We got mail! It’s always exciting when participants of my street photography workshops take the time to share what they were able to takeaway from attending. I just received this review from a recent workshop participant:
This is a review for my attendance at the Beginner’s Street Photography Workshop that took place in Chicago during Feb 15th & 16th, 2014.
Initially, I was looking for a street photography lesson in my native hometown of NYC and was quite pricey. Nonetheless with Google search, I randomly browsed and came across Chuck Jines, a Chicago based street photographer. I didn’t have any foreknowledge about Chuck, other than to see his work and youtube video threads on street photography, and his approach. Before having made a decision to sign up for this workshop, my first thoughts about Chuck after viewing youtube clips on street photography as well as his work was, he’s gritty, genuine, and a great communicator that is willing to spread his knowledge and insight in capturing street photographs. So, I booked a flight from New York City to Chicago. Chuck breaks it down from A to Z in first, being proficient with your camera, exposure, and composition in what urban features to incorporate in capturing a street photograph.
I had no expectations coming into the workshop as I had intentions of progressing in this area of photography. Being an intermediate skilled photographer, this workshop is encouraged for all skill levels of photography. I learned a great deal in this workshop in which Chuck breaks down the essence of street photography – the philosophy, what makes a street photograph a street photograph, and what it conveys to the viewer. Chuck challenged me to come out of my comfort zone to approach strangers and to come more closer when photographing the subject. I was really encouraged when Chuck emphasized to me to develop a style of street photography that best caters my own personality. Being an introverted person that I am, whose comfort zone is to photograph natural scenic landscapes, I did not know how much human psychology is significant in street photography – knowing your neighborhood, observing the social dynamics of an area, seeing how people interact with one another on the street.
After coming out of the 2 day workshop, Chuck’s teaching opened a vision in how I should approach capturing a street photograph. But most importantly, it revealed that my desire is to be comfortable and confident socializing with strangers and, thus eventually my photography will follow through.
For the ones who are contemplating of signing up for a street photography workshop, I absolutely have no regrets paying a visit from NYC to Chicago. Come with an open mind, be observant, and have a lot of questions that you are unsure of. I’m thankful for Chuck, with such gifts of a genuine communicator, and the words of encouragement he has given to me in improving my street photography. -Chris Chow
Thanks, Chris for all your kind words. It was a pleasure shooting with you!