The Complete Guide to

Street Photography: 123 Tips

When it comes to (urban or) street photography, few people know what it is. One of the most asked
questions is what exactly is street photography?

If you search for it, you might nd an array of images. Close-ups of laughing faces or silhouettes in
front of a sea of light. You might even see some inverted skyscrapers that disappear into foggy
expanses.

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What is Street Photography?

It’s a di cult question to answer because this photographic eld is all-encompassing. It can involve
architecture, landscape, portraiture, black and white, long-exposure and even macro.

To me, street photography is everything. Fashion, documentary, and at the most basic, real. Street
photography aims to capture people in public places, warts and all.

Urban photography connects to street photography. But not just any photograph taken on, o or
from the street counts as urban photography.

Landscapes are not street photographs and neither are studio portraits, for example.

Urban photography takes into account speci c compositional guidelines. The speed of capturing
images and also di erent camera equipment separate photographic elds.

Street or urban photography covers a very wide range of styles and subjects. It does so while
embodying its own techniques.

No other area of photography is so diversi ed. The public space is an ever-changing environment and
it needs a wide range of themes to capture it.

Only in street photographs would you want shot-from-the-hip. Or even blurry, out of focus, images.
They still work in telling a visual story.

It’s also one photography area where you need to be aware of many things. Read as much as you
possibly can about the law.

Understanding what you can and can’t photograph, is paramount. Especially as there are strict ethical
codes and unwritten laws to follow.

Camera Equipment
How to Choose the Best Camera for Street
Photography
Just like urban photography itself, the camera choices for it are very diverse. The possibilities come
down to what you are going to photograph, your budget and your own style.

Focusing on people, capturing them fast and candidly requires one type of camera. Photographing
empty spaces, another.

This article goes through eight of the best cameras to use for street photography. It looks at
range nders, digital cameras and mirrorless options.

The Best Lens for Street Photography

Lenses, like camera options, come down to what you want to photograph.

Are you aiming to get into people’s faces like Bruce Gilden (he uses a 28 mm)? Or going for something
that keeps you a little more hidden, like a telephoto lens?

Either way, lenses are the tool that de nes your relationship with the subject. They also o er you
emphasized depth of elds.

This article helps you understand what lenses are available. Knowing the bene ts of each is very
useful.
35 mm or 50 mm Prime Lens or Both?
If you are trying to decide between the 35mm lens and the ‘nifty fty’ 50 mm lens, why not have both?

These are both prime lenses. This means zooming isn’t possible, as they have a xed focal length. Yet
attaining a greater depth of eld is possible.

They both o er di erent results. The 35mm will capture more of the scene. Whereas the 50 mm has
no distortion, unlike the former lens option.

This article goes through the positive and negative points surrounding both lenses. It will help you
choose the right one (or both).
How to Shoot Street Photography in Any Light:
From Rainy Days to Bright Sunshine
One of the great things about being a street photographer is it’s not time dependent. If you miss that
perfect, morning light, you can still shoot.

Whether harsh or muted, re ected or red from a ash, there is no bad light in street photography.

Shards of light, falling through buildings in a metropolitan city like New York. Light bouncing o
windows and creating a dappled look on the pavement in Paris. These are just a few of my favorite
possibilities.

Have a look through this guide for inspiration. Take advantage of all of those di erent light sources.
9 Essential Smartphone Street Photography
Tips
The number one rule of street photography is: always have a camera on you. The usual DSLR, point-
and-shoot or mirrorless systems are possible. So is your smartphone.

Nowadays, smartphones have the capacity to photograph using a large pixel size. This means good
quality and instantly sharable too!

There are also tons of downloadable apps that can help you adjust the settings. Some even replicate
old lm styles.

Mobile shooting is its own niche within the expansive world of photography. This article gives you the
low-down on how to use your device to capture great images.
Using Film for Street Photography
There are bene ts to photographing digitally (immediate images) over using lm (subject selectivity).

Digital photography allows you to make sure you have the photographs. This is before you move on to
your next location. There could be 10 shots or 1000.

Film, compared to digital, is slow, costly, time-consuming and problematic. But it still has a huge
following in the photography world.

Read here to get the best out of your photographic lm and aid you in re ecting more on your own
work.
Important Accessories for Street Photography
The camera and lens are important to get the most out of your images. There are a few things you will
de nitely enjoy having, out in the street.

A good, ergonomic bag (your back says thanks) is a must. An umbrella is necessary for those moments
of harsh weather.

A lightweight, mini-tripod could also be an advantage for long exposures.

