Street photography is essentially stealing a moment in time and requires one to act fast in order to document their observations. In the beginning it can be nerve racking even for the most seasoned pros to step outside of their comfort zone and do whatever is necessary to catch those fleeting moments on camera.  In this article, we’ll teach you how to take pictures of strangers in your street photography.

Tips for Taking Pictures of Strangers in Street Photography

Bring the Right Gear

Any camera will work, including your smartphone. What’s more important, however, is your lens choice. A smaller lens and body combo will not intimidate strangers (as much), so I often take out a 35mm or 50mm lens on a Canon EOS R or EOS R6 body. My favorite focal length for street photography is actually 35mm because I can get a little bit more background, and I can intentionally use the added lens distortion for dramatic effect, such as for low-angle, bottom-up shots, etc.

Find an Ideal Location

Find a spot with plenty of options, and before you approach someone, scan your scene for a potential backdrop. In other words, scout your location so that you can get a good idea of what’s around you, where the light’s coming from, and so on. It’s smart to pre-visualize your composition before asking to take someone’s portrait. This will help keep you from getting stuck when you’re in the moment.

When David and I were out in Pasadena, for example, we approached Erica, who was there taking pictures with her friend for her fashion boutique (you can find more info here: @casualallure). While David and Erica talked, I looked at the scene and noticed a staircase. I liked the staircase because I could place Erica on the stairs and use the railing for leading lines. I could also use the light falling between the buildings to light Erica’s face. I already had these shots in mind before it was my turn to shoot.

Establishing Credibility From the Start

Be sure to perfect your approach and establish credibility quickly. You might consider handing out business cards or something similar, and that is fine. Remember that your wardrobe and attire will also play into establishing your credibility.

What I found to be most effective is to approach someone, introduce myself (“Hi, my name is Pye. I’m a professional photographer.”), and then hand (or show) them my phone, which will have my Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube channel loaded and ready to view. When they see that I create quality imagery and have a decent following, they know that I’m someone they can begin to trust. Of course, since we are living in a post-COVID environment, I have my face mask on during the approach, and instead of handing them a phone to review my work, I just hold it out and show it to them.

If you are just starting out and you don’t have an extensive portfolio or following, then you should just stick with the introduction and ask to take their portrait. You may get a few more rejections, but there’ll be plenty of people that will still take you up on the offer.

Prepare Yourself For Rejection

To play this game, you’re going to have to learn to be okay with rejection. You don’t have to like it, but you have to be okay with it. This is true when approaching anybody for anything.

At the end of the day, this is a numbers game. One helpful tip I’ve discovered for dealing with rejection is setting a max number of rejections for the day. For example, you might accept that you’re going to get rejected 50 times, and when you do, you can head home. Of course, your number doesn’t have to be 50. Start out with a low number, like 5-10 times or something like that. Here’s the deal, though. When I set my number, I know there is no way I can possibly get rejected 50 times in a day.

Give Yourself Time Limits

Be reasonable with your time request. If someone agrees to let you take a picture, then take one or two minutes, maybe even up to five minutes. Whatever it is, be clear and ask for 3-5 minutes of their time up front. Then, be sure to respect the time limit. You have to understand that these people did not plan to be photographed by you. They have other things to do, or maybe they’re just enjoying their day. Please be respectful of the allotted time.

Find and Bring Out Their Personalities

Now that you’re shooting, I want you to go to the spots you scanned previously and capture the shots you visualized. When I was out shooting with David, I noticed a large flower on the wall while we were walking around and looking for people to photograph. On the way back, I asked David if I could photograph him in front of the flower. I had already pre-visualized this photograph.

The reason I like this shot is because of David’s personality. It’s great when you can incorporate their personality into your compositions, like we did here with David. If you know him, he’s a very fun, energetic, positive, and quirky guy. This flower reminded me of him.

In another example, I photographed a guy named Buddy playing his trumpet in Pasadena. For Buddy’s portrait, I positioned him against the wall and I held the trumpet in my hand, using it as a foreground object to frame Buddy against the clean background. There are tons of different ways to incorporate your subjects’ personalities into the street photographs that you take, even though you’re capturing these images within a matter of moments.

Communicate With Respect

Most of these people are not professional models. You’re going to need to direct & pose them, as well as communicate what kind of shot you want.

Don’t just leave them standing there, awkwardly staring at you in front of the camera. Help them pose. Direct and guide them as you are clicking away. Give them positive reinforcement, encourage them, and let them know how great they look. When you speak, don’t create awkward and uncomfortable moments.

One of my favorite things to do, after capturing one or two images, is to show them the images. They almost always think they can’t be looking that great, but when I show them the first or second shot, they quickly realize the shots are great and they get that much more into the shoot.

Provide Contact Information

Finally, when your time is up and you finish capturing someone’s images, be sure to get his/her/their information. These people were kind enough to let you photograph them. When you post the images, share the images with them and send them a full resolution copy. I can’t tell you how beneficial this is for you and your photography business.

The biggest problem I think photographers have in this setting is forgetting to get the subject’s info or else simply forgetting to actually follow up, produce the images, post the results, and share them. Make sure that you’re following up and actually completing the process, giving your subjects a good experience, just like you’d do for paying clients. They may not have given you cash, but they paid with their time. Respect it.

How to take pictures of strangers with an iPhone

Now that we’ve reviewed the tips, let’s continue our education with another video.  For this part of the article, we wanted to demonstrate the power of these concepts without any professional gear.   So we did a similar concept as above but limited ourselves to using the iPhone only.

Today, we’re hitting the streets of Orange, California and rather than a dedicated camera, I’ll be using my phone to photograph strangers. The great part of shooting street portraits with a phone is being able to edit and deliver the photograph right then and there!

Portrait #1: Finnigan

Our first subject is Finnigan, an adorable puppy. Since he was on the smaller side, I got low to the ground and shot from his perspective. Simple and easy.

