5 Tips to Help You Succeed at Street Photography

Here’s 5 Tips to Help You Succeed at Street Photography.
Before we get into this, let’s make something clear…I’m in no way making a claim that I’m a subject matter expert in Street Photography. I shoot street photography…a lot. And I’ve learned some things. But I’m not an expert. I know the mistakes I’ve made and continue to make. But I feel like I’ve learned and grown a lot.

I’ve paid attention to what Pierre T. Lambert has taught me, also Professor Hines. This is my attempt to relay this to you if you’ll allow me.

So, let’s get into it.

Tip #1

Be ready to click.
What do I mean when I say this? It’s simple. Keep your camera on, and at the ready. If you’re like me and you walk around looking for a scene that’s click-worthy, you don’t want to have your camera on your backpack clip or turned off. You’re going to miss something. One hundred percent of the time. And you don’t want to have to change your settings.
I’ll get to the tip about settings a little later.

TIP #2

Don’t Be Creepy
No one likes a creeper. Don’t be obvious if you’re shooting street photography. If you can make yourself look like a tourist, this will be to your benefit. People accept tourists on the street. If you have an inquisitive nature about your approach it will go over a lot better and people won’t pay that much attention to you.
But if you perch on a street corner and stare at people, you’re going to draw their attention, and if you click a photo they will notice and probably not be happy. You should try to blend into the surroundings. Maybe try some camo (just kidding).

TIP #3

Immerse Yourself in the Scene
Some people listen to music while they shoot street photography. If that works for them, then great. This doesn’t work for me. For me, an important aspect of shooting street is feeling like I’m part of the goings-on. I can’t be immersed if I have music in my ear, tuning me out and disconnecting me from the subjects. For me, even if I’m just walking on the streets without my camera it’s the same. I need to hear the traffic and all the sounds.
This might not work for you, but you if tend to have earbuds in when you shoot, try taking them out some time and see if there’s a difference.

TIP #4

The Right Lens for the Job
This is an important one. I mean they’re all important. But this tip determines whether you’re going to be happy with your results or not.
My best street shots are from using my 85mm. That might surprise you. Why 85mm you might ask. Well, that lens will let you keep a good distance from your subjects. Remember, most people don’t mind you taking their picture, but they don’t want you up in their face.

The only issue I have using this lens is that it limits me to shooting people and objects. It’s tough to capture some of Toronto’s architecture with an 85mm. Which is ok. If you set out to shoot street scenes, you won’t have an issue with this. But I have been out before with this lens on and got distracted but a building or something and was disappointed that the lens is too short to capture it.
Traditionally, a 35mm is used for street photography, but it forces you to get closer because of the focal length. If you have an 85mm in your bag, try it. If you don’t have one in your bag, get one.

TIP #5

Use the Right Settings
This is the hardest part of street photography. For me, it always has been. Particularly if you’re not shooting in Aperture mode. Which I rarely do. I prefer to lean on my own knowledge of the lighting, rather than letting the camera decide that for me. Maybe because I don’t use it often enough. But when I have, I’ve noticed some motion blur where I don’t want it.

The issue for me is the ISO. As you’re walking around, you will encounter all kinds of different lighting conditions. The best way to counter this is to use Aperture mode. If you fix your ISO at a certain speed, you get images that are too noisy or too dark. So I’m constantly adjusting for light as I walk but that’s my preference. I should probably use Aperture Priority more often.

Bonus Tip

Use ‘Flexible Spot: Small’ as your focus area. I learned this one from watching Pierre’s POV videos.
This setting is awesome. It allows you to isolate your subject and nail your focus. This way you’re not guessing where your focus will end up. And you can move it around if you have time to set up for the shot. I highly recommend it. Since I’ve discovered this, I rarely change it, unless I’m shooting in landscape mode.
Here’s a video from Pierre T. Lambert where he talks about focus tips

The Wrap Up

There you have it.
This post was a long time coming. Once I got over the idea that people don’t want to read tips from some guy with a camera it was a breeze.

I’m almost positive these tips will help you. Let me know if they do.

I hope you got something out of my 5 Tips to help you succeed at Street Photography.
If you made it this far, check out my Street Photography Gallery

Until next time…

Two people are sitting on a grass field in front of a historic stone building with arched windows. The scene is set during autumn, with colorful trees displaying orange and red foliage in the background.

A nighttime street scene shows a group of people walking on a sidewalk in front of an establishment named the Imperial Pub. The area is illuminated by red neon signage and other ambient lighting, creating a cozy urban atmosphere. Additional signs indicate the venue includes a library and lounge.

A police officer wearing a helmet leans against a building corner next to a bicycle on an urban sidewalk. The setting includes a tree and a blurred group of people in the background.

A person is sitting in the middle of a road with a prominent yellow line leading towards them. The road is flanked by tall trees, and there are mountains visible in the background under a clear blue sky.

Two people walk along a snow-covered path during a snowfall, with a University of Toronto banner and streetlights in the background. The scene is surrounded by snow-laden trees and appears to be in an urban setting.

A street scene at night features a modern streetcar with illuminated headlights traveling past a building with a glowing red neon sign for a pub. The area is dimly lit, with reflections of lights on the wet pavement, and a few pedestrians walking nearby.

A coastal scene at sunset shows a rocky surface in the foreground with a small puddle reflecting the vibrant colors of the sky. The background reveals a calm sea and a silhouette of distant land, under a sky filled with hues of orange, pink, and purple.

A red streetcar is traveling on a designated track along a city street, bordered by tall buildings and traffic lights. The street is marked with a bold red path indicating streetcar-only lanes.