Read here for a few other suggestions to help you get the most out of your time on the street.
Best Bag for Street Photography
Because you are taking your camera everywhere with you (rule no.1), you will need to put it
somewhere. Especially when you aren’t using it.

A bag is also very important to keep your camera safe. Both from the weather and theft.

It is the storage unit for all your camera gear and accessories. Best to have them all neatly
compartmentalized in one area.

Pockets or separators within bags are very helpful. They keep your equipment from getting damaged
and knocked about.

Some will even have space for laptops and reading material. On top of these, all those little things you
have no idea what to do with (tripod heads, cables, etc.) also need space.

What this article recommends is to use a bag that is spacious yet ambiguous.

Read more to nd out why and other tips for choosing the best camera bag for street photography.
Camera Settings for Street
Photography
Colour or Black and White: Which Is Better for
Street Photography?
One question you might need to ask yourself is “Am I going to photograph in color or monochrome?”

Black and white images have very de nitive qualities. You’ll nd ones that you won’t nd with color
photography. And vice-versa.

They might focus more on contrast. Or the varying degrees of detail in the mid-tone greys. These fall
between the blackest and whitest areas of your scene.

Some photographers shoot in black and white and revert back to color during post-processing. Others
do the exact opposite.

If you are using digital (and Raw) this decision can be changed at a later stage. But lm photography
doesn’t o er the same freedom, unless you digitalize the negatives.

Have a run through this article to see where color might be a better choice over black and white.
What Are the Best Camera Settings for Street
Photography
There are settings you can apply to your camera and lens before you start shooting. They will allow
you to work faster and more e ciently.

One great tip that this article recommends is to use pre-focusing. It is better and faster than auto-
focusing.

The basic idea is similar to playing space invaders. Shoot where they are going, not where they are.

This means that you are anticipating the subject, not trying to catch them up. Read here for more
camera settings for street photography.
How to Shoot Powerful Street
Photographs
What Is Street Photography?
This great article runs through the (lack of) de nition of what street photography is. To which there is
no one answer.

Street photography encompasses many other photographic themes. These could be portraiture and
landscape photography.

They don’t even necessarily have to be taken on, from or of an actual street.

It’s all about human essence. To be a good photographer of the street, you need to show this in all its
glorious forms.

You may feel overwhelmed to see the world play out on this stage in front of you. especially at the
beginning.

It could take some time and practice to gain a selective vision of what you want. There are so many
available possibilities.

This article will help you get a better understanding of street photography. Hopefully, it makes it a
little less daunting.

Getting Started With Urban Photography

Getting started can be the most di cult task in street photography.

You have your equipment and accessories neatly packed away in your bag and you are ready to hit the
road. What next?
This article comes from a weathered street photographer. It helps to give you a comprehensive look at
all aspects of urban/street photography.

Going from a brief history, to what equipment she uses. They help her capture the amazing images she
does.

She also goes through tips on how to start and areas you should focus on. Get out there and have fun!

7 Tips Every Street Photographer Should Know

Whether you are shooting from the hip or going for a more set-up shot, life on the street is fast. You
will need a high shutter speed to capture all this.

Something else that might help you get the images you want is not to move too much.

If you spend a decent amount of time in one place, you might nd that the action comes to you.

This is very helpful, especially if your location has a high-interest value. these could be leading lines or
natural frames.

These are just a few of seven great tips to help you progress with your street photography. You’ll be on
the way to create images you are happy with.
Street Photography Ethics
There are ethics in most areas of photography, typically when photographing people.

This could be travel, documentary or fashion photography. Street photography is no di erent. You
might be photographing people in the public domain.

Empathy and respect should be the watchwords of photographing people on the street. You are
putting yourself in their sphere of in uence and into their everyday life.

Some people will not want their picture taken. They might ask for you to delete your images, others
may even become confrontational.

Be aware of your surroundings. Take time to look around and getting a feel of a person before you
photograph them.

Put yourself in their shoes. This is the best piece of advice from this article on street photography ethics.

Street vendors will hint with their body

language if they mind being photographed or
not for your street photography

Street Photography Types: From Bruce Gilden

to Doisneau
Photographing the street covers many themes, and there are just as many styles to go about doing so.

If you wanted to follow in the footsteps of Doisneau, then you would be part of an unobtrusive style.

The opposite would be following the style of Bruce Gilden. Getting into people’s faces would be very
obtrusive.
Are you looking for more of a documentary project of life on the streets, or something more fine art
related?

The former focuses on speed and realism. The latter would need time nding locations and setting up
shots.

In this article, the writer goes through many di erent possible styles. With this, you can narrow down
what kind of street photographer you aspire to be while giving you tips and ideas.

