Gallery: favourite people photos of 2021
Whether close to home or travelling further afield, one of my favourite subjects for photography is always the people I see. I recognise that some have concerns about candid street photography, and I understand those. But to me these photos of people living out their daily lives tell you so much about a place. On city streets or elsewhere, itβs the people that bring a place to life.
For Tinaβs Lens Artists challenge this week I am posting a series of galleries, each on a different theme and with a selection of my favourite images taken in the past year. Some have featured in previous posts, many have not.
My chosen themes reflect some of my favourite subjects for photography:
- Nature and landscape
- City life
- People
- Details
- Miscellaneous
People
Many of my favourite people photos this year were taken on the streets of Paris when we enjoyed a short break there to celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. Others are from our other trip abroad, a weekend in Seville, and of course from London and elsewhere in the UK.
The featured image was taken in September, in the Parc des Buttes Chaumont in Paris. The remaining images, below, are all in chronological order. Most were taken in the second half of the year, when restrictions were fewer and we were able to get out and about, and to travel. Oh, and more other people were out and about too!
Barbecue boat in London’s Docklands, June 2021
In London’s Soho on a quiet Sunday morning, July 2021
Dancing by the Seine, Paris, September 2021
On the Pont Marie by the Ile Saint Louis, Paris, September 2021
In Montmartre, Paris, September 2021
Le Consulat, Montmartre, Paris, September 2021
Street musician in Belleville, Paris, September 2021
By the Seine in Paris, September 2021
In the pit village at Beamish Living History museum in north east England, September 2021
In Brighton, England, October 2021
On the seafront in Brighton, England, October 2021
On Brighton Beach, southern England, October 2021
Walkers on the Cobb at Lyme Regis, Dorset, England, October 2021
In the Playa America, Seville, November 2021
At a cafΓ© in Triana, Seville, November 2021
Christening guests in Triana, Seville, November 2021
Watch out for my next set of favourites, focusing on details, in a few daysβ time!
51 Comments
rkrontheroad
These are wonderful, especially the bearded man with the glass of wine and the pink hair that complements the street. As always, you have a sharp eye!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you so much Ruth, I appreciate the compliment! That ‘pink street’ is a skating / skateboarding area and she was taking a rest from skating there. I’d taken a few photos of her in action but much preferred this one in the end π
Wind Kisses
ah yes. photos of people always tell a story of their own, don’t they? Donna
Sarah Wilkie
Indeed they do – thanks Donna π
Anne Sandler
Amazing street photography Sarah! You and your camera have captured many stories.
Sarah Wilkie
That’s kind Anne, thank you – capturing stories, or hints of stories, is just what I try to do!
Annie Berger
As so many others have already commented, you’ve got some great live shots of people enjoying and celebrating life in the UK, Paris and Seville. Happy that you were able to get out from home during this tough period.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Annie, I like the way you’ve put that, ‘people enjoying and celebrating life’ – I hadn’t looked at the photos in that way but you’re right, that’s a theme that runs through most of them!
pattimoed
Hi, Sarah. What a marvelous collection! You made it to Paris and Seville! Perfect timing. I’m hoping we can get to Spain later this year. We can cancelled our reservations for Malaga in March. Fingers crossed we can get there in a few months. Your candid shots are splendid!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Patti π Yes, we were lucky with Paris and Seville, as restrictions were pretty manageable in both places at the time. I hope you get to Spain soon!
pattimoed
Thanks!
thehungrytravellers.blog
Great studies – each one makes you wonder what the subject personβs story isβ¦.and that surely is the essence if a good βpeople photoβ.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you – yes, I agree, a good ‘people photo’ should make you ponder their back story for sure, like the man on the park bench and the wine drinker on the bench π
Leela Gopinath
Nice collection Sarah! I loved the barbecue boat….must be fun to be in one!!!, The man in the Living history museum really looks like a page from history! and by the way, tha shot from Brighton beach….did you use a drone to get such an angle for your picture?
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Leela π No, I took that beach photo from the pier, no drone needed!
Leela Gopinath
BTW My Niagara falls blog comes up tomorrow where I have put the link to your Victoria falls gallery too!!…check it out tomorrow…
Sarah Wilkie
I’ll look out for it!
Sue
These are great Sarah I love the ones from Paris and Seville but actually theyβre all good, and you got about, even though you say βBecause it was mostly in the UK it didnβt really feel like travellingββ¦β¦ well, Iβm becoming a hermitβ¦β¦
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Sue π I guess I got around quite a bit, it’s just not what I regard as travelling! Hope you manage not to become a total hermit π€ By the way I deleted your other comment as it was pretty much identical!
Sue
Aaah, I didnβt think it had worked!
restlessjo
A lively collection, Sarah! The Header is a corker!
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Jo π I caught that man at just the right moment I reckon!
Manja MaksimoviΔ
Lovely, Sarah. They made me smile. π My favourites are in the second half, starting with the pink-haired lady in the pink top, the carriage, and the man with the dog, but many others are memorable too.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Manja π I’m always interested to hear people’s favourites – and not surprised you included the dog in yours!