Portrait #2: Taylor

Next, I photographed Taylor. I had her stand against the door and placed the camera right against the glass to capture her reflection. A quick tip for street portraits is to flip your phone to get your lens close to any surface. This will help get lower angles or reflections like this.

Portrait #3: Emerson

For our final street portrait, I asked Emerson to pose on this staircase. I angled up toward the top of the staircase and framed so that the lines in the photo would lead to his face.

One of the best places to find and follow famous street photographers is on Instagram. Through the app, we can take virtual art walks through famous street photographers galleries, each highlighting locations & people in visual stories that connect us all. Whether through detailed captions or images that reflect some larger theme related to the human condition, we can learn a lot about the genre (and about ourselves) by looking to the work of its leaders.

With a billion-plus users on the app, it can be difficult to find the best street photographers. This following list of 10 famous street photographers to follow on Instagram is not exhaustive, but it’s a great place to start.

What Makes for Great Street Photography?

As you browse through the work of the selected street photographers below, you’ll notice they share a number of recognizable traits. These commonalities in their skillset allow them to capture compelling and memorable images. They’re able to anticipate and capture decisive moments. Also, as evidenced in their imagery, these street photographers also pay close attention to composition, light, and context. In addition to technical skills such as dialing in ideal exposures and nailing focus, they also seem to connect with their subjects and convey emotion and mood in their photographs.

If you read through the bios and “About” pages on their sites, which we recommend doing, you’ll find that great street photographers need to be patient, observant, and willing to experiment in order to create unique and impactful images. They all put in their time in the field (or out on the streets, rather) to find their own place within this genre.

10 Famous Street Photographers to Follow

Brandon Stanton (Humans of New York): Website | Instagram

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“I was five when he became a person in my world. I didn’t know exactly who he was. I just knew that there was someone around that was making my mother smile. I had to look way up to see him. I’d never met someone so strong. He’d tell me to hold onto his wrist, and he’d lift me into the sky with one hand. He worked at an auto shop, airbrushing designs onto the side of vans. I think he dreamed of being an artist. But he needed something more stable. So after he decided to marry my mom, he became a cop. He never lost touch with his creative side. He was always building things around the house—making things look fancier than we could afford. He built my first bike from scraps. He encouraged me to read. He encouraged me to write. He loved giving me little assignments. He’d give me a quarter every time I wrote a story. Fifty cents if it was a good one. Whenever I asked a question, he’d make me look it up in the encyclopedia. One day he built a little art studio at the back of our house. And he painted a single painting—a portrait of Sting that he copied from an album cover. But he got busy with work and never used the studio again. He was always saying: ‘when I retire.’ ‘I’ll go back to art, when I retire.’ ‘I’ll show in a gallery, when I retire.’ But that time never came. Dad was a cop for twenty years. He was one of the good ones. The kind of cop you see dancing on the street corner. Or skateboarding with kids. But in 1998 he was diagnosed with MS. First there was a little weakness. Then there was a cane. Then there was a wheelchair. It got to the point where he couldn’t even hold a paintbrush. We did his hospice at home. He seemed to have no regrets. He’d been a wonderful provider. He’d raised his daughters. He’d walked me down the aisle. During his final days, we were going through his possessions, one by one. He was telling me who to give them to. I pulled the Sting painting out of an old box, and asked: ‘What should I do with this?’ His response was immediate. ‘Give it to Sting,’ he said. All of us started laughing. But Dad grew very serious. His eyes narrowed. He looked right at me, and said: ‘Give it to Sting.’ So I guess that’s my final assignment.”

A post shared by Humans of New York (@humansofny) on May 19, 2020 at 11:57am PDT

With over twenty million followers on social media, Brandon Stanton (aka Humans of New York) is easily one of the most famous street photographers working today. As noted on his website, Stanton’s work “provides a worldwide audience with daily glimpses into the lives of strangers on the streets of New York City.” Stanton, whose style features portraits paired with stories, has also photographed people outside of New York City and he’s shared stories from people in more than twenty countries. If you haven’t yet visited Stanton’s Humans of New York profile on Instagram, get ready to be inspired. There’s a reason he’s amassed such a following.

Street Photographers to Follow – Sean Tucker: YouTube | Instagram

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I rode a motorbike for a little while when I lived back in South Africa. I miss the feeling of freedom you get from travelling like that. #blackandwhite #blackandwhitephotography #streetphotography #streetdreamsmag #lensculture #featureshoot #lightandshadow #protectyourhighlights #embraceyourshadows #ricoh #grist #grsnaps #ricohgr3 #lightroommobile #instagram #london #wandsworth #shapes #shadows #motorbike #negativespace

A post shared by Sean Tucker (@seantuck) on May 20, 2020 at 7:58am PDT

Sean Tucker’s thoughtful composition and dramatic interplay of light and shadows firmly cement his place among the most creative street photographers featured in this article. Also, as an artist focused more on the ‘why’ than the ‘how’ with the images he captures, Tucker uses his YouTube channel to offer fresh insight into his process with informative and inspiring stories behind the photos he captures.

Paola Franqui aka Monaris: Website | Instagram

Next to the “enter” button on her website, Paola Franqui (also known as Monaris) describes the gallery of images to come as “a collection of visual stories.” On her site as well as her Instagram feed, Franqui delivers exactly that, in a cinematic style that captures the emotions of those she photographs in fleeting moments of time. While she’s earned the moniker of famous street photographer, she also uses her adept skillset to capture visual stories in a commercial capacity for big brands like RayBan, Budweiser, ESPN, and several others.

