Starting Street Photography

[Dryce]

So I've been looking at youtube to get some tips on how to do this steet stuff.

It looks really straightforward.

- Buy a Fuji X100 or Ricoh GRiii

- Chose some background music

- Walk about an urban centre with no sense of purpose or diection

- Randomly photograph mundane people and mundane scenes every few seconds as I walk

- Make sure there is an audible shutter sound

Even I can manage to do this.

The bit I haven't figured is what you're then supposed to do with all these mundane images? Just throw them away with the memory card when it's full and fit a new card? Or do they have value as NFTs?

 

[dancook]

Keep doing it until they are not mundane, unless you really don't care for the genre in which case it'll never happen

Why make sure there's an audible shutter sound? personally I prefer no shutter sound.

I often have no sense of purpose or direction, and that can lead to frustration / boredom - perhaps aim to go somewhere where the environment offers more interest to the images, if you find a scene that looks good you can wait for a subject to enter it. Or go out with a plan, 'look for leading lines', 'silhouette people', 'look for stripes' etc..

'Random' for me would be based on gut-instinct, just a slightest interest in a subject - don't deliberate too long, else the moment may pass. You can think about why you took the shot later, and whether actually interesting or not.

In the end I'm really only interested in street photography which also has a good visual aesthetic, that I could potentially hang on the wall. Before that time, it's practice.

examples of street photography that I wouldn't consider mundane - but obviously each to their own (see spoiler)

Spoiler

Q2 - London by Daniel Cook, on Flickr

Q2 - Le Monde by Daniel Cook, on Flickr

London by Daniel Cook, on Flickr

London Street by Daniel Cook, on Flickr

London Q2 by Daniel Cook, on Flickr

 

[Harlequin565]

- Chose some background music

You forgot to add "with a lo-fi vibe"

It's easy to do boring street photography and your bullet list will certainly achieve that. Especially with so many people absorbed in looking at their phones. Rather than YouTube, I would check out the work of Vivian Maier, Elliot Erwitt or Matt Stuart as these all have quite a clear way of working that gives insight into why you might do it.

With the old adage of "if you don't know where you're going you stand a poor chance of getting there", street photography can really suffer from this. If you want to give it a go, consider picking a particular place and documenting the people in that place. Could be a town, a city, or even just a crossroads.

And as to what to do with it... Well you could always throw the images together into a zine and come join our zine thread (in my sig)

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

I don't do street photography but rather candid photography. My aim is to record and perhaps share just a tiny proportion of those incidents that reveal how humans behave. As with with wildlife, the aim is not to be visible. In my opinion, those people who thrust wide angles in the faces of strangers are richly deserving of the anger shown by their victims.

 

[Sky]

In my opinion, those people who thrust wide angles in the faces of strangers are richly deserving of the anger shown by their victims.

Well said that man.

 

[Marc]

Used to do Street photography years ago and, as a people watcher, I thoroughly enjoyed it. As a well known photography once said, it's about the decisive moment.

 

[lindsay]

I love those Marc. Really got that moment in each

 

[Marc]

I love those Marc. Really got that moment in each

Thanks Lyndsay.

 

[4wd]

Street photography isn't only candid portraits it can also be more architectural compositions perhaps using people walking through frame to add scale or interest.
It's a lot easier to be relaxed about it in a touristy place like London or my local town Whitby because every other person has a camera out.
Shooting more from the hip with tilt screen can be helpful, or go the other way and give the impression you are randomly photographing practically everything rather than a specific subject.
Appearing to be trying to hide what you are doing might upset some people.

 

[Pound Coin]

It's about composition, light, exposure and timing.

To do it well is not easy. Much like a lot of photography.

 

[Mintchocs]

“ Randomly photograph mundane people and mundane scenes every few seconds as I walk“
Good street photography is not about this, in fact it’s very difficult to get decent photos, that’s why the street photographers who achieved this are very good. Personally I delete most street images that don’t meet my standards and I only take photos if I think a scene has potentia.

 

[d00d]

One of those shots I don't really remember taking, like the camera went off accidently .... no chimping.

