Why shoot square? Should you join the RPS? Why does the right camera make you shoot more?

The camera that improves your street photography might not be the newest, fastest, or most expensive, it is the one you cannot stop picking up. We dig into what makes certain cameras feel 'alive' in the hand, why that emotional pull leads to more shooting, and how early experiences with classics like the Zorki 4, Rolleiflex, and old-school rangefinders can shape the way we see. If you have ever wondered why a Leica or a Fujifilm X100 feels different, we get into the real reason without drowning in tech.

From there, we tackle a question that keeps coming up for UK photographers: is the Royal Photographic Society (RPS) worth it for street photography? We share a straw poll of member experiences, including distinctions like LRPS and ARPS, the value of groups and days out, and the frustrations that can come with cost, access, and judging. The takeaway is practical: match your membership to your goals, and be clear whether you want structured progression or freedom to build your own projects.

We also get hands-on with the everyday kit that keeps you moving: wrist straps versus neck straps, what to prioritise for comfort and speed, and a useful London stop for coffee when you need to reset mid-shoot. Then comes a frank rant about street photography Facebook groups, why low standards get rewarded, and why smaller, critique-led communities often produce better work.

Finally, we make a strong case for shooting square. The 1:1 format changes pacing, simplifies clutter, makes the centre powerful, and can shift the emotional tone of your images. Try a square project on your next walk, then subscribe, share, and leave a review if it helps. What camera, group, or format has genuinely made your street photography better?

SHOW LINKS:

Wotancraft straps & bags  www.wotancraft.tw

Check out my workshops  www.streetsnappers.com

Watch my YouTube videos www.youtube.com/streetsnappers

Follow me on Instagram www.instagram.com/streetsnappers

Join the Facebook Community - www.facebook.com/groups/streetsnappersworldwide

Transcript

Welcome And Today’s Topics

SPEAKER_02 0:18

Hello, street snappers, and uh welcome on board indeed. In today's cracking episode, we're going to talk about camera straps, Facebook groups for street photography, don't get me started, cameras that mean something to you, the RPS, that's the Royal Photographic Society, and why we should all consider shooting square. Thanks as ever for tuning in. If you hear me groaning today, it's because I've done my back in playing tennis. I can hardly move this week, but it's quite good in a way because it's forcing me to travel light. Just one camera, one lens, nothing else, all in this tiny owner bowery bag, which I'll be taking to Lisbon with me in a couple of days.

When Cameras Mean More Than Gear

SPEAKER_02 1:06

Anyway, that's enough about bags, but let's talk cameras for a minute. Are we allowed to talk about gear? Yeah, I think we are. I think we can a bit, can't we? Without we're not going to get techie or anything like that. I know we all moan about all the YouTube channels that bang on about gear all the time, and I'm determined not to be one of those, but gear it is rather nice, isn't it? Or it can be. And I don't just mean any old gear. I mean what normal person would get excited by a Canon R5 or a Sony A7R or a Nikon Z8. But an old Hasselblad, a RoliFlex, even a modern camera like a Fuji X100 or just about any Leica, new or old, these cameras are more than just gear, aren't they? Does that make sense? In fact, I had a question about this

First Proper Camera And Early Influences

SPEAKER_02 1:54

recently. Let's hear it from Chris.

SPEAKER_01 1:56

Hi Brian. Chris here from Milton Keynes, big fan of the show, and my question for you today is what was your first proper camera? Do you still have it? And do you ever use it, if so?

