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hey everyone my name is ichipan today
we'll be chatting about street
photography
why it's my favorite genre to shoot i'll
be sharing seven tips on how to get you
started
let's get into it so what is street
photography
street photography is a little more than
just taking photos on the street
it's about documenting the unplanned
candid life and moments in your city
things that often go unnoticed at the
core of it it's about humanity
and our interaction with our cities
street photography was one of the first
genres i started shooting when i picked
up a camera
and i feel like it's played a big role
in shaping my photography style
and also helping me learn how to use the
camera alright so you want to get
started in shooting street photography
but you're a bit scared and intimidated
to go out by yourself and shoot
strangers in public
that's completely okay it's normal i
felt the same way
but don't worry i've got a tip to help
ease you through it tip number one
is to start shooting with a smartphone
first chances are you probably already
own one and that's great
it means you can avoid the expense of
buying new camera gear and you can start
shooting right away
it's a more casual and less conspicuous
way to take photos on the street
everyone already carries a smartphone
with them so taking a photo with one
almost never raises an eyebrow
a pro tip is if you have hands-free
earbuds you can use it as a remote
shutter button
building off the last tip you can also
try shooting street with a friend while
you're shooting you'll probably wander
off and go do your own thing but it does
feel a lot less lonely and intimidating
it's also great to wind down the session
and share and discuss each other's
results from the day
i think the only way to get past this
awkward stage is to just get out there
and start shooting a little more
as you do you'll gain some confidence
and realize the reason why you're
actually shooting which i think is one
of the crucial components to getting
over the fear of shooting straight
for me i came to the realization that i
wanted to document our world
and create art and once i realized this
my guilt and fear went away
alright tip two let's talk about
composition and framing in street
photography this is especially hard in
street photography
as you have no control over the
situation environment or subjects
this is what also makes it more fun and
challenging there are two general
methods of shooting street photography
in terms of
framing and composition the first one is
framing up and waiting
this is where you find a composition you
like or a location you think has
potential
you frame up take a few test shots and
then you wait for a subject to either
walk into your composition
or the conditions to get to how you want
it this way you have more control over
the frame and composition of the final
result
of course you can move around and try
different angles in this location but
you're basically staking out your spot
and working within the area how long you
hang around in this single location
really depends on your luck and skill
oftentimes you have to make a decision
on when to call it and move on because
nothing has happened but that's okay
if the location has potential you can
come back and try again another day
the second method is to walk and shoot
this is exactly what it sounds like
you walk and you shoot this method is
slightly more chaotic but the results
can be just as great
you have less control over the framing
and that's okay if you practice this
style enough it can really help you
sharpen your photography and observation
skills
as there is very little time to think or
react i'd recommend closing down the
aperture or learning the zone focusing
method
these will help you now focus a little
more consistently tip number three
finding an interesting character or what
interests you in street photography
we're all drawn to street photography
for one reason or another whether it's a
stranger who looks super interesting
like they have a story to tell or a
moody cinematic scene
it's important to take some time to
really consider what it is you're
looking for when you're out shooting
street
have a look through your favorite photos
and take a moment to think about what
you like about it
what you don't like about it and what
you would change if you had the chance
i truly believe that our street photos
are more of a reflection of ourselves
rather than subjects that are in the
photo at the end of the day this will
differ from person to person
and that's great this is where you'll
find your unique style in street
photography
tip number four forget about your camera
settings try shooting aperture priority
i know it might feel like you have to
shoot in manual mode it's what all the
professionals keep telling you
but in street photography the world
doesn't wait for you to dial in your
settings
i think it's okay to use auto iso or
aperture priority i use it a lot
you might be walking in and out of dark
and light areas and not have the time to
constantly adjust settings
cameras these days are so good and
reliable it gives you the breathing
space and flexibility to focus on what's
in front of you
rather than the settings that your
camera is in tip number five
gear matters but not as much as you
think it does don't get too wrapped up
in having the latest and greatest camera
gear and definitely don't let this stop
you from getting out there and taking
street photos
while i do think it's important to have
the right tools to help you achieve the
photo that you see in your mind
it doesn't matter as much as you think
it does the newest latest and greatest
cameras have a lot of great features
like super fast autofocus and subject
eye tracking
but what you need to remember is that
the greatest street photos in history
were taken on film cameras which were
slow and had
no autofocus at all autofocus has come a
long way
but the ability to read a scene and
anticipate what is coming next will
always trump autofocus
honestly i think you'd be better served
by buying a comfortable pair of walking
shoes
trust me you've been walking a lot
alright so tip number six
shoot often and shoot a lot take lots
and lots of photos
unlike the film days where it costs a
dollar a photo shooting digital is
basically free after you buy the camera
storage is really cheap and you can
delete the photos that you don't want
i find it helps to shoot in burst mode
especially for the key moments
the little details and changes in each
frame may make the difference between a
good photo and a great photo
this is why i believe the secret to
street photography lies in the selection
process
with the hundreds and thousands of
photos that you take on the day you're
going to need to go to lightroom to curl
the bad ones and dig out the great ones
this process in itself is an art form
larry makes it super easy to go through
your photos
and speed up this process remember that
behind every great photo there are a
thousand bad ones
that being said don't be afraid to edit
your street photos
while it's great to get a perfect photo
in camera sometimes a photo needs a
little assistance and editing to get to
where you want
and tip number seven the final tip it
doesn't need to be perfect
not all street photos have to be
perfectly captured while you should
always do your best to perfect your
camera skills
i think it's important to remember that
you're merely an observer in street
photography
let go of any sense of control and need
for perfection
i think in street photography like life
the beauty sometimes lies in the
imperfections
and that's it i hope these tips help you
get started and improve your street
photography
all that's left is for you to get out
there practice and have fun with it
good luck
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