I was dead chuffed when I found it on the card.

 

[F1.2]

You also need to be aware of other things that can happen

Street Photographer Beaten Bloody for Taking Photo of a Couple Hugging

Photographer Math Roberts experienced every street photographer's worst nightmare during the Notting Hill Carnival. As first reported by The

petapixel.com

 

[benc98]

Street photography is the most accessible genre I'd say, and as such there will be a wide variety of mundane and amazing examples knocking about. Good street photography isn't mundane though, the images should be interesting in some way..

In my opinion, those people who thrust wide angles in the faces of strangers are richly deserving of the anger shown by their victims.

But using a telephoto at distance is a bit sneaky and the images can look voyeuristic. The best advice for anyone getting into street photography is to work on confidence and slowly work on getting close to your subject. I'm getting there and some of my favorite images are taken closer in

 

[Ed Sutton]

I think the OP is a fair summation of the standard of most Youtube 'street photography' content.

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

But using a telephoto at distance is a bit sneaky and the images can look voyeuristic.

You're entitled to your view, of course...

 

[d00d]

I don't know about sneaky / voyeuristic, but definitely a bit dull.

I use a long lens when picking out someone in a crowd.

but wide angle is the ultimate

 

[fusion07.miller]

Human interest not necessarily always a human presence.

 

[FishyFish]

Theere are many, many YouTube channels dedicated to street (or any other genre) of photography. If you find one that's uninspiring, stop watching and find another. Not everyone uses X100's or Ricoh GR's - although given their suitability for street photography, it's not a surprise that there are so many that do. There are also loads of channels featuring other brands, from M43 up to Leicas, and across a variety of digital and analogue formats - whatever floats your boat.

The whole POV-interspersed-with-shutter-noises-and-a-photo is a pretty appealing way to display the content, I think, which is why so many channels follow similar styles of presentation, and it's one used for many other genres beyond street photography to some extent or another. As long as the photographs interest and inspire me or (to a certain extent) the host is appealing, then I really don't mind this format.

I do tend to avoid videos that just feature mundane "person walking down a street" type photography unless there's something else involved to make it more interesting, such as the way they choose their composition and use light, but that's my subjective choice. YouTube and other photo-sharing platforms are full of, what I personally find uninteresting, street-photograhy because it's very easy to do.
Making good street photographs requires dedication, skill, confidence and (again, as with many genres where you're not in control of your subjects or location) a degree of good fortune. It's a genre I'm greatly drawn to and I've made hundreds of photos that fit the description. Very few of them are what I'd consider good.

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

But using a telephoto at distance is a bit sneaky and the images can look voyeuristic.

On further consideration, I'll add that you should give careful consideration to Allen's posting #13.

Poking your camera in someone's face is just plain rude and the photographer who got clobbered, created the situation in which he suffered. While I don't condone violence, this "28mm street photography" nonsense seems to me to be the behaviour of an immature attention seeker and such people should be prepared for an adverse reaction from their victims.

As to calling candid photography "voyeristic", that's pure kettleandpottism.

 

[benc98]

Theere are many, many YouTube channels dedicated to street (or any other genre) of photography. If you find one that's uninspiring, stop watching and find another. Not everyone uses X100's or Ricoh GR's - although given their suitability for street photography, it's not a surprise that there are so many that do. There are also loads of channels featuring other brands, from M43 up to Leicas, and across a variety of digital and analogue formats - whatever floats your boat.

The whole POV-interspersed-with-shutter-noises-and-a-photo is a pretty appealing way to display the content, I think, which is why so many channels follow similar styles of presentation, and it's one used for many other genres beyond street photography to some extent or another. As long as the photographs interest and inspire me or (to a certain extent) the host is appealing, then I really don't mind this format.

I do tend to avoid videos that just feature mundane "person walking down a street" type photography unless there's something else involved to make it more interesting, such as the way they choose their composition and use light, but that's my subjective choice. YouTube and other photo-sharing platforms are full of, what I personally find uninteresting, street-photograhy because it's very easy to do.
Making good street photographs requires dedication, skill, confidence and (again, as with many genres where you're not in control of your subjects or location) a degree of good fortune. It's a genre I'm greatly drawn to and I've made hundreds of photos that fit the description. Very few of them are what I'd consider good.

