Featured photo courtesy of Daniel Arnold – NYC – Street Photography
Street photography is one of the most popular genres, especially for photographers without a ton of gear. If you don’t know how to get started with street photography, then check out our tips below. It’s a lot easier once you get your courage, the right lens, and hit the streets!
View this post on Instagram
Overcome Your Fear
Before you do anything else, you’ve gotta get over your fear of capturing strangers on film—especially for introverts! Sometimes, the best way to overcome anxiety is to face it head on, which is why we recommend street portraiture for newbies. Unlike classic street photography, street portraiture requires asking the person directly if it’s okay to take their portrait. Start with people who naturally draw attention to themselves like street performers or fashionistas in eye-grabbing dress. These types often enjoy being seen, so it’s less likely that they will reject your offer.
View this post on Instagram
Be Respectful
it’s perfectly legal to photograph subjects for fine art or editorial if you’re in a public space in the United States. However, you need a signed model release form if you intend to use them as stock images. That said, please be respectful. Photographing someone in an embarrassing or vulnerable position might be legal, but it’s certainly less than ethical. Use common sense here. The last thing you want is to provoke someone into an altercation, especially as a beginner. If a situation seems dangerous, then it probably is. Best to let it go.
View this post on Instagram
Find Your Patience
Studio photography is often predictable, but street photography is all about the spontaneous shot. Know how to wait for it. Some photographers like to frame their shot, and then pause for a subject to walk into it. Others hold their finger on the trigger. If you find an interesting background, it’s a good idea to hang around with your camera ready. Don’t miss a potentially great shot just because there isn’t a subject right away! A good technique if you’re not sure when to shoot is to place your subject a third from the middle of the top and/or sides. This is called the rule of thirds. Try to avoid snapping the shot when your subject is dead set in the middle. It’s not very visually interesting!
View this post on Instagram
Shoot with a 35mm or 50mm Lens
We recommend using one of two lenses for street photography: 35mm and a 50mm prime lens (also known as a nifty fifty). If you don’t have either of these lenses, then at least stick to primes. Zoom lenses might seem more versatile. However, the street moves so quickly that all the added flexibility flies out the window with only a second or two to focus.
Consider the Captions
Plenty of street photographers, and most famously HONY, caption their street photographs when they post them on social media sites like Instagram. Captions expand the world of the street image and address viewer curiosity. If you didn’t talk to the subject directly, and therefore don’t know their story, explain something of the photograph in terms of what else happened around it. To gain attention with lots of hashtags, use a row of periods beneath your caption as not to smack readers with a block of text.
Street photography is half patience, half guts. So get your prime lens and mirrorless or DSLR and take to the streets. Just remember to be respectful of people’s boundaries. If you want to know more about them, just ask! It’ll be great for your captions.
-
Regular price: $596.95 -
Regular price: $949.00 -
Regular price: $748.00 -
Regular price: $699.00