 

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A post shared by Monaris (@monaris_)

Yanidel: Website | Instagram

 

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A post shared by Yanick Delafoge (@yanidel_street)

Based in Argentina by way of Paris, Yanidel has traveled the globe capturing compelling street photographs. Though he doesn’t boast the following of some of the other famous street photographers on this list, Yanidel is a worthy contender for placement here and his work reflects that. Yanidel also writes about his process for capturing street photography images and shares tips and techniques through his blog. As noted on his website and made apparent in his images, Yanidel takes a documentary approach to street photography in an attempt “to give a surrealist and lyric dimension to the little facts of our daily life, trying to blend in some humor and a positive spin from time to time.”

Street Photographers to Follow – Mikk Olli: Instagram

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Tallinn, Estoni 2018 . . #streetphotography #streettogs #streetphoto #challengerstreets #ourstreets #myspc18 #streetlife_award #capturestreets #gspc #cobblescope #fromstreetswithlove #gf_streets #friendsinperson #SPiCollective #streetsgrammer #fujifilm #fujilove #fujifeed #friendsinstreets #fujifilm_street #aspfeatures #tänavafotograafia #tallinn #estonia #oldtown #fujifilmxt2

A post shared by Mikk Olli | Street Photography (@drawntostreets) on Dec 3, 2018 at 5:11am PST

A digital product designer with a passion for photography, Mikk Olli found his way into street photography after challenging himself to overcome his introverted tendency to shy away from human subjects. Like Sean Tucker (listed above), Olli finds unique compositions and highlights his subjects through bold contrasts of light and dark, often isolating a singular subject against a stark backdrop. Consider Olli an up-and-comer worth a follow. With his consistent, high-quality output, it won’t be long before his social media numbers officially qualify for the “famous” label.

GMB Akash: Website | Instagram

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Cyclone Amphan with a wind speed of up to 200 kph expected to hit coastal areas of India and Bangladesh on Wednesday. (20-05-2020) Many times during its history, Bangladesh and the surrounding region have been struck by devastating tropical cyclones that have caused great loss of life and property. Bangladesh is particularly vulnerable to storm surge flooding due to the geography of the land and region. Over the next few decades, scientists expect 17 percent of the country’s land to be submerged, and 18 million Bangladeshis to be displaced by seas. The country regularly suffers from deadly and devastating flooding, tropical cyclones, storm surges and droughts. I am sharing few images from my long time project on ‘Climate Change’ in Bangladesh. We can all hope that these images and stories of afflicted climate refugees will bring more attention to this issue. #climatechange #migrants #gmbakash #cyclone #humanitarianphotographerofbangladesh #documentaryohotograoherofbangladesh #bangladeshiphotographers #bangladeshrohingyadeployment #jurnalistofbangladesh #portraitphotographer #streetphotographer #bangladeshphotography #travelling #travel #travelphotography #bangladeshiphotographer #disaster #nature #planetearth #dhaka #Bangladesh #climateregugees

A post shared by GMB AKASH (@gmbakash) on May 19, 2020 at 6:24am PDT

Chock full of bold colors and authentic expressions, the photos that occupy GMB Akash’s Instagram profile will keep you coming back for more. Moreover, the stories that accompany the images make for compelling reading and may even inspire you to take action. A photojournalist at heart, GMB Akash captures visual stories of a wide swath of subjects, from lost tribes to refugees, against a backdrop of climate crises and political unrest.

Street Photographers to Follow – Phil Penman: Website | Instagram

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CENTRAL PARK.NEW YORK . Copyright Phil Penman, 2020.

A post shared by P H I L  P E N M A N (@philpenman) on Jul 27, 2020 at 8:01am PDT

Phil Penman’s Instagram feed reads like a fine art gallery of street photography, mainly (but not always) featuring monochromatic captures of the New York City and its inhabitants. Penman’s award-winning work has made him among the most influential and famous street photographers on this list (and in the world). Having documented celebrities and historical moments (like September 11, 2001), Penman’s recent work has turned its attention to various crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, as illustrated in this piece on how homeless people in New York shelter in place.

Linda Wisdom Photography: Website | Instagram

 

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A post shared by Linda Wisdom Photography (@lindawisdomphotography)

In addition to the incredible work featured on her Instagram page, you can find Linda’s award-winning fine art street photography featured in a number of magazines, including Amateur Photographer and Digital Camera Magazine, alongside tips on how to artfully capture street photography. According to her site, Linda also teaches workshops and offers photo tours in London and Europe. Her body of work mainly features candid lifestyle shots of people in urban and city environments and uses composition, lighting, and mindful anticipation to tell impactful stories within a single frame.

Street Photographers to Follow – Girma Berta: Instagram

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Moving Shadows II, X. #StreetsofAddis

A post shared by Girma Berta (@gboxcreative) on Jul 5, 2017 at 6:04am PDT

In a beautiful blend of street photography and fine art, Girma Berta’s work features a cast of candidly captured citizens set against bold & colorful backdrops. This holds true for pieces that have been digitally altered (such as those featured in his Moving Shadows collection), as well as real world captures taken against city backdrops. Hailing from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Girma has built an award-winning body of work that’s equally comfortable at home in a world class gallery or online in Instagram’s gridded squares, which is especially noteworthy considering many of the images have been captured using an iPhone.

Lee Jeffries: Website | Instagram

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Portraits… it’s a book of love… compassion and humanity… when it comes down to it, it’s always that simple… . Link to buy in my bio x

A post shared by Lee Jeffries (@lee_jeffries) on May 3, 2020 at 10:40am PDT

Known primarily for his work documenting the homeless, Lee Jeffries’ intimate portraits of his subjects offer a rare glimpse into a strand of society that’s often overlooked. The closeup, gritty images put viewers face-to-face with Jeffries’ subjects, whose expressions reveal depths of emotion and inspire compassion. For a so-called amateur photographer, Jeffries has built an impressive body of work and a substantial following with whom to share it.

Street Photographers to Follow | Conclusion

I hope this list proves a helpful starting point from which to dive further into the genre. Here again is a quick recap of the famous street photographers featured in this article.

