I’ve always been curious about people and human nature, as a kid I used to create stories in my head for strangers as if they were in a movie. Years later I realised I also enjoy making candid photos of strangers in cities and that the people in each photo to me seemed to be the protagonist in their own movie. Eventually, I learnt this was one style of Street Photography and I instantly felt a calling towards it because I knew through it I could finally convey how I saw the world. Now, after doing this for 4 years here are some things I’ve learnt.
Always smile. Never make eye contact, but if you do, again remember to smile and give them a light nod. Let people know you’re not there to do any harm by having positive body language.
Good shoes! Street photography is all about walking, roaming, and exploring; you’re constantly on your feet so shoes that enable you to do that are a must. I suggest going for the classics either: Converse Chuck Taylors, Reebok Classic Gum, Adidas Stan Smiths, Vans or Clarks Boots.
Dress appropriately. This also goes in line with body language and means dress how the people in that particular city are dressing so that you feel better and more confident in yourself. But also so that you don’t look out of place, instead you’re part of the crowd.
Wander in the same area, almost as if you’re doing laps around it. This doesn’t mean always just going to one area. Have a couple of places and frequent them as much as possible. This is so that you start knowing those areas well enough that you can begin to predict things that will happen, know how the light affects certain streets and know the best times for certain spots. Doing this also lets you know when it’s time to move on from an area.
Talk to people. Understand what the people there are all about and the culture that they live; let them know why you’re there. This in turn lets the locals know you’re unthreatening and you may end up getting into places or experiencing moments closer than you would have prior.
Keep it simple. Use the same camera, pick one lens and keep it light. You don’t want too many options or a heavy bag both weighing you down. You want to be loose, comfortable and stress-free. In this case ‘less is more’ truly, I believe gets the creativity flowing.
Know your camera. Know it like it’s an extension of you. You want to get to the point where adjustments on the camera are second nature and all happen before you even lift the camera up to take the shot.
Stay fit, this is a long and tedious game. Make sure you’re stretching to stay agile, doing some kind of cardio to keep your endurance up. Stay hydrated; find a small but enough capacity water bottle to fit in a small bag. Lastly, remember that part of staying fit includes taking breaks and to not overdo yourself. Know when the day is done; there’s always tomorrow.
Look less, shoot more. Stop constantly checking your camera if you got the shot or fumbling with the settings. That’s how the moment disappears, trust your gut and work the scene by constantly looking and making what you need and then moving on.
Learn. Look at photobooks, go to exhibitions, visit photographers sites/pages, watch videos. We have all the knowledge available to us, make use of it and continuously enrich your palette. I suggest before you go out to shoot, look at books and photos by multiple photographers to inspire you and give you a sort of a wide direction to play in.
Stay organised! You do not want to catch up on organising thousands of images. It will only make you dread the editing process. Have a system and do it from the beginning. I personally have always liked Location > Year > Month. Then can even have sub-folders for particular events in that month.
Sometimes you don’t need a camera. Just go out and take in the world, let your eye go crazy over the number of moments you see. I’ve found this makes me want to photograph even more so than ever.
Relax. There is no one way to do this. There are no rules, no such thing as out-of-focus, no incorrect framing and no wrong settings. Find what intrigues you about the world and stick to exploring and building around that. Hone in on your vision.
Love point 11. 👍🏻