I captured some video for the time during my last walk in London - now attempting to create a video out of it. I've no experience of video, so learning as I go along and it's taken ages. Can't wait to share when I'm done. The thing is with these street photography POV videos is that at the best of times street photography is mostly failure anyway, so the videos mostly contains miss opportunities ha the best ones i've seen talk you through the approach and process

 

[benc98]

On further consideration, I'll add that you should give careful consideration to Allen's posting #13.

Poking your camera in someone's face is just plain rude and the photographer who got clobbered, created the situation in which he suffered. While I don't condone violence, this "28mm street photography" nonsense seems to me to be the behaviour of an immature attention seeker and such people should be prepared for an adverse reaction from their victims.

As to calling candid photography "voyeristic", that's pure kettleandpottism.

Just read the article and looked up the photographer - he has some great work on his website, images that you would not get using a telephoto lens over the road. My advice still stands, anyone wanting to get into street photography should leave the long lens at home.

The best street photography is immersive and it makes the viewer feel like they're in the scene. This is missing when a long zoom is used - I appreciate top street photographers have and do use long telephotos, but they're not just taking photos of heads, their photos generally have a strong aesthetic and composition.

 

[TheBigYin]

You also need to be aware of other things that can happen

Street Photographer Beaten Bloody for Taking Photo of a Couple Hugging

Photographer Math Roberts experienced every street photographer's worst nightmare during the Notting Hill Carnival. As first reported by The

petapixel.com

That one comes solidly under the heading of "dont take pictures of some bloke with another blokes wife" I'd say.

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

That one comes solidly under the heading of "dont take pictures of some bloke with another blokes wife" I'd say.

Indeed.

 

[andy1868]

That one comes solidly under the heading of "dont take pictures of some bloke with another blokes wife" I'd say.

I wonder if the SD card survived

 

[FishyFish]

On further consideration, I'll add that you should give careful consideration to Allen's posting #13.

Poking your camera in someone's face is just plain rude and the photographer who got clobbered, created the situation in which he suffered. While I don't condone violence, this "28mm street photography" nonsense seems to me to be the behaviour of an immature attention seeker and such people should be prepared for an adverse reaction from their victims.

As to calling candid photography "voyeristic", that's pure kettleandpottism.

The 28mm focal length isn’t a problem. Many street photographers use (or have used) 28mm - including Garry Winogrand, Trent Park, Alex Webb, and Daido Moriyama as well-known examples. It’s perfectly possible to use 28mm without sticking the camera right in people’s faces - although Moriyama did this quite a lot. 28mm allows a much wider view of the scene, which is useful when showing juxtapositions, coincidences, or other contextual information that adds to the picture.

The problem arises when the photographer gets noticed making the photo, and the person concerned becomes angry or violent. In this situation, a 28mm lens might be more prone to being noticed - a situation the photographer should assess before taking the picture - but someone spotted with a telephoto is likely to find themselves in a similar situation, albeit with perhaps a bigger head start if they need to make a run for it. At the end of the day, photographing people candidly in public places is legal, assaulting someone and breaking their camera isn’t, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen - it’s just another thing to consider when making one of the many mental risk assessments we need to do when carrying out any activity

Use of a 28mm lens isn’t attention seeking in itself, it’s just a specific tool for a specific job. Attention seeking can be done perfectly well with any focal length the attention seeker chooses.

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

but someone spotted with a telephoto is likely to find themselves in a similar situation,

My reason for using long lenses is exactly the same as any other observational photographer: I want to record what's going on and not influence events. If I'm seen by my subject, I've made myself part of what's happening, instead of creating an objective record.

 

[FishyFish]

My reason for using long lenses is exactly the same as any other observational photographer: I want to record what's going on and not influence events. If I'm seen by my subject, I've made myself part of what's happening, instead of creating an objective record.