• Brandon Stanton
• Sean Tucker
• Paola Franqui
• Yanidel
• Mikk Olli
• GMB Akash
• Phil Penman
• Linda Wisdom Photography
• Girma Berta
• Lee Jeffries

You can find additional street photography tips in this article on following ethical guidelines while practicing within this genre. Let us know some other famous street photographers that you follow and feel should’ve made list. We know there are plenty left out there who can inspire droves of photographers with their imagery.

Video: The Importance of Shooting With a Vision: Street Portrait Photography

Street portrait photography can open up the opportunity to capture many different looks, subjects, and styles. There’s often little to no planning as you’ll never know what to expect. This is where a vision comes in handy. A vision includes imagining the color scheme, mood, and how you plan on editing the images. Then, let that vision guide you as you photograph to tell a cohesive story.

Before we begin, be sure to download the exercise files here and follow along as I edit.

How I Captured the Images

We met Buddy during a street portrait photography challenge with David Suh. Buddy is a fantastic street performer on the streets of Pasadena. I had one minute as a part of the challenge to conceive and photograph Buddy. I knew I wanted the images to be black and white. Then, placed Buddy in front of a white wall. I wanted to use the blank wall to extend the background in post and reframe the image. With this in mind, I made sure to keep Buddy and the trumpet completely within the edges of the frame.

I planned to take a series of three images to put together into a collage. These were taken using the Canon EOS R with the Sigma Art 50mm f/1.4 lens and RF adapter.

Post-Production

The goal with these images was to bring out some grain and make the tones pop to get that street feel. I selected the Bold Portrait preset from VF Presets Black & White Mixer. Then I stylized it with the Street Portrait option. Then, I added Medium Grain.

Related Reading: Beginner’s Guide to Street Portrait Photography

Here are the final settings from the presets.

Copy the settings over to the next image and adjust accordingly to match. For this image, I added a radial burn and graduated filter to slightly darken the top as well as create a subtle vignette.

For the last image, I planned on extending the white wall and change the composition of the image. To do this, we’ll jump into Photoshop. First, I used the Patch Tool to remove the imperfections in the image.

Then, use the Marquee tool to select the edge of the frame that’s not white. Then Fill using Shift+Backspace and make sure Content Aware is selected. Photoshop will automatically fill in the missing area.

Apply to both sides to get a completely filled backdrop.

I then used the Crop tool to extend the top of the image for a square composition. Once I reframed the image, before pressing OK, I selected Content Aware. Then Photoshop filled in the rest of the image with the white background.

After cleaning up the image with the patch tool, I had this complete series of photos.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this article/video. Next time you’re out capturing street portrait photography, try envisioning your final image and editing process. Then, let that vision guide you to a complete and cohesive story. For a complete tutorial on editing, check out the Mastering Lightroom course on SLR Lounge Premium. You can also get the Black & White Mixer for your own street portrait photography from VF Presets.

Don’t miss our next episode of Mastering Your Craft on Adorama’s YouTube channel next week! If you want to catch up on all the episodes, make sure you check out our playlist!

What is Street Photography?

Let’s take a quick moment to revisit the definition of street photography. Street photography is a highly candid style of photography. It is essentially focused on spontaneously capturing people, objects, and moments in public areas. Street photography involves capturing honest moments in their natural environments, which are usually cities and other urban environments.

This style of photography involves reacting to life as it happens and capturing images on the fly. The moments you capture are real and unposed, and street photographs allow the audience to feel connected with the emotions and feelings portrayed in the image.

What Cameras Are Best Suited for Street Photography?

Because of the candid and spontaneous nature of street photography, the best camera for street photography should be small, portable, inconspicuous, and versatile.  Some of the most important elements that a street photography camera must meet include:

• Size: Street photography cameras should be small and easily concealed. This can help prevent your subjects from realizing that they are being photographed and posing, thus ruining the image. Many street photographers prefer cameras that are compact enough to fit in a pocket.
• Speed: A good street photography camera should be fast and responsive. This will allow you to capture fleeting moments that vanish as quickly as they appear. Your camera should especially be fast in terms of autofocus and burst shooting.
• Usability: The last thing you want is to waste time scrolling through your camera menus, causing you to lose that perfect moment that was begging to be photographed. An effective street photography camera should thus have intuitive controls that are well laid out.
• Weight: If you’re planning to wander the streets all day, a heavy camera can be more tiring than you think. A lightweight camera will ensure that you’re focused on finding the perfect shot rather than looking out for a space to sit down for a rest.

[Related Reading: Free Street Photography Masterclass from Nick Turpin]

What Is the Best Street Photography Camera?

Below are some of our recommendations for street photography cameras.

iPhone or Samsung Galaxy

The phrase “the best camera is the one that you have on you” applies to street photography, perhaps more so than any other genre of photography.  For that reason, the best camera for street photography could possibly be your iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, or other smartphone cameras.  The obvious pro is the convenience, and with better technology in each generation released, the gap between a smartphone camera and a dedicated camera is shrinking.  The biggest cons are inferior low light performance and focus control with creative compositions.  If you’re opting to use your iPhone, be sure to see our iPhone photography fundamentals video.

Sony a7 III

The Sony a7 III is a mirrorless camera that features a 24-megapixel full-frame sensor. It has 15 stops of dynamic range. It also allows you to take shots that feature a lot of detail in the shadows and highlights. This means that if you have underexposed shots, you don’t have to worry about trashing them and your hard work.

This camera’s autofocus is one of the fastest around, and it captures 10 frames per second continuous shooting. The body is small and compact, and the camera works great at high ISOs. You can pair this with several different lenses. This means that not only is this great for street photography, you can also pair it with a zoom or portrait lens if you’re looking for a camera for other purposes.

