How To Take A Perfect Street Picture? 4 Effective Tips To Use
There is something so beautiful and unique about street photography.
Taking those kinds of photos means documenting society, everyday life, and anything else that catches your attention. The great thing about street photography is that you can practice it anywhere, and any street can become a piece of art. You might spot an interesting stranger, a man selling his goods on the market, or children playing on the street. In any case, street photos represent something that is very intimate and beautiful.
When it comes to this type of photography, there is no one rule on how the photos need to look. You have so much freedom to explore both this world as well as yourself as a photographer. But, if you would like to know about some tips and tricks on how to make your street pictures look amazing, read through the rest of this article.
Have the right type of lens
Even though not everything is about the type of camera and lens you have, it is important that you have the right tools as a photographer. And in street photography especially, the type of lens you use will play a major role in what your pictures will look like. Professional photographers usually avoid using a telephoto lens in these kinds of situations. It is because telephoto lenses are quite large, and can create an unpleasant situation when they are taking photos of strangers. Instead, these photography experts opt for a wide-angle lens. That way, they can take nice photos and get lost in a busy crowd. Moreover, many street photographers use a compact camera instead of a large DSLR. So if you would like to have a discreet and lightweight camera, you should opt for a compact one.
Pay attention to the camera settings
Many people wonder how street photographers get those action-packed, and yet sharp images. The answer, of course, lies in the camera settings. The easiest and quickest thing you can do is to switch to the aperture-priority mode and select your f-stop as well as ISO manually. This way, your camera will be the one determining the time of exposure. If you are, for instance, taking photos on a sunny day, set your aperture at around f/16 and your ISO somewhere between 200 and 400. Once your camera displays an exposure higher than 1/200, you are ready to take photos. If it is below 1/80, you might end up with a blurred shot.
Of course, if you are not so comfortable with setting all these things, you can always switch to the program or auto mode on your camera, and then slowly transition to more complex modes. The auto modes can also be quite useful if you want to take a picture right away, and you do not have time to adjust everything.
Practice staying still
As a street photographer, you will always be on the move, hunting for that perfect moment. This is why it is important that you slow down and practice standing still. Make sure that you sometimes simply stand still and observe your environment for possible good shots. That way, you will be able to spot interesting scenes more easily than if you are just running around. But, if you prefer to rather walk around and look for scenes, make sure you adjust your settings so that if you notice an exciting scene, you are ready to just click.
Take your camera everywhere
When it comes to knowing what the best camera settings are, this is something that you will surely learn as you go. But, to do that, and to be sure you will capture everything you want, you must carry your camera everywhere. Street photography is still very spontaneous, and a perfect picture can be made at any point. Unlike taking portraits, where a person can pose for a long time, the things you capture on the street will not wait for you. Moreover, even if you do not take photos every time you take your camera, your eyes will constantly look for interesting things to capture. So, in a way, you are practicing even though you are not taking any photos. And lastly, this is another reason why it is a good idea to get a smaller lens or a smaller camera. It will make carrying it everywhere a lot easier.
Taking photos on the street is not only a wonderful type of art, but it is something that can be truly joyful. Capturing the buildings, the people, and their everyday life is a beautiful thing to do. If you were looking for ways to make your street pictures better, hopefully, this article has helped you!