possible. Lately, I've also seen a lot of inactive accounts. Either the channel owners gave up (on not achieving impressive subscribers and views) or its back to day job and OT.

Street photography quality is still available outside of KZfaq- books, zines, museums, photographer websites, etc. personally I find most KZfaq videos, other than instructional ones to be sensational and unartisic in a commercial way.

I've recently found Trevor Wisecups work and he has given me inspiration to go out there and be a menace with my camera and to get into those uncomfortable situations because in those you'll learn a lot about the world and yourself. Throughout my time of photography/ videography I've learnt that gear is the last thing to worry about, there are some phone photographers that create more interesting images than mine and there's some people with cameras I can't afford that take photos which make me feel nothing

That’s why I sold my Leica. You can’t really be stealth anymore, it’s no longer a thing…”I used to love her”. + everyone is on their phones, difficult to capture anything interesting in life anymore😢

There is a huge abyss between "Photography in the Street" (where you are just passing by) and the real thing of "Photography of the Street" (or usually named Street Photography) where the mission is to get a unique creative image... that one moment that will last forever... touching our feelings & sensitivity... See ya, blue skies 🤙🏻🍀📸

I have to agree with you on this one. I've tried to create YT content for a while and honestly - from my own experience - it is hard to create a meaningful street photos when your mind are juggling between the needs of creating a quality video content and photography at the same time. Now I've stop creating YT videos and just focusing on my blog and photography. I know that people nowadays are spending less time on reading and more on watching videos but, for me, as long as I'm happy with the results I'm getting from the images, the rest wont matter. I'm not planning to be famous anyway. Thanks for sharing. Cheers!

This is why the quote from Sean Tucker “Popularity does not necessarily signify mastery" really resonates with today's trend in street photography, especially on Instagram and youtube when mediocrity gets a lot of likes.

What I learned from Kaiman is to bounce my flash off the wall. I still have the pieces of my first flash I tried this with

Hot take: KZfaq and the accessibility of photography revived street photography instead of ruining it. We now have a lot of young photographers learning and developing their craft while documenting their journey

The problem is that many of KZfaqrs have little understanding of what Street Photography really is.

You mentioned earlier in your videonthat you were a student while living in Atlanta. If you don't mind me asking, were you studying photography or something else?

This needed to be said if the art of street photography is going to be relevant into the future. The pretty pictures pay the bills but they don't leave a lasting impression.

This video is doooope! Kai is the man. I’ve always liked your content and find it genuine and entertaining. I think the heard will go out and take some shots for a while but when the money and likes dry up or never pour in…there’ll be a lot of used x100v cameras available cheap.

I have worked as a photojournalist since 1983. The big issue with KZfaq is the audience views trends as laws. I will say this is the same for wedding photography. My favorite street photography myths is can't use a Nikon D5 with a zoom lense because to big.

You can also just go out and take street photographs and not be obsessed with likes and creating content. Then you can be happy with the one keeper you get.

I can quite agree with the sentiment on what's become (I don't know what it once was), but since seeing Kai's videos back in 2012 and the way street photography is done today, it's one of the reasons I start shifting away from shooting human targets and focused more on the scenic aspects. I think this technically puts me in the urban/travel photography category now, but it's become harder to stand out when everyone is posting similar things (and living in a small city definitely doesn't help since you're essentially walking the same areas over and over again). How I can improve as a photographer? I'm not sure since I don't want to tell a story in my works but rather share glimpses in time, which honestly isn't as appealing to others. Taking away human subjects makes that even harder too.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Kai was a big inspiration for me too!

I think you made a good point that I felt but couldn't formulate yet in my head. I did it once for fun after watching a few street photography 'POV' videos and while it was a cool experience for me the video result is just very boring and none of the pictures I've made are of any artistic value

Wow! This video is amazing, chat is there a video explaining ho to get cinematic colors?

I feel Instagram did this same thing to me as an amature photographer. I may not have had a financial incentive, but the social incentive made me feel like i needed to be posting everyday and that had a negative impact on how i approached an art form i genuinely love.

Kai really is the OG of KZfaq street photography. I owe my interest in it in part to his channel. Regardless of what came of his content, I think a lot of people have him to thank for opening the world of photography to them.

Funny enough, Kaiman Wong and his digital rev days (shout out to Lok and Alamby) absolutely got me into street photography. I was running around with a Nikon D3300 and wanted something smaller and found the beautiful Finepix x100...which led to Kai reviews, which led to a subscription, and led to testing a bunch of the ideas they used just to have fun. The rest of the video was good so no further comments, but Kai absolutely unlocked that passion in me.