Canon PowerShot G5 X Mark II

A highly compact camera that can easily fit into your jacket pocket and weighs only 340g, making it easy to carry around. It features a fast, 5x zoom lens that covers an equivalent focal range of 24-120mm.

It also features a customizable control ring on the lens, which gives you a greater amount of control over your preferred functions. This makes using this camera a highly intuitive experience, making it ideal for street photography.

Ricoh GR III

Another small and sleek camera that can easily fit into a pocket, allowing for discreet photography. Despite featuring a 24-megapixel sensor, the 18mm f/2.8 lens renders extremely detailed and sharp photographs. The photographs this camera produces have an almost film-like feel.

The near-silent shutter means that you do not have to worry about being noticed while snapping photographs. Furthermore, this camera has been designed so you can use it one-handed, so you can easily snap images on-the-go. The fixed, 28mm equivalent lens offers a wide-angle view. This makes it ideal for photographers looking to capture every element of the environment around them.

Fuji X100V

The vintage design makes this camera a charming addition to any street photographer’s arsenal. The 26-megapixel sensor means that you can be assured that your photographs will come out phenomenally. You also protect it from the weather by adding a filter to the front of the lens. This means you don’t need to worry about your camera getting ruined due to an unexpected rainstorm.

The silent shutter is great for taking inconspicuous shots, and the camera also performs very well at high ISOs. It comes with a built-in 35mm equivalent lens, as well as 50mm and 28mm equivalent adapter lenses.

Leica Q2

This camera’s minimalist design means that it is a simple and pared-down tool. You don’t need to worry about spending time figuring out the crazy menus that many alternatives have. It comes with a built-in 28mm fixed lens, which is paired with 47-megapixel full-frame sensor.

The autofocus makes it a great upgrade over the Leica M10-P, and the camera performs well at high ISO. The small size makes it easy to carry around unobtrusively. Overall, this is a versatile camera that you can use not only for street photography but also for travel.

[Related Reading: Best Cameras for Bird Photography]

Other Considerations

These are just five of our favorites in this category.  Other cameras you would want to consider would be each of the other new mirrorless cameras from the manufacturers, including the following:

• Fuji X-T4
• Canon EOS R5
• Sony A7S III
• Nikon Z 7II
• Nikon Z6 II

What are your thoughts?  What is your favorite camera for street photography?  Let us know in the comments below.

Gear Recommendations for Travel and Street Photography

Before we dive into our compositional tips for travel and street photography, let’s touch briefly on gear. Having a good camera and lens is usually an absolute must, but what type of camera and lens(es) suits your style in particular?

Cameras for Travel and Street Photography

When it comes to choosing a camera for street photography, you’ll want something lightweight yet durable. You’ll also want something that is quick to operate, and quite good at focusing on any subject in any light.

Personally, I recommend any lightweight, full frame mirrorless camera. Sony still has one of the best autofocus systems around and by far the widest variety of lenses, (thanks to third party lens makers, make no mistake!). So, the easiest camera to recommend is something like the full-frame Sony A7C, or the APS-C Sony A6600.

These cameras are small in size, built to last, and packed with features for capturing incredible imagery.

Lenses for Travel and Street Photography

Lenses can be an even more important decision we make in street photography, just like every other specialty genre in photography, of course! An ideal street photography lens will offer both versatility and portability.

Best Focal Length?

A wide angle focal length, for example, will allow us to step back and capture a whole scene, or step forward and get really close to the action. Many street photographers opt for something in the 24-35mm range when it comes to wide-angle focal length choices.

There are times, however, when we may want to remove ourselves from the action and capture it from afar as observers. Or, maybe we simply can’t get close enough, and have no choice but to shoot from far away! In those instances, a telephoto focal length, especially on a zoom lens, would serve us well.

Prime Vs. Zoom

Unfortunately, most lenses only cover one focal range or a single focal length. Such as, a wide-angle zoom lens, or a normal prime lens, etc. This will often result in a street photographer having to quickly switch lenses, potentially missing the perfect candid moment.

Of course, we can get the best of both worlds with an all-in-one zoom lens that covers both wide-angle and telephoto focal lengths, such as the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6 Di III RXD lens for full frame Sony E-Mount cameras. While it may not have the same fixed fast aperture of a prime lens, the flexibility of zooming from 28mm to 200mm makes it not only convenient for capturing every moment, but its lightweight portability also makes it an easy, comfortable tool for both everyday use and travel/adventures.

What About Aperture?

A fast f/2.8 aperture at the 28mm end of the zoom range will give you plenty of low-light hand-held capability, and the shallow depth will offer beautiful separation between your subject and the background, especially when shooting up close. Also, by the time you zoom in to 100mm or longer, the slower aperture of f/4-5.6 will still offer impressive background blur!

Other Gear Considerations

• Tripods: If you have the time and space to set up a tripod for street photography, you can use it to add stability to your shots, expanding your creativity to include long exposures, shutter drags, and night photography in general. Having said that, most street photographers will still opt for hand-holding at a fast aperture and a high ISO, with a bonus being if your camera has stabilization for avoiding camera shake.
• Camera Bags: Street photographers tend to make images on the go at a highly active pace, so it’s good to keep a low-profile, lightweight camera bag on hand to hold your gear (camera, lens(es), memory cards, batteries, and possibly a laptop) while also not shouting “I’m full of expensive stuff!” to everyone around you. One of our favorites is the Think Tank Retrospective Backpack.
• Lighting: In the rare instance that you need to illuminate your subject and actually have the time and capability to set up your own lighting, you might want to bring along a basic speedlight. Look for something with 50-60 watt seconds of power. Alternately, a small, battery-operated LED light can be great for illuminating a scene without the obnoxious distraction of a popping flash.