Most people using shorter focal lengths for street don't want to be observed either though, and in my experience few of them get right into people faces with their cameras. As you say, that influences the scene which is generally not the desired outcome. It's one of the reasons that small rangefinder-style cameras are popular instead of, say, a bigger SLR with a short focal length prime - they're much less obvious when used for candid shots.

My point about someone being spotted with a telephoto was in reference to the situation in the linked article. Had the agressor spotted someone photographing them at a distance with a long lens, I expect the outcome would have been much the same. The problem wasn't the focal length, it was the photographers misfortune to be spotted making the photo.

 

[wack61]

For a while I had a Sony RX10 iii , I only did street for a day on holiday but I really enjoyed it because the 600mm lens meant you could be a long way away and still get head shots

I admire those that can walk up to someone with a 35mm lens and just take their picture

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

it was the photographers misfortune to be spotted making the photo.

I disagree with you. The photographer should never have intruded on people in such a way as to upset them and I have no sympathy for the outcome of such crass behaviour. While it is true that in public, your face is public, nor is there is anything morally or legally wrong with taking pictures of strangers, it is also true that civilised people should not behave like louts.

 

[JohnC6]

For a while I had a Sony RX10 iii , I only did street for a day on holiday but I really enjoyed it because the 600mm lens meant you could be a long way away and still get head shots

I admire those that can walk up to someone with a 35mm lens and just take their picture

I admire those that can walk up to someone with a 35mm lens and just take their picture.

Be interesting to know why some people can do that and others,like me, just feel too uncomfortable. My near-neighbour has no compunction pointing a lens at people . Recently, he borrowed a couple of my lenses to see how they worked with his new camera..a mirrorless one, I think and we stood out on the front outside his house and with one of the lenses he pointed it at a lady who was coming towards us on the pavement with her dog. I recall feeling uneasy about that at the time. My unease was vindicated as the lady just looked dead-ahead as she passed and the expression on her face told me that she wasn't too impressed. He's done it in town too and some people, including two ladies one day, are happy to give him their Email address so he can send the photo to them. He asks if they would like the photo. I'll relate this incident too because I think its about the mentality. Recently, the house a few doors away was sold. I was outside our house chatting to my neighbour when the couple who had bought it were at the front door speaking to the occupiers/sellers and I told my neighbour that the young couple (happen to be Asians) were the new people coming in. He said "Should we go and introduce ourselves ?" What ? Fortunately, when I told him that they hadn't actually moved in yet he didn't pursue it. There were two aspects for me. First off it's an intrusion and secondly maybe in Asian culture that isn't done..ie strangers approaching for something like that. Maybe, people like my neighbour are either brazen..like paparazzi..(an extreme example) or just lack, to some degree, social skills.

Having said all that I've enjoyed looking through 'people' photos on here especially the B&W ones. So.. I was merely putting forward a suggestion why some people can do it and not others..I'm not criticising the genre. Maybe, for my part, I'd be wary of a negative response or because I wouldn't like someone taking my photo without asking I don't expect to be able to do it to others and a level of social skills doesn't come into it.

 

[d00d]

I admire those that can walk up to someone with a 35mm lens and just take their picture.

Be interesting to know why some people can do that and others,like me, just feel too uncomfortable. My near-neighbour has no compunction pointing a lens at people . Recently, he borrowed a couple of my lenses to see how they worked with his new camera..a mirrorless one, I think and we stood out on the front outside his house and with one of the lenses he pointed it at a lady who was coming towards us on the pavement with her dog. I recall feeling uneasy about that at the time. My unease was vindicated as the lady just looked dead-ahead as she passed and the expression on her face told me that she wasn't too impressed. He's done it in town too and some people, including two ladies one day, are happy to give him their Email address so he can send the photo to them. He asks if they would like the photo. I'll relate this incident too because I think its about the mentality. Recently, the house a few doors away was sold. I was outside our house chatting to my neighbour when the couple who had bought it were at the front door speaking to the occupiers/sellers and I told my neighbour that the young couple (happen to be Asians) were the new people coming in. He said "Should we go and introduce ourselves ?" What ? Fortunately, when I told him that they hadn't actually moved in yet he didn't pursue it. There were two aspects for me. First off it's an intrusion and secondly maybe in Asian culture that isn't done..ie strangers approaching for something like that. Maybe, people like my neighbour are either brazen..like paparazzi..(an extreme example) or just lack, to some degree, social skills.