SandyL
A very good selection of photos. The first one is just precious & I like the last shot in Seville too. Do you ever think why you like particular photos? I find it helps to think about it, as it guides me in decisions about framing & treatment. I like your first shot because the subject has so much character – in his expression, is body position and his sandwich. I like the last photo because of the interaction between the 3 people , it’s a two & one interaction, emphasized by the contrasting color and texture of the woman woman versus the men. The photo of the girl sitting in front of a shop window in Brighton is an interesting one. I had to think about what caught my eye. It’s the symmetry between girl’s outline & the table; the angle of her legs seem to echoe the table’s foot; the cup in her hand versus on the table & the almost on point direction of her profile. It’s a clever capture and a photo with a lot of potential. Nicely done, Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
Wow Sandy, it’s fascinating to get such detailed and thoughtful feedback π I’m with you on why the first and last photos are successful. And a lot of my shots seem to follow the ‘rule of thirds’ although I only occasionally consciously do so! As to the Brighton shot, I think it was the colours that first caught my eye, with her pink jacket picked up by one of the stickers on the door frame and contrasting nicely with its deep blue π
Heyjude
Great portraits! The Parisians are fab and I also like the pink lady in Brighton. We’ll spotted Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Jude, it’s always so interesting to find out which photos appeal to people the most π
Life with Alegria
Absolutely stunning images. And how wonderful to be able to travel as much as you did this past year.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much π Because it was mostly in the UK it didn’t really feel like travelling, but at least we got out and about!
Life with Alegria
For me, all the way over here, itβs travelling. Fingers crossed for more to come this year.
Christie
Dancing by the Seine is certainly my favourite. It’s probably because I wish to be there LOL
And the lone man having a glass of wine. I am amazed he is using a glass oneπ
Sarah Wilkie
Who wouldn’t want to be by the Seine?! I think that man must have come out of an apartment on the island and wandered on to the bridge to enjoy his drink. There wasn’t a bar very close where he could have bought it.
wetanddustyroads
Hmm, the people in Paris just have “something” about them π. And I do like the barbeque boat – that’s something really interesting! My favourite is the man and his dog (I think I maybe saw it in one of your previous posts) … maybe I like the dog more than the man π.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you π Yes, I used that photo in Triana in a post about that district, and the last one too I think. The barbecue boat is a cool idea. You rent them by the hour, bring your own food and drink, and can spend time out on the water with your friends π They also have jacuzzi boats but I’m not sure I want to sit in a hot tub while passers-by stare at me!!
wetanddustyroads
Oh yes, the jacuzzi boat sounds a bit daunting π … but really like the idea of that barbecue boat!!
Terri Webster Schrandt
Your street shots of people are spectacular, Sarah! I have to wonder if the person in your featured image was really looking at you? I love that silhouette shot of the walkers–so striking. Funny how when we see urban street life, most people could be in any city in the world. Well done!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Terri π Yes, I think that man in Paris had just spotted that I was taking photos, although I tried to make it not obvious and was at some distance!
margaret21
Oh, fabulous. I really need to get over myself. I still find photographing strangers difficult, and tend to hide myself behind some passing Corinthian column or similar and quickly press the shutter before I’m spotted..
Sarah Wilkie
Haha π Well, I confess many of mine are taken just like that, a quick shot grabbed before I’m spotted! But most often I rely on my zoom, keeping far enough away that it’s not so obvious who or what I’m photographing. Or I take a wide shot and crop to the people in post-editing. That’s what I did with the girl at the coffee shop in Brighton, for instance. In other cases the people knew I was taking photos and didn’t mind, like the dancers in Paris. And the Beamish one was posed of course π
margaret21
Some good tips there!
Sarah Wilkie
Another one – get a companion to pose and make it look like you’re taking his/her photo when really you’re aiming over the shoulder or to one side π
restlessjo
Ooh, that’s sneaky, Sarah!
margaret21
Oh sneaky! Love it!
Marie
That’s me all over!!! Useless at taking people shots!!! New Years resolution!!
Great post and selection Sarah….
Rose
Lovely shots. My favs were the dancers and the street musician in Paris. Their expressions, the smiles, the appearance of genuine joy, is what I liked. Perhaps Iβm just in the habit of looking for smiles when I take pictures of people I know. Itβs hasnβt occurred to me to photograph strangers. But what you say is true β people in the streets bring a place to life. They add to the character. Iβll try to look at strangers in a more charming/artistic way.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Rose π It’s true that if you take candid photos you can’t guarantee a smile. It can be nice when you get one, but on the other hand I like to capture ‘real life’ and no one smiles all the time!
Yvonne+Dumsday
Not bad for a year of covid induced restrictions Sarah. All beilliant shots – but would expect no less from you.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Yvonne, I appreciate the compliment π
maristravels
Words fail me. The ones taken in France are just fantastic (but they are all great). I especially loved the one of the lone man drinking a glass of wine on the Pont Marie.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Mari π That man fascinated me. Does he take his wine there every evening to enjoy the sunset? Or was he marking some special day, alone?