10 Advanced Compositional Tips for Street Photography

1. Rule of Thirds
2. Negative Space
3. Depth of Field
4. Leading Lines
5. Texture
6. Patterns
7. Framing
8. Perspective
9. Color
10. Lighting

Compositional Tip #1: Rule of Thirds

This is one of the simplest yet strongest rules of composition in all of photography, and for good reason. It works! You don’t have to follow this rule perfectly, but when given the opportunity to arrange any number of subjects in your scene, always consider the rule of thirds.

Sometimes, keeping your rule-of-thirds usage very subtle is a perfect way to balance a whole scene. In the above example, the horizon line falls almost exactly on the upper rule-of-thirds line, but also, the surfer is almost perfectly at the point of line convergence in the lower left, and the oil derrick is roughly in the upper-right convergence, making the image feel a little more balanced.

Compositional Tip #2: Negative Space

I’m sure you’re familiar with the saying, “Sometimes, less is more.” Leaving the vast majority of your image “empty” with just a single subject or two arranged carefully anywhere in the scene can be a very beautiful way to simplify the world around us.

Compositional Tip #3: Depth of Field

Nothing helps a subject stand out like blurring the background, of course. This is where having a fast aperture comes in very handy. Whether you’re using a crop-sensor camera and a lens like the Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8, or a full-frame camera and lens like the Tamron 28-200mm f/2.8-5.6, you’ll be able to achieve beautiful background blur by setting the aperture wide-open and then framing your subject against a background that is as far away as possible. As a general rule, the distance between your camera and the subject should be at least half the distance between your subject and the background

Make sure to carefully nail focus on your subject! If you’re capturing a portrait, you may even need to pay special attention to focusing on the subjects’ eyes, otherwise you might wind up with the tip of their nose being sharp, and their eyes being blurry! With most Sony cameras, using the Eye AF mode will completely eliminate this potential problem.

With a full-frame sensor, shallow depth of field becomes a lot easier to achieve. At almost any focal length, and with most apertures, you’ll have the ability to create substantial background blur, even when your lens is at f/4 or f/5.6 on the telephoto end.

When zooming in, the aperture of the 28-200mm stops down gradually, however, you’ll still achieve very shallow depth thanks to the full-frame sensor. At a “normal” focal length such as 60mm, when the lens is set to f/4, the bokeh remains very smooth.

Compositional Tip #4: Leading Lines

One of the best ways to create an image that just grabs a viewer’s attention is to include any sort of line that leads from the foreground of the scene and draws the viewer’s eye inward. A leading line can go directly to a strong subject, or it can merely lead into the scene in general, or towards the distant background.

Either way, this is an excellent trick for causing the viewer to feel like they are looking through an actual window to the scene and the moment itself, as if they were seeing in 3-D.

Compositional Tip #5: Texture

Including any sort of texture in a photograph is a decision that needs to be made very carefully, because that texture can take away from everything else, including the main subject, or any strong compositional lines, shapes, colors, etc.

In a way, often the texture itself, even when it is just a flat surface, becomes a primary subject. This is okay as long as it is interesting and aesthetically pleasing to look at, and as long as the whole composition maintains a sense of balance.

[Related Reading: Beginner’s Guide to Street Photography & Photographing Strangers]

Compositional Tip #6: Patterns

Patterns are like textures, but they’re usually much easier to manage and capture creatively. The simplest thing to do is to just fill the entire frame with them! This compositional trick allows you to create all sorts of reactions from a viewers’ eye. Is it merely a pleasant, calming subject to look at? Or, is there an element of ambiguity or abstraction that puzzles the viewer’s eye, leaving them to wonder if they are looking at a very large or very small subject, or if the scene itself seemingly goes on forever?

Looking for patterns can be a very exciting photographic activity, whether it is street photography or any other genre.

Compositional Tip #7: Framing

Placing a lesser, unimportant subject in the foreground of an image is a bold compositional decision, and sometimes it doesn’t always pay off, but it is always worth trying if you are feeling creative.

As a general rule, try not to let other subjects visually “touch” or obscure your view of the main subject, so that the main subject still stands out a little bit.

Compositional Tip #8: Perspective

Viewers always think “wow!” when they see a unique perspective. Whether from up high and looking down, or vice versa, a quick change in perspective can make all the difference. One of the easiest ways to capture a unique image is to simply get down and look up or do the opposite.

Compositional Tip #9: Color

Don’t just look for brightly colored subjects and cram a bunch of them into your frame! Try to think in terms of entire color palettes, and how colors go together. A range of similar colors (analogous) or a pairing/triad of opposite colors (complementary) will give the most powerful results.

Compositional Tip #10: Lighting

With street photography, we rarely have control over the time and place for our pictures. Most of the time, we are at the mercy of the light. Sometimes, however, wonderful lighting offers itself as a subject. On those occasions, we can use that beautiful light to frame our composition.

Sometimes framing the “best light” is obvious, and other times it is more subtle. At sunset, for example, don’t just point your camera directly at the sun itself, at least not every time! Sometimes, you can find beautiful compositions when pointing your camera in a completely different direction! So, always look around you.

Another fantastic way to capture dramatic light is to look for opportunities to mix it within your frame. Framing the natural ambient light in juxtaposition to added light is tricky, but mixed light done right can be beautiful.

Conclusion

We hope you found these compositional tips for travel and street photography useful. No matter which genre of photography we ultimately specialize in, we all must master a general set of fundamentals. That said, mastering composition should rank very high on our list of priorities as photographers, especially with anything candid. Use these advanced compositional tips for street photography to create strong images, tell a story, and captivate the viewer’s eye.

Within these two years, I’ve won 17 awards so far, but if there’s one thing that makes me happier than that, it’s sharing my experiences and maybe inspire fellow photographers to fall in love with my favorite type of documentary photography as well. So, here are my ten most important lessons about street photography I’ve learned so far!

