Starting Street Photography

@FishyFish Yeah I always use the Matt Stuart example whenever the question around the need for people in street photography pops up. Always look out for something similar, but never see it ;)

It's that combination of spending a lot of time looking, being able to grab the opportunity when it arises, and that elusive element of luck.

I don't usually have enough time for the first part, I'm often caught unprepared for the second, and the luck part is sometimes against me even when the first two fall into place. So many times I've had what I thought would be a great shot only for someone to wander into the frame unawares, or the sun go behind a cloud or something and the moment is lost.

What's that Alex Webb quote about street photography being about 99.9% failure again?.. :D
 
Interested subject. I can see the OPs point as there are a quite a few youtube videos following a similar formula. Would be interesting to see what the actual definition (if there is one) of street photography is. There is a lot of emphasis in this thread on candid shots. I personally think it is a record/ a moment in time captured in an urban environment with (usually) or without a human subject.

I haven't a clue about street. Tried it once and came away with a pile of s****e photos. I think i was naive and failed to treat it like any other genre where i totally forgot about light, colour, composition, etc. I have watched a few of Roman Fox's videos on youtube and one of his more recent goes into detail about composition. It follows the general guide for composition in most good publications but applies them to an urban situation.

I hope to get out again, but think i'll go with a fixed lens (less to confuse me!!) and concentrate on the composition next time. Preference would be to include people but not as the main subject, not that i'm not a people person, but don't think it's necessary. I prefer the scene telling a story rather than a snapshot of someone's head.
 
Apologies if this has been mentioned but maybe check out some Film street photographers on youtube. I see some differences between the 'typical' fuji wielding wanderers to someone who tries to make 24 or 36 frames count.

And as for anything, it's in the eye of the beholder. Personally I have a penchant for leading lines or framing subjects. Street portraiture is also something I'd love to try but just dont have the confidence to ask an interesting looking stranger for a photo.

I was actually looking at getting a Fuji X-T1 for myself as I believed it had good support for using manual focus lenses so I could get a little more snap happy. No plans on a youtube channel though :ROFLMAO:
 
Interested subject. I can see the OPs point as there are a quite a few youtube videos following a similar formula. Would be interesting to see what the actual definition (if there is one) of street photography is. There is a lot of emphasis in this thread on candid shots. I personally think it is a record/ a moment in time captured in an urban environment with (usually) or without a human subject.

Apologies if this has been mentioned but maybe check out some Film street photographers on youtube. I see some differences between the 'typical' fuji wielding wanderers to someone who tries to make 24 or 36 frames count.

On the subject of YouTube.. I'd say there's a lot of YouTubers (or content creators ;) ) that wonder around with a camera, record and then call it street photography. There are fewer street photographers who go out, shoot and record... i think there is a difference.

One guy I'm watching a lot at the moment is Dante Sisofo - he's only just started his channel so has a small following, but he's publishing some great videos. So, do check him out!
 
On the subject of YouTube.. I'd say there's a lot of YouTubers (or content creators ;) ) that wonder around with a camera, record and then call it street photography. There are fewer street photographers who go out, shoot and record... i think there is a difference.

One guy I'm watching a lot at the moment is Dante Sisofo - he's only just started his channel so has a small following, but he's publishing some great videos. So, do check him out!
You know what, I agree with you. Content creator is a better term. My partner asked why I bothered with picking up a camera as I have nowhere to share it. I don't have facebook, nor instagram but I just do it for myself. Only place I can share is here. Where they go out with the purpose of filling a YT video to earn revenue.

Also... It went over my head before but now I seem to see some real elitism in peoples videos and remarks aimed at other creators. Although one does deserve it for always claiming he'd bagged a camera or lens worth $100s if not $1000s for $5 from a thrift store...
 
One guy I'm watching a lot at the moment is Dante Sisofo - he's only just started his channel so has a small following, but he's publishing some great videos. So, do check him out!

Dante’s stuff is nice. I stumbled across his channel a few weeks back and there are tons of videos on there, all nice and short too, so easily to watch a couple when you have a spare few minutes.

Octavian Carare is another I found recently who produces nice street stuff.

 
I love shooting around the streets, south bank and markets in and around London and have never had any issues, mainly because people are too busy in their lives to notice somebody in the crowd taking photos.
The Borough Market area is a favourite for me with plenty of characters buying and selling produce etc so have got myself a cheap rail ticket and am heading that way tomorrow for the day.
 
The Borough Market area is a favourite for me with plenty of characters buying and selling produce etc so have got myself a cheap rail ticket and am heading that way tomorrow for the day.

I'd certainly agree with that. I used to live right next door in Southwark Street - I really miss that market. :rolleyes:
 
I love shooting around the streets, south bank and markets in and around London and have never had any issues, mainly because people are too busy in their lives to notice somebody in the crowd taking photos.
The Borough Market area is a favourite for me with plenty of characters buying and selling produce etc so have got myself a cheap rail ticket and am heading that way tomorrow for the day.

Frank, I'd be really interested to know in the future when you're hittin' London again, perhaps we could stop by some place for a time or two & coffee.

I've been to London three times in the last fortnight. Last Saturday I walked from Hyde Park/Marble Arch along Oxford St to Oxford Circus and spent quite a bit of time snapping around those areas. I then got the bus to Westminster Bridge/St Thomas's hospital and spent quite a bit of time snapping along the South Bank which is one of my favourite ports of call. I also like the Covent Garden & China Town areas very much. You might be interested to see the link that I posted today on the "Capture A Stranger Street Style" thread about new areas to try.
 
Last edited:
Frank, I'd be really interested to know in the future when you're hittin' London again, perhaps we could stop by some place for a time or two & coffee.

I've been to London three times in the last fortnight. Last Saturday I walked from Hyde Park/Marble Arch along Oxford St to Oxford Circus and spent quite a bit of time snapping around those areas. I then got the bus to Westminster Bridge/St Thomas's hospital and spent quite a bit of time snapping along the South Bank which is one of my favourite ports of call. I also like the Covent Garden & China Town areas very much. You might be interested to see the link that I posted today on the "Capture A Stranger Street Style" thread about new areas to try.

It would be nice to have a coffee at some point in the future. Tomorrow it's market day with Camden, Borough, Covent Garden, Brick Lane, Greenwich and Old Spitalfields Markets if we can fit them in.
 
It would be nice to have a coffee at some point in the future. Tomorrow it's market day with Camden, Borough, Covent Garden, Brick Lane, Greenwich and Old Spitalfields Markets if we can fit them in.

Hey, that's one whole bunch of area to cover in a day, you can't be spending much time at each. "ENJOY"
 
Back
Top