Street photography, to me, is about telling a story and layering moments, textures, and colors, that make the moment. I particularly love creating scenes that are composed of these elements in my work. For some, it’s about capturing people, for others — like me — it’s more about a mix of that and architectural elements that frame that moment.
You may think you need to travel to different countries to encounter such diversity. Although, sometimes all you need to do is walk down the street. Street photography doesn’t just require skills behind the camera. You need to be comfortable speaking to strangers and asking them to share their lives with you and your audience. That’s why I’ve put together a list of street photography tips to help you get off to a great start and develop your skills.
Get Permission
First thing’s first, be respectful to anyone who doesn’t want their photograph taken and always get consent. Street photography is very candid, and you want to be quick to get “the shot.” Jjust make sure to approach the person afterwards to get their permission.
You may have got the most amazing shot but if they say no, you have to delete it. As a general rule, avoid taking photographs of children unless you know them and have their guardian’s permission. This is one of the toughest — and possibly most confrontational — parts of street photography, but it has to be done!
Observe and Scout Out the Area
There will be plenty of amazing moments to capture, so it’s okay if you spend the first 10-15 minutes people-watching and exploring the area. You can start shooting on one street, and then find out there’s a party going on a few blocks down. Take your time to find out where it’s all happening. It may turn out that you need to rethink your location.
Every town and city has vibrant and exciting neighborhoods waiting to be photographed. So, do your research and think about what you want from the shoot. Do you have a brief or a theme?
All Weather is Good Weather
Street photography is all about the expressions on people’s faces, the culture, the clothing, and life in general. Life happens in all weathers, so make the most of it. Use puddles to make great compositions. Capture the raindrops that rest on people’s eyelashes and the wind blowing about people’s hair. Of course, the sunshine is amazing too. Just don’t put off a shoot because the weather isn’t fabulous.
You can invest in rain covers for your equipment, or take shelter in a doorway and see what shots you can take from there.
Check out 7 Things You Need to Know About Taking Photos in the Snow and Rain for some great tips about shooting in these difficult weather conditions.
Expect the Unexpected
Unlike many other types of photography, you don’t have the time to, well, take your time. It’s not typical in street photography to recreate or set up a candid shot. You need to point and shoot and always be ready to do so.
Depending on how well you know your camera, you can keep manual mode on so you can control the majority of the elements, such as shutter speed, but turn on the auto ISO setting to make it easier. With that said, it’s also important to lean into the imperfections. You won’t always be ready, but those shots might be the best ones.
For more information, read Best Camera Setting for Street Photography.
It’s Not All About People
People don’t have to be the only subjects of your photos. There are a lot of stories to be told on the streets. Some of the most thought-provoking can be discarded objects. What could the story be behind an abandoned bike? Or a single glove? Capture your audiences’ imagination by challenging them to come up with a story behind the object. Architecture and street art are also beautiful subjects for photography. They are pillars in their communities and can represent the area just as much as the people.
Be Inspired, But Stay Unique
The best street photographers have fun with it. They use objects and depth, and they play with perspective. One of my top street photography tips is to research established street photographers like Jill Freedman, William Klein and Fan Ho. Search for the hashtag #StreetPhotography on Instagram for more modern examples. It’s important that you are inspired, but don’t just copy them. You need your own style to stand out!
Always Edit
This is a tip that should feature in every photography tip list. I always say, editing is not “cheating”. Editing is essential! If you’re a beginner, purchasing some Lightroom presets might be the best option while you develop your skills.
However, don’t use this as an excuse not to learn to edit. Post-production is where photos come to life. You can enhance colors that might not be as vibrant as in real life, or turn that imperfect shot into “the shot.” If you do plan on editing your photos, make sure they are saved as RAW files, not JPEG. This will make editing far easier.
Learn more about this at RAW vs JPEG: Which Should You Choose?
Practice Makes Perfect
I also think this is a top tip for all photography styles, but especially street photography. Street photography doesn’t only require you to be good with a camera. You also need to be a people person. If you’re naturally shy, then you will need to get used to approaching people and conversing with them. It also requires patience, quick thinking, and an eye for a particular moment to capture.
Finally, make sure to read up on different types of photography, research equipment, and find photography courses to continue to improve your skills.