SPEAKER_02 2:09

Well, get the popcorn out. It all started when I was about thirteen, and I caught sight of something shiny in a camera shop window. A bit like a sort of adolescent magpie. And that shiny thing was a second-hand Zorky 4, a kind of Russian Leica copy. It was a silver bulletproof rangefinder camera. Quite in the style of the early Leica, with lots of dials and knurled wheels and machine turn knobs. And I just had to have it. The problem was I had no money. So I went into the shop. In fact, I got my dad to go into the shop with me, and we got the man to agree to take it off the shelf and hold it for me until I could get the money together. It was twelve quid. So I got a weekend job in a petrol station. And every week at the end of the week I'd take three quid to the guy in the shop, and a month later the camera was mine. But prior to that, I'd always been exposed to nice cameras, but never really used them. And my dad, who had been a submariner submariner in the Royal Navy, had a RoliFlex, which he'd bought in Singapore, and do you know I still got some of the pictures he took with it. I used to lust after this camera, although I was never allowed to use it. Then fast forward a couple of years, and I managed to get work experience, or an internship now, as I suppose you call it, at our local newspaper, thanks to one of my dad's pals, who was the chief photographer there. And guess what? They used Roliflexes. So I could actually use one. But while I was there, in fact, I probably only used one for a couple of weeks, they got phased out and they made the groundbreaking move at the time to move over to SLRs. Pentax Spotmatics, as it happens. What another great, brilliant little camera. Again, bulletproof. And you can get hold of these on eBay on eBay or secondhand online camera shops. Anyway, back to the question of my first camera, the Zorky 4. I don't still have it, but maybe I should really try to find one. I guess there must be some kicking around on eBay. But all this got me thinking about the importance of the right camera. Not the camera that's fashionable or expensive, or the one that has lots of tech that you'll probably never use, but the one that evokes something in you. The one you see in the corner of your eye and you think, I want to pick you up. That sounds a bit like me in a Chelsea nightclub circa 1986. But seriously, trust me on this. If you have a camera you truly enjoy using, the one that you want to pick up, you will use it more, you will take better pictures with it. It's a no-brainer, whatever it is. And I think this is why I'm drawn to likers. It's not so much about the end result, it's about the feeling, the the evocation, the pure joy of using it. And my five grand liker takes me right back to my 12 quid Zorky 4. In a good way. But let's not get bogged down just now in the why Leica thing. I'll maybe do a separate piece about that in a future episode. There are lots of good reasons. But this is just about the sheer pleasure and good feeling you get from using something you really enjoy using. And I'm just convinced that it helps, it makes you take better pictures, however cheap or expensive the camera. Now before we leave this point, on a related subject, there's something that I've discovered later in life, and this is the importance or the benefit of reconnect reconnecting with your childhood. This is something I only recently started thinking about, and I'm really enjoying thinking about it and finding ways that I can go back in time. Is this just me or do you do it? Is it something everybody does? I don't know. I haven't really spoken about it to anybody before. But simple things like writing things down in a notebook with a fountain pen or a nice pencil. So much more satisfying and visceral than jabbing at a little screen with your finger, listening to music I used to listen to, driving cars that I lusted after at the time, but could never afford them. I haven't done this one yet, by the way, but it's very much on my radar. Just don't tell my wife. And so many more things. Again, do you do it or is it just me? Let's get back to

Should You Join The RPS?

SPEAKER_02 6:41

business. Are you a member of the Royal Photographic Society? People often ask me what I think of the RPS and whether I recommend joining. Well, I'm not a member, but I have been several times over the years, and to be honest, I've got mixed views. And in fact, one of your questions prompted me to think about this and to do a bit of digging. Take it away, Freddie.

SPEAKER_00 7:03

Hi Brian, Freddie from Oxford. Was wondering what you think of the RPS and if you'd recommend joining if you're into street photography. Thanks so much.

