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How to take street photos?

Published on 14/10/2020 12:00 by Mathieu Clouté

A photo album made from authentic photos

A photo album made from authentic photos

Street photos, really?


Yes, because even right outside your door, you can capture unusual, aesthetic, or humorous scenes.

There’s no need to go to the other end of the world. Open your eyes and walk around your neighborhood, your city, preferably on foot, to discover incredible street scenes.



What is street photography?

It's simply a photo taken spontaneously featuring human presence. Beware, if you photograph buildings, you're not doing street photography. You need a human presence in a public space.


The street photographer's approaches

So for street photography, two attitudes are available to you. Will you be more of a gatherer or more of a hunter?


The gatherer will choose their background before picking their subject. That is, they will prioritize the setting. Several advantages: they can adjust their composition to the millimeter and pre-set their camera. However, they will need to be patient for the moment when someone will eventually enter their field. Remember that human presence is essential for street photography.



The hunter, on the other hand, will be mobile. Always on the move, they watch for the subject that will be right for their shot. They take their photos on the spot, in the moment. They must therefore be quick and efficient.


Street photography close to the subject

To succeed in your street photography, you'll need to get as close as possible to your subject. Because you will capture details of their face, their clothes. Consequently, you might be rejected by the person you want to photograph. To avoid this inconvenience, you'll have to trigger very quickly, before your subject has even noticed you. Of course, it's not about stealing images. So if you feel that the situation is not appropriate or that the person shows annoyance, do not insist and give up your shot.



Some tips for photographing discreetly

Blend into the landscape. Stay a long time in the same place taking photos of anything and everything. This way passers-by will forget about you and no one will notice you anymore.

Use your phone, more discreet and lighter than a traditional camera. Avoid staring at the person you want to photograph for too long.

If you are new to street photography, it is recommended to shoot in black and white. This will save you from having to manage the color variable.

With all this, if you do not become the Cartier Bresson or Vivian Maier of the 21st century, we won't understand anything anymore!


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