Beyond the Snapshot: Psychological & Meditative Techniques for Street Photography
There are several approaches to Street Photography we can consider.
Mindfulness:
To be there: Practice mindfulness to be fully engaged in the moment as you walk the streets. Notice the sights, sounds, and energy around you, allowing for unexpected and candid moments to unfold. Be receptive through an open mind. Don’t think for labels and only focus in the place where you are.
Detached Observation: Develop a sense of detached observation. Become an observer of the scene without judgment, allowing emotions and stories to unfold naturally within the frame.
Focus and Attention:
Non-judgmental Awareness: Train yourself to see the world without preconceived notions. Approach each scene with fresh eyes, open to capturing the beauty and stories unfolding before you. Be like a kid, observe the world around you with the eyes of a child.
Selective Attention: Practice focusing your attention on specific elements or interactions. You will become hyperaware of potential frames and anticipate the moment.
Flow State:
Zen and the Art of Street Photography: Similar to a meditative state, strive for a flow state. Become fully immersed in the act of capturing street life, where time seems to slow down and your intuition guides your compositions. This will lead you to pre-visualize a scene.
Emotional Intelligence:
Empathy and Compassion: Develop your emotional intelligence to connect with the subjects and stories on the street. Capture moments that evoke emotions or social commentary, fostering a deeper connection with viewers. Be focused and you will capture iconic scenes.
Pay attention to how your emotions influence your perception of the world when walking around, and how that translates to your street photography. Let your inner world and your perception of the external environment merge to create captivating images that capture the essence of life on the streets.
Stream of Consciousness:
Description: This concept refers to the continuous flow of thoughts, feelings, and sensations that make up our conscious experience. It's like a mental river with ever-changing currents.
Application: In street photography, we can use this concept to capture the raw and unfiltered energy of the street. Embrace the unpredictable nature of the stream of consciousness and be open to capturing fleeting moments, emotions, and juxtapositions that arise spontaneously. Don't overthink the composition – let your intuition guide you and capture what resonates in the present moment.
Gestalt Psychology:
Description: Gestalt psychology focuses on how we perceive the whole rather than the sum of its parts. It emphasizes how our brains organize sensory information into meaningful patterns.
Application: In street photography, we can use Gestalt principles to create visually compelling compositions. Look for elements that create a sense of balance, tension, or closure within the frame. Utilize leading lines, negative space, or contrasting elements to guide the viewer's eye and focus on the essence of the scene. By understanding how people perceive visual information, you can create photographs that have a strong visual impact.
Don't think that these last two concepts contradict each other. In reality, through an in-depth study of Gestalt psychology we will see how this is metabolised and incorporated in a natural way within our vision, allowing us to then act instinctively with our camera. Street Photography is an activity where psychology knowledge is crucial. I propose you other approaches:
Social Psychology:
The Bystander Effect: This phenomenon describes how people are less likely to intervene in an emergency when there are more witnesses. In street photography, you can use this to capture moments of social indifference or highlight the importance of individual action.
Social Norms and Conformity: Look for situations where people conform to social norms or deviate from them. Capture interactions that showcase cultural practices, group dynamics, or expressions of individuality.
Perception and Attention:
Selective Perception: Our brains filter information based on expectations and experiences. Use this to explore how different people might perceive the same scene on the street. Capture elements that surprise or challenge the viewer's perspective.
Habituation: We tend to tune out repetitive stimuli. Look for moments that break the monotony of a street scene. Capture something unexpected, humorous, or visually jarring to grab the viewer's attention.
Cognitive Psychology:
Framing: The way we frame a scene influences how viewers interpret it. Experiment with different angles, perspectives, and cropping to emphasize specific emotions or narratives within the frame.
Cognitive Biases: We all have cognitive biases that influence our perception. Be aware of your own biases and how they might affect your street photography. Alternatively, you can use these biases to your advantage by framing scenes to evoke specific reactions from the viewer.
Take in mind: psychology is a vast field. We can apply some aspects to street photography because street photography is like writing, where humanity enters in a preponderant way.
As a photocoach, I believe the magic lies not just in capturing moments, but in harnessing the power of human psychology to elevate our storytelling. During my workshops I saw that there is always a before and after after having acquired a certain consciousness. What I have shared in this post is just an introduction to the techniques that I adopt, as a photography instructor, based on models that I create from time to time, through the construction of the personal profile of the photographer who will participate in one of my experiences.
