Mastering the Art of Street Photography

Techniques for Capturing Authentic Moments Explore essential techniques and tips for capturing candid and authentic moments in urban environments.

Three people sit on benches at the historic Baker Street underground station in London. The brick archways and old-fashioned lamp give the station a timeless atmosphere. The Baker Street signs and the London Underground roundel are prominently displayed, highlighting the station's iconic status. The central figure reads a book, while the others are lost in thought, adding a sense of calm and introspection to the scene.

Baker Street London - Human Interactions - Settings: F5.6, 1/30 sec, ISO 1,600 @52mm

Street photography is an incredible art form, a window into the vibrant tapestry of urban life. It's about capturing authentic moments, those fleeting instances that tell compelling stories about the world around us. Whether you're an aspiring photographer or a seasoned pro, this guide will unlock the secrets to mastering the art of street photography, offering essential techniques and tips to help you excel in urban environments.
Street photography is a celebration of life's unscripted moments. It's about documenting the beauty of everyday existence, revealing the extraordinary in the ordinary. To excel in this craft, one must understand its core essence: being a silent observer of life in its purest form.
The Location
Street photography works in the smallest of towns, for example my ‘Keep In Low Gear’ image shot in Robin Hoods Bay all the way through to the obvious cities like NYC and London. The benefit of larger cities is the breadth, depth and frequency of subjects with more choice of characters. 
My experience of street photography shoots has taken me from London, Paris, New York, Baltimore, Philadelphia and the countless smaller towns across the UK. My favourite of all of these has to be London, purely based on the little distance you have to travel to experience a change in vibe, character and personalities. If I had to choose one area it would be Shoreditch, in particular Brick Lane, and The Barbican in London. I like the unique architecture and characters constantly moving about these areas, and the little attention they pay to a guy with a camera. 
I often find in smaller less populated locations, for example smaller market towns, people are often more wary and suspicious of you taking pictures, which at times has led to intense questioning and on rare occasions confrontation. Be careful out there, and make sure you aren’t taking pictures of people’s privacy or children for obvious reasons.
Forward Planning
Unlike City Scape shooting, which is very planning intensive, I treat my Street photography as a project that fits in between travel to City Scape locations (see the ‘How Do I Shoot City Scape’ section in the Blog). With this in mind I make a little extra time in my travel plans to focus on the spontaneous. Street Photography to me is all about spontaneity, as you can’t plan what and who will be passing through your frame at that critical moment.  
Equipment Essentials
You don't need an arsenal of high-end gear to succeed in street photography. A camera with manual settings and a prime lens is often sufficient. The key is to be inconspicuous. While giant DSLRs can be intimidating, a small mirrorless camera or even a smartphone can help you blend into the surroundings and capture genuine moments without intrusion.
You’ll be on your feet all day, bustling amongst the crowds and often walking long distances. My Garmin Watch step counter tracked me walking 14.5 miles on my last London trip, so travel as light as you can. I pack my camera body, the Sigma Art 2.8 24-70mm lens, camera strap and spare batteries – that’s all you’ll need. If you have a smaller profile camera bag it works out much easier.
I also make sure to pack a couple of snacks and bottled water.
On Location
The first thing to pick up is a Travel Day Card, particularly for London, where for £13.70 you can travel all day via tube or bus to your locations – bargain!
When I find a location of interest I will often put my bag down, sit down on a bench or lean against a wall and pretend to review my images on my camera. Whilst I am doing this I will prepare my camera and pre-focus on a point of interest. I tend to shoot Street Photography in manual, shooting at around F16, Auto ISO and adjusting the shutter speed to around 125 sec. I also pre-focus on a particular area using manual focus, pick a point of interest and just wait. 
These are my grab shots, studying an interesting location, often with a static object or light pattern, and just wait for the right subject to walk through your frame. Remember to try different focal ranges, making sense of the urban jungle and subjects in front of you. Also keep shooting different subjects pass through the frame, and keep shooting as they pass through. I will also try slower shutter speeds for a little motion in legs etc., or simply to let enough light into the shot. I will always tend to expose for the highlights, and let the shadows drop into dark blacks, adding mood, intrigue and atmosphere.
As you progress around the city don’t settle for the easy locations, don’t be lazy, run little scouting walks to see if there are other perspectives. Questions I constantly ask myself are, how can I get higher, how can I get lower, what subjects can I include in frame, are there any other points of interest I can include? Also think about what makes this city or particular location iconic and try to add that element in, for example London bus, NYC Taxi’s etc. 
Mastering the Art of Composition
Composition is the cornerstone of great street photography. Employ the "rule of thirds" to guide the viewer's eye through your frame. Pay attention to lines, shapes, and patterns that create visual interest. Experiment with leading lines that draw attention to your subjects. Frame your shots carefully to highlight the subject within their environment.​​​​​​​
A black-and-white photo of a woman walking through an archway onto a city street in Philadelphia flanked by tall modern buildings. The architectural contrast between the old stone arch and the contemporary skyscrapers highlights the juxtaposition of history and modernity. The woman's shadow stretches behind her, adding depth and leading the eye towards the bustling urban scene ahead.

