I thought Id have a bit of fun when out shooting the street, so I started naming my street compositions according to winning hands when playing cards. So from a truly exceptional hand (a brilliant composition filled with complexity) to the simplest card (a simple snapshot of a straightforward subject).
Taken in Kolkata at the famous flower market. Id been going there most days during my week-long stay in the city and one early morning, as I walked under the motorway bridge, this image presented itself to me: beautiful light, almost biblical, and against all common compositional rules in street photography, with the main figure in the center being camera aware. I took just a couple of frames before the grouping split apart.
Its definitely one of those places that you know one day is going to reward you, and after 5 years and over 20 visits, it certainly paid dividends!
Taken again in Kolkata at the Kalighat Kali Temple. Again I knew this background well and visited it many times and have kept doing so since, but on this one occasion, the three different compositions all came together. And then, to complete the photograph, an Indian lady with a red sari walked through the image filling the space to the left. This composition splits the frame into three or four smaller ones, each with its own story: its one of the street photography techniques that can yield great images.
An image taken in Dawei, Myanmar. This was one of those great photography adventures, originally flying into Yangon and then taking a prop plane all the way down to Myeik to then work our way back every few days via Ye, Dawei, and Mawlamyine, taking in the beautiful cultures found well off the beaten track. Im looking forward to going back someday when the borders re-open to rekindle our memories.
Wed made our way into one of the many monasteries in Dawei where I found this great background with four kids just chilling and a dog lying on the stairs, I stayed there for about 15 mins as the scene developed with dogs wandering through the picture and waited till the whole composition came together.
Taken on a photography course in Dallas called Foundation Workshop, probably the best course Ive ever attended, with two of my mentors being Pulitzer prize winners: Deanne Fitzmaurice and Greg Gibson. It was probably one of the first layered images I set out to take.
Taken in the fish market in Yangon.
Taken in Jodhpur.
An image with a group of three and a group of two taken in Kolkatas vegetable market. The key to the picture is background selection and then waiting for the elements to come together, such as heads in spaces and a natural decisive moment between the group of 3. This is one of the fundamental street photography techniques to get a successful shot: work the scene, compose ad wait for it to develop.
This image is also taken in Kolkata.
Street Scene Kolkata
The Flush: five people come together. Taken in Dawei on the beach where we were practicing putting heads in the sky and shooting thru creating natural frames. I shot a lot of frames for this image on my Sony A9 and 35mm lens to make sure the ball was captured in its own space.
Five similar people in a group. Taken in Kolkata around the Sudder Street market area. The photo above was a gift with three guys leaning chatting on a poster wall, whereas in the below image the group in the foreground was stationary with a great background and it was a case of waiting for someone to fill the gap. I got the added bonus of a random hand.
A bar in Myanmar.
Three workers in Hanoi central park.
Kolkata Flower Market. Its often fun to challenge yourself and look for different items with one of these street photography techniques of shooting through along with keeping all their heads in spaces. I noticed a lot of the bikes had these huge saddles so tried on several occasions to use the large spring to shoot thru, and patience rewarded me.
I noticed the guy reading the paper and that it was acting as a reflector pushing the light back into his face. I acknowledged him and he let me continue shooting as I waited for the other two people in the temple to make a better composition.
Two men and his son repairing a bike in Yangon. As I approached the scene the kid jumped over his dad and used the wheel to almost hide behind making a great composition. All I had to do then was ensure that the childs eye wasnt obscured by the spokes of the wheel.
Sometimes you get lucky. I saw the scene from across the street so crossed over to take the photo and at that moment the cat got up and stretched out making a nice little addition to the three men.
Taken in Nagaland, not strictly street photography but we had arranged this adventure to visit and photograph some of the last headhunters alive. We were really lucky to witness them smoking opium.
Taken in the Kolkata Flower Market using the foreground subjects as a frame and waiting for the right shape to happen, allowing me to capture the secondary subjects behind
Taken in Camden Market relatively early in the day: I saw this great prop hanging from a glasses store so then waited for the right grouping to come into the frame.
A group of two people or a pair of hands. These character hands were spotted in Myanmar along with the twins in matching dresses.
Just a single great image or street portrait in the context of where the person is or what they are doing.
Taken in Kolkata.
Taken in Soho, London where I pre-focused on something at a similar distance, then just moved in and took the picture before he hastily moved on! Pre-focusing is another one of the street photography techniques that allow you to be unobtrusive and fast.
Part of a project I covered shooting speakers corner.
I hope this fun little exercise was interesting and inspirational to you. Happy shooting!
About the author: Mark Seymour is an award-winning wedding and street photographer based in the UK. He has over 30 years of experience shooting at over 1,000 venues across his nation. Seymour has shot for National Geographic and has his work displayed in The National Portrait Gallery in London. He also runs street photography workshops through Shoot the Street. You can find his wedding work on his website. This article was also published here.
