5 Tips for Great Street Photography

As a follow up to our articles about creating photo essays, we wanted to provide some tips for when you want to capture the essence of a moment within a single photo. Street Photography is often characterized as a snapshot in time of a chaotic street scene. However, it doesn’t always need to be on a street, and the principles of capturing a candid situation can be applied to any number of locations. Likewise, when creating a photo essay, Street Photography techniques can be used to capture a photo that conveys a summary of the situation at hand. As a photographer shooting in the middle of busy situations, you can be surrounded by a lot of action and commotion. Street Photography (or any type of candid photography) can be a rewarding and fun experience, but also frustrating. Creating a photograph that effectively conveys the scene and yet focuses attention on a specific subject can be a challenging task. The following tips should help you narrow your focus, both mentally and photographically.

1. Use a wide angle lens, but get close. A wide angle lens will help you expand your viewpoint, but at the same time, you don’t want your photos to be too impersonal to the subject. Get close to the important aspects of the scene and make them the primary focus of the shot. Then, try to include other objects or people that are important to the situation. Place the primary subjects at different spots around the image to create a more dynamic photo with tension. A wide angle lens will also give the viewer a perspective of being in the middle of the action.
2. Continuously look around. If you’re on the street, in a market, or surrounded by a lot of action, then you could be missing out on opportunities to grab some great photos if you don’t keep your eyes open to everything around you. Sometimes it may be easier to stand in one spot and let everything else flow around while waiting for a good scene to materialize.
3. It’s about the people, but it’s not a portrait. A portrait can be a powerful photo, but it generally tells a different story than a shot with someone performing a task or surrounded by their natural environment. Viewers automatically identify with a person in a photo, so by all means you should include people if possible. However, step back and capture their surroundings instead of just their face.
4. Look for candid moments Don’t pose your subjects, but instead let them do whatever it is they are doing. After all, isn’t that what you’re trying to capture? You may also find it important to avoid distracting them so that your shot is more candid. Consider hiding yourself if needed. Better yet, ask for permission and tell them to go about their business as usual.
5. Work with the action. Follow your subjects and pay attention to their tasks. Be aware of both their motions and your positioning. Anticipate their next movement so that you can line yourself up for the next set of shots. Timing can be crucial, and a rapid-fire shutter can be very useful.

A few examples

Day laborers pull a summer crop of mustard seed which will bring high prices for the landowner at the market. Without the assistance of a bore well, out of reach for many farmers, Rajasthanis depend on limited rainfall that usually only support one season of growing.
by Daniel Bachhuber

Even though we can’t see their faces, we get a good idea of where these women are from and the work that they are performing. The low angle highlights both their work and their clothing.

by Edelweiss Valeriano

Up close and personal, this photo shows what this child is doing, his surroundings, and the expression on his face. We are close enough to feel his struggle, and yet far enough away to see his environment.

Indians in Porto Seguro, Bahia. Village of Jaqueira
by Fernando Martinho

This is a good example of how a wide angle lens can help the viewer feel like they are part of the scene. We feel like we have our own place at this family’s table.

Palestinian children from Baghdad living in the no mans land between the Iraqi and Syrian border at Al Tanf Refugee Camp.
J. Wreford for UNHCR

This quick and candid moment captures the personalities and the plight of these children.

Eleven-year-old Aliyah (L) takes a private English lesson in Kabul after returning from Pakistan with her family.
N.Behring for UNHCR

While this photo brings our attention to the student on the left and her activities, the photographer’s use of a wide angle lens gives us the general context of her classroom surroundings. Even though it’s not on the street, the same candid techniques have been applied to showcase a candid moment in a dynamic environment.

Do you have any tips for taking candid photos that you would like to share? Let us know by leaving a comment and we’ll post everyone’s best advice in a future article.