Lately, I have been unsatisfied with some of the platforms and how they work and how they work for me, what the draw might be and the voice that they have, or they force me to have. Or the just ridiculous amount of energy and time one must put up with in order to make a post…too many tags, not enough, did I post today?, Is it the right time? Will my followers like this??? Trying to sort all of them and remain true to my own voice has been hard…no scratch that….impossible. Meanwhile, the feeling of disconnect grows. So, recently I decided that I would give my work another bit of life and start this blog, something that I have been meaning to do for a long time, but all of the little pretty things on the internet have kept me justifiably distracted. Perhaps you feel the same?
I have neglected to spend enough time allowing my voice to grow and share how I interpret life around me living in a completely foreign place other than through photography, which is great but sometimes there is more. This life that is certainly interesting to me and may be to you as well, which will be the point of the blog as it grows. BUT, to kick start it I thought it would be interesting for YOU to ask me questions and then I will answer them in further posts. You can ask me anything that you like as long as it remains in somewhat good taste. Perhaps you want to know about the camera gear I use, or why I started photography or where I am from or my favorite movie or food or music……go ahead. Ask.
Here are some pretty pictures I shot recently on the streets of Warsaw to keep your eyes busy.
Erik Witsoe 
I really admire you and your pictures. My question for you would be: What advice would you give someone who’s trying to get into street photography but is kinda intimidated by all those people who look at them when they shoot?
Thank you very much for the question and appreciation! This is a terrific question and one that will deserve a more in-depth look soon, but here are some tips for you. Smile. I know it sounds odd, but it works and can help you get that foot in the door with them. And as long as you are smiling, you can also wave and let them know you took it. You can also ask the person if you can take their photo and offer to send it to them after….you know, make a connection and going one step further, you could have cards made with info on them and how they can reach you or where to look for the image or your work. Not everyone will agree of course, but it will help you to gain confidence. There are a lot of ways to develop the skill, but you kind of have to do the hard work and figure out what works for you as a person. Everyone will have a different technique and an ability that works for them. And also, if somene asks you to delete the image…delete it. Be respectful. Another way to help with confidence is to shoot with someone who has experience or just a shooting partner that can help to take the “pressure” off of you. Another trick that I use is to prefocus and then shoot when you are close or in range of the person or given area. Make sure to set your settings accordingly and go from there. Whatever the case may be, keep shooting and keep challenging yourself. I will write a longer post to help better describe some fo these ideas. Just know that we all have issues with certain things and the only way to get better is to recognize them and work on them. Now that I am new in Warsaw, I struggle with some of these very same ideas here because I am building my own confidence up in this new city. Never easy, but always rewarding. I hope this helps some!
New post just for you! https://wordpress.com/post/erikwitsoe.blog/217
Hey Erik, since you have lived in both the US and Poland, what are some of the a every day activities that you miss from the US or that you now experience in Poland that you feel the US would benefit from adopting?
Great questions! I just wrote a nice lengthy reply and then went to post it and it somehow was erased!! I will reply again but in a post I think…now I am a little devasted because it was a great reply! Ugh.
Everyone can see that trams are often object of your photos. Had you opportunity to drive some in US? Witch you like the most and why? Why you make trams object of your photos, why to shot in or why to shot through (as symbol of something, link between different shots or any idea behind?),
Thank you for the questions Krzysztof! All of these are great and I will make a post answering them very soon because I think many people have similar questions about it. So look for that very soon!! Again, thank you very much for reaching out! I truly appreciate it. 🙂
Erik,
You have a consistent look to your work. Would you say that is due more to your preferred esthetic or a desire to have a consistent look to people observing your work?
How much does consideration of external pressure and reception impact your shooting and processing? Does it restrict your creativity and shooting process?