Read more here:
A Poker Hand Ranking of Street Photo Compositions - PetaPixel
- Most Poker Rooms Remain Closed As Gambling Markets And Casinos Reopen In The United States - CardPlayer.com [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2020]
- New poker rules in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic - Tampa Bay Times [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2020]
- Genting Ceases All Live Poker Activity in the United Kingdom - PokerNews.com [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2020]
- Ike Haxton Raises Concerns About the Health of Live Poker Players - HighstakesDB [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2020]
- King's Casino reopening poker room soon with plenty on the schedule - World Casino Directory [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2020] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2020]
- Advt: 5 reasons why everyone is hooked to online poker! Have you joined the party yet? - Times of India [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Orange City OKs more poker players, and Greyhound racing in Daytona is over - The West Volusia Beacon [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- How Coronavirus changed the perception of Poker - CalvinAyre.com [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Natural8 2020 WSOP Online Hand of the Week: A Wholesome Hand for Ryan Depaulo - PokerNews.com [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- How Has Poker Changed Over Many Years? - Loop21 [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Trump's approach to politics bears the hallmarks of a bad poker player, author says - CBC.ca [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Today's lottery news: the Poker Lotto numbers and results for Monday July 20, 2020 are here... - Born2Invest [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- The Deck Is Not Rigged: Poker and the Limits of AI - Undark Magazine [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Key Points To Consider When Choosing Online Poker Tables - Top10PokerWebsites [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- NJ Special Legislation and the Impact on Online Casino Players in NY - Blog - The Island Now [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- The Phil Ivey Of Poker - HBCU Buzz [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Venetian poker room going to 8-handed tables - Las Vegas Review-Journal [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- Chasing Poker Greatness: #68 Andrew Brokos: Co-Host ThinkingPoker Podcast & Author of Play Optimal Poker - Pokerfuse [Last Updated On: July 21st, 2020] [Originally Added On: July 21st, 2020]
- FULL-HOUSE VS QUADS in the WSOP Main Event! Could Selbst have gotten away? - PokerNews.com [Last Updated On: August 3rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 3rd, 2020]
- Error in partypoker US Online Network PKO Series Finale Results in Nearly $50K Overlay - PokerNews.com [Last Updated On: August 3rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 3rd, 2020]
- Facebook develops AI algorithm that learns to play poker on the fly - VentureBeat [Last Updated On: August 3rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 3rd, 2020]
- Why Negreanu thinks Ivey is the best poker player in the world - Comcast SportsNet Chicago [Last Updated On: August 3rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 3rd, 2020]
- An Open Letter To The WSOP: Why Mixed Games Are Good For Poker Player Development - Poker News - CardPlayer.com [Last Updated On: August 3rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 3rd, 2020]
- What Site Offers the Best Online Poker Bonus in 2020? - PokerNews.com [Last Updated On: August 3rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 3rd, 2020]
- Man, 60, in custody in connection to death of professional poker player Susie Zhao - Detroit Free Press [Last Updated On: August 3rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 3rd, 2020]
- 60-year-old man arrested in connection with Oakland Co. professional poker player's death - WXYZ [Last Updated On: August 3rd, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 3rd, 2020]
- VIEW: Poker has a lot to offer to the Robinhood generation - CNBCTV18 [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Key Elements to Consider When Searching for the Best Poker Game Software Development Company - Communal News [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS To A BIG HAND FOR THE LITTLE LADY : Best Poker Movies To Perfect Your Game Plan - The Fan Carpet [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Casino Games: Online Poker | What Happened To Full Tilt Poker? - GamingTodaySlotsToday [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Who Are the All-Time Leaders in Poker in North America? - Poker News Daily [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- UPDATE: One Arrested After Poker Game Argument Leads to Machete Attack in Lexington Park | Southern Maryland News Net - Southern Maryland News Net [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Caribbean Sports - Best Caribbean Poker Tips & Tricks To Win - Caribbean and Latin America Daily News - News Americas [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Author and former professional poker player Annie Duke on how conspiracy theories gain ground - TechCrunch [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Poker Market Size and Growth By Leading Vendors, By Types and Application, By End Users and Forecast to 2020-2027 - Scientect [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- When Will Live Poker Rooms Reopen in Pennsylvania? - Play Pennsylvania [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- 5 of the best gambling apps to play real money poker games - European Gaming Industry News [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Poker - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: August 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: August 26th, 2020]
- Andre Akkari Brings eSports and Poker Together as Industry Revels in Good News - HighstakesDB [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2020]
- Five True-Life Poker Stories Primed To Be Hollywood Blockbusters - PocketFives [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2020]
