10 ways to take good street photos

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Almost everyone who takes a camera in their hands tries themselves in street photography. The street is a never-ending source of inspiration, and you don't have to have an expensive full-frame DSLR to get a really great shot.

1. Be spontaneous

Often, photographers looking for interesting subjects become perfectionists. They want to get the perfect shot right away, without unnecessary detail or a cluttered horizon.

Yes, these technical issues (as a rule, quite correctable) will be important at the stage of selecting the best personnel. But when you go out on a photo hunt, it is better to free your brain from unnecessary thoughts, which can kill the ability to notice and quickly capture interesting subjects.

The advice is simple: enjoy. Be spontaneous, trust your instincts. The less you worry about the quality of the photo, the better the shots you will get. Many famous street photographers have cropped legs and a cluttered horizon in their shots, but this does not spoil their work at all.

2. Slow down and watch

In search of interesting subjects, photographers sometimes walk several kilometers, hoping to find that very magical place where they will take a masterpiece picture. But the peculiarity of street photography is that a good photo can be taken anywhere.

As you run across a boring square or street, ask yourself why you think there are no interesting stories here. Instead of wasting energy walking, slow down and look around.

3. Don't be afraid to take bad photos

Even the most experienced photographers have bad shots. It is important to take such pictures, and not be upset with supposedly crooked hands and lack of skill. Bad photos will help set off good shots. Think of it as a practice for capturing really rare and precious moments for a masterpiece of photography.

4. Pay attention to the light

If you follow the advice to give up street marathons, you can better understand how to work with light. Pay attention to its sources, how objects are illuminated, where contrasting areas are located. It is the light that will tell you how best to frame the frame.

5. Notice people who are far away from you

Observe passers-by, evaluate their appearance and emotions. You can notice a bright, interesting character from a distance through the viewfinder (especially if you have a lens with a good zoom). In this case, you can prepare to take an interesting picture in advance, before the person comes closer to you. Experiment, compose your own scenarios and stories.

6. Think about the future

An important strategic point: try not to take what is happening around for granted. Think about how your photographs will be perceived 50 years from now. What will go out of fashion that will seem strange? Will the person sitting on the bench with the tablet be interesting?

Celebrate key milestones, signs of the times. This will give your images more storytelling value.

7. Be consistent

Street photography, despite its seeming simplicity, is a rather difficult genre. In order to improve your skills, you must act consistently, have a filming schedule.

Maybe you will spend half a day on street photography once a week, or 30 minutes a day during your lunch break, or after work. Perhaps you will be filming non-stop, stopping only for lunch.

Either way, by doing this constantly, you can do more than just improve your pictures. Over time, you will develop your own style, and interesting stories will find you on your own.

8. Use the camera as a key

A huge plus of the camera is that it is the key to new impressions. The desire to take a good picture makes you go out into the street, when everyone is watching popular programs on TV, taking pictures at night, in the rain and blizzard. You will be able to visit places where you have never been before.

Plus, you're sure to make new friends. The camera helps to break the ice in a relationship, and the portrait you make will reveal a person from a different, unknown side.

9. Catch gestures and emotions

The photographer's task is to evoke emotions in the viewer, who will consider the picture. Try to determine what meaning your photo carries, whether it will please or make you empathize. Think about the emotion a gesture or gaze of the person you photographed evokes. You must make sure that the viewer himself gets the answers to all the questions.

10. Study books on photography

Look for new sources of inspiration. Take pictures during the day, at night, study the books of famous photographers, preferably working in different styles. You will glean a huge number of ideas that will help you rise to the next level.

We recommend:

• Anton Vershovsky, "". A book by a Petersburg photographer who started shooting at the age of 7.
• Brian Peterson, "" and "". The photography instructor explains the basics of using a camera.
• Lee Frost, "", "". Practical advice from the famous English photographer.