10 Common Street Photography Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
I am talking to those approached street photography recently
Street photography is all about snagging those fleeting moments of life on the fly. I am used to work using the instinct, you know the stream of consciousness. But hey, even the coolest cats with cameras make mistakes sometimes! Here's a heads-up on 10 common slip-ups to dodge and level up your street photography game:
Background Blues: Ever noticed a messy background distracting from your awesome subject? Fix: Keep an eye on what's behind your target. Look for clean lines or cool stuff that adds to the story. But take in mind that visual culture will help you to recognize tollerable distration elements.
Eyes on the Prize: Amazing photos can pop up out of nowhere. Fix: Be Sherlock Holmes on the streets! Stay alert and scan your surroundings for potential moments waiting to be captured. Be focused but don’t forget to enjoy the experience and smile!
Camera Clutch Fail: Ugh, the worst feeling is missing a shot because your camera's buried in your bag. Fix: Get in the habit of having your camera ready to rock. Practice whipping it out and framing a shot in a flash. I recommend you to use a wrist strap, so you will be able to photograph from any position and offering a different perspective. With a 28mm sometims it works fine to shoot from your belly but also above your head.
Blurry Misery: Slow shutter speed and shallow depth of field can leave you with blurry photos in a fast-moving world. Fix: Use a faster shutter speed to freeze the action. Tweak your aperture for more depth of field if needed. If you are used to work in aperture priority in order to have a faster shutter speed shooting wide open, f4 and not f8 works great. Remember to give priority to light. Photography needs light!
Gear Overload: Lugging around a giant camera bag can slow you down and make you stick out like a sore thumb. Fix: Grab a compact camera and a versatile prime lens for a sleeker approach. Pancake work great. Stop to think you need the more expensive gear. It is more important to work with a camera that is light and always ready.
Tourist Trap Snaps: There's more to life than downtown, you know? Fix: Explore hidden corners and seek out unique details in everyday scenes. Street Photography is often boring because street photographers tend to shoot always the same spots.
Click Fear: Don't let shyness hold you back! Fix: Start with candid shots using a smaller camera. Confidence builds with practice, so keep clicking! You don’t need to get close when you start. You should be able to manage frames working also from a certain distance. After you will be able to make good composition, you will see how you will change and getting closer, but shooting closer is not mandatory or something to make all the time. It is more important to have a good eye and filling the frame with elements that make sense.
Editing Overkill: Editing can polish your photos, but a great shot needs a strong foundation. Fix: Focus on good composition, lighting, and exposure when you take the photo. Editing becomes the finishing touch, not a magic fix. If street photography is first of all a way of learning, training and improving as a photographer, stop to repeat yourself that you will fix it (crop it) in post processing.
Copycat Captures: Don't chase other people's styles. Don’t look to much what the social media produces. Fix: Develop your own unique eye! What catches your attention on the streets? Why photography needs of your vision? What is different in your photography respect to others? To count with a mentor sometimes is a life changer.
Don’t think of street photography rules: Don't go out thinking to respect any rule. You make the rules, and of course, the streets impose their own rules. Fix: Be mindful of personal space, but step closer for a more intimate composition. If the case required ask permission for a street portrait, don’t be afraid to interact. Your presence as a photographer needs to be clear on the street. Without being flashy or rude, and please don’t think about being a ninja because that is one of the worst things to do, acting like an attacker will cause only problems.
By avoiding these stumbles and hitting the streets often, you'll be well on your way to capturing incredible street photographs that truly pop!