1. The Three Roads to Shot-ville

When it comes to capturing great moments on the streets, I’ve learned that there are basically three ways to approach it. The first way is rather obvious. Just walk around in your city or village and simply look for interesting moments happening around you. You must be a really good observer and your reaction time has to be as short as possible to capture moments within milliseconds. But I’ll tell you more about improving your reaction time later.

The second and third way still keeps everything authentic, but lets you become the director of candid scenes on the stage of life. The second way basically lets you design the stage of your scene, but you have to wait for an “actor” to appear. Just look for beautiful parks, alleys or other spots that build an exciting scenery for a moment. Look around, analyze how people are walking and what might happen here. If you have an interesting concept in mind, simply wait till the right people appear and hit the shutter. Try it with different pedestrians, change your stage through composition and find the best way possible.

The third and slightly creepier approach is to find your “actor” and follow him to a great stage. To be honest, I’ve followed highly interesting people while maintaining a low profile for 15-20 minutes. Always keep your distance and if the scenery blows you away, hit the shutter.

2. How to Become a Ninja

One of the biggest obstacles in street photography is getting “caught.” I mean, you are capturing random strangers. I remember my first months of shooting where I always got an adrenaline kick when I was about to take a photo. But after a while, I developed certain techniques that spare you the embarrassment 99% of the time. One thing I always do is when I take a photo of someone and they look at me afterwards, I just look into the distance where they were walking with squinted eyes and act like I screwed up the first shot and take another. I do a couple of steps forward and to the side as though I’m trying to get a better picture of the background behind them. They may look back once, but then mind their own business. Never forget: no one (except for celebrities) expects that they might be that interesting that someone would take a photo of them.

Another strategy is playing the super pro. Just act like you damn well know what you are doing and that this is serious business. People will get the idea that you’re from the newspaper or doing a project and won’t interfere with you. You seem way too busy and focused. In touristy places, just act like a moron tourist and they won’t mind.

Another great way to become a ninja is to act like you’re taking a video of the scenery. Move your camera up and down and to the side and you are usually good to go. It all depends on the scenery though. This works better in the city than in a dark alley. On top of that, always try to wear dark clothes or look as boring as possible. Furthermore, blend in with the crowd. Don’t be that statue in the middle.

3. Shoot Less, But Then More

What I basically recommend is to take the analogous approach and take as little photos as possible. Spend way more time looking around, understanding your environment, observing people and falling in love with what you are shooting than taking hundreds of photos. It’s just going to be exhausting to weed out all the bad ones at the end of the day. But if you find a really exciting moment, hit the shutter numerous times with the burst mode. Here’s why: especially in street photography, it’s all about the perfect millisecond, the so-called decisive moment. You don’t want a person on your photo with their legs in a weird position. They should look natural. But to get the perfect “leg angle” you have to take some more shots, because usually you won’t get the best one with just one shot.

4. Keeping It Minimalistic With Gear Avoidance Syndrome

GAS, also known as Gear Acquisition Syndrome, is very common among photographers. It simply means that you just can’t get enough new lenses, equipment and upgrade your cam as soon as possible in order to have more options and improve. However, the opposite side of it, “Gear Avoidance Syndrome” as I call it, might even be healthy for your photography. The underlying issue is what psychologists call “Paralysis by Analysis.” It simply means that you’re getting so carried away analyzing every aspect of a photographic situation on a technical level that you oversee what it’s truly about.

The great range of technical choices distracts from the even bigger choices on a creative level where the magic happens. My advice is to just stick to one body and lens of your choice which works for you and just sell the rest. Although there are less options available, you’ll find way more creative ways to capture what you feel! In a way, all your technical options before turn into creative solutions with your minimalist set-up.

5. Reaction Time Is Everything

Street photography, just like sports photography, is one of the genres where your reaction time has to be as high as possible. Spend time improving your reaction time. You can do this at home if you want. Walk through your home and pick one specific object, i.e. a vase, and take a photo of it as quickly as possible from different angles and positions. Turn around to get your shot, duck, jump or even lie down quickly. I know it seems weird, but a decisive moment only lasts a blink of an eye.

6. Become the Master of All Elements

Developing a street photography eye demands more introspection than any other genre as far as I’m concerned. You have to feel a lot to actually find your photos. That’s why your heart, eye and soul will always be your most important gear. But you still have to express this inner life of yours. And that’s as hard as it gets sometimes. The thing is, on the streets there are so many different elements that you could use for a shot that you often miss the forest for the trees. What helped me was to focus on one element for a couple of hours, say a certain color. You can also only pay attention to lines, contrasts, interesting clothing or exciting sceneries. Reduce this broad range of elements to only a few and you’ll see better results. The longer you do this, the more elements you can scan at the same time.

7. Become a Chess Master

Street photography is all about anticipation. You don’t only have to be good at spotting wonderful moments, but also knowing that they will happen. Try to spend as much time as possible understanding how people interact with each other and how they move. Pay attention to walking patterns, traffic and things happening around you. What might possibly happen, if someone saw that weird light blinking or how will people react to the noise of the construction side. You can’t influence what pedestrians are doing, but you can learn to predict it better. And that will help you so much as a director of candid scenes.

8. Your Best Friend: Natural Contrasts

This is one of the most important lessons I’ve learned. I can’t stress enough how crucial natural contrasts are – especially in street photography. I’ve made this mistake hundreds of times and I see it all the time. Always try to bring your dark subject in front of a bright background and vice versa. This may sound so obvious, but it’s one of the most common mistakes that take away from the energy of a photo. I’ve taken plenty of awesome photos that just didn’t work because the subject didn’t differ enough from the background. Try to avoid that as much as possible and spare yourself the agony of losing an otherwise amazing photograph.