SPEAKER_02 7:11

Well, I did a bit of a straw poll amongst the street snappers community. And here are a few thoughts from people, and I'll give you my view at the end. Neil says, I used to get more out of it than I do now. This is mostly because they changed the region from North Wales to Wales. Rolf, who was the regional organiser, organised the Edgelands project, which was really great. It got my work in a book. So I really do think it depends on where you are. I'm an ARPS, working on my F and taking my time on that. I'm a member of the documentary group, which also seems to cover street. I feel a bit out of the way to be able to take full advantage, but I would recommend. So Neil thinks it's worth it, but your location makes a difference. There's probably more going on in London than, say, in North Wales. Fair point. So the next comment is from Paul. I'm a longstanding member and need to keep the membership up if I want to use the ARPS letters after my name, brackets, which I rarely do. I know it's a cliche, but you tend to get out of it what you put in. If all you're interested in is street, there may not be enough for you. All in all, it's quite expensive to be a member. The organization has been beset by internal strife in the last few years, but if you choose to get involved, it can be worthwhile. So Paul's saying, you get out of it what you put in. Helen tells me I was a member for a number of years with the intention of doing my LRPS. Because of work, it took me three years to find an advisory day I could attend, so I gave up hope of actually getting my LRPS. I never had time to get involved with the various groups they have and found little of interest in the magazine. So I eventually decided I'd spend the £100 plus annual cost on things like workshops. Well done, Helen, where I could learn more. So good point, Helen. And I do agree about the magazine. I'll mention this in in a minute. So this is from another Neil who is based in Scotland. I've been a member for a while and I'm an associate working on my fellowship. The distinctions process is currently under review as part of a major change programme in the RPS, and getting a lot out of it via the Contemporary Group, which organises Days Out across Scotland, plus a number of Zoom talks with guest speakers, and the opportunity to discuss our own work. And yes, via the Days Out, street photography is well catered for. So it clearly worked for Neil. And there seems to be plenty of relevant stuff to keep him occupied. Next we'll go to Pete, who offers a slightly more cautious perspective. I joined during Covid out of curiosity and to see if the substantial membership fee was worth it. I wasn't really interested in going down the distinctions route as I didn't see the value of it. Fair point. The magazine was good. I looked into a number of specialist groups, but none were local or of much interest to me. I thought long and hard about rejoining but concluded that in my opinion, it was just like a big camera club. You submit your work to judges, and if you get good marks, you can be awarded with one of the accreditations. However, in order to maintain the accreditation, you have to keep your membership up. So what Pete is saying is, you know, if you want LRPS off your name or something, it's going to cost you 120 quid a year. Is it worth it? And I do agree about the camera club analogy, which I will come back to. Alison is more positive. I've been a member for a number of years, achieving my A as well. Some of the special interest groups are excellent, and that's why I continue with my membership. Fair enough, Alison. Finally, a comment from Dan, who lives in London, who also has positive thoughts and gets a lot out of it. I know Dan and I know he gets a lot out of it. He says, I have absolutely no doubt that my photography improved as a result of the challenges of my LRPS and ARPS journey. And I'm sure that chasing a fellowship will also encourage me to grow and improve. Distinctions aren't for everyone and can prove frustrating for some, but I enjoyed the projects I undertook. When you add in regular competitions, project opportunities, and the chance to exhibit, I think it's well worth the membership fee. So again, Dan seems to get a lot out of the RPS. Maybe living in London makes a difference, and it's less less viable for those of us out in the sticks, who knows. So they have quite a diverse range of views. What works for some people clearly doesn't for others. So what do I think? Well, I've been a member three times over my lifetime, including a stint just over a year or so ago. And the fact that I didn't renew my most recent membership probably tells you all you need to know. I found their commitment to street photography, how can I be polite, woefully lacking. They c I I I emailed them or wrote to them with some suggestions that I thought were quite appropriate and detailed and very constructive, and they couldn't even be bothered to acknowledge me. Even yeah, I was a member. The monthly magazine I found to be full of filler with not much of interest. I thought their judging ability on what is or isn't good street photography leaves a lot to be desired? No, let's be honest here, it was clueless. A bit like in some camera clubs, I guess. So no not all camera clubs, I I say hastily, some I did say some camera clubs. So it's not for me, but there again, I guess it's not really for professional photographers. But what else is there out there? What are you a member of? Is there anything? Are there any alternative bodies that we should all be aware of? Do tell. I have

Wrist Straps And Neck Straps

SPEAKER_02 12:59

an email question here from Fiona in Guildford about camera straps. And Fiona said, What camera strap do you recommend? Thanks Fiona, that was shortened to the point. I generally recommend a wrist strap for street photography, as that means the camera's always in your hand and ready to go. I know that for for some people it's uh it can be uncomfortable having that heavy thing attached to your wrist all day. You know, when you're out in the streets in the heat, pounding the pavements, it can be it can be quite tiring, I know, rather than having it round your neck. But I do think it's the best solution. I have a couple of nice leather wrist straps and I use the what else do I use? I've got a rope wrist strap, I use the peak design cuff sometimes, and that's quite comfortable. But I think my favourite is the Wotan Craft Parachuter. Love the name too. If I'm running workshops and I need to keep getting stuff out of my bag, then I I will use a neck strap. And here again, Wotan Craft gets my vote, and the Paracord Neckstrap is incredibly comfortable, and I think it's quite stylish. This is a great company, by the way, Wotancraft, if you haven't come across them. I know I mentioned my Wotan Craft bag in my pilot Rotancraft pilot bag in a recent episode. Don't be put off by the fact that they're in Taiwan. They ship over here, or anywhere for that matter, and shipping is very quick and not too expensive. I think my Wotencraft bag and my straps are probably the closest thing to the perfect straps and bag for street photography, but who knows? Anyway, I'll pop a link to these chaps in the show notes.

