iPhone Photography: My 3 Main Street Photography Tips You Should Know
If you love street photography, and storytelling as a visual language, or are just endlessly curious about life, this article is definitely for you.
Street photography is like a game of hide-and-seek with the city, where every corner holds a surprise waiting to be captured or, street photography is like playing detective with your camera, where every alleyway hides a mystery waiting to be unveiled. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting, here are three street photography tips that might just make you the Cartier-Bresson of your neighborhood — with a sprinkle of humor to keep things light!
The Ongoing Moment…
1. Slowly Observe the Life of Your Streets — Move Slow
In the fast-paced world we live in, slowing down might sound like a foreign concept. But in street photography, it’s the secret sauce.
Pro Tip: Study gestures, people, looks, gazes …
Picture this: you’re on the street, camera in hand, and suddenly you spot a pigeon having a heated debate with a squirrel over a discarded French fry. If you were rushing, you’d miss this avian-rodent summit that might just go down in the annals of wildlife diplomacy.
Remember, you don’t just make things beautiful, they already are. I’ll stop you at the moment to see how to eat with your eyes first, with no camera at all! It’s a place where I’ll guide you by just slowly observing life …
So, move slowly. Pretend you’re a sloth in a city jungle, observing the drama of life unfold. The slower you go, the more you’ll notice — and who knows, maybe you’ll catch the next Animal UN summit on film!
Pro Tip: Walk the Walk by the Intuition
2. Embrace the Chaos: It’s Not a Bug, It’s a Feature
First and foremost, we must acknowledge that the streets are a bustling, unpredictable, and often downright chaotic place. Cars honk, people rush, pigeons plot world domination, and the occasional street performer serenades an invisible audience.
In other words, the streets are a symphony of spontaneity waiting to be conducted by your camera. In the realm of street photography, chaos is not a bug; it’s a feature. It’s what keeps us on our toes, ready to pounce when that perfect moment materializes out of thin air.
Pro Tip: … understanding the rhythm of the streets
Just when you think you’ve seen it all, a street vendor might erupt in a spontaneous dance or a child’s gleeful laughter might harmonize with the howling of sirens. You never quite know what’s going to happen next, and that’s where the magic lies.
Ever taken a photo and thought, “Is that a UFO or just a lens flare?” Embrace it. In street photography, chaos is not a bug; it’s a feature. Unplanned photobombs, unexpected reflections, and mysterious shadows are the spice of street life.
So, the next time a rogue hot dog vendor photobombs your perfectly composed shot of a contemplative cat, don’t delete it. Cherish it. Call it ‘The Sausage Saga’ and revel in the fact that even your photos have a sense of humor. After all, life is messy, and your photos should be too!
3. Be Patience! Patience is a Virtue. Build Your Art of Noticing
In street photography, patience is not just a virtue; it’s a superpower. Wait for the decisive moment. Sometimes, all it takes is an extra heartbeat to capture a scene that tells a captivating tale. In the photo below: you can see one man run across the street and a front of him titled: “forward”. So I just wanna explain to you what it means patience :) I noticed this store name and then was staying and drinking my favorite cappuccino breve and waiting on somebody he is running near with this name. And like 20 min this happened this guy had been running across the street. Now you guess what I mean 😜
In street photography, patience is not just a virtue; it’s a superpower. Wait for the decisive moment.
Develop the art of noticing. Sit on that park bench, sip your coffee, and wait for the universe to align. Because let’s face it, life doesn’t come with a director shouting, “Action!” — you’ve got to catch the magic as it unfolds. And remember, the longer you wait, the more time you have to perfect your pigeon-whispering skills.
In Conclusion:
Training Your Eye
Exercise for the Street Photographer
Street photographers, like Olympic athletes, need to train their eyes for the ultimate visual marathon. How? Well, it’s not about lifting heavy lenses or doing camera push-ups.
Take a stroll around your neighborhood and challenge yourself to find beauty in the mundane. Spot the extraordinary in the ordinary. Imagine a fire hydrant as a superhero awaiting its call to action or a mailbox as the guardian of secret messages.
Training your eye is not just about composition; it’s about seeing the world with a touch of whimsy. Who knows, you might discover that the quirky fire hydrant was, in fact, the hero Gotham needed all along.
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Dedicated to you. You are the creator. Please, be bold 🖤
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