Tips for Street Photography

Tips for Street Photography

I’ve done a lot of street photography over the years and wanted to share some tips I learned along the way. Street photography can be anything from people to buildings, as long as you’re out in public and didn’t direct any shots. All street photography is candid, but not all candid photography is street photography.

So you decide to grab your camera and head out to see what you can see and shoot it! What piece of gear comes to mind as most important, other than the camera itself?

If you thought anything besides ‘shoes’, let me realign your priorities. The most important thing you can bring with you is a good pair of walking shoes. You can have all the best gear and all the best lighting, but if your feet start hurting you’re going to be distracted from your shots, make mistakes, and probably go home earlier than you wanted to.

Buy good shoes. You’ll never regret it.

The next thing you’re going to want to think about is what you’re wearing. Dress for the weather, and dress down. Jeans and t-shirt will go unnoticed and you won’t worry as much about climbing over or under things and getting all the lying on the ground angles if you’re wearing something you don’t mind getting dirty. Kneepads aren’t a bad option to add if you know you want a lot of low angles.

One more thing about apparel – Do Not Wear Headphones!

Even if you’re just doing one bud on a low level, you’re still reducing your situational awareness. You’re out in a city, carrying a camera, and being distracted by a pretty bird or the top of a building, or whatever you’re shooting. You are already a tempting target for thieves, don’t make it easier for them. Keep your eyes and ears open, and never set your camera bag down anywhere.

Which is a good time to start talking about gear. 

Let’s start with your camera bag. Sure, you could just bring your camera out, but what happens if it rains? Or you stop for lunch? Or you need to hop on public transportation for a half hour to get to your ideal location? You’re going to want something to tuck your camera in to keep it out of sight, protect it from the elements, and overall have a less stressful day juggling things. 

The kind of bag you get is very important as well. I’ve stared at camera bags for about 6 months before finally deciding on the one I wanted. They all have perks and drawbacks. Just don’t use the bag your camera came in that has branding all over it. That’s just an advertisement on how much you’re carrying. I use my “Nikon” camera bag to carry craft supplies instead.

- Messenger Bags: The most common thing I see people use is a messenger bag to carry their gear. They’re small and you can discreetly pull things in and out of them without announcing to the world your wares. I like them for their versatility, but I have a hard time carrying one for hours without my back starting to hurt, awkward to position when I’m testing out new angles.

- Backpacks: I like backpacks. They stay centered on my back and distribute the weight I’m carrying more evenly than messenger bags. However, not all backpacks are best for street photography - many of them open in one big panel, showing off everything you have on you. Look for one that can access the camera without exposing the rest of the contents with

- Waist Packs / Utility Belts: If you are traveling light a waist pack or utility belt might be the perfect option for you to carry smaller accessories.

Whatever bag you get, make sure you can access as much of it as possible without ever removing it from your body. The more you have to take off your bag, the higher chance of it wandering off from you. I absolutely will not do anything that requires me to stop touching my bag, for even a second. Whether it’s on my back, the strap wrapped around my leg, or in my hands, I always keep a firm point of contact that would make it difficult to snatch.

Once you pick out the bag that works for you, let’s pack it with gear. Specifically as little gear as possible. Try to shoot with only one lens for the whole day so you don’t have to worry about switching out expensive glass on the street. Limiting yourself to one lens will also help force you to get more practice in less than ideal situations. 35mm is the most popular focal length for street photography, so I bought a prime lens and it’s the only one I bring.

Keep a notebook and pen on you, but leave the Book Club book at home. Things like ND or UV filters may be needed, but those are small and practically weightless. A tripod, should you need it, will probably be your most cumbersome piece of gear to haul around. Consider a monopod or just leave it all at home. Always pack extra microfiber cloths and business cards if you have them!

The rest of what you might need is up to what you’re doing. Rain covers/Poncho, colored filters or a prism for creative ideas, snacks for a long day, etc. All these little details are individual to you, but I want you to actually think about whether you will really use it or if you can leave it at home. The lighter your bag, the happier your feet at the end of the day.

Now that you’re properly dressed and figured out your gear, tell someone where you’re going. Especially if you’re doing ‘Urban Exploration’ and poking around abandoned places. There’s nothing worse than getting into a jam when no one is expecting you.

Once you get out there the most important thing you’ll need is patience. With street photography you can sit in one place and wait for something interesting to happen in front of you, but you might have to wait a while for it.  Some days you get a bunch of amazing shots. Some days you're not really into anything you took. Keep at it and you'll start to figure out what works and what doesn't.

The last tip I can offer is keep looking up. You never know what you’re missing right above your head until you tilt your neck back and look.

 

 

Originally published to Patreon on July 13, 2018

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