Although I love photographing people, I never dared to enter the world of street photography. But I’ve tried it a few times recently, with mixed results. I wanted to share my experience and give some advice to those who want to try this for the first time.
I am always amazed at the amazing photos of famous and not-so-famous street photographers. Often these are represented in black and white and that gives a pleasant feeling. Since I love black and white photography, I tried shooting that kind of street photography a few times.
Street photography is capturing life on the streets of a city. It’s not specifically for photographing people, but it can be an important part of street photography. At least, that’s what I believe. But arresting people without their explicit consent is something that I find very difficult.
My regular camera is not the perfect camera for this kind of photography. A large DSLR or a large mirrorless camera can seem a bit awkward, and I always think strangers feel threatened when I point the camera at them. After all, a large 50mm, 85mm or 135mm lens shouldn’t be too hard to see. The last thing I want is a stranger having a threatening response, something that seems to happen quite often these days.
The device I use
Street photography is my little place Fujifilm X100V useful. It’s a discreet camera that produces great images. It has a fixed focal length with a field of view similar to 35mm on full frame. This doesn’t mean I have to get close to my subject. That has its downsides and positives.
The advantage is the connection you have with the subject and the moment you’re capturing. The downside is not being able to maintain my distance. It is nearly impossible to shoot without being noticed. I can use mine Canon EOS R5 with a longer focal length and of course keeping the distance. But somehow it just doesn’t feel right.
I reviewed the Nikon Z fc a while ago. This is a camera that I find also perfect for street photography. It’s small, and with a standard zoom lens, it doesn’t feel as threatening as my larger Canon. I had some good pictures back then, and people were quite interested in that vintage camera instead of being bothered by being photographed.
This is similar to what I encountered with Fujifilm X100t. Just like with Nikon Z fc camera, people believe you are taking pictures with film reels. That makes it interesting, and suddenly they don’t seem to feel threatened anymore. It makes street photography a fun thing to do.
A little street photography in London
Unfortunately, there is no real big city near my home. There are some that almost fit the description, but these don’t have a real big city feel. The people who live there are different from the big city people, somehow. That’s what I noticed when I visited London a few days in the SWPA 2023 event for Sony. I use my free time to walk around the city of London and bring my Fujifilm camera (sorry about that, Sony).
I used a black-and-white film simulation profile while shooting raw, and I used manual focus, set to a super-sharp distance. This way, there’s no need to wait for the autofocus to lock onto something. I also tried with intentional camera movement, which is made possible thanks to the built-in neutral density filter. A few hours in the city of London were very enjoyable. Not for the impressive landmarks, but for the life on the streets.
The result of my first steps into street photography didn’t produce any world-class photos. But that is not my goal. I just wanted to get acquainted with this genre of photography. I like to think that some of my photos are worth keeping. In other words, I’m happy with some of the results.
Lessons learned so far
There are some lessons learned, for sure. I know the technique called area focus is a pretty useful way to take street photography. Simply use the aperture’s superfocal distance in combination with the focal length, or predefine the distance you want to shoot and set your focus distance to that setting.
Usually this only works with short focal lengths. If you want to use a telephoto lens, focus is required. But when zone focus is possible, it allows you to shoot discreetly from your waist without looking through the viewfinder.
Although I have used aperture priority a lot, I believe that setting the exposure manually can be a good option. Especially during the day, when the buildings cast deep shadows under the intense sunlight. Since daylight doesn’t change much in brightness, it’s much easier to set the right exposure once and forget it.
Aperture priority is also possible, but you need to pay attention to exposure compensation. If sunlight is frequently obscured by clouds, or if you’re shooting late in the day when light intensity changes rapidly, aperture priority will be much faster. But if it’s a sunny day, setting the exposure once is enough. As long as the light does not change.
Know the city and its inhabitants
There was one last thing I noticed while walking the streets of London and along the South Bank of the Thames. If you know the city, it becomes easier to take great photos. You learn where and when the light is at its best as well as where it’s best. This way you can be in the right place at the right time.
You’ll learn when people walk by and maybe even notice patterns. You will be prepared. Plus, if you can come back more often, you’ll increase your chances of capturing unique moments, with great lighting, great shadows, and interesting people.
These are my findings with street photography. Take a look at the photos in this article to gauge if I’m on the right track. I know I still have a lot to learn, but it always takes time to master a certain genre of photography. The most important thing is to have fun with it. And that’s what I got.
If you have any tips or advice for street photography, feel free to share in the comments section below. Maybe it will help me take this a step further in this exciting genre of photography.