A Handy London Coffee Stop

SPEAKER_02 14:44

Okay, here's another pit stop recommendation for you if you're out shooting in London. And it's the Picture House Central Cinema, which is quite close to Piccadilly Circus in Shaftesbury Avenue. And it's a great place to stop for coffee. If you don't know it, you'll probably recognise it. You'll have walked past it at some point. A lot of people don't realise that there is a great cafe in there. And whilst yes, it is a cinema upstairs, but the big ground floor area is a cafe, which is open from 10am until quite late at night, I think, till after they finish showing the films. You can always get a table in there. There's a good range of sandwiches and cakes and nibbles and stuff. The coffee is good. I think you can get a bottle of beer. They don't serve proper beer in big pints, but you get a bottle. There's decent Wi-Fi. And I do quite like the vibe in there. And it I just find it a relaxing place for a break when you just need to get off the streets for half an hour. But if you're likely to be a frequent visitor, uh which I am, it's probably worth becoming a member. I think it costs about 60 quid a year, and you get access to a lovely members' bar upstairs and restaurant, and also a roof terrace, which is great in the summer with great views. And I think you get 20% off films too. So it's worth a 60 quid if you if you're hanging out there a lot. And then, of course, if you're there during the hours of darkness, there's the wonderfully fashionable red neon cafe sign in the window. And getting a decent shot of this is almost a rite of passage for street photographers. Right, moving on.

The Problem With Facebook Groups

SPEAKER_02 16:22

As usual on these shows, I'm gonna have a little rant. And as usual, I have my ex army hand grenade in my hand, which I'm going to lob into a topic that grinds my gears. And this time it's street photography Facebook groups, and there seem to be thousands of them. And believe me, most of them are a complete waste of time, and the images posted in them are rubbish. Now, I'm sorry if that's controversial or blunt, but I think it's true. What is it about Facebook groups that makes people want to accept such low standards? Why is it Facebook? What it is what what is it about Facebook? Now, I'm not taking a pot shot at beginners ho here or people who are not good street photographers. We all started somewhere, and there's nobody more encouraging to newbies than I am. It's part of my job. But my my hand grenade really is aimed at the people who run these groups. What planet are they on? I'm looking at one now. It has the word international in its title. Here we go. I'm not going to name it, but dear me, pictures of what have you got here? Kittens, models, hundreds of pictures walking past walls, people walking past walls, even more hundreds of the usual boring silhouettes. Come on, guys, you should be flying the flag for good street photography, promoting good work, not patting people on the back for posting utter dross. All these pictures are getting many, many likes and you know the usual sort of comments like awesome capture. It's just not good, is it? You know, I think we we all yeah, we all take bad pictures. I d I take hundreds every week, but I don't put them on social media. But why does all this bother me? You know, who c who cares? I don't know, but it just does bother me. I wish people on social media would be more honest and call something out for what it is. Until very recently I run a Facebook group that had 8,000 members, and it was a nightmare. Half of them knew little or nothing about street photography, which is fine. Some people go to learn, which is great, but they just didn't care, which is not fine. So I've closed that group down, it was frustrating the hell out of me. And I invited the members who care to come and join a new group which has 330 members so far, but I'd much rather have those because they're far more engaged and they're supportive of each other than the 8,000 members in the other group. They provide friendly, wholesome, constructive critique, and the whole thing just has so much more currency. So if you're interested in joining, by the way, just search for Street Snappers Worldwide, and again, I will pop a note in the show notes below for you. And breathe, as they say.