Street Photography: How to Take Pictures of

Strangers
We have already covered the ethics of photographing people, now how to do it? You might be a little
timid at the beginning and stick to shooting from afar with a telephoto lens.

It takes guts and nerves of steel to close that gap when photographing people. And that’s okay. Take it
slow and build up the courage. Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Once you do get close enough, you might even realise that most people either turn away or play up to
the camera. This stops all ideas of candid street photography fast.

This article has great tips on photographing people. Either asking and setting up portraits or adopting
a more stealthy approach.

sh market scene, a man sits between train tracks with a basket of sh in

front of him. street photography
Simon Bond

15 Tips for Night Street Photography |

Stunning Low Light Photos
One of the best things about being a street photographer is that after sundown, you have a completely
new landscape to photograph.

The locations you have spent all day photographing are now revamped areas of neon lights and
speeding taxi cabs.

Here, the light becomes the prominent focus. Your ISO will need to shoot up to balance the loss of
light. Or your exposure time needs to lengthen.

These are just a few tips that this article covers, and gets you out shooting all night too.

Night time shooting can do wonders for your street photography

portfolio
Simon Bond

10 Creative Street Photography Project Ideas

You Can Try Today
There are many ways you can take best photos of the street. This you can see from the thousands of
photographs published each day.

If you lack inspiration, there are no shortage of photographers to emulate. From old masters to new
Instagram feeds.

When we look at the street, one of the biggest tips is to try and take a photograph that makes the area
di erent.

Remember, the street is what people see all the time. We need to make it captivating to steal the
viewer’s attention.

Let your creativity run wild. A part of you goes into every photograph. A creative photograph over a
technically perfect image will win every time.

Street photography isn’t just about the street, it looks at the human condition. Fashion, portraits, and
daily routines.

Researching these topics might get you to see the street in a di erent way. You will be able to create
something unique.

Street photography of a man riding a bicycle with blurry background.

Street Photography Project Ideas

10 Tips for Better Street Photography in the

Rain
Rain and other harsh weather conditions can really add power to your street photography. It can turn
a dull street into a sea of re ections.
These, in turn, bounce back images of the passing people and the buildings above. It adds a stunning
textured e ect to otherwise plain windows.

The people’s reaction is also a great theme to capture, which you might nd easier than other areas.
You’ll see the public will concentrate on staying dry, not you with the camera.

The weather shouldn’t stop you shooting. Grab an umbrella, take a camera you can put in harm’s way
(Ricoh GR II rather than your Leica M) and get out there.

9 Ways to Try Creative Reflections in Your

Street Photography
Re ections in and around the street are everywhere. You can nd them in shop windows. They are
present in all kinds of transport, such as cars and buses.

Just look at the pavement after a rainy afternoon. These are great ways to show the city bouncing
towards you.

One huge bene t of these is that you can nd ways to include two scenes in one. You are able to make
what is almost a double exposure. You get two scenes for the price of one.

A great way to take advantage of these re ections would be a self-portrait project. Use Vivian Maier’s
images as inspiration.

This article gives you an in-depth idea of what to look for, and how to shoot them.
How to Use an ND Filter to Remove People
from Long Exposure Shots
We get it, people can be a drag. You saved up enough money to be able to travel far enough to
photograph your favorite landmark. The time has come.

Except, it is already swarming with people. These people ruin the shot, and it just wouldn’t be the
same with them in it. It’s no good hung on the wall now.

We have a solution for you. Use a long exposure and an ND lter to remove those waves of people.
Read our article here on how to do it.

Craig Hull

Composition
How Diagonal Lines Add Direction and
Dynamics to Your Photos (Updated 2019)
Lines are a great way to help compose your images to give them that extra wow factor. Lines can draw
your eye to a subject, or take it away, out of the frame.

They can also give a sense of direction. This in itself is movement in a still image and interesting.

These lines are everywhere. If you stand under a very tall building looking up, all the lines converge.
You will notice your eyes will follow them to the top.

A long street, handrail, or zebra crossing are all examples of what is available. You only have to keep
your eyes open and look around.

This article gives great tips on what to look for and how they dramatize your image.

Josh Dunlop

How to Use Natural Frames for Better Photo

Composition
Natural frames are a great compositional tool, and a great way to, well, frame your subject. These exist
everywhere, from doorways and windows to arches and vegetation.
It is all about focusing on your subject. By framing them, you isolate and highlight what you want the
viewer to focus on.

Street photography is all about photographing your surroundings. This technique helps you use the
street as a tool or element in creating captivating images.