I agree to an extent. You are absolutely right that the photos in weekly videos can't compete with the highlights of someone's work over years. However, and this is purely anecdotal because I can only speak for myself, I would argue that the appeal of those videos is less in the photos themselves and more in witnessing the process and learning from it. The somewhat "objective" perspective of the GoPro footage contrasted against the final photo illustrates what the photographer saw in the moment and how they think about composition and editing. Also I find it kinda comforting to see people's average photos as well as their great ones because it reinforces the idea that you have to take a whole lot of shots to get to that one magical shot

💪this is pretty much spot on thoughts. 👍

this analysis is great! I guess you tube is great to promote yourself and share with us the daily work of an artist, and the Books MUST be the real way to judge an artist! In this specific case you tube let us ask questions, and this is great! When you make people thinking and asking themself about something is the greatest goal!

Every point you brought up is so accurate that it’s not even funny. Great video. Also Kai i think was the gateway for a lot of us.

That's what makes me happy, capturing that one photo!!! But you would think we would go home after that, nope we keep on shooting!!!😂

2:23 Some year ago I put a Polaroid Cube HD above the SIGMA SD15 without knowing it was a tecnique 😆

I think there is a simple solution to this: Make a series of videos teaching what good photography is. At least with some basic standards. If now the masses can access to any photos, you can guide them to have tools to evaluate what a good photo is and how to evaluate a photo. Not just for the technical point of view but the subjectic value. Just an a idea

Must admit I'm more than pleased with the opportunity to put my street photography videos on my YT channel and Instagram, otherwise my print negatives would have remained buried in the basement and garage never to see the light of day. I was use to showing in small art galleries and coffee shops but now these venues have brought thousands of views from around the world. Kinda neat, plus if I'm the next Vivian Maier, I'll be easier to find.

I love the acknowledgment of Kai, the guide of a whole generation

Dude your stuff is nuts

My problem with 99% of modern street photography is that there is no story. Capturing random moments and adding some fancy vintage film look filters isn't enough. That's not what street photography is about. It's boring as hell and I can't stand it anymore. True street photography is all about composition and story telling. Look isn't important at all. Most modern "street snapshographers" focus way to much on editing and "film look" They don't care about composition and story telling. PS: People share way too many photos these days. Back in the day I take 10 good street photos a year. Yes, a year. Now people share 10 or more random street snapshots every day. It's like oversharing of everything.

A different perspective from someone who’s been into street photography for many years. KZfaq street photographers didn’t reduce the standard of what I considered good street photographs. Although, that may well have been the case for people newly interested in the genre. I was always well aware that your (and others) photos were mostly rubbish, even the ones you thought were good at the time. What I enjoyed about those videos, what attracted me to this channel in the very early days, and what I miss now; is watching you develop as a street photographer over time. Your journey has always been the enjoyment for me. Best regards.

You are a great artist, and you are my idol.... I love you 💖

"And i kind of think KZfaq has ruined street photography... oh by the way I want to thank square space for sponsoring this video" 😆

I agree with you. There are wayyyy too many KZfaqrs endorsing either boring, repetitive portraits shots of attractive people or boring, repetitive photos full of leading lines, symmetry and irrelevant subjects. I'm only learning, but I'm glad I've escaped from either of those two paths. I don't want every photo to be either an in-their-face shot of someone having a stressful day or a 'fishing' shot that looks like something from an architect's sketchbook.

If I'm enjoyed in doing street photography, I don't really care what other people evaluate my photo. those video made me felt I'm understandable when st photography not popular around me.

Kai also has a fantastic personality! I watched his videos as much for him as for the content.

Amen so very true street photography and real life & day capturing moments

I think the points you bring up are true, but the value of art is in the eyes of the viewer. I am starting street photography and recently deleted all my edits because they were edited on a bad monitor. But I sifted through all my 6000+ photos to only really like 220 ish. That was kinda humbling, I think over time I have come to realize that this art isn't about the sharpest image or the flashiest colors, but instead about putting a smile on your face and realizing the nuances of life that are only visible through ths lens of a camera

As a creator myself I am guilty as well as I agree with you, Evan. But we also have to see that these youtubers are also inspiring more people to do street photography and I take that as a win. The only youtuber that I watched making amazing set of photos in his every video is Dante Sisofo but something weirdly changed in his videos this past months.

Wow! I am happy to see I am not the only one. I got into photography via DR TV and my interest in street photography can be entirely attributed to Kai.

The demand for 'process' videos skyrocketed with lockdowns, since it's a form of vicarious tourism.

I think you make some valid points. I watch quite a few street content creators and I'm often left very unimpressed with their work

Those flickering lights are so disturbing… 👀

bro i wish i could go out and do all these shoots looks so fun i just never have the time to do anything lol

3 best tools for street photography- practice, tenacity, and a small capable camera- Ricoh GR or Fuji X100 series are tops