Your travels, whether to a nearby town for the day, a weekend getaway or a trip to Paris, are perfect opportunities for taking creative, unique photographs.
I invite you to stay away from postcard-style pictures of landmarks and monuments and the full smile, stiff poses in front of them. Instead, think of your photography as capturing the story of your journey and the finer details that you notice all around you. Think of street photography as taking photos of how you yourself perceive the environment. What are you drawn to? What moves you?
You can learn a lot about yourself as well as a particular place, as you explore this type of photography, discovering the beauty of everyday life and the beauty in you.
Pair down to absolute essentials. I generally take one telephoto zoom lens that provides versatility—I bring my 15–85mm f/3.5–5.6 lens. It has wide-angle capability, as well as the ability to create shallow DOF. The wide-angle capability is perfect for taking photos of architecture.
If you are going to be out and about photographing over a long period of time, it might be a good idea to invest in a comfy, sturdy neckstrap to help prevent neck and shoulder pain, especially if you have a weighty lens. You also might want a waterproof camera bag and a special DSLR rainsleeve to protect your camera from the elements.
Plant yourself at a cafe table, street corner or a bustling local spot like a farmer’s market, and watch people at work and play. Observe as they communicate with one another and photograph these connections and exchanges. The subjects are so involved with what they are doing and one another, chances are you can remain invisible.
Seek expressions of love, passion, sadness, joy, etc.
Neighborhood basketball games, craft fairs, carnivals, flea markets or yard sales are all prime spots. Capture street performers entertaining a crowd, people picnicking and playing at a public park or runners and spectators at a 5K race.
Consider photographing an interesting part of someone’s body. Maybe a leg covered in an artful tattoo, a picture of braided hair or dreads going down their back, or a couple’s hands intertwined together as they stroll down the street.
Photograph people at an angle, from behind, from an elevation looking down or from the bottom of a hill looking up. Place your camera on the ground and photograph the feet and legs of passersby. We are always looking at things in front of us—why not turn around and see what’s behind you that might be worthy of a shot?
Even light is the easiest to work with and works well for street photography when you need to snap pictures quickly, without much thought to settings. Look for overcast light, front lighting (although flat, casts a nice even light during the golden hours) and shady spots without dappled light. Also consider composition/framing (a Rules of Composition Toolkit is included in the e-companion to this book. Visit CreateMixedMedia.com/artofeverydayphotography to learn more).
Remember to take some selfie portraits and photos of the folks you are traveling with. Look for unique settings for your portraits: a window seat in a coffee shop (capture a friend gazing out the window) or through a frame of tree branches. Photograph your loved one window-shopping or indulging in a treat, trying on clothes or costumes or toasting over a meal.
What’s underfoot? Maybe cobblestone, reflections in puddles, fallen leaves. Look for the remnants, the discards and found objects; it doesn’t always have to be pretty, just real. Have a friend with rooftop access? An excellent vantage point for photos. If not, use the parking garage top floor or hotel rooftop lounge/restaurant, or go to the public observatory of an historic building.
Market stalls, bakery displays, flea market wares, the food and drink you eat, parked bicycles, flowers in a vase at dinner, chandeliers, candles, street debris, restaurant interiors, signs … to give you some ideas.
Window-shop looking for fascinating reflections of yourself, your companions, architecture behind you, trees, lampposts, etc. Once you find an appealing one, try framing the photograph from an angle where the reflection melds nicely with the elements in the window.
Public gardens, window boxes, trees, flowers for sale, all make terrific subject matter. In urban settings, fauna may be more sparse, but don’t overlook hidden gems.
Look for interesting shapes, patterns and unique juxtapositions. Power lines, especially ones that serve large populations, can be a lot of fun to photograph.
Antique entrances in particular have such character. And the viewer is led to wonder what is behind the door.
Still-life scenes of objects, like a plate of food, often look best when taken up close with shallow DOF (try f/4 or wider).
Use the Portrait Scene mode, where the camera chooses a wide aperture setting to blur the background.
In Aperture Priority mode or Manual mode, choose a wider aperture.
My longtime friend and talented photographer, Susanna Gordon, always has fantastic ideas when it comes to shooting creatively. We’ve been on several photowalks together, and I have learned a lot about what to photograph by observing her.
“Sometimes it’s easy to be inspired by what we see in the world, particularly while traveling or participating in a special event. At other times, however, it can be challenging. I’ve had days where I’ve walked through the city for hours, only taking ten images, none of which I liked later.
“A helpful tip for “photo block” is to look for themes like interesting fashions, window displays, reflections or shadows.”
“You’ll have more images to choose from later and the odds are that one of the images will be spot-on sharp.” —Susanna
“Rather, delete after you’ve uploaded your images onto your computer. Shots you might have deleted could end up being your favorites.” —Susanna
To be inconspicuous is not as tricky as you might think. A long lens is your friend, as it allows you to shoot from a distance. Do not look at the subject, but pretend to be taking pictures of something behind them or in their vicinity. If they are not looking at you, chances are you can safely get the shot without being noticed. Also, if the subject is engaged in an activity, their focus will be on their task instead of you—perfect opportunity for a great candid!
A smartphone is your best bet for street photography candids. Folks think you are texting, checking your e-mail or surfing the Net. They have no idea you are taking street photos of them. And be sure to turn off your phone’s sound to ensure invisibility.
Look for signs or colorful graffiti to capture as you explore a city. Susanna Gordon took this shot in Toronto, near her home, using a wide-angle focal length to ensure she captured all significant parts of the scene. 18–135mm f/3.5–5.6 lens at 18mm, ISO 400, f/5.6 for 1⁄250 sec.
A wide-angle lens/focal length allows you to capture the full breadth of an architectural structure. In this shot, the short focal length gives a wide angle of view in addition to an almost fisheye-lens-type of warped appearance. 15–85mm f/3.5–5.6 lens at 17mm, ISO 200, f/10 for 1⁄160 sec.
Some travels are all about the scenic drive. Don’t forget to bring your camera along and pull over often to capture the beauty along the way. 15–85mm f/3.5–5.6 lens at 17mm, ISO 200, f/5.6 for 1⁄100 sec.
“There was something timeless about this scene. Not in the clothes she wore but in the way she stood. Graceful. Honestly, I didn’t worry about the technical setup as I had to be quick—the subway train was coming!” —Susanna Gordon. 18–135mm f/3.5–5.6 lens at 75mm, ISO 1600, f/5.3 for 1⁄20 sec.
I wanted to remember this special date with my honey, indulging on oysters and a bottle of French wine. The reflective glass and candlelight made the image special, and the incredibly high ISO (go with the grain!) allowed me to get this indoor, very low-light shot handheld without a flash (evidence of my ability to hold very still). 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 lens at 15mm, ISO 2500, f/4 for 1⁄20 sec. with image stabilization.