12 Photo Tricks To Make Casual Street Photography Outstanding!

Get streetwise and realize the photographic potential in your every day environment.

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Photo Tricks

1. Less Is More- In terms of equipment, that is. If you are roaming the streets of a city for hours on end or hiking in the back woods somewhere, you’ll want to cut down on the baggage. A good pair of walking shoes and a comfortable camera strap is a MUST. Additionally, you’ll want to blend in and go unnoticed so you can capture your subjects natural actions and reactions. Setting up a tripod or using a telephoto lens most likely will take away from the 'true to life' shot you are trying to acheive. The presence of these things sometimes makes people feel or look like they are posing, and that is not what you are after.

2. Off The Beaten Track- Street photography is not tourist photography. Go off the beaten path to capture what is going on behind the scenes. Go out at an unusual time. You will find great shots because street photography is not dependent on perfect light setting. Just get out there and HAVE FUN!

3. True Colors- Colorful clothing and busy backgrounds can sometimes be a distraction, especially when you want to concentrate on facial expressions or gestures. This is one of the photo tricks to keep in the back of your mind at all times.(photo editing programs come in very handy for removing unwanted objects, or fading out something)

4. Background- Pay attention to the background. You will find some of the best treasures there. Look for signs, billboards, graffiti or other visual elements that could be used to make humorous, ironic or incongruous statements.

5. Opposites Attract- Look for compositions that reveal dichotomy to build a story. Challenge a viewer’s presumptions. For example, try splitting the composition between the reflections on the ground and the scene above, or capture part of a building half in the dark, half in the light.

6. New Angle- Get down low or find a higher viewpoint for an unusual angle. This is one of the photo tricks where a multistory car ramp is a great place to shoot from because you don’t have to shoot through glass, and they also give a high viewpoint in town centers. Be sure your camera is secured.

7. What A Performance- Street entertainment makes for ideal subjects. Try to capture from a different viewpoint. Whether it’s a parade, buskers, free runners, skateboarders or breakdancers, they offer something different to your average street scene. Experiment with your compositions and choose a high shutter speed to capture the action.

8. Off The Streets- Despite its name, the genre does lend itself to other recreation areas, especially those where people expect cameras to be present. For example, try the seaside, fairgrounds, parks, sporting events or the zoo.

9. Stolen Moments- The key to successful street shooting is to be aware of your surroundings. This is one of the photo tricks you need to be on the lookout for an opportunity before it happens. Anticipate action by studying groups for potential anticipated behaviors and actions. Judge the atmosphere of a crowd and react to body language and facial expressions.

10. Get Where The Action Is- Robert Capa once said: ‘If your pictures aren’t’ good enough, you’re not close enough.’ Shots taken in the thick of the action will draw the viewer in.

11. Frozen Motion- Movement is a key part of capturing the human zoo, so keep those shutter speeds fast and that hand steady or find something to support your camera. To capture people moving across the frame, a minimum of 1/125 sec is recommended and an ISO no slower than 400.

12. Practice Makes Perfect- With your camera pre-set, choose your subject and proceed with calmness, sensitivity and poise. Practice these photo tricks and you’ll be taking great street shots in no time. Take more shots than you think you need. You don't want to regret missing an opportunity that will never happen again.

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