5 Street Photography Tips
Photo courtesy of Pedram Farjam
I wanna go over some tips that have come in handy for me when doing street photography.
There is a lot of stress behind street photography, specially for those starting out.
Am I allowed to take pictures here? What if they see me? What if they think I’m a creep? What if my focus doesn’t work and I miss that shot?
These are just some of the things that street photographers think about constantly when out there in the wild!
So here are 5 things to consider when going on to your next walk to do some street photography.
01) Be Ready!
Photo courtesy of Pedram Farjam
Make sure you and your camera are ready to shoot the next thing that seems interesting. Having your camera in a comfortable position really helps with being quick.
Here are some ways to get yourself ready:
Pre-dial your settings based on the day.
Have a firm grip on your camera.
Keep an eye out for possible compositions.
Be in position to take a photo.
02) Set Challenges.
Photo courtesy of Pedram Farjam
Are you out there today to take photos of people? Colours? Architecture?
Make sure you set a goal for the day. Even if it’s as simple as “I wanna stick to the 50mm lens” or “let’s just take photos of red things”.
These simple techniques will have you on the lookout for more accurate things and could open your eyes to a whole new world.
Settings small challenges for yourself is great! It will help you work towards a goal and that always makes the process more creative.
03) Body Language.
Photo courtesy of Pedram Farjam
This is definitely the most important tip. Make sure your body language is welcoming to others.
Have a smile on at times, don’t hide in creepy places, make yourself look like you are part of the society.
People would probably not even realize that you are taking pictures of them if you do this right. Whereas if you tense up, try to hide, and look creepy then there’s a high chance that people will ask you what you are doing.
04) Explore New Places.
Photo courtesy of Pedram Farjam
Open up yourself to new challenges. New places mean new inspirations and more creativity.
If you are not used to a place so much you might look around more; literally and physically.
This would make you see new things, new people and that only means better and newer opportunities for capturing beautiful images. You might find new compositions, new light striking through a new building you haven’t seen before.
All the newness will bring inspiration. So get out more and explore!
05) Don’t Be Too Hard On Yourself!
Photo courtesy of Pedram Farjam
I’d like to say that we all do street photography purely out of passion, at least to begin with.
So let your passion drive you, give it the steering wheel! Let yourself go, get lost in the streets (literally), and explore and experiment new things.
Now, none of these images need to be perfect, or posted anywhere. I think social media has made us become more of a perfectionist generation. Not sure if that’s a good thing or not, but in this case, just let go.
Let go of having to take the best picture. Let go of comparing yourself to that street photographer that you saw online, who had sick reflections in London!
You are where you are and you are who you are. A different person with new stories to tell.
Street photography gives you the amazing chance of trying new things without any expectations. It also challenges you by placing you in a place where nothing is in your control.
Use this to your advantage to grow as a photographer and overall a creative person.
Conclusion:
Stay hungry for new opportunities to photograph new subjects in the street. Practice, and use this beautiful form of meditation to explore, learn and grow.