Our article gives you examples and tips of successful natural frames and how to get the best out of
them.

Craig Hull – craighullphotography.co.uk

How to Shoot From The Hip

Photographing people on the street is not easy. Even when you nally pluck up the courage to get
close enough, the people do not react how you want.

They shy away, pose or start interacting with you. Worse, they could become confrontational or even
violent.

Hopefully, you have read through our article on how to photograph people. One great tip is to shoot-
from-the-hip.

This term means to photograph without using your eyes to compose the photograph. This is a faster, sneakier
way to take images, but way less accurate.

Some photographers use what is known as a TLR (Twin Lens Re ex camera). This allows you to
frame by looking down into the view nder. The camera doesn’t go up to your eye level.

This is a great way to take candid photographs because people focus on eyes and faces. Bringing a
camera to your face cuts the eye contact between you and strangers. It would be almost impossible to
miss that you are photographing them.

By shooting from the hip, you end this problem. But, it’s a compromise between a candid photograph
and a well-framed composition.
 Josh Dunlop

Using Juxtaposition
Using juxtaposition is a great tool in the world of picture-taking. These work very well within the
theme of street photography.

The basic idea is that you place two or more contrasting objects next to each other.

This can be something physical, like light and dark areas of a scene.

They can also be something more ideological. A homeless person sleeping outside of Louis Vuitton is a
juxtaposition. So are old and young people with happy and sad emotions.

The two subjects add photographic weight from their presence. They o er a balance or imbalance.

These images work because they invoke emotion or a feeling from the viewer. They show the world we
live in and how life is so contrasted.

Two con icting subjects bring out the extremes in each other. Either color, theme or physical shape –
there is no end to these ideas.
How to Use Negative Space in Photography for
More Powerful Images (Updated 2019)
Negative space refers to the area that surrounds the subject or subjects in your image. The technique
of using negative space e ectively is about creating the right balance.

Here, you concentrate on the relationship between the subject(s) and the background. You can make
the background almost feel like it is receding away.

Positive space refers to the primary subjects of a photograph. Positive and negative space can dance
well together.

For more information on how to create and utilize negative space, read our article here.
 James Maher

Creative Tips for Using Repetition and Pattern

in Photography
Once you start looking for patterns, you’ll start seeing them everywhere. Everything has a pattern if
you are close enough or far away enough to see them.

Many of the best street photographers are adept at recognizing (and often breaking) patterns. They
can be both man-made and natural.

Architectural photography is an excellent genre for nding geometrically perfect patterns. Finding the
patterns and showing them o is a challenge in itself.

Read our article here on how to nd and capture those de ning designs.
 Hillary Grigonis

10 Composition Tips for Street Photography

We know about the main ideas of composition. Rule-of-thirds, leading lines, and contrast are the
standard.

But as the street is ever-changing and very dynamic, it requires competent compositions.

Step out of the box a little. Don’t be afraid of trying something new and even going against the general
compositional rules.

You might nd that it works for you and your style in creating something unique.

Be bold, direct and shock people. Use lenses you are not used to. Try perspectives you haven’t tried,
such as lying on the oor and shooting up.

The outcomes will surprise you. They might just be the best images you have ever taken.
 Megan Kennedy

Street Photography Inspiration

15 Best Street Photography Quotes
Street photography has been a passion since the invention of the camera. 1826/27 brought us the
oldest remaining image of French inventor Nicéphore Niépce. The street photography print was aptly
called View from the Window at Le Gras.

Since then, many photographers have tried their hand. Some of them, masters of photography. Others
are more contemporary.

One thing is certain; each one of them could say something about the eld in which they captured.

To get a sense of their experiences, for better or worse, we have our top pick. 15 quotes by some of the
greatest photographers await you.

Josef Koudelka

17 Most Famous Street Photographers You

Should Know
Most photographers look toward the masters for inspiration. Street photography is no di erent.

Luckily, most of the masters of photographers captured the streets in one way or another.

I would like to say that it was a challenge to nd 17 street photographers. The problem was, there
were too many to choose from.

Read our article here to see our choice. You won’t be disappointed. From Henri Cartier-Bresson and
Joel Meyerowitz to Robert Frank.
The 10 Coolest Street Style Photographers to
Follow in 2019
The biggest thing that sets street photographers apart is their style. Each street shooter has a di erent
background and aim.

Technical abilities, skills of observation and talent help to hone and separate them.

If you are a street photographer who is more interested in fashion and style, this article is for you. Here
you can nd the top ten street style photographers on social media today.

