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Grey skies, empty streets, and flat light can wreck a shooting day—unless you change the rules. I open with a simple pivot for winter: treat colour as a subject, lean into graphic shapes, and shift from pure observation to small documentary stories that ignore the weather. From there we get practical about the tool that shapes every outing: the camera bag. I weigh the charm and risks of a Billingham, the low‑key utility of Domke and Lowepro, and why the Wotancraft Pilot has quietly become my daily driver for comfort, capacity, weather resistance, and staying off a thief’s radar.

Listener questions push the conversation beyond gear. The most valuable non‑photo tool? A notebook—because ideas land at awkward times and projects need a place to grow. I also talk boundaries with an Apple Watch that tracks without nagging when the camera is in hand. Then I tackle the age‑old frustration of barren streets: projects over wandering. Define a theme and you’ll start noticing frames you used to walk past, even when the city feels asleep.

For a dose of joy, I cue up one of photography’s best sounds: the Pentax 67 shutter. Medium format’s weight comes with reward—tonality, presence, and negatives that sing. I share favourite lenses for the 67, a surprisingly good experience buying from Japan on eBay, and a reality check on airline scales. My weekly hand‑grenade lands on sharpness: useful, yes, but not the grail. Blur, grain, and near‑miss focus can bring breath and urgency when content leads. Finally, I flag what to see and read next: Martin Parr’s early Irish work at The Photographers’ Gallery, LensCulture Street Photography Award winners, Mark Cohen’s Tall Socks, plus a Soho pit stop at Bar Bruno for the best bacon butty and a front‑row seat to the street.

Enjoy the ride, steal the tactics, and tell me how you keep momentum on dull days. If this sparked ideas, subscribe, share with a friend who shoots, and leave a quick review so more street photographers can find us.

LINKS:

My street photography newsletter - sign up here: https://streetsnappers.com/street-photography-newsletter/

Wotancraft Bags: https://www.wotancraft.tw/en/

My workshops: https://streetsnappers.com

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Street photography doesn’t get better by accident; it gets better by intention. I kick off the Street Photography Podcast with a few ideas for a stronger creative year: study one great photo book each week, finish the projects that keep drifting, and lock down an archive strategy that actually protects your work. From a decade-long black-and-white Venice project to a living zine series on London streets, I share the real timelines and choices behind sustaining momentum without losing heart.

The Q&A digs into a key gear question. If you’re weighing autofocus modes on a Leica Q3 (or any 28 mm setup), hear why simple Field AF and classic zone focus still win on the street, and why a Leica Q3 a firmware update is essential. Then we go straight at a thorny craft topic: is photographing the backs of people a lazy dodge or a legitimate tool for mystery? Drawing on Joel Meyerowitz and Saul Leiter, we show how ambiguity can hand the story to the viewer - if intent leads the frame.

We toss a “hand grenade” at overused street tropes - spiral staircases, umbrellas, silhouettes, misted bus windows - and offer practical ways to step out of the echo chamber. To ground it, we bring you a quick Street Session from Liverpool with Robin, a colour-driven eye balancing lunchtime walks, a pocket Ricoh and a 100-year-old film project. Then it’s time to build your desert island bookshelf: Sergio Larrain’s London 1959, Eggleston’s Guide, Fred Herzog’s Modern Color, Chris Killip’s 'best', and more, each a masterclass in seeing.

We close with scene-wide updates: platform shifts toward “authentic” imagery, a new GR4 Monochrome announcement, festival calls, and exhibitions worth your time. If you want to sharpen your vision, finish the work that matters, and break free of copycat frames, you’re in the right place.

Subscribe, download, and share your thoughts with me - what cliché are you quitting this year, and which book is shaping your eye?

For my workshop information, including the Venice workshops I mentioned, please visit www.streetsnappers.com

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Welcome to the first episode of 'StreetSnappers' - the Street Photography Podcast with Brian Lloyd Duckett.

This is a short trailer and a taste of what's to come. In future episodes there will be interviews, tips, techniques, Q&A and news and insights from the world of street photography.

If you have a question for the show, please record a brief audio clip on your phone and email it to me at brian@streetsnappers.com. Please include your Instagram handle if you would like a mention.

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