9. Consider Your Photos as Paintings

The huge difference between paintings and photography is that when you paint, you add elements and when you take photos, you reduce elements. I’m not saying that you should reduce your sceneries as much as I do, it’s just my personal preference. But one thing that I learned in the beginning was that street photography doesn’t give you the right to neglect composition and subject, because it’s a candid moment. I did that in the beginning and I think it’s wrong.

This genre demands careful selection of subjects, composition and all other elements that make a great photo as well. It’s just harder, because you don’t have direct influence on what’s happening. However, it helped me a lot to see my photos as a painting. Find elements you like and add them to your canvas. Ideally each element should have a reason why it’s in there. Even if you take really vivid street photos with lots of elements, still ask yourself, why did I capture half a shopping cart in the background? No painter ever would draw something without having a reason why that element would add something to the painting. It took me a long time to realize that, but it definitely helped and I’m still working on it.

10. Realize That You Are Taking Photos of Yourself

One of the most important insights I gained on my journey so far is, that street photography is nothing more than photos of yourself through others. That’s why I called one of my first articles where I realized this “The Stranger In Me.” Give 10 people the exact same camera and let them walk through a certain street for 1 hour at the same time every day. I’m sure there will be some things that will be similar, because they are obvious, but the rest will differ from person to person. It’s what they find fascinating, what they are passionate about, and what they think makes a great photo. For some, a street has a melancholic atmosphere, so they’ll go for black and white and more serious strangers. Others will immediately love the colors and the happy people and will pour that into their photos.

When I started out with street photography I personally made the mistake of thinking that it had to resemble the typical street photography shot in black and white, wide-angle and fairly vibrant (at least that was my idea of a typical shot). I tried to create these shots, but didn’t feel them. It took me a while to realize how to not give a crap and just do what I love. And that’s how I ended up with my personal style.

What I’m trying to say is, it’s fine to learn from the masters such as Bresson or Leiter, read tons of tips and try different styles, but please, do yourself a favor and just do what you think is awesome. Don’t make the mistake I did. My only wish is that the genre becomes as diverse in style as the people on the streets we shoot – and I’m sure we’ll make that happen.

About the Guest Contributor

Marius Vieth is a fine art photographer focused on street photography. Although originally from Germany, he is now living in Amsterdam. He also manages the International Fine Arts Label NEOPRIME. Visit his website here: www.mariusvieth.com

Taking a look at his Instagram, you’d swear there was a lucky charm sitting on his shoulder, being in the right place at the right time every time! However, once you speak with I’m you’ll realize it’s more about finding something interesting, and then, a LOT of waiting. Wong is able to identify these scenes that could possibly happen in an instant and is able to quickly capture them to share with the world

Whether it’s a commuter unknowingly mimicking the ad right behind them or an elephant seemingly blowing a cloud out of its trunk, the images he captures never cease to impress.

[Related Reading: Free Street Photography Masterclass from Nick Turpin]

Wong started shooting about 10 years ago and started with Street work right away since there was no “special” gear needed beyond learning how to focus on his surroundings to find those fleeting moments to capture.  Regardless of your niche in the industry or particular focus, Edas Wong’s work is a reminder to always be present and aware of the moment, as you never know when something magical will pass you by.

As Wong himself says, most of the work is simply being at the right place at the right time. And the time part just requires patience! He’s quoted saying one of his images took several months to capture after he found the right perspective. He spent nearly 3 months waiting each night for just the right moment to happen before finally clicking the shutter.

Wong said that was one of the most difficult photos he’s ever taken. It’s a perfect example of the photographer’s tenacity to see an idea through.

[Related Reading: Obeying the Law & Practicing Good Ethics in Street Photography]

“I hope people laugh after seeing my photos in this gloomy time, we need positive energy.”

“Photography is a language of expression,” Wong said. “Find your ‘being’ and then express them via photography. On the street, just concentrate, observe, and shoot. Street photography is not [the] same as landscape photography, there is no standard way of composition.”

Man In A Hurry - Edas Wong

[Related Reading: Use These 8 Street Photography Tips to Create Compelling Images]

See more of KinWing Edas Wong’s work here Instagram | Facebook

Have you done much street photography like this? Were you able to capture any magical moments as well? Be sure to let us know and share your work in the comments below.

*Shared with permission

Street photography can be one of the most challenging and intimidating types of photography you can do. I’ve tried several times, and while I loved each adventure, I’m still not happy with what I’ve been able to capture on my outings, which is why I think this video from Nick Turpin is so important and great for anyone thinking of trying Street Photography to watch.

[Related Reading: Obeying the Law & Practicing Good Ethics in Street photography]

Street photography requires you to think quickly, literally on your feet, and have a keen eye for and attention to detail. Most of us who shoot portraits and weddings are used to things be a certain way, often laid out for us by the venues, planners, or creative directors, so jumping into the chaos of Street Photography can leave one quite bewildered. Don’t worry though, as a lot of the skills we’ve gained over the years shooting these things can translate over to street work, and this is where this video commissioned by The City of London,( @visithecity ), comes in.

Renown street photographer Nik Turpin has released this masterclass to help you navigate all the complexities and nuances of street photography, covering the basics of the craft all the way up to some more advanced techniques you can keep in your back pocket while out on your next adventure.

Nick talks you through each and everything he does in such a conversational way, it almost feels like you’re standing there with him. Especially since there’s a big portion of him explaining what he’s doing while he’s actually shooting, explaining each step detail by detail along the way, along with the final image. Regardless of your photography level of expertise, there’s something for everyone to take away with this 30-minute video, and if nothing else, you can see a plethora of fantastic street photography examples to get you inspired for the upcoming week!

[Related Reading: Use These 8 Street Photography Tips to Create Compelling Images]

To see more of Nik’s work visit his various sites here;

• Website – https://nickturpin.com/
• Twitter – https://twitter.com/NickTurpin
• YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/streetphotographywithnickturpin
• Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/the_nick_turpin/

*Content Shared with Permission