Learning at your own pace

You don’t have to figure it out today

There’s an email in your inbox. A story about looking, with an invitation to try something on the street. You read it, something sticks, and then the rest of your day needs your attention. It happens. The street will still be there later.

I like that as a starting point: an idea you can explore on your own. Maybe you have the time and feel like trying it right away. Maybe later you’ll think: I meant to take another look at that.

Having a set time can be nice. It’s on your calendar, and you go. But you can also spread your learning over a longer period, at times you choose. That gives an idea more chances to come along when you head out.

From reading to trying

You read something and think: yes, that makes sense. But you don’t yet know how you’ll use it once you’re outside. On the street, you can see for yourself what an idea like that means for your photos.

That’s what interests me about learning: trying things yourself and finding out what appeals to you. And if you haven’t figured that out after one walk, you can take the idea along again.

Back outside with the same idea

You don’t have to check an invitation off your list after one walk. You can come back to it. See what happens when you take the same idea out again.

Say you’re paying closer attention to distance. How close feels comfortable? What changes in your photo when you stand somewhere else? You might explore that during a walk and only see which choice worked for you once you’re home.

Next time, you can build on that. Maybe you want to try something again. Maybe a different question turns out to interest you more.

That’s why learning over a longer period appeals to me. There’s time between reading, trying things, and looking back. You don’t have to know what you think about it before the walk is over. Sometimes you need to see your photos first.

A story to take along

A story every two weeks gives you a rhythm. Something new arrives that gets you looking. You decide when to head out on the street.

A story can make you curious about something you would otherwise walk past. The invitation that comes with it gives you a reason to explore. What comes of it is yours to discover.

That matters to me. Making your own choices is part of learning. Even if something catches your attention along the way that has nothing to do with the idea you started with. That gives you something to think about when you get home.

And an invitation can wait a while. You can reread the email when you have time to go out and try it. Thankfully, an inbox isn’t a classroom.

Looking back is part of it

Outside, you’re busy with what’s happening in front of you. At home, you can spend more time with a photo. What did you actually see there? And does it come through in the photo?

You could put photos from different walks side by side. Notice which one you want to look at again. Try to put into words what appeals to you about it. It doesn’t have to be a polished critique. “That hand makes the photo for me” is already pretty clear.

That gives you something concrete to work with next time. Maybe you’ll discover a preference you couldn’t name before. If you’d like to explore that further, you can read about how to find your own style.

You don’t have to name that style right away, either. First, see which photos stay on your mind.

Learn at your own pace, share what you see

You can involve others in your photography without being part of a regular group. On straatfotografie.nl, you can share your photos with other members and respond to each other’s work.

You can include a question. Explain what you were paying attention to while taking photos, for example, or why you chose this particular photo. That gives someone else something to respond to.

I always find that interesting: someone stands somewhere else, makes a different choice, and comes back with a photo you walked right past.

You decide when to join that conversation. That’s part of learning at your own pace, too.

Looking further

I created Streetsessions for this way of learning: a story about looking every two weeks for six months, with an invitation to head out on the street. You start whenever you like and choose when to go out. There are two personal check-ins, and at the end I give feedback on five photos. If you’re further along and looking for your own style, Streetwise is the follow-up.

For me, the fun is seeing what you do with a story like that. What photo you’ll see when you’re out there again. That’s what I’m curious about.