They say that great photographers are made not born, but today’s guest, Angelina Davydova is making me think twice about that theory. That’s because she has been doing street photography for only 2 months.

When I first saw her images I was certain she had been at it for some time, but not so. Ashley and I were blown away by the fact that she is beginner.

Angelina, a native of Russia, now lives in Amsterdam where she works as a logistics expert for the Epson company. She was looking for a creative outlet and not long ago picked up camera and began shooting on the street. After only a few short months she has developed very good sense of composition and an and I for strong subjects.

During today’s episode Ashley and I take turns evaluating three of Angelina’s photos which resulted in a very interesting conversation.

We’ve included the photos in the show notes for the program below so please take some time listen to our conversation with Angelina as you view the photos in this article.

Photo 1

Bob’s Comments

Photos of people walking down the street rarely interest me because I see so many of them. At first glance I could’ve said “meh” to this one, but upon on closer inspection I drawn to the story and story and the questions it creates. One thing that stands out is that the last guy is looking in a different direction from the other two.

The Chin Chin Club that you chose to include makes me very curious. In Amsterdam place with a name like that can’t be good, so it makes me wonder what they’re doing.

And finally the stepping motion is spot on. You caught them in the perfect perfect stride with with their legs all in the same exact position. It was excellent timing on your part. The legs for 3 triangles, strong shapes that lend to the strength of the image.

Ashley’s Comments

They say a good image brings up more questions than it answers and that’s what I like about this image. The three men seem to be going somewhere together, but they aren’t interacting and their clothes make it hard to tell just what they are going to do. It’s also hard to tell what time of day this was with what looks like very little sunlight. In addition, there are no other people on what looks like a normally busy street – another mystery. The black coats against white window and the light coat against black door is also magic. Another lovely detail is how the three subjects’ feet are all in the same exact position. An excellent shot, the only thing I might change is cropping out the storefront far left to have an only brick background for a more solid rule of thirds and less busy, only brick background, if it had been possible. Amazing capture!

Photo 2

Ashley’s Comments

The gestures in this photo really make the shot for me. There is so much emotion from each character. The colors flow nicely with a greenish tone throughout. The background is a bit busy, but the characters make up for it as they have a strong pull for attention. I thought it a little close cropped at first glance, but after looking at the image for a while, I found that the way the grandmother’s head and the stroller tires are cropped just a bit make me feel more a part of the scene, as if I am right in there with the characters.

Bob’s Comments

This photo was well done. I like the color, the composition, and particularly the light on the child’s face and her pose looking down at the phone and her father’s hand.

But then I asked myself the question “so what?” I can’t find an answer. Not that the photo was bad because it is well done, the subject just doesn’t interest me personally. If I saw this with a group of other photos it would not capture my attention.

Photo 3

Bob’s Comments

I really like this one. If It wasn’t for the digital camera and the frame this would be timeless. You did really good work and very harsh light making sure the shadows are not distracting. The main subject is placed perfectly within the rule of thirds and then framed by the girl on the right and the photographer’s hand on the left. That really draws my eye and interest to his face.

It creates questions in my mind. For example” who is this guy?” He must be famous. I got the impression that he’s a famous person stopping for a photo op before he climbs aboard his private jet to go someplace interesting.

Ashley’s Comments

This is beautiful! Well focused, interesting subject and I love the angles. The way the “horizon” slants upwards adds a lot of interest to this image. Diagonal slants frame the main character. Also, it’s hard to tell exactly what’s going on. The camera acts as a censor bar over the eyes of the woman, which adds to the mystery and makes you ask questions or imagine stories. In this shot, the background is much cleaner, which, in my opinion, makes for a stronger overall shot.

Overall, you have a keen eye for capturing characters that tell stories and emit strong emotion. Keep it up! I would say keep a closer eye on background and framing to keep creating even stronger images!

Angelina currently shoots with a Sony I5000 with a kit zoom lens and a Sony 50mm for portraits.

See more of Angelina’s work on 500px

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