S
treet photography is about documenting everyday life
and society on the streets. There are opportunities
for street photography everywhere, and you don’t
necessarily need to travel to capture great images.
It’s a genre often done candidly, without permission, and without
your subject’s knowledge. However, taking ‘street’ images
doesn’t rule out creating staged pictures, or asking for portraits.
You might spot an interesting character who catches your eye;
there’s no law saying you can’t wander up to strangers and ask
for permission to take their picture! This is a great way to get a
more intimate portrait of someone in his or her environment.
The most important thing with street photography is to have fun
and enjoy getting out with your camera. Remember, your goal
is to capture emotion, humanity, and something of a person’s
character. It takes time to get these shots, but with some practice
and patience it can be really rewarding. Here are some tips about
the genre which I’ve picked up from my own experience.01
The best lens
Deciding what lens to use is one of the most
important factors in creating interesting street photography.
You may be tempted to use a telephoto lens, but that’s more
than likely to result in more harm than good. While it can
be an effective option in some circumstances, usually you
don’t want to be that ‘creepy person’ standing across the
road aiming a giant lens at strangers! If you want to look
inconspicuous generally you’re going to have to get up close
and amongst the action. Use a wide-angle lens and get lost in
a busy crowd. Most street photographers use a focal length
between 35 and 50mm, though sometimes they’ll go wider if
they’re trying to fit more in the frame. By using a prime lens
you know exactly where to be so you can focus on composing
and not worry about what focal length you’ll need to use.
Often street shooters will use compact cameras in preference
to SLRs because they are more discrete.