This post is about the simplest steps that I would give to anyone whenever they asked me how to start shoot street photography that different from ordinary snapshots.
Some people feel “it is easy” to shooting on the street, just raise camera on a scene, click the shutter, and done, they become a street photographer. Well, yeah perhaps we can call it street photos. However, more often than not, it is more like a “bad” photo or simply a casual shoot that has no meaning or artistic feeling inside. Here are ten steps most important aspects to understand to start create strong and dynamic photos:
Triangle exposure
It does not matter which photography genre you love, when you want to start shooting with “real” camera, always learn about triangle exposure first (Aperture, ISO, Shutter Speed). Even if we shoot in full auto mode, by understand how triangle exposure works will help us to create creative image when needed. Remember: Do not try to memorize how triangle exposure works, but understand them instead.
My personal shooting style is with Aperture Priority, Program Auto ISO (up to 6400) and Program Auto shutter speed (minimal 1/500s). I also choose to shoot in Mechanical + Electronic Shutter mode, so when I need to use big aperture at daylight time, my camera would be able to compensate shutter speed up to 1/32,000s.
Minimize distraction
You want to shoot an unique subject? Make sure there are minimum to none objects that able to distract the presence of him/her. Always watch corner of your frame more than centre area, most of distraction objects appear there. I wrote in detail about this point here Street Photography Tips: Minimizing Distraction
Shoot from diagonal angle
Dynamic composition in photography means an image with uneven/unsettling form. Therefore by shooting diagonally will help us to create stronger image. I wrote about it in detail here: Diagonal Composition in Street Photography
Personal experience: Around a week ago I taught one of my friend casually (who has no passion in photography at all) about how to capture snapshots (food, products, casual portrait, etc) with his smartphone. Mind you, for a person who has no big passion in photography world, he does not want to learn any complex things. I only gave him two advices: Minimize distraction and shoot diagonally. Actually, he feel that these two methods easy to apply in real world shooting, and indeed have positive effect in result.
Light, light, and light
Photography is the art of drawing with light. Rule of thumb: Good light source = Good result. Camera is a light recorder.
To photograph people, always remember to give light on your subject’s face or body, pay more attention to where light come and which direction it appear. Not because we hold USD 10,000 camera on our hand then by magic all of our photos become “Wow”. Skill to reading the light is true key to create pleasing look photograph.
Social media is source of inspiration
Either it is a photography blog, 500px, Facebook or Instagram profile, all of them are open sources that we can access to help expand our imagination. See other people’s work, learn their photos, try to understand why we love their images (angle? tone? colour match? etc). Try to apply what you have learned in real world shooting. My current favourite:
http://www.somewhere-magazine.com/
http://streetphotographyinternational.com/
https://www.sixstreetunder.com/
Have (a ton of) patience
This step not only works really well with fishing technique (Read here), but also for our photography progress in general.
Shooting street photography is never easy, it involves many elements such geometry, gesture, lighting condition, coincidence, etc, and all of them happen at decisive moment! Be patient with our photography result, do not expect to do one time shooting and get an award winning photo.
Shoot like shooting video
Want to shoot on the street without easily being notice? Hold your camera like you want to record video, constantly walking with your camera on and ready to snap an image. Most people will think that you create a video instead of taking photo, therefore most of them will not ask or curious about what you are doing.
I think it is one of the best method to get close to our subject in “ninja” way as well. Even better if you have “silent shutter” mode like electronic shutter or leaf shutter.
Travel
Do not spend all of our money saving to upgrade camera gear, instead buy ticket and “improve” the quality of our subject/object. What I mean by improve is we can learn to shoot at different scenario: What to shoot in the middle of desert? what to shoot on the beach? what to shoot at airport?. Challenge ourself to be able to create artistic photos regardless the place condition.
“Travel” itself does not always means go overseas or different cities, but it could be about go to a place that we never visited before.
Explore our own city and try to find things that make our city “unique”. Be and act like a tourist. Imagine if Asia people go to New York City and see Liberty statue for the first time, excitement is much greater compare to people who spent their entire life in NYC.
Bring your camera everyday
Keep train and sharpen our senses by taking photograph everyday. Not only to shoot street photography, but also to shoot things around us like our food, friends, family, etc. Read here for: Bring Your Camera Everyday (!)
Create unusual look image
Make photos that require viewers to think and to infuse their imagination with reality to “read” our images.
As human who has constant daily activities day by day, we love to seek something different that able to please our senses. Therefore, the unusual looks of our images can help to please our audience as well.
For more detail read here: The Weirder The Better
That is all about my ten street photography hacks, hopefully they able to give you more inspiration (and motivation) to shoot more and more out there! See you!
Keep shooting and stay inspired,
Nico Harold