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50 Street Photography Photos From 2016

2016 was my busiest year of photography yet working on my 100 cities project. While I’ve been based in Vietnam this year, I spent most of it away traveling, working and photographing. After moving from my home in Istanbul at the start of 2016, I focused around Asia with an extended summer around Europe, finishing the year in Cuba.

Other than the traveling, some highlights for the year were being a finalist in three international street photography festivals (Miami SPF, Brussels SPF, and StreetFoto San Francisco) with four photos, while being able to attend two of the festivals. I also joined The Street Collective and have an upcoming book I’ll be published in. And funny enough, I unexpectedly found out I made it into the Huffington Post (Maghreb Region) for my post on being Arrested for Street Photography in Morocco. But the biggest highlights of the year came from all the photographers I met and friends I made during my travels.

After looking through my photos from the year, I put together 50 for this post to say goodbye to 2016. They aren’t necessarily my best or favorites, but some picks spread across all 29 cities. The new year promises to bring even more photography and content for the blog, but here are 50 street photos from 2016 to welcome in 2017: 

50 Street Photography Photos From 2016

(in order of capture date)  [Read more…] about 50 Street Photography Photos From 2016

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays! (Red & Green Theme)

It’s that time of year again so I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! In honor of the season, here’s a few of my photos from the year all fitting a Red and Green Theme. And if you missed last year’s Christmas themed post, check out 7 Famous Street Photography Photos To Wish You A Merry Christmas :)

Cheers!

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Marrakech, Morocco
Marrakech, Morocco
Brussels, Belgium
Odessa, Ukraine
London, England
Moscow, Russia
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Havana, Cuba
Paris, France

 

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week:
“Bear Tracks”

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken in Hanoi, Vietnam on the train tracks. Hanoi’s railroad runs through the center of the city by the Old Quarter and can make a great walk for shooting. You won’t find many tourists or crowds here, but you will find a more peaceful, local atmosphere. What’s great about it are the little homes lining the tracks. These older buildings are only steps from the tracks and while they’re slowly falling apart, they still hold plenty of life. Many people leave the doors open and the outside feels like an extension of their home. Women hang clothes out to dry, men sit out for a smoke, kids play, and chickens hop around looking for feed.

I was walking the railroad during an extra quiet morning when I noticed a bear shaped balloon lying by the tracks. It had just enough helium left inside to make it slightly stand up on the gravel. It added a funny look to the scene so I decided to stop and see if anything more would come. Just before I was about to give up and keep walking, a man came out from one of the trackside homes for a smoke. He paid me no attention at first so I made a couple quick photos just as the wind positioned the bear looking towards the man.

After a photo or two, he noticed me and then noticed the bear balloon. He started to laugh and we struck up a conversation. It was a hot and humid day so he offered me some juice and told me how he’d recently moved to Norway with his wife, but was back in Hanoi visiting family. After the juice and small conversation were done, I said goodbye. To him and the bear.

 Stats:

  • Camera: Fujifilm Xpro1
  • Lens: Fujinon XF 18mm 
  • Focal Length: 18mm (27mm full frame equivalent)
  • Aperture: f/11
  • Shutter Speed: 1/500
  • ISO: 800

33 Street Photography Photos from One Week in Bangkok, Thailand

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After leaving my home in Ho Chi Minh City, on my way to traveling Europe for the summer, I decided to fit a stop in Bangkok, Thailand. It was a chance to meet the many talented local street photographers here, while of course fitting in some time for street photography of my own. Bangkok was a challenge with how many of the streets and neighborhoods can feel empty, but after exploring enough and getting some local advice, I was able to find some spots for photography.

So here’s 33 photos that I was able to capture during my time in Bangkok…

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33 Street Photography Photos from One Week in Hanoi, Vietnam

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Living in Ho Chi Minh City, I had to make a visit up to Vietnam’s capital. Hanoi quickly became one of my favorite city’s in Asia for street photography, with endless character, charm, places to shoot, and people just as photography friendly as back home in Saigon. Being thousands of years old, you feel the city’s age when exploring the streets. From a city of over 3 million people, there’s an authentic, old world atmosphere it exudes. 

So here’s 33 photos that I was able to capture during my time in Hanoi…

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33 Street Photography Photos from One Week in Hong Kong

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While living in Ho Chi Minh City, I took a week break up to Hong Kong. It had always been high my list and it didn’t disappoint. While the clouds and rain didn’t do it any favors, I still left Hong Kong loving it and wanting to return. It’s one of the more unique cities I’ve been to with an international urban vibe mixed with old world Asia. It has one of the most impressive city skylines I’ve seen, but down on the ground in the narrow alleys and older neighborhoods, you can experience a completely different atmosphere.

