Street photography is an art form that relies on capturing candid moments of everyday life, typically in public places. Street photographers often work with the natural light available at the time and place they are shooting. They must be quick to react if they want to capture something special happening right before their eyes. It’s all about being there at just the right moment with the perfect composition.
If you’re thinking about getting into street photography or simply want to improve your skills, here are thirteen tips from photographers like Bruce Weber Photographer to get you started:
- Get close to your subjects. Street photography is all about capturing the details and emotions of everyday life. The best way to do this is to get close to your subjects. This may require you to get out of your comfort zone and move closer to them than you’re used to.
- Shoot in black and white. While color can be beautiful, black and white can often be more striking and evocative. It can also help you focus on the composition and mood of your image rather than the colors.
- Use a wide aperture. This will help you blur the background and put more focus on your subject.
- Look for interesting light. Light can make or break an image, so it’s important to look for interesting light sources when shooting street photography. Sidelight, backlight, and window light are all great options.
- Shoot from different angles. Get creative with your compositions by shooting from different angles. Crouch down low, climb up high or get close to your subjects to capture them in a new and interesting way.
- Capture candid moments. The best street photography captures real, unplanned moments. Be patient and wait for something special to happen before taking your shot.
- Shoot in RAW. This will give you more flexibility to post-process your images and improve their quality.
- Keep your equipment simple. Street photography is all about being quick and nimble, so you don’t want to be bogged down by a lot of heavy equipment. A small camera and one or two lenses should be all you need.
- Be prepared to walk. A lot of good street photography is found by simply walking around and exploring. So put on some comfortable shoes and explore your city or town.
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Street photography is all about experimentation, so don’t be afraid to try new things and make mistakes. The more you shoot, the better you’ll become.
- Study the work of other photographers. There’s a lot to learn from studying the work of other street photographers. Look at their compositions, use of light, and way of capturing candid moments.
- Join a street photography group. There are many online and offline groups dedicated to street photography. Joining one can help you meet other photographers, learn from them, and get inspired.
- Keep practicing. The best way to improve your street photography skills is to keep practicing. Shoot as often as you can and experiment with different techniques and subjects.
