In case you still don’t know, we want to start this article by trying to make a brief explanation of what Street Photography is. Street photography, or also known as urban photography, is a type of photography that aims to portray and document everyday life and society on the streets. It is important to clarify that this genre of photography should not be confused with social photography or even photojournalism since street photography does not have a defined objective. In this way, what is intended through urban photography is to capture the essence of a place, be it a street, a neighborhood, or a city. We want to emphasize that street photography is based mainly on observing, taking the necessary time, and knowing how to capture the best opportunity.
Next, we want to comment on some of the tips that we consider most important. Although there are a series of recommendations, we encourage you to explore and venture with your camera or your mobile.
One of the first aspects we want to highlight is that the camera model, the brand, or the lens, are not factors that will directly influence your type of street photography. Nowadays, there are numerous mobiles that have a great camera, so if you want to start in photography, any resource is welcome.
Whether you use a mobile phone or a camera, the important thing is that it always goes with you. The good thing about street photography is that you can always find a situation that surprises you and that you want to capture. Therefore, it is necessary that your camera or the device you use is always within your reach in that decisive moment.
Street photography arises from spontaneity and momentary situations, so it is necessary that you forget about planning your photography and simply capture unique moments, especially of people on the streets. Although it is necessary to forget the outlining, it will be necessary to master the composition for your photography to be perfect. Practice to point and shoot in your street portraits and you will find a composition that suits you best.
As we have commented before, street photography is characterized by observing and waiting for the perfect moment in which something unique happens. Therefore, we recommend that you observe, be patient, and wait for the environment to surprise you because it sure will! While you wait, you can try to choose a good spot in a busy street and pre-focus your camera, or prove the shutter speed, to catch a great street shot.