Hong Kong Shooter Files-27

Hong Kong has such a variety of scenery and life that I’d recommend it as one of the best cities in Asia for street photography. So here’s 33 photos that I was able to capture during my time in Hong Kong…

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Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week:
“Siesta and a Short Dress”

Saigon Shooter Files-47

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken on Nguyen Hue Street in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Also called Walking Street, Nguyen Hue is the first pedestrian-only street in Ho Chi Minh City. The French colonial styled City Hall and Ho Chi Minh statue sit here, which can bring some tourists during the day, but it usually doesn’t get crowded until night.

Streets run across each side of the walking lane, lined with cafes and shops. I was walking along when I noticed this attractive woman in a tight, short dress with an unusual pattern that stood out. She was also wearing purple high heels and looked like she was dressed for the club in the middle of the day. As she stopped at a closed business to look in the window, I also noticed a man dressed in a bright orange work uniform sleeping on his motorcycle, with shoes off on the ground and his feet resting above.

In Saigon, men sleeping on their motorbikes are about as common as Pho restaurants. So I normally avoid taking photos of them due to how common of a sight it is, but this scene gave me a reason to stop. I composed them together while catching some of the city reflection in the window, and making sure to expose correctly since they were under shadow, out of the bright Saigon sun. For me, this scene is 100% Saigon. 

Stats:

  • Camera: Fujifilm Xpro1
  • Lens: Fujinon XF 18mm 
  • Focal Length: 18mm (27mm full frame equivalent)
  • Aperture: f/5.6
  • Shutter Speed: 1/500
  • ISO: 800

Saigon Shooter Files-47

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week:
“Bridge Work”

Saigon Shooter Files-18

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Cuong Tran, a local street photographer in Saigon, was kind enough to take me along for a few walks to show some of the places he likes to shoot. One stop we made was at a village along the river in Binh Thanh, a district in the center of the city just north of District 1. While it’s in the heart of the city near skyscrapers and modern developments, this area takes you back in time and out of the city with its atmosphere.

After exploring the narrow village streets and talking to the friendly locals, I spotted some work being done on a small bridge. Saigon is in constant development and you see construction and electrical workers in their blue jackets all over the city. I liked the blue/turquoise shades of the bridge, water and sky matching their uniforms, and the background reflection of the city and village on the river. So I decided to wait and see if anything interesting happened to capture.

As one worker was strapped below the bridge and making his was back up, I made this shot in mid-effort to pull himself up. Judging by his expression, it’s not easy work. 

Stats:

  • Camera: Fujifilm Xpro1
  • Lens: Fujinon XF 18mm 
  • Focal Length: 18mm (27mm full frame equivalent)
  • Aperture: f/11
  • Shutter Speed: 1/500
  • ISO: 800

Saigon Shooter Files-18

Street Shot Sundays
Photo of the Week:
“Head Out”

Saigon Shooter Files-38

Street Shot Sundays Story & Stats

Story:

This Sunday’s Street Shot of the Week was taken in the Gò Vấp district of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Gò Vấp is a district in the northwest of Saigon, just above the international airport. Having the airport right inside the city can provide some interesting captures from the planes flying so low over the buildings. This urban district also has some nice little alley neighborhoods and markets for street photography.

I was exploring the winding, narrow alleys with some local street photographers. It was pretty quiet, but around a corner, we came across a few people outside their home. Out of the corner of my eye I saw an older women quickly pop her head out of her curtain door. She popped back inside before I had a chance to capture it, but I decided to get my camera ready just in case she came out again. 

Sure enough, only a few seconds later, out popped her head. At the same time, I saw a little boy watching me in the door window’s reflection. So just as she looked to talk to someone in the street, I snapped the photo to include them both. It doesn’t get much friendlier than here so she had a good laugh about it before going back inside, while some of the curious kids gathered around to check out my camera.

Stats:

  • Camera: Fujifilm Xpro1
  • Lens: Fujinon XF 18mm 
  • Focal Length: 18mm (27mm full frame equivalent)
  • Aperture: f/5.6
  • Shutter Speed: 1/500
  • ISO: 1600

Saigon Shooter Files-38

33 Street Photography Photos from Three Months in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Saigon-33-cover

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam became my base this year, and a chance to stay in one spot during all my travel. That being said, I was only able to spend 3 months there so far before leaving to Europe for the summer. And some of that time was spent traveling outside the city. Still, 2+ months, while having an apartment in the heart of Saigon, gave me plenty of time to explore and photograph this lively city.

Saigon Shooter Files-22

But for now, here’s 33 photos that I was able to capture during my time in Saigon…

[Read more…] about 33 Street Photography Photos from Three Months in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam