Pixel 2 // VSCO
I've been spending quite a bit of time in New York City recently for reasons I will probably get into in a later post, but in my most recent trip out there I took some time to shoot some street photos entirely on the Pixel 2.
Pixel 2 // VSCO
The interesting thing about using your phone for street photos is that it's so low profile. I've always felt a bit awkward using my DSLR or even small mirrorless cameras out in public, especially when you're taking photos of strangers. Understandably, people get creeped out when a random person takes a photo of them - when you use your phone you can be quite sly and most people won't even notice you snapping a shot. Always be respectful of personal space, if you're in a public place you're allowed to shoot photos but use your judgement. If it feels weird. It probably is.
Pixel 2 // VSCO
Pixel 2 // VSCO
Pixel 2 // VSCO
After a few subway trips I ventured above ground in Chinatown and started shooting from the hip as we walked passed the fruit markets and restaurants.
Pixel 2 // VSCO
Pixel 2 // VSCO
Pixel 2 // VSCO
I always forget how much I love doing candid street photography. There's an art and a lottery to it all - You know what you want to capture, and you sort of know how to capture it... but ultimately the photo you get is often nothing close to what you were expecting. That's the beauty of it because it's not scripted or staged - you're deciding what to freeze in time forever out of the millions of things that are happening around you at every moment. It's very special.
For the curious I edited all of these in VSCO with my own tweaks to the M5 preset. As always I urge you to experiment and find a look a you really like and have fun. Don't forget to just shoot it.
See more of my photos in New York: instagram.com/impatrickt