Why Shooting Square Changes Everything

SPEAKER_02 19:24

In today's technical slot, now you know me, I'm not a very technical technical person, but sometimes we have to talk tech, don't we? But we're talking about shooting square. Now, I don't know about you, but I've always been a huge fan of the square format, though I'm ashamed to say I don't do anywhere near enough of it. I mentioned my dad's RoliFlex earlier, and I've actually got one in front of me as we speak. Mine is not that one, but it's my own. And this is the most lovely 2.f version, which is definitely the one to buy if you're interested interested in acquiring one of these, by the way. What else have I got? What have we got here? I've got this lovely Hasselblad. This is a 503 CXI, the classic Hasselblad design, but I think this is the one with the focal plane shutter rather than leaf shutter. It's just so lovely. But why the square format? Whatever the camera, what's the appeal? Well, I think there are some real practical benefits to shooting square. So here's why you should give it a try. Firstly, shooting the streets in square changes how you see. It's not just about the aspect ratio as such. It alters the rhythm, the composition, the pacing, the subject relationships, even the emotional feel in an image. It's just a different way of seeing. Secondly, it slows you down. Not always a good thing, I accept, in street photography, but often it is. I think of it this way a rectangular frame naturally encourages eye movement across the image, with the eye usually travelling from left to right. Whereas a square frame feels much more static and balanced and it anchors the eye. So this encourages you to compose more carefully and deliberately. So in practice, this can help us when we're working layered scenes or perhaps isolating quiet moments instead of dynamic scenes. You could say it encourages observation rather than frenetic hunting. Next, in regular formats, i.e. rectangular formats, placing a subject dead center can feel really awkward and probably looks a bit amateurish, but with a square the centre becomes powerful. So for example, you could place a figure centrally with symmetry around them, or you could balance out negative space evenly. You could perhaps build compositions outwardly from a subject. So the center becomes so much more important. Another reason is that it can simplify chaotic scenes, and we all experience chaotic streams scenes on the streets. Street photography often contains far too much visual noise, which is we find it difficult to manage, and it's you know, we're always striving to minimize the clutter. But a square crop can remove peripheral distractions, and you're forced to reduce the scene to its essentials. It's actually a great discipline for learning how to compose, because there's far less room to hide weak framing. Another reason, Square has a different emotional tone, and square images can feel nostalgic or timeless, or quite often quieter, more competitive. Think back to some classic street photography that you you will have seen in square format. Vivian Meyer is the obvious example, but there's also Diane Arbus, Leif Friedlander, Lisette Model. Ooh, who else have we got? Anders Peterson, Trent Park, even Bruce Gilden in his early days. There's no doubt that cameras like the Hasselblad, the Mamia Flex, the Roly Flex, they did shape how some of these early photographers composed and observed. Finally, and I make no excuses for saying this, it's just so damn lovely to work with. And you don't necessarily need an old film camera to do this. Even when you're shooting digitally, square framing still carries some of this great visual heritage that we've been talking about. So my message to you is just try it. Maybe do a square project, make a set of square prints, make a square book, a square zine. Square prints, I always think, you know, a nice set of square prints framed on the wall always look fantastic. Real sort of statement artwork. So if you're new to shooting square and you have a digital camera, just try setting your aspect ratio to a one-to-one crop. If you can't do that, you can do it later in post-production, but you really need to start feeling it at the composition stage. And I guarantee that you'll begin to see differently within about half an hour. Now, if you really like the sound of this and fancy buying yourself a nice square camera, you don't need to spend one or two grand on a RoliFlex or Haselblad. So here are a couple of much cheaper alternatives. Look at the Mamiya Flex range, Mamiya. The Mamiya C220 and 330 are great. The 330 is a better camera in my view, a bit more expensive, but you'd probably get one for a couple of hundred quid. Then there's the Yashikamat 124G, which is a real butte for just a couple of hundred quid. There's really no need to go overboard with this. And okay, I I appreciate that there's the cost of film to factor in. But you could always consider the lesser-known brands like FOMO Pan and even cheaper ones, or try using expired film. It certainly worked for Saul Lighter. Well, I think that just about wraps it up for today's show.

Lisbon Plans And Final Takeaways

SPEAKER_02 25:18

As I've got to pack for a trip, I'll be back in a couple of weeks. If you know anybody else out there who might be interested in this, please do share me about. Put me about. I'll be working on the next episode while I'm in Lisbon later this week, and that will include a segment on shooting street photography in the magnificent city of Lisbon. And we'll also take a closer look at post-production and workflow, which is not exactly my favourite subject, but it's a very important one and something we should look at. Well, I hope you're enjoying the uh nice late spring sunshine and you're managing to get out there and shoot. So happy shooting. Uh, do have a look at the show notes. I'll pop whatever links I mentioned in there, and I'll see you again in a couple of weeks. Bye for now, you can't be a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a little bit of a few.