Chapter 8: Getting online

As a street photographer, you will get to meet a lot of people, both in real life and virtually. Here are some tips to make the most of your online presence.

47. Get constructive criticism

Constructive criticism from peers is crucial for anyone who wants to learn an artistic trade. The easiest way to get feedback on your photographic work is to join an online community. But even if it’s easy to get feedback, it’s trickier to get the kind of feedback you need. The positive criticisms given in most online communities are variants of, “Nice shot!” and “Beautiful!” Although comments like that will make you feel good, they offer very little information that is actually useful.

Rather than seeking tons of comments and views of your images, try to find a small group or community of street photographers willing to exchange constructive criticism.

48. Focus on a few

Instead of posting your photos on a dozen photo sites on the Internet, try to find a small community of street photographers and stick with it. Get to know the people in the group and stay in contact with them. One single useful comment is better than fifty versions of, “Awesome shot!”

Start by looking up a few inspiring photographers and providing constructive and thoughtful feedback on their images. Be specific and tell them exactly what you like about each and every image. Also, tell them what you think they can do to improve their shots. In a world of two-word comments, your more constructive feedback will stand out. Hopefully, many of your selected photographers will respond with useful comments on your images. Start with a handful of photographers and try to build a small but strong community from there.

49. Give more than you take

Much in life is about reciprocity. If you want people to give you meaningful feedback, give others meaningful feedback. Take the time to provide thoughtful comments and ideas.

For example, if you are providing feedback on an image of a person, you might say something along the lines of, “I love the way you captured this candid moment of that boy lost in thought. The way he is holding his head makes it look like he is worried and in doubt, and I feel the emotion in the image. I don’t like the way you framed the image; I would have positioned it a bit more to the left. But regardless, it is an effective image.”

The more you give, the more you will receive.

50. Spend more time shooting

Although being active in an online street photography community can be very helpful, I advise you to spend about 80 percent of your photography time out on the streets shooting, and no more than 20 percent interacting with your online community. Spending too much time online, discussing gear, shots, and techniques, will hamper your photographic development. Don’t let this happen to you! Set a hard limit on the time you spend on photo-sharing sites every day. Then go out and shoot! This is the only way to truly become a better street photographer.