Philadelphia Town Hall - Settings: F10, 1/50 sec, ISO 100 @28mm

Embracing the Decisive Moment
Henri Cartier-Bresson coined the term "the decisive moment." It's the split second when everything aligns perfectly, and the story unfolds. Street photographers must anticipate these moments, be ready to capture them at a moment's notice. Patience and a quick trigger finger are your allies.
The Art of Light and Shadow
Light and shadow play a pivotal role in street photography. The interplay of light can transform an ordinary scene into a mesmerizing one. Experiment with different times of the day to discover the magic of golden hours and dramatic contrasts. Shadows can add depth and mystery to your images, making them even more compelling.
Light through the city/town is always a good source of interest, be it in an alley way, reflected light or artificial light. I also like finding juxtapositions within my images, new vs old, smooth vs rough, bright vs dark etc. The options are endless, have fun!
I have a great guide on mastering low light photography in this additional more comprehensive guide, please use this link: Mastering Low Light Photography
A scene in London where a man in a long coat walks past a shop with columns and large windows displaying "SALE" signs. He is engrossed in his phone, with his shadow stretching across the sunlit sidewalk. The contrast between the light and shadow adds depth and highlights the architectural details of the building facade.

Look for contrasting light to draw interest - Settings: F16, 1/400 sec, ISO 400 @24mm

A wet scene in Piccadilly Circus, London. A person holding a red umbrella walks through a rain-soaked plaza in front of an illuminated billboard advertising "Singin' in the Rain." The scene is bustling with people carrying umbrellas, and the wet ground reflects the bright lights of the advertisement and surrounding buildings. The vibrant colors and reflections create a lively atmosphere despite the rainy weather.

Iconic locations like Piccadilly Circus need to stand out so look for subject interest and reflections for that point of difference  - Settings: F3.2, 1/125 sec, ISO 200 @35mm

Getting Close, Yet Remaining Unseen
Candid shots are the essence of street photography. Get close to your subjects, but without intruding into their personal space. Blend into the crowd, become one with the environment, and let your subjects act naturally. The goal is to be invisible, capturing genuine emotions without affecting the scene.
Storytelling Through Details
The beauty of street photography is in the details. Focus on the small nuances that reveal more about your subject's life and the context. The wrinkles on a face, a pair of worn-out shoes, or a child's innocent smile can speak volumes. These details often carry the soul of your photograph.​​​​​​​
Shot on the steep hill of Robin Hoods Bay, an elderly man walks up a stone staircase, using a cane for support, next to a brick building. A road sign nearby indicates a steep incline of 10% and advises using a low gear for 2 miles. The scene is bathed in warm sunlight, highlighting the textures of the stone steps and brick walls.

