Fishnets and Sneakers. Barcelona, 2010
Today, in Part 2, I’ll go into some specific street photography techniques plus some dos and don’ts, but first a quick couple of comments on another of my attempts (left). It is in color, not monochrome, so that may offend some street purists…but, does it imply a story? Does it arouse your curiosity? How would you critique this image? What do you like? Not like? Would you have cropped it differently? The next time you are out and about in an urban space, see if you can capture an image that tells a story as I was trying to do with these three individuals.
OK, now here are ten specific street photography points, ideas and techniques for you, and they should apply whether you are in New York or Small Town, USA…
1) Rule #1: There are no rules. B&W, color, sharp, blurry, candid, posed…it’s all OK.
2) The best images hit you with an emotion or are layered with many levels of interpretation–not just a random snapshot of pedestrians on the sidewalk.
3) Try pretending to photograph an object behind your real subject so the subject will think you are looking at something else.
4) Take a few friends with you and use them as models–posed or not. We won’t know who they are unless we know you!
5) At first, to warm up, start in more comfortable surroundings, say, a tourist zone of the city where everyone has a camera and no one cares what you take a picture of.
6) Some like to literally shoot randomly from the hip. It’s harder to frame what you want, but it can result in interesting images.
7) You can also purchase devices that allow you to frame the image while looking down at your camera held at the waist. Some cameras are designed this way (the Brownie, many medium format cameras, for example).
8) Use aperture priority, set your desired f/stop for the depth of field you want, then prefocus for the distance you anticipate…say, f/8 or f/11 and eight feet…then you only have to raise the camera and shoot.
9) Many of the best street images are made with wider lenses, a 35mm lens (on full frame, or a 24mm lens on a crop factor camera), for example, rather than with a telephoto from a distance. Usually it is better to be close than far away.
10) Consider a smaller camera so as to be less noticeable, after all image quality is not as important in street as image content. (Take your Canon S100 point-and-shoot, for example, rather than your Nikon D4 and full up lens backpack!) You will look less like a pro and more like a tourist and can get away with more.
Now, some dos and don’ts:
–Do keep a sense of humor and relay that attitude to your subjects when they spot you.
–Don’t act like a stalker, stealing photos as you go.
–Do be patient and realize only a very, very few of your many, many shots will be keepers.
–Don’t photograph the homeless unless you are working on a specific project or have a specific plan for the images–it has been way overdone and is an overused theme. What’s more, they have their dignity, too.
–Do smile when caught making an image of someone…then engage them in chit chat to explain who you are and what you are doing. You an learn a lot about people and their lives that way.
–Don’t stand around and aim your camera at kids in a playground unless their parents are aware of what you are doing and are OK with it (especially if you are an older male). Unfortunately, we are a bit paranoid about this in the US. In other countries it may not be as big a deal.
–Do challenge yourself to walk up and ask if you can photograph someone. Most everyone will say yes, especially once they get to know you a bit and understand what you are doing.
–Don’t plan on using your images commercially (advertising, for example) unless you have a model release from your subject if he/she is recognizeable in the image.
–Do carry a business card with your name and website. Some photographers even carry a small portfolio album. This will go a long ways in helping to disarm an uncomfortable situation if you are confronted.
–Finally, do know your legal rights about what you can and can’t photograph…BUT, don’t get too violent in defending your rights. Always remain calm and collected. Bob Atkins has a good summary on his web site to refresh your knowledge of your rights–and you might even want to carry a copy of The Photographer’s Rights with you at all times.
If you have read this blog entry to the end, then maybe you are really interested in this genre! If that is the case, check out Eric Kim’s blog and website–he teaches street photography and has some great articles that I would classify under the heading “Zen and the Art of Street Photography.” Additionally, Dave Beckerman is an experienced and talented New York street photographer and his blog will give even more practical tips as well as links to the work of others in this field.
Good luck!
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