Why Zone Focusing is the real way to go for Street Photography
Photography can be done in a lot of different ways. But when it comes to street photography, guys, I really only recommend one way. And here I will explain why.
Nice shot, right? Also quite complex to observe. Certainly it is not of those photos that you can fully appreciate on instagram.
And I know that so far I have told you that I was using my Canon M200 in shutter speed priority, but there is no race with the experience to photograph using the zone focusing technique. For the ones who don't know what zone focusing is yet:
Zone focusing is the act of turning your camera to manual focus and choosing a set distance away to be in focus. This is a system allowing you to focus manually without having to re-focus any shot. you just set your lens at a predetermined distance and then simply shoot away. A simple and very fast technique which transforms the way you shoot making you able you to react to an unfolding scene instantly. In the jargon of us street photographers it is used to say: get in the zone.
When I use this technique with my digital cameras I remain at no less than 1/250 sec., the aperture will be not less than f8 and ranging from f8 to f16, depending by the light. I keep ISO AUTO because when it comes to Street Photography is virtually impossible to think to change that parameter everytime. When we use film cameras ISO is fixed based on the roll you choose, in digital it helps a lot to set this in AUTO.
Zone focusing technique takes your street photography to the next level. Guys, you have to consider the history of this genre is made by photos realized without autofocus. In my opinion Zone Focusing technique is a winning choice for several reasons and I want to say them to you:
The camera becomes very quick with with a more immediate shot without shutter lag
When you master this technique you will get your subject really in focus effortlessly
Of course this also exposes you to failure but you learn to consider it part of the game
You are constantly photographing in an active way
On an aesthetic level, your photographs will acquire a greater organicity, much closer to the results you get with a film camera
This way you control the layers within the image more for more creative photography, for example blurred element on the foreground
Despite Canon M200 is certainly a camera not really thought for manual exposure the focus peak feature allows me to work easily, even with a pancake without a distance focus scale. Usually I focus my feet and I know that a certain distance, let’s see 1 meter, i will have the subject in fron of me in focus. The focus peak feature will color some parts in the frame in red and that is the indicator you have them in focus. Easy, no?
Clearly I don’t have all the images perfectly in focus (anyway also with AF you are not completely sure). This can be caused by miscalculation or poor concentration but the difference in results is considerable. Even in terms of fun there is no comparison. A perfectly sharp photo taken with this technique gives you absolutely different levels of satisfaction than shooting with autofocus. So let’s see some images made yesterday:
On THE STREET PHOTOGRAPHY CHANNEL I published also a video dedicated to the photos made yesterday and the art of zone focus:
I