Robin Hoods Bay  - Settings: F14, 1/25 sec, ISO 100 @45mm

Respecting Privacy and Ethics
Respect is paramount in street photography. Always seek permission when photographing individuals in sensitive situations. If someone requests that you delete their photo, do so without hesitation. Remember, ethics should always guide your lens.
Facing Challenges and Overcoming Them
Street photography isn't always smooth sailing. You may face challenges, from rejections to adverse weather conditions. Embrace these challenges as opportunities to grow, adapt, and learn. Perseverance is the key to mastering this art.
Remember to...
-    Be respectful to passers-by who are going about their day to day business.
-    Be careful around cities with expensive camera gear, make sure you stay safe, stay in safe areas where you can and try to blend in as much as possible.
-    Do you research on specific areas, for example Canary Wharf is all private land and you can be surrounded by private security before you know it!
-    Think outside the box, get the typical shot but also challenge yourself to get new perspectives making the ordinary extraordinary.
Editing for Impact
Post-processing is the finishing touch that can elevate your street photography to the next level. Use editing software to enhance the colors, contrast, and sharpness. But remember, less is often more. The goal is to enhance the image while preserving its authenticity.
Lightroom is my go to for image catalogue and selection. I usually upload and catalogue and leave it for a few days to look at the images with fresh eyes. I flick through the images in Lightroom and flag the images I like with colour markers, red being my favourites, blue being 'okays' and the rest being the non-keepers (which I delete). 
Street tends to over index on deletes, but that’s the point, keep capturing the moments, every second and choose the frame that delivers the best compositionally and in terms of telling the viewer the story you want to deliver. Street photography is all about the story telling.
My favourite’s images, which I highlighted in red in Lightroom, I take from the base unedited RAW images and process in Photoshop applying more localised changes and corrections. I will spend significant time on these images in editing to bring them up to club/external competition standard and to a place where I am happy to post on this website. I also like to find similar City Scape images and edit them in a similar style so they sit nicely together in a collection.
Ending Comments.
Mastering street photography is a journey, not a destination. Get out there, explore your city, and practice regularly. The more you immerse yourself in this art form, the more adept you will become at capturing those authentic, unscripted moments that tell captivating stories.
In the realm of street photography, the world is your canvas, and every passerby is a potential muse. Armed with the right techniques and a keen eye for detail, you can paint vivid, authentic stories of urban life. So, grab your camera, hit the streets, and unlock the magic of capturing the essence of life in the city.
I'm hoping this blog article has inspired you to have a go at this fantastic genre of photography. It brings many challenges that help you develop essential skills that can be applied across and into other areas of photography. I'm hoping to continue this project and develop myself further with this style of photography, so please keep an eye out for future planned shoots and Blog posts on this website. 
If you have any questions, or have any ideas/ tips to share please feel free to contact me using the 'contact' methods provided on the website panel.
Thank you, stay safe and happy shooting!
Martin
Want to learn more?
This topic and guide is very closely linked to my other guides, please check them out:
Cityscape Photography Guide
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Looking for further advice and inspiration, head over to:
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References and Sources of Inspiration
A real inspiration for my street photography is a YouTuber and fantastic philosopher in photography Sean Tucker. Sean, through his YouTube channel has introduced me to some fantastic concepts and amazing likeminded Street Photographers. Useful links:
Sean has a great eye for contrasts on the street, be it light, shadows and people/ subjects. His channel is well worth a subscription as the production and content is of a very high standard.
Sean Tucker’s website: 
Sean Tucker’s channel: 
Joshua K. Jackson was introduced to me through Sean’s channel. I’m amazed by Joshua’s commitment to crawling the London streets at night and has an extraordinary capability of identifying fantastic artificial light and intense story telling through often thought-provoking subjects. Joshua K. Jackson’s website: 
Mo Barzegar’s images are timeless, they sit like stills from a classic movie scene. Pulling the dramatic from the obvious day to day life we all see each and every day. Well worth a visit.
Mo Barzegar’s website: 
Another favourite of mine is Martin Parr. Images captured 30 years ago of the normal life of Britain, capturing the insane in a very sane way. Check out his work.
If you have any questions, comments or feedback please reach out to me using the submission form below. I know these guides have been greatly received by many and I'm always happy to help out where I can.
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