Street photography is a contemporary photography branch that is taken in the public space and documents the life where it was taken. In other words, the lifestyle is photojournalism. In short, street photography is the art of photographing people’s daily lives, and it should not be on the street because of its name. You can do it anywhere. For example, subway stations, museums and parks are the most popular places for street photography. If you live in a small town and you are interested in this style, be sure to take a trip to the big cities so that you can challenge yourself there.
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History of Street Photography
Street photography gained momentum in the early 1900s when Kodak’s founder George Eastman discovered the 35mm film format. In this way, 35mm cameras, which can only be fixed with a tripod, have cheaper body, film and bath, and can be carried easily, instead of expensive large format cameras, have been presented to the attention of all photo lovers. Nikon also legendary took its place in this race, starting the F series in 1959.
Street Photography categories
- Candid Photography
This is a type of snapshot portrait. Consent is not taken from the model, it is taken secretly. Permission may be taken later. The composition is made using one or more people on the street. Facial features and expression are the main objects. Clothing and environment will also enrich photography.
- Street Portraits
This type is the most common street photography. The model is aware, poses. Very original works are also produced, but if the environmental elements are not included, only facial features are important, it is very likely to fall into stereotypes (eg street children, cats, old models).
- Photojournalist Frames
Shots that tell a stunning story. Although they are not artistically composed correctly, they are strong frames that are reached by being in the right place at the right time.
- Editorial Frames
It is the original and the most difficult branch of street photography. Some of the photographs of Bresson and Güler masters are examples. Magnum Photos brings together some of the best artists and some of the finest examples of this genre today. Painting and aesthetic knowledge is essential for this type. As in all types of photography, improving composition knowledge and skills are the results achieved by making photographing a reflex. Another feature of this genre is that it carries traces from the agenda of the period it was shot (war, disaster, massacre, hunger, sports, etc.) and tells this with poetic fiction.
Who do we call a street photographer?
A street photographer is someone who, at the end of the day, explores through the “photographs taken” and finds his or her main subject. But it should not be forgotten that this definition applies to photographers who are curious and want to use street photography to find their way to a larger and perhaps more important event, not photographers who wander among the subjects and just soak the sea’s lips from the events. They are informed daily.
3 types of street photographers
- People who are searching and street photography is only a part of their main activity.
- People who see street photography as a place to get to the end result early and like it to be achieved at the end of the day.
- Photographers who use their camera to capture one or more moments of the whole story of a day and believe that many photos should not be taken, but should be seen, heard and written more.
The importance of the subject of street photography in the social dimension
Glances walk, smiles, love affairs, and in a word, “life” is what needs to be narrated, like the paintings on the walls of the Lascaux, Altamira and Alexilo caves, to be preserved somewhere for the future so that our history and time will be remembered. The street photographer should not forget that the subject he is photographing is the most important in the world because it has been recorded most simply and straightforwardly possible.
In this style of photography, the subject is in sudden opposition to the camera and has not had the opportunity to change his inner self, either voluntarily or unconsciously. In other words, it can be said that a street photographer photographs his subjects in the most naked way possible, and this means capturing the most accurate images in the world!
Camera equipment for street photography
You should not show your tools and equipment to everyone with a large number of people, be invisible! Try smaller cameras This does not mean that you should not use a DSLR camera for this purpose. In the case of personal lenses, I use more than 50mm and 23mm prime lenses (on sensor crop cameras). Even before you raise your camera to take a picture. Have a small bag with you to put things like battery, phone, etc in it.
Staging in street photography
Examine the scene well and completely. The background is very important in this and how the light reaches the subjects. Make a kind of shooting stage, but do not try to press the shutter with any person who passes by. Wait a while for the best subjects to show themselves.
Important tips and techniques of street photography
Shoot from a distance. Do not do this until you are sure you can get close to the subject. Shoot street artists. These artists are used to the fact that their pictures are taken every day and they have no problem with that. But since this is their job, give them your money and then take your photo easily and patiently. Shine with ambient light and change your angle. Do not forget to try black and white photography. This will make some of the emotions in your image better.
Shooting behind windows can also challenge your creativity and create a sense of security in you. However, you are still tired of smiling and gaining personal satisfaction. Try to photograph people from behind. It is not a rule that your subject’s face is clear in the image. Do not forget the animals. When you see a dog or cat on the street with its owner, you will likely take a good street portrait with him, but do not forget that from an open and close angle. Take a photo.
