7 Tips for Getting Over the Fear of Street Photography
It's a rite of passage for beginner street photographers to be afraid to take photos of strangers in public. It's a natural feeling to be worried about a stranger getting angry or upset that you took their photo without permission.
We're out taking photos and that should be something that is fun to do. In many jurisdictions around the world it is perfectly legal to take pictures of people in public. There is no expectation of privacy.
Plan your response if you are ever confronted
I've been doing street photography for over eight years and have only been confronted twice in all that time. It's a natural fear that people will get upset and confront you when you take photos of them in public. But confrontation rarely happens.
If you encounter the 'Why are you taking my picture moment?' ... If you're honest about what interests you about them - their appearance or what they may be doing - they will usually be more open to having been photographed.
The best approach when this happens is to just tell them the truth about why you took the shot. It could something such as "I like your style" or I enjoyed watching the activity you were engaged in.Â
Both times I was approached after by people I had taken photos of I briefly explained what I was doing and then continued on with my day as did they.
Visit locations with lots of tourists
Visiting touristy locations is perfect for street photographers of all skill levels. There is lots to shoot and everyone expects people to be taking photos. When I am traveling I am of course visiting tourist locations. But I don't only take photos of the destination I take photos of other tourists such as this shot I got inside The Lourve in Paris.
Taking a shot of the Mona Lisa, boring. Taking a shot of someone else getting a selfie of the Mona Lisa, priceless
Tourists getting a shot of the Eiffel Tower from a top of the Arc de Triomphe
Everyone gets the same shots of iconic locations. By intentionally including tourists in your shot you can get a unique more memorable photo instead of the cliche shot.
Take photos of buskers, street performers, and public events
Buskers, street performers and public events provide lots of opportunities for the keen eye of the street photographer. Not only are there many interesting scenes to shoot, but these people often expect to be photographed so there is effectively zero chance that anyone will be upset  when you point your camera at them.
Additionally you can take your time and focus more on composition or waiting for the best moment to get the shot. Work the scene and look for different angles and compositions which is something that you don't often have the opportunity to do during street photography.
Toronto's spider-man posing for the camera - he can often be found at Yonge & Dundas or other street festivals
Street magician posing for my camera
Most people won't even notice
When you are walking through the streets most people will not notice you taking their photo. This is especially true if you don't move  your camera up to your eye every time you take a shot.Â
The key here is to have your camera pointing strait ahead and hold it close to your body. If you have a manual lens you can use zone focusing to know exactly when your subject will be in focus and take the shot at that time.
Another thing to do is to look past your subject.
Use a small camera and lens
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Shoot from the hip or don't
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Practice Street Portraiture
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