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Why I Prefer Street Photography?

12/20/2017

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There is vast option in the photographic genre. Most people choose to photograph because they want to have monetary return of their investment, and some people choose to photograph because they love what they do regardless whether they can get the return of investment or not - and I am one of that person.
Picture
© Hisham Ahmad, Kuching, Sarawak
Mind therapy through new challenges
Working full time as an IT Consultant is very stressful. Everyday I need to deal with peoples expectations with minimal timelines. The only day that I can free myself from that chaotic situation is during the weekend. And street photography is my savior - a mind therapy. I can just be myself - alone - walking in the street - taking pictures of strangers - thus creating a photographic beauty out of the ordinary.

To be honest, street photography is not easy - and that's why I choose this genre because I love challenges and at the same time this challenges takes me away from my daily routine. It's like a freedom - flying outside of my comfort zone - playing with my imagination through photography by creating beauty out of photographic composition.
Picture
© Hisham Ahmad, Kuala Pilah, Negeri Sembilan
Gear I'm using
I'm currently using a film camera. A Leica M6 with Leica Summicron 35mm f2 lens and the film that I choose to shoot with is Agfa Vista 400. Why am I using a film camera you might ask? As I mentioned earlier, I love challenges. Film camera will push my photographic knowledge especially in the exposure triangle (aperture, shutter speed and ISO). It's all manual and I need to think about my composition as well. By having only 35 shots in one roll - I need to make sure that every shots count - perfectly expose with a perfect composition.

And the best thing about film photography is that - you'll never know whether you've got the shot or not - until you have develop the film. This feeling of "mysteriousness" kept me going until today - and I love it!
Picture
© Hisham Ahmad, Hub Bas Pasar Seni, Kuala Lumpur
Free exercise
You don't need to go the the gym to sweat. Street photography makes me wondering the street for hours looking for a photographic opportunities, and at the same time improving my own health. Based on the recent study by Harvard Medical School, below is 5 surprising benefits of walking:
  • It counteracts the effects of weight-promoting genes.
  • It helps tame a sweet tooth.
  • It reduces the risk of developing breast cancer.
  • It eases joint pain.
  • It boosts immune function.

Besides that, as a street photographer - the more we walk, the more photo opportunities we see. In a summary, we kill two birds in one stone! Isn't that fascinating? hahaha!
Picture
© Hisham Ahmad, Jalan Tun HS Lee, Kuala Lumpur
Preserving history
For me, street photography complement documentary photography. Instead of capturing newsworthy events, street photography captures places and people history that's visible within or from public places. The images that I've created today might seem useless for the today's generation. But I believe it will benefits the later generation. Especially when the places or people in that images is already gone.

Therefore, it will stay evergreen - forever - and I'm proud of being one of the historian.
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