photo by satamedia via iStock
Street photography is one of my favorite photography niches because it proves just how interesting humans and our little routines are. The best street photography captures those interesting, weird, or mundane little moments that prove just how similar we all are.
However, if you’re going to get really good at street photography, you’ll need some street photography hacks to get you started.
Thankfully, Evan Ranft’s street photography hacks video will help you out. Obviously, I recommend you watch the whole thing, but I’ll boil down some of his more important street photography tips here.
Chase the Light
photo by AlexLinch via iStock
One of the most important street photography hacks is to only go out when the light is good. So, you should be shooting early in the morning when the sun is first rising and later in the evening when the sun is setting.
Thankfully, these also happen to be the times when the most people are out because office workers are going to and from work during these times.
When the sun is low in the sky, you’ll have a much easier time finding long shadows that will help make your photos far more interesting to look at. This is especially true if you’re shooting in a city with a lot of skyscrapers.
Use a Zoom Lens
photo by MStudioImages via iStock
If you’re looking for street photography made easy then you need to be prepared with the correct equipment. One of the most important pieces of equipment for street photography is a zoom lens.
Right now, a ton of people are hyper concerned about privacy issues. This means that if you’re shooting street photography with anything other than a zoom lens, you’ll need to get physically close to your subject. If you find a subject that doesn’t want to be photographed (regardless of the fact that you can legally photograph them on the street), you could get a really angry person yelling at you and that could quickly devolve into a dangerous situation.
Zoom lenses help you be able to take photos of people interacting with the city without getting in their face.
When you’re learning how to take street photos, a zoom lens is the easiest way to get started. You can get more comfortable interacting with strangers as you get more comfortable with the photography niche.
Learn More:
Find Interesting People
photo by LightFieldStudios via iStock
Most street photography hacks have to do with you, as the photographer. This one has to do with your subjects, the people in a specific place.
The easiest way to find interesting people is to pick one location and hole up there for a period of time, be it 20 minutes or an hour. Watch what “normal” people look like at this location. This way, when you see someone a little out of the ordinary, you’ll know they would likely make for a good photo.
Carry One Lens
photo by Mlenny via iStock
You should only bring one lens with you on each shoot.
A lot of street photography hacks are focused on making the shooting process as easy as possible, since street photography can quickly become overwhelming with all of the moving parts of a city. This is especially true for someone who hasn’t participated in street photography before.
So, by only bringing one lens with you on each shoot, you are limiting the amount of time you need to spend messing with your photography gear, which will also increase the amount of time you’re paying attention to your environment.
Use Easy Composition Pieces
photo by Bertlmann via iStock
What I mean by this is that each city is filled with so many leading lines. It may feel kind of like cheating to use them, but it’s why this article is called “street photography hacks.”
Things like walkways, bridges, and roads will force your viewer’s eye to flow from the beginning of the architecture all the way down to your subject. So, as a street photographer, all you need to do is perch up at the beginning of one of these areas and wait for someone to walk down it.
Don’t Expect to Do Anything in 15 Minutes
photo by lechatnoir via iStock
If you are new to street photography, you are going to think that it takes far less time than it really does to get a good shot.
However, it takes even seasoned street photographers a few minutes out and about to really get their photographic eyes going.
So, don’t expect to do much in a small period of time. I recommend that you give yourself at least an hour to shoot with.
That’s all for our street photography hacks. We hope you liked it and make sure to watch Evan Ranft’s page for more creative photography ideas.