Having said all that I've enjoyed looking through 'people' photos on here especially the B&W ones. So.. I was merely putting forward a suggestion why some people can do it and not others..I'm not criticising the genre. Maybe, for my part, I'd be wary of a negative response or because I wouldn't like someone taking my photo without asking I don't expect to be able to do it to others and a level of social skills doesn't come into it.

It depends a lot on where you are. West End of London, certain EU Capitals and Far Eastern countries, the subjects think it part of everyday life. If not they turn their head, you bin the photo.

It's best to get right in there, amongst the people, be one of them. People who dress up to be seen. Avoid places like housing estates, drug deals, illegals.

 

[Pound Coin]

Long lenses aren't street. They are verging on voyeurism.

To do street you need to be somewhere where you can do street. As d00d says, big cities, etc. You need to observe, to blend in, to be not noticed. If you aren't comfortable with that, or cannot develop strategies to deal with that, then you'll struggle with street.

However, "I admire those that can walk up to someone with a 35mm lens and just take their picture" isn't what street is. It is about a composition that makes viewers think. Sometimes that happens in an instant, sometimes that needs planning, thought, consideration.

Oh, did I say that long lenses aren't street?

 

[d00d]

Leave the prime lens at home, and concentrate on content. You'll have a lot of fun with a 24-80ish (or equiv.)

 

[benc98]

I admire those that can walk up to someone with a 35mm lens and just take their picture.

Be interesting to know why some people can do that and others,like me, just feel too uncomfortable.

Not many people will have the confidence to do it straight away, it's something you work on over time and for most it will never be easy. There are a few strategies you can use when it comes to street photography and building confidence, such as fishing scenes where you photograph a space and let people move through.

There seems to be a preconception that to be a street photographer you need to be like Bruce Gilden or Dougie Wallace, those guys are at the extreme end of things. Check and out look at how joel meyerowitz works, that guy is like a ninja on the street even at his age now.

 

[benc98]

Long lenses aren't street. They are verging on voyeurism.

To do street you need to be somewhere where you can do street. As d00d says, big cities, etc. You need to observe, to blend in, to be not noticed. If you aren't comfortable with that, or cannot develop strategies to deal with that, then you'll struggle with street.

However, "I admire those that can walk up to someone with a 35mm lens and just take their picture" isn't what street is. It is about a composition that makes viewers think. Sometimes that happens in an instant, sometimes that needs planning, thought, consideration.

Oh, did I say that long lenses aren't street?

Amen to that.

I think long senses can be used sparingly and creatively, Leiter used them successfully but he wasn't just taking photos of people and their heads... there were layers, abstraction and colours... so had a strong aesthetic.

But yeah 99% dont go long, go 50mm or wider and make the view feel as if they are a participant in the scene.

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

Avoid places like housing estates.

Why? A lot of real life happens there and if real life is what you seek to record, that's just one of the places you need to be. With a long lens, you can keep well back and avoid encroaching on the subject's personal space. Find vantage points from where you can work unobtrusively...

 

[AndrewFlannigan]

But yeah 99% dont go long,

You simply can't know that.

If you do have objective evidence supporting that claim, I'm sure we would all be grateful to see it.

 

[benc98]

You simply can't know that.

If you do have objective evidence supporting that claim, I'm sure we would all be grateful to see it.

That's my view point point Andrew and advice I would give to someone starting out or wanting to improve their street photography - As per above, I think long senses can be used sparingly and creatively, Leiter used them successfully but he wasn't just taking photos of people and their heads... there were layers, abstraction and colours... so had a strong aesthetic.

 

[CavGez]

I don't like forcing photographs in niches, but I'll do it anyway. Some of those ^^^ are verging on portraiture, as there is little environmental detail.
Agree with the above, surely street is easy to start, very, very hard to master.
And if you've already mastered street photography, try 'flaneur'.