Ep 46: Taking it to the streets: The Street Photography Show

So you want to be a photographer episode 45 artwork an older gentleman walking in front of a barber shop

We love the documentary aspect of street photography. Here, nothing is set up and you’re capturing a slice of life just as it happens. Part-journalism-part-art, street photography can result in powerful shots that you couldn’t set up if you tried. But what makes a good street photograph? And how does that differ from a street portrait?

In this episode, Gina and Valerie discuss the elements that make up great street photography, techniques you can use to achieve those stunning frozen moments, and the little hacks that will ensure your street photos are authentic and awesome.

#ginachallenge #street

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Show notes

Shoutouts to our MacGyver of the week

Lucho Cairo Calderon (Peru)
Lucho Macgyvered softboxes from airsick bags and the results are amazing!
Place a white bag over speed lights
Airsick bags are great or any white shopping bag will work
The larger the bag the softer the light

Airsickness bags

3 women in native Peruvian dress

Shoutouts from #ginachallenge #backlighting

There were so many wonderful pics from #ginachallenge #backlighting. Here are just some of them.

Jason Jones backlit photo

Jason Jones

Amanda Perris backlit photo

Amanda Perris

Fran Solly backlit photo

Fran Solly‎

Michael Goh backlit photo

Michael Goh‎
“It’s a 32 image (2 rows) panorama using a canon 6d + 15-30mm F2.8 lens @ 15mm ISO 6400 F2.8 30s. I’m using a ball head setup for a nodal point (the foreground is quite close – so to avoid parallax issues). The light comes from 2 sources – it’s a crescent moon on the tip of the pinnacle that creates the light for the back lit situation and causing the long shadows. The light reaching up to the milky way is called the zodiacal light – happens in spring and autumn before dawn and after sunset – this is the sunlight reflecting off dust in the inner solar system. I plan quite heavily for these images – back lit milky way situations take a lot of planning ahead. It’s post processed using PTGui Pro (for the panorama), light room and photoshop”

Street Photography

What is “street photography” and how does it differ from other styles of photography?

  • Street photography is taking unposed images images of people in public places going about their daily lives
  • It’s making something ordinary and everyday look interesting
  • It’s not really about the people, but freezing a moment in time
  • Street photos are generally upbeat and positive. A celebration of a moment in time that is fleeting.
  • Street portraits are posed and the subject is aware of the camera and gives permission to be photographed
  • Travel photography is trying to sell a particular destination. Street photography does not have an agenda.
  • Documentary photographers are trying to sell a story with their images. Street photography is about recording a moment.

 

Street Photographers worth checking out

 

What’s the best gear for street photography

  • Small light cameras
  • Inconspicuous
  • Fast wide lenses 50 and under rather than zoom
  • Higher aperture f5.6 or higher sharper images with more detail
  • Phone cameras
  • Mirrorless cameras
  • No tripod
  • Tape up logos
  • No flash
  • Small bag for all your bits

 

What are the best ways to capture great street photography

Street photography is all about noticing the little details, being in the right place at the right time, and recording the moment with your personal spin on it. How the image is framed, exposed and post produced will have a huge impact on the overall finished image.

  • Tell a story in a single frame, capture an emotion, mood or vibe.
  • 10 different photographers could walk past the same scene and get 10 completely different results
  • My favourite time to shoot is very early in the morning and early evening
  • Windy days add another interesting dimension to street photography
  • Rain, snow, reflections are good too
  • Expose for blacks and get a brightly lit scene
  • Exposing for highlights and get a silhouette
  • Freeze motion using a fast shutter speed
  • Shot slow and capture movement
  • Camera angle can be bird’s eye view (shoot over people)
  • Worm’s eye view (camera is on the ground)
  • Up close and personal (Joi’s spyshots)
  • Shoot from the hip
  • Pre focus your camera a few feet in front of you and then set it to manual focus
  • Shoot wide
  • Fast shutter speed 1/250th sec or higher, crank up the ISO

Gina shooting from the hip

Here is Valerie’s photo of Gina shooting from the hip

The Commando

Walk into a scene and just shoot shoot shoot

The wait and see

Find a really cool background like a mural, frame it up and wait for interesting people to walk through.

The sneaky shooter

Like the name suggests, no one knows you’re shooting

The brazen shooter

Just shoot what you see.

What are the best locations for street photography

  • Billboards and street art
  • Subways
  • Markets
  • Alleyways
  • Underpasses
  • Carparks
  • Cafes
  • Shop windows
  • Street corners
  • The beach
  • Parks

Being respectful: let your conscience be your guide

Ask yourself: Is this a positive/uplifting image?
People in distress or embarrassing situations, don’t do it.

The law and street photography

Laws will vary from country to country
We’re not lawyers so you need to check the laws in your country.

Street photo of a man in Hyde Park

Don’t be afraid to get in close when taking street photography. I took this shot in Hyde Park, Sydney.

Street photo women walking in the rain in Madrid

Shooting in the rain adds another interesting dimension to street photography and you don’t always need to see faces to tell a story. This is one of my shots from Madrid, Spain.

Street photo woman and dog in front of a shop in Milan

Shop fronts make a great background you just need to wait for the right character to walk into your frame. I took this in Milan, Italy.

Street photo black and white person riding a bike down a narrow alley in Marrakesh

Long narrow alleyways are perfect locations for street photography. Here’s my shot from Marrakesh, Morocco.

Nuns boarding a plane in Rome

Look for the unexpected. I loved getting this shot of the flying nuns in Rome, Italy.

Person with an umbrella walking in front of street art in New York

Street art and billboards make great backgrounds for street photography. Frame up the shot and then wait for someone interesting to walk through the shot. This is when I was in the meatpacking district, New York.

Gentleman walking past a barber shop and carrying a paper early in the morning in Taormina Sicily

I get my best shots very early in the morning. Taormina, Sicily

#Ginachallenge #Street

How to direct and pose like a pro

About Gina

About Gina

Gina Milicia is one of the most widely known and respected photographers in Australia. She is the master of capturing that ‘magical moment’... READ MORE

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