Have a look at their work. I guarantee you’ll take something away from it; either a name, an idea or a
concept.
 facehunter View Profile
Sharjah

View More on Instagram

1,187 likes
facehunter

Maria Alia @mariaalia is the marketing director of a new magazine:

@minaazine dedicated to explore the cultural aesthetic and lifestyles of
Middle Eastern and North African cultures, as well as those in the diaspora.
Really neat.

#Sharjah #UAE #FacehunterUAE #

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16 Awesome Contemporary Street

Photographers to Follow in 2019
Following the masters of photography is a great place to start. But, it might not be the best place to
settle in for the night.

Many of the older photographers experienced fewer people and more exotic locations.

But, they were limited to their equipment and how far they could travel. Today, we can go anywhere
and photograph anything. Within reason of course.

Here, you’ll nd our favorite 16 contemporary street photographers, prominent in 2019.

Post-Processing Street Photography
Editing Street Photography in Lightroom, All
You Need to Know
Lightroom is one of the easiest ways to post-process your images. It has everything you might need, it
is fast and can house many presets to do the work for you.

It also acts as a library for all the photographs you take, accessible at the click of a button.

This article helps run through the whole process from start to nish. Starting by selecting your images
in the library module and ending with the nished result.

You will be very happy with your images, even after only tweaking them slightly.
 Camil Adell

Best Lightroom Presets for Street Photography

Presets are a great addition to any photographic work ow, not only street photography. These preset
manipulate your images quickly and e ciently.

This means you can focus more on photographing and still get the best out of your work.

It is also a great advantage to have a series of works with the same look and feel, which you can do
e ortlessly.

This article gives shows you ten free presets and lets you know what the changes are to your images.
You are in control, every step of the way.

Capture One vs. Adobe Lightroom

There are some who likes to use Capture One instead of Lightroom or Photoshop. This article is for
you.
This is a comprehensive guide and walkthrough to editing your images in post-production. From
importing, to rating and to the nal output, this has everything you might need.

There is also information about the styles that Capture One uses. These will help with your work ow,
and in turn, your images.

10 Tips for Smartphone Photo Editing

Processing images on your mobile has its bene ts. If you photograph with your smartphone, it helps
to keep everything in the same place.

It is also easy to share from the same device. You can even process the images in the same location as
you shot the image.

This is great because if the image doesn’t work so well in post-processing, you have the possibility to
re-shoot.

There are many apps you can use for your images, and photographers tend to use more than one.
Di erent development companies o er di erent things.

There are apps that replicate old lm styles from the 80’s that no longer exist. Others that can turn
your images into double exposures.

This article gives you smart choices for your smartphone. It will help you take your street photography
to the next level.
Street Photography Laws
Street Photography – Know Your Rights
You might be photographing the street. Then turn your camera to point it at a building that seems
interesting. As soon as you do, a security guard comes to tell you that you need to have permission.

Photographers in the past have seen harassment and police searches. This could be down to them
photographing things others tell them they shouldn’t.

This is where knowing your rights really help you as a photographer. These laws are to help you be
creative and as free as possible, but you need to know them.

This will stop you from taking unnecessary risks. Cut down on wasting time and get stunning images
you can use.

Some photographers even resort to carrying around parts of the law with them. They might help
clarify the situation when stopped.

Wherever you might be, there are rights and laws protecting photographers. They also aim to protect
the people in public spaces.

This article links to pages looking at the rights and laws in di erent countries. Ranging from Australia
to the USA.
Country-Specific Consent Requirements
Every country has di erent laws on photography. Some are very strict, like Brazi. Here you need
consent to photograph, share and use images commercially.

Others are very relaxed, such as Singapore. Here, photographic consent is not needed, apart from a
few exceptions.

Use this list for a basic idea of what gets frowned upon and what is OK. In some countries, the risks
are just too great.

North Korea is a good example. It is di cult to get the opportunity to photograph there. You might
nd yourself banned from sharing such images online.
Freedom of Panorama – What It Means for
Photography
The freedom of panorama is the legal right to publish pictures of artworks which are in public space.
This is an exception to copyright law and di ers from country to country.

These artworks encompass sculptures, buildings, or monuments in public space, and under copyright.
You are still able to photograph these without a problem.

Some countries are very strict when it comes to their artworks. A few have made it illegal to share these
images on social media.

For example, you can take as many photographs of the Ei el tower in the daytime with no problem.
But at night time, it is illegal.

You can’t share images of the tower’s illumination as it is a separate installation.

Educational platforms such as Wikipedia will have images deleted if the law doesn’t change. This could
a ect your work ow and creativity.

Please check before getting embroiled in red tape.

Photo by Agamitsudo