Defining Street Photography
Street photography is a broad and dynamic genre of photography that captures the heart of urban environments showcasing the diversity of urban life. There are many different styles and approaches to street photography and at it's essence street photography is candid shots of people in a public or semi public environment.
There are many different styles of street photography that can be included within this definition Some of these include:
The Walk By
The walk by is most often used by street photographers who do the fishing approach where you'll find a composition and then wait for the right person to walk by the background. I don't often do these types of shots since I don't have the patience to wait for 20, 30, 60 minutes or longer to get the perfect scene.
I saw this bright yellow wall and in the distance I saw the woman with the matching jacket so I set up and waited for the juxtaposition.
Silhouettes
Another popular style of street photography is the use of silhouettes, shapes, and shadows. You're showing the human element without identifying the person in the photo. This is another style that I don't often do.
The silhouette shows the man and the shopping bags tell us what he's been doing.
Emotional Moments
Showcasing an emotional moment whether it's Joy or Sadness captures humanity and will appeal to the viewer.
A tender moment between sisters and angry protesters at a pride parade are two opposite examples of emotional photographs.
Action
Catching people doing something exciting or unusual makes for great street photography. Catching the shot mid-action tells a whole story in one shot. This kind of shot will be more forgiving of poor composition or a lack of sharpness, but you should still aim to get the best shot you can.
Action can be dramatic or it can be as simple as this image of two men carrying a large and heavy pot across Nathan Philips Square in Toronto.
Quirky and/or Amusing
Quirky and/or amusing shots often rely on juxtaposition, good composition, and a little luck. The luck is mostly in being at the right place and the right time.
Luck with these is mostly being in the right place and right time. To increase your odds of getting quirky and funny shots, go out shooting as often as possible.
Not Just in the City
Street photography can be done anywhere people are in public spaces. Those spaces could include the beach or indoors at a shopping mall. When shooting at indoor public places be aware that they are most often privately owned and if you are asked to stop taking pictures by a security guard or other representative of the location you should. Private property means private rules.
As I clicked the shutter the man turned around and looked right at the camera. I was happy with the scene before he turned around, but feel that the eye contact and action here improve the shot.
Are People Required in Street Photography?
This is still up for debate in street photography online groups. Under the broad definition of street photography, people are not necessarily required, but including people tends to make street photography more impactful to the average viewer. It comes down to personal preference, and mine is to include people, or the suggestion of people, in my street photography.
A suggestion of humans could be a silhouette, Or something that shows that people are around or impacted the environment in some way. Essentially a hint of humanity that reminds the viewer that people are around.
A photo of a skyline or an empty street, in my opinion, is not street photography but rather urban landscape. Once again this is my person opinion on what is essential to street photography.
Are Street Photos Required to be Candid?
Once again not everyone agrees. Some photographers will say that only photos taken where the subject is not aware of camera are true street images. I, however, do not feel that it is required for a photo to be considered street photography.
When you take photos of buskers and other street performers they are aware of your camera and are obviously not candid. We can also include street portraits where you talk to your subject before taking their shot and even pose them.
I took several street portraits of this gentleman all decked out for Canada Day 2023. None of the shots were candid.
Conclusion
To sum up street photography is taking photos, usually candid, of people in public places. Street photography is a broad genre with many different styles to choose from. I like to shoto all styles of street photography but lean more towards action shots and shots with emotion in them.
What is your preferred style?