Ways of doing street photography

Goldcoin79 · Apr 9, 2013

Hi all

I'm hoping some of you can give me your views of how you use your camera for street photography pictures. I have searched the web to see what most people do and it seems most focus on the sort of distance they will be taking pictures then switch the focus to manual position and set the camera to apeture priority and use f10- f16 so there is a reasonable depth of field so they can lift the camera and take quick pictures and know the subject should be in focus.

I find street photography pictures realy interesting to look at but have never done it my self so am interested in what set up others would use on there camera.

amolitor · Apr 9, 2013

You can either zone focus, as you suggest, or you can just use autofocus. It helps to use single point AF, and to be able to use the camera efficiently.

An essential skill in street is to be able to take the shot quickly, smoothly, and without hesitation. Zone focusing was a technique used by the masters of the form in the manual focus days, and it still works fine. Anything that makes you faster is good, though, and a camera+lens with fast quiet AF is just about as good.

Derrel · Apr 9, 2013

Wrap the camera strap tightly around your right hand, two or even three times, so the camera is "welded" to your right hand, then walk with the camera lashed to your hand in that manner. Do NOT wear the camera around your neck!!!! Just walk along, with the camera strapped to the right hand. When you see a shot, bring your hand up to your eye, frame it fast, and shoot, then lower your hand and keep on walking. Do not stand there and review on the LCD. The "smoothly,quickly, and without hesitation" that amolitor mentioned? THAT is how it's done.

duhast · Apr 9, 2013

Personally, I like to shoot from the hip. With my P&S, I'd wear it on a lanyard around my neck, holding it down near my waist, and just point and shoot. In the old days I'd do that with my Minolta also, with the 35mm lens and set for deep focus, yes, worn around my neck, but never brought up to my eye. It's kind of like Zen archery....

One of our instructors, Robert Cumming, demonstrated (Tongue in cheek...I think. He was a strange one.) wearing the camera under your shirt with the lens sticking out of your stomach through an unbuttoned button.

Goldcoin79 · Apr 10, 2013

Thanks for the advice so far, what mode do you normally use ie do you use apeture priority and set a good depth of field or do you use shutter speed priority so you can set a shutter speed which you know will be quick enough to give sharp shots?

amolitor · Apr 10, 2013

I shoot virtually everything Av, so when I am floundering around attempting street, yeah, it's Av. Unless I have my beloved manual 50mm on there, that my DSLR can't detect, then it's pretty much manual.

Av, single point AF, camera in your hand.

I don't use a strap, I just hold the camera in my hand at all times. I'm weird about straps, though.

Greiver · Apr 10, 2013

The way I see it, there are as many different ways to do street photography as there are things on the street you can shoot. Experiment with all the settings, see what happens and use what works well for you.

duhast · Apr 10, 2013

Then there's this classic item...

The Photojojo Store!

Greiver · Apr 11, 2013

duhast said:
Then there's this classic item...

The Photojojo Store!

lol Clever.

manaheim · Apr 11, 2013

Derrel said:
Wrap the camera strap tightly around your right hand, two or even three times, so the camera is "welded" to your right hand, then walk with the camera lashed to your hand in that manner. Do NOT wear the camera around your neck!!!! Just walk along, with the camera strapped to the right hand. When you see a shot, bring your hand up to your eye, frame it fast, and shoot, then lower your hand and keep on walking. Do not stand there and review on the LCD. The "smoothly,quickly, and without hesitation" that amolitor mentioned? THAT is how it's done.

This is basically what I do. Sometimes I'll also make a point to appear like I'm shooting something else so the person sees me and then dismisses me. Sort f depends on the situation,

Vautrin · Apr 13, 2013

I think a lot of people serious about street photography choose a rangefinder or other "small" camera. That way you're not "in your face" with a huge SLR

You can also choose something with a waist level finder (although digital waist level is going to be expensive as that means digital back on a MF camera)

Or you can choose a zoom.

Also, just find an area and stay there. 15 minutes, 20 minutes, you'll be less noticeable then if you're swooping in and out. Study the area and make your move...

gsgary · Apr 13, 2013

The way i do it is with a Leica M4 28mm lens set to F8/11 focus set to 10 feet and a shutter speed to match lighting ( no focusing needed) strap is wrapped around my wrist camera by my side with the size of my hands you cant see it, i find a location and wait for the shot to unfold then i raise came and shoot very quickly

The_Traveler · Apr 13, 2013

As you can see from above, people do street shooting lots of ways but....

the most important thing about street shooting is learning to recognize the shot maybe even before it happens and then getting it.