When you’re shooting on the streets, being
subtle is everything. If you want true candid
shots of people who are unaware of your
presence, they will also need to be unaware of your
big camera. Holding a DSLR in front of your face
shows subjects that you’re photographing them, so
how else can you snap images? In this tutorial we
headed to London to reveal how simple it is to use
zone focussing for sharp street shots – with practice.
To zone focus, switch to manual focus, set a lens to
a predetermined distance and shoot subjects when
they fall into this range of focus. The technique is
ideal if you hold the camera at hip level and don’t look
through the viewfinder. Pre-focussing enables you to
take pictures with surprising accuracy and speed –
and without alerting those interesting street subjects
to your presence. While older lenses have markings
on them to aid zone focussing, you can easily work
out the distance of a lens yourself.
To determine the focus range (and change it)
you’ll need to know the focal length of your lens,
the aperture and the intended subject distance.
Fortunately, there are apps such as DoF Table that
will work out all the distances for you. This technique
takes time to master, so don’t expect sharp shots
straight away. When editing, boost the colours or
switch to monochrome to finish off your photos.Shoot subtle
To take successful
candids you’ll also need to
blend into the crowd and
remain unnoticed. Cover
bright camera logos and
dress in drab coloursCapturing candid but
sharp shots of strangers is a tough
technical skill. Keep the camera at
your hip and use zone focussing
for better street portraits
focussing
1
The right spot Head to a bustling
area of high people traffic, such as
a market or train station. Interesting
street photos tell stories or show quirky
characters and social interactions.2
Lens choice It’s best to use an
unobtrusive prime such as a 50mm. Some
older manual primes have a marked distance
scale on the lens barrel. Switch to manual
focus (from the menu or on the lens).3
Camera settings Switch to Aperture
priority mode, and start with an aperture
between f/5.6 and f/11 and an ISO of around- A high ISO will enable you to set a
narrower aperture for greater depth of field.
Allimages©LaurenScottBEFORE
Capture street shots with
f/5.6 f/11^400ISOSHOOTING SKILLS
Whenyou’reshootingonthestreets,being
subtleiseverything.Ifyouwanttruecandid
shotsofpeoplewhoareunawareofyour
presence,theywillalsoneedtobeunawareofyour
bigcamera.HoldingaDSLRinfrontofyourface
showssubjectsthatyou’rephotographingthem,so
howelsecanyousnapimages?Inthistutorialwe
headedtoLondontorevealhowsimpleitistouse
zonefocussingforsharpstreetshots–withpractice.
Tozonefocus,switchtomanualfocus,setalensto
apredetermineddistanceandshootsubjectswhen
theyfallintothisrangeoffocus.Thetechniqueis
idealifyouholdthecameraathiplevelanddon’tlook
throughtheviewfinder.Pre-focussingenablesyouto
takepictureswithsurprisingaccuracyandspeed–
andwithoutalertingthoseinterestingstreetsubjects
toyourpresence.Whileolderlenseshavemarkings
onthemtoaidzonefocussing,youcaneasilywork
outthedistanceofalensyourself.
Todeterminethefocusrange(andchangeit)
you’llneedtoknowthefocallengthofyourlens,
theapertureandtheintendedsubjectdistance.
Fortunately,thereareappssuchasDoFTablethat
willworkoutallthedistancesforyou.Thistechnique
takestimetomaster,sodon’texpectsharpshots
straightaway.Whenediting,boostthecoloursor
switchtomonochrometofinishoffyourphotos.Shootsubtle
Totakesuccessful
candidsyou’llalsoneedto
blendintothecrowdand
remainunnoticed.Cover
brightcameralogosand
dressindrabcoloursCapturingcandidbut
sharpshotsofstrangersisatough
technicalskill.Keepthecameraat
yourhipandusezonefocussing
forbetterstreetportraits
focussing
1
TherightspotHeadtoabustling
area of high people traffic, such as
a market or train station. Interesting
street photos tell stories or show quirky
characters and social interactions.2
LenschoiceIt’sbesttousean
unobtrusive prime such as a 50mm. Some
older manual primes have a marked distance
scale on the lens barrel. Switch to manual
focus (from the menu or on the lens).3
CamerasettingsSwitchtoAperture
priority mode, and start with an aperture
between f/5.6 and f/11 and an ISO of around- A high ISO will enable you to set a
narrower aperture for greater depth of field.
AllimagesLauren©ScottBEFORE
Capture street shots with
f/5.6 f/11^400ISOSHOOTING SKILLS