Street Photography, sometimes called candid photography, is a type of photography featuring subjects in unmediated chance or random situations within public places. People use it to document and capture the essence of the society and everyday life on the streets.

It is a very accessible and easy type of photography that anyone can get into nowadays, in the way that anyone can pick up their mobile camera and set off on the streets and end up capturing some great shots. However, just like anything in life, it takes knowledge and practice to know what works.

Which is why we’ve included below some street photography tips to help you as a beginner get started on your street photography journey.

Street Photography Tips

Be Ready

The most important part is to be prepared, have your phone ready and charged, and maybe even bring a portable charger if you can. Street photography can take a lot of power, as you need to have your phone on for long periods of time.

Make sure to have the phone in your hand with the camera application on at all times to be able to react quickly whenever you see the opportunity to capture the perfect shot.

Experiment with Equipment

Make sure to try different equipment and add-on lenses that can be extremely helpful and can drastically change the outcome of your photos.

e.g. Using fisheye or wide angle lenses to capture wider views, perfect for landscape photos and for photos taken in crowded locations. This allows you to get close to the people and still get the full shot.

Wait for it!

You don’t have to travel the longest distances or go to as many locations to take the best street photography shots, just stick to a single location and wait for something interesting to happen.

Choose a visually appealing location and wait for some action to occur there that would spice it up. However, it doesn’t have to be some crazy activity and could be as simple as someone crossing by. It’s all about what fits your photo and your narrative!

Find the One

Similar to finding an interesting location and sticking to it is finding an intriguing person and waiting for them to do something interesting. You might end up taking hundreds of photos of them which will all be worth it once you end up with that one perfect photo with the perfect gesture.

Strike a Pose!

Speaking of gestures, make sure to always look for gestures when you’re taking shots with people involved. They can be hand or feet gestures, silly movements, people making conversations or any interactions between people.

It’s always nice to capture pictures of people in contemplation, who are unaware at the time of the shot being taken of them as it leaves you with a very genuine reaction and a very organic shot.

Reflections

Reflections are also a great thing to look for. They allow you to focus in on the details while still showing the wider shot in the background. Shadows and silhouettes are also great to play around with and can add a lot of depth to the shot.

Up Close and Personal

It’s not just people on the street, there are often animals there too. You will have to get down low to meet them on their level and get up close and personal with them to capture the best shots of them without annoying them or invading their space.

Look for Relationships

And by that we don’t mean human relationships, we mean image and color relationships. So focus on the connections between the different components of the photo like complementing elements or similar splashes of colors for example.

Sense of Place

Look for a way to show a sense of place in street photography. Whether through showcasing a world-famous tourist destination or a completely unknown spot that conveys a certain mood or feeling.

You can convey a sense of place by conveying a feel of the location like taking shots of a crowded sidewalk or street crossing or of a bride walking down her wedding aisle, telling a story behind your location.

There are no rules to street photography, these are some beginners tips to help you get started, by providing you with some points. However, embarking on a street photography journey is like going on a treasure hunt, where you go looking for the expected, while at the same time waiting for the unexpected. In the end, it’s all about what you want to get out of it and the story you want to tell.