Street photography therefore encompasses photography in public areas without arranging the subject in advance. It is not about creating a staged photograph like ‘Look here I am smiling’ or let me take a picture of you’ but rather capturing life in its natural form on the streets. Good street photography is about capturing the raw emotion with some artful message being conveyed through the picture. Here are some tips that may be helpful if you want to try your hand at capturing great street shots.
Find a Busy Location
Although the principles of great street photography is generally very simple, it begins with you finding yourself in a crowded public space. Grocery stores, gas stations, shopping malls, parks, beaches, city squares, and street fairs and markets are all perfect. Seek out areas which are frequented and where human actions occur. Watch how people move and be sure to take note of any of the interesting behavior or character that one may come across. These will be excellent for candid photos.
Blend In
In this capacity, it is important that as a street photographer, you should try as much as possible to be inconspicuous. There is something rather different when individuals see somebody pointing a camera at them; they may pose, put on a fake smile or turn away. For candid shots, do not be shy, make yourself as invisible as possible within the setting. Wear clothing that blend with the background and avoid drawing attention to oneself, find good positions to shoot from like from the hip rather than aiming with our eye.
Watch the Light
Remember also to take into account the sources of light both natural, as well as artificial, when taking the shots in the streets. When you shoot at the break of dawn and at dusk, your subjects will not only be well lit but the light will be warm orange—also known as the “golden hour”. When walking at night, check out interesting shadows being cast by the street lamps or the reflections on the windows of the stores. Light from the stores’ backside can also be best used as cool rim lighting around the subjects.
Choose Fast Shutter Speeds
He further states that street photography involves using high shutter speeds in a bid to capture the actions of the subjects. Make sure the shutter speed is 1/200 of a second or faster to eliminate the possibility of blurring. If possible, consider boosting the camera’s ISO to ensure both a short time and a wide aperture range that may be around f/5. 6-f/8 for improved light gathering and focus range.
Compose with Layers
Search for backgrounds which would provide depth and something that is behind – this could be signs on the walls, buildings, car, trees etc. Ensure your subject(s) are not dwarfed by surrounding objects to avoid being overwhelmed by clutter. Negative space should be avoided around them to allow their story to come out or use elements in front of them such as fences, benches, etc.
Capture Decisive Moments
Street photography is all about understanding the character of the environment and the people within it and learning to react fast enough to capture those special moments. This could be an interesting look that two people share, a random action or even an interesting impression on the ground. You have to learn to anticipate and visualize a shot and be prepared to lift your camera and seize an opportunity.
Embrace Asymmetry
Order and symmetry that can be especially beneficial when composing wide shots can look rather too orderly for the style of the street photography. Finally, you should welcome asymmetrical shapes to give the design an accidental feeling. Aim your subject at a slight tilt, approach people from their left or right side when moving into the scene or stage the shot at a diagonal. The inclusion of which deviates from the compositional norms creates appeal.
Shoot from the Hip
Strive to be more innovative regarding the choice of angles and perspectives. Candid photography from the hip is alsoadvantageous since it enables you to photograph subjects without drawing attention to yourself by lifting the camera. Use framing to capture certain parts of the pictures where it has to be the hands or feet depending on the story that has to be told. Squat down during a shot or go up to a crest to get a surprise vantage point.
Focus on Eyes
In almost any style of photography, eyes are critical features that explain the emotions of the portrait to the viewers. For lively full-frontal candid street photography, focus manually on the eyes of the person. Whatever else may be either blended into semi-shadows or subsumed into the realm of relatively low contrast, the eyes of the figures will always be clearly seen and focused.
Find Humor and Quirkiness
When on the streets, look for inherent funniness, what may be amusing, funny behaviors, reactions, or even funny relationships between unknown individuals. Like out of the box fixtures, amusing signs or pop art murals also fall into this category They all add a playful dimension. These peculiarities of people’s existence are depicted as common things by street photography.
Shoot Through Glass
Introducing elements that are not immediately apparent such as reflections, glares and textures can create added interest. Taking candid photographs of individuals through the glass frontage of shops or through the windscreen of a car introduces some element of distortion to the image. Be mindful of other subjects that may lie within the glass that may create an interesting overlay with your main subject.
Don’t Forget the Details
Apart from capturing people, which I like to emphasize as a significant aspect of street photography, it is also about noticing great textures, signs, hands or quotes overheard that may be interesting for a standalone shot. Despite the generalizations that are evident when comparing the two, it is important to pay attention to the small differences as well. Silhouettes and gradual zoom-ins of the interwoven components can narrate the story.
Keep an Editing Eye
However, in all forms of photography, editing is a critical step in the process of capturing the perfect photo. Either do not post, or be very careful with the shot selection and the general story. Does the collection tell a story of a place, culture or has it centred on commonly shared themes? Remove the blurry pictures and other nuisances that are likely to divert the attention of the viewers. Edit your images to enhance contrast, reduce or increase the frame borders and turn cheerful color pictures into gorgeous monochrome masterpieces.
Practice, Practice, Practice!
With that in mind, one has to invest time and effort to grasp the flow of light, behavior patterns, and the general functioning of the camera on the streets. Make street photography a routine affair until the first weeks when the novelty of the activity wears off and one starts taking candid shots every time one feels like it. Delve into works of such street photography masters as Henri Cartier-Bresson or Viviane Sassen. Certainly, as your skills improve, you will be able to better photograph emotional moments in the middle of busy streets.
Now where are those cameras? It is time to look at the environment around you in a new way. Cultivate the talent of observing gestures, facial expressions, and attitudes that trigger the emotions of people. Learn how to capture images using your camera without affecting any of the people portrayed and you will be on your way to capturing dramatic street photographs that are full of vitality, wit and narrative.