- Christopher Nunnally Wins Pearl River Poker Open $600 Main Event ($57835) - PokerNews.com [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2020]
- What Losing 40 Tournaments In A Row Should Tell You About Your Poker Game - Poker News - CardPlayer.com [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2020]
- Phil Ivey's Most Memorable Hand that Changed the Course of Poker History - HighstakesDB [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2020]
- Legendary poker player goes all in on Bitcoin, liquidates Ether and Monero - Crypto News Flash [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2020]
- Poker Club: All Bluff And Bluster | Screen Rant - Screen Rant [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2020]
- What Does Another WSOP Main Event Mean for Poker? - PokerNews.com [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2020]
- 2020 PokerNews Holiday Gift #4: SimplePoker.com GTO Poker Solvers and Tools - PokerNews.com [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2020]
- Why Casino Royale Director Sweated the Poker Scenes Over Any James Bond Action - MovieWeb [Last Updated On: November 29th, 2020] [Originally Added On: November 29th, 2020]
- What Kinds Of Basics Beginners Should Know In Live Poker Gambling? - - VENTS Magazine [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2020]
- Poker Legend Maria Ho Details Her Experience on 'The Amazing Race' and 'American Idol' (Exclusive) - PopCulture.com [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2020]
- Great minds: 10 players who excel at both chess and poker - chess24 [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2020]
- Head of Marketing- Poker Powher - PEAK6 - Built In Chicago [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2020]
- 'Twas The Night Before Christmas - Poker Edition - PocketFives [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2020]
- Maria Ho Reflects on Hall of Fame Poker Career, Teases Her Future Plans (Exclusive) - PopCulture.com [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2020]
- Bitcoin And Crypto Trading Tips From Poker World Champion Annie Duke - Forbes [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2020]
- Chemistry Lessons: Building the Perfect High Stakes Poker Cast - PocketFives [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2020]
- Poker Stories of the year: Negreanu and Polk's high stakes feud - CalvinAyre.com [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2020]
- 2021 Poker Predictions: Will COVID-19 Force a WSOP Cancellation? - CardsChat.com [Last Updated On: December 26th, 2020] [Originally Added On: December 26th, 2020]
- Huck Seed inducted to Poker Hall of Fame - CalvinAyre.com [Last Updated On: January 7th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 7th, 2021]
- Conor Beresford Wins 2020 Online Poker Player of the Year - PocketFives [Last Updated On: January 7th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 7th, 2021]
- WPT Readies for Live Poker in Las Vegas and Florida - LegalUSPokerSites.com [Last Updated On: January 7th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 7th, 2021]
- Run It Once Poker in 2020: Innovation, Promotions and Growth - Pokerfuse [Last Updated On: January 7th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 7th, 2021]
- Jail for woman who attacked neighbour with poker in Cork town - EchoLive.ie [Last Updated On: January 17th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 17th, 2021]
- Poker Coming Back to Detroit This Week - USGamblingSites.com [Last Updated On: January 17th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 17th, 2021]
- This woman used her Psychology Ph.D. to become a poker star - Yahoo News [Last Updated On: January 17th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 17th, 2021]
- Looking Ahead To The World Series Of Poker Finale - LA Canyon News [Last Updated On: January 17th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 17th, 2021]
- Sheldon Adelson Died and the Poker Community has Mixed Feelings - CardsChat.com [Last Updated On: January 17th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 17th, 2021]
- Poker Is on the Cards for Detroit This Friday - GamblingNews.com [Last Updated On: January 17th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 17th, 2021]
- FIVE THINGS: The Poker Hall of Fame Deserves a Next Level Upgrade - PocketFives [Last Updated On: January 17th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 17th, 2021]
- Tony G Resigns from Parliament; Will He Head Back to Poker? - PokerNews.com [Last Updated On: January 17th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 17th, 2021]
- High Stakes Poker S8, E5: You Won't Believe the Pot Tom Dwan Won - PokerNews.com [Last Updated On: January 17th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 17th, 2021]
- 5 key concepts in poker and chess | chess24.com - chess24 [Last Updated On: January 17th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 17th, 2021]
- Several States Begin To Lift Casino Closures And Ease Restrictions - CardPlayer.com [Last Updated On: January 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 29th, 2021]
- Jack Hardcastle Wins the WPT Montreal Main Event at partypoker ($447859) - PokerNews.com [Last Updated On: January 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 29th, 2021]
- Los Angeles Poker Rooms Given Green Light to Reopen this Week - CardsChat.com [Last Updated On: January 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 29th, 2021]
- Partypoker US Network Posts Big Online Poker Revenue Gains in New Jersey During the Final Quarter of 2020 - Pokerfuse [Last Updated On: January 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 29th, 2021]
- 888 Executive: US Online Poker to Benefit from Latest Wire Act Ruling - Casino.Org News [Last Updated On: January 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 29th, 2021]
- The FIVES Poker Podcast: WPT in the Headlines, Polk Tilts Negreanu - PocketFives [Last Updated On: January 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 29th, 2021]
- Justice Kagan: Poker Shark - Above the Law [Last Updated On: January 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 29th, 2021]
- Is online poker in the cards for North Dakota? - The Dickinson Press [Last Updated On: January 29th, 2021] [Originally Added On: January 29th, 2021]