Click here to EMAIL BRIAN with your questions, comments and suggestions for the show!

Well, I managed to skip an episode but I'm now back with my fortnightly cycle of episodes of the Street Photography Podcast!

I come back from a run of trips feeling oddly refreshed and it is not because I bought new camera gear. It is because I did the opposite. I take only my iPhone to northern Italy and find it genuinely liberating to walk without a bag, without the weight of expectations and without the constant need to “prove” anything with every frame. From Lecco and Bergamo to a quick hop over to Dublin, we talk about what travel does to your eye, why some places are better for photography than street photography, and how a warm city can still kick your motivation back into life.

Then I share some personal news: after more than 11 years of building Street Snappers into a well known street photography workshop brand in the UK and beyond, I am seriously considering selling the business. If you have ever thought about running workshops, there may be a real opportunity here, and it sparks a wider conversation about what it takes to teach well, build trust and keep standards high in an industry with very low barriers to entry.

Listener questions take us into the practical stuff: using images in an online book review, whether buying a Leica or Hasselblad can help you out of a creative rut, and what actually works when your photography feels stale. I share a clear checklist for choosing a street photography workshop, from group size and coaching time to specialism, track record and a proper itinerary. We also touch on the Ricoh GRiv monochrome temptation, my decision to abandon a black and white only challenge, and a simple anticipation technique for better street shots using the British Army's '5s and 20s' rule.

Finally, I suggest some of my favourite YouTube channels for street photography.

If you enjoy thoughtful street photography talk, real world workshop advice and honest gear chat, subscribe, share the show with a friend and leave a review. What is the one change that most improved your street photography?

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LINKS FROM TODAY'S SHOW:

My book: Street Photography Manifesto Buy the e-book here!

StreetSnappers workshops

Brian's email: brian@streetsnappers.com

Support the show

Support the show

Click here to EMAIL BRIAN with your questions, comments and suggestions for the show!

We start with a relatable photographer’s dilemma: packing for a proper holiday in Italy and choosing between cameras when street photography is not meant to be the main agenda. That leads into the bigger question underneath it all: how do we shoot with less pressure, especially when we feel anxious about direction, creativity, or what our YouTube channel is meant to become?

We introduce a new listener slot, 'In the Frame', starting with Hugh Rawson, a primary school head teacher who explains why street photography keeps pulling him back: the tiny, fleeting moments most people miss.

From there we tackle the hot potato of flash street photography. A burst of flash can turn a dull street into something sharp, strange, and impossible to ignore and it can also make you very visible, very quickly. We weigh the pros and cons honestly, then get practical: why hard direct on-camera flash can be better than “nice” light, how underexposing the background creates punchy separation, and the simple rule to remember when you mix flash with ambient light. We also share usable starting points for night street settings and why manual flash often beats TTL for consistency.

The second half shifts to gear and inspiration without the hype. We answer a listener question about Leica vs Fujifilm with clear reasons that matter in real shooting, including ergonomics, lens sharing and zone focusing. We also review Letizia Battaglia’s astonishing Sicily photobook, there's a shout-out for a listener’s London project, and we revisit a classic film camera you can still pick up for sensible money: the Olympus OM-1.

If you enjoy thoughtful street photography chat with actionable tips, subscribe, share the episode with a mate, and leave us a review if you want more listeners to find the show.

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LINKS FROM TODAY'S SHOW:

Hugh Rawson's YouTube channel

Latizia Battaglia book: here

John Hartley's website

StreetSnappers workshops

Brian's email: brian@streetsnappers.com

Support the show

Click here to EMAIL BRIAN with your questions, comments and suggestions for the show!

Most street photographers don’t need more courage, more kit, or a more exotic destination. We need a smarter way to grow on purpose. I take the comfort stretch panic model (a simple framework used in training environments) and translate it into street photography you can actually do next time you head out. The goal is not to feel fearless. It’s to aim for mild discomfort, stay functional, and let that stretch become your new normal.

From there we get practical: changing focal lengths for a month, moving closer without tipping into confrontation, choosing unfamiliar locations, working a single spot for two hours, or committing to a small documentary project instead of hunting for random singles. I also share a simple self-check: rate your anxiety from 1 to 10 and aim for the learning zone around 4 to 6. It keeps you honest, and it keeps you safe.

A listener question shifts us into the business side of street photography. I break down where the money can come from workshops, book royalties, talks, occasional commercial commissions and why print sales are often the toughest route without reach or representation. We also tackle smart glasses and what they mean for candid photography, plus a book recommendation (Fred Herzog’s Black and White) and a Shoreditch field guide covering Brick Lane, Columbia Road Flower Market, layering with a wide lens, and how to avoid the easy clichés.

If you enjoyed this, subscribe, share it with a photographer friend, and leave a review so more street shooters can find the show.

Support the show