For the past three months, I’ve had the opportunity of travelling to Morocco, Turkey and Cuba. Despite teaching English online for the first two months, I was able to use my free time in a way that allowed me to reactivate my creativity again, and the feeling was pretty magical. However, tackling unchartered territory can be daunting at times. I’ve put together a few tips that I’ve picked up over the years.
Keeping rhythm: It seems strange to use this word in connection with street photography, but I feel that the streets clearly have a pace, and in order to keep up with that, you have to first understand it. Create a loose timetable in your head of moments when the streets become full or empty, pay attention to your internal creative compass too by following your instincts.
Equipment: Keep it simple. I don’t think the camera matters as much as people think. I’ve been using my trusty Sony A5000 and slightly battered 18-200mm lens for the last few years. But having at least 4 fully charged batteries and an empty SD card in your pocket is a must as you never know what you’re going to stumble upon. I also avoid visible camera bags and keep the camera in my hand at all times.
When in doubt: Chase the light! When my luck runs dry and I find myself wandering aimlessly, I play a game of hide and seek with the sun. It may not always be present, but pay attention to it when it appears. Seemingly banal things can appear as objects of wonder when kissed with sunlight.
Don’t be scared of the dark: I normally shoot in daylight, and not just for the obvious reasons. It’s also more forgiving when it comes to fiddling around with manual settings. However, if the opportunity arises to walk the streets with your camera at night, take it. The daily blackouts in Cuba forced me to use my faint knowledge of ISO to catch passing cars in the pitch black. The outcome was surprisingly satisfying.
Keep your own battery charged: Stay hydrated! It can be easy for me to lose track of time when I’m on the streets with my camera. I never used to think of photography as an act of endurance, but if the heat is pounding down on you, and you’re walking around all day, it’s important to take regular breaks. I like to use this time to take a peek at what I’ve got so far, and take a mental note of anything that’s working. Sometimes this even leads me to revisit a particular spot in different light.
Turn on the charm: smile. As I’ve mentioned in previous blog posts, I rarely stop and ask people to take their photo. Call me a wimp, but sometimes when I’m feeling fragile, I like to take my position from a distance, and pick out my subjects from afar. On my bolder days, I switch to my smaller lens and get close. For this, I wear my biggest smile (it’s real, I promise) and use this to navigate my way through passing faces. It takes the attention away from the camera which is what you want. I’m lucky that my camera allows me to look down onto a screen and shoot what I see, so I avoid the person-in-your-face-with-a-camera moment.
Forget the foreground: think background. Finding neutral blank space in a chaotic environment can be tricky but it can act as your own mini pop-up studio. If you’re lucky enough to find a good background across from a cafe, sit back and enjoy the show! Keep your finger glued to the shutter but be ruthless in your selection process - a good background doesn’t always mean a good photo.
The place beyond the face: Of course the street has more to offer than portraits of unknown people passing by. Buildings remain still, reflective surfaces offer alternate realities and pretty much any inanimate object can take on a new life under the examination of your lens. I like to use these moments to slow down the pace and investigate what caused me to stop, even for a split second.
What are your approaches to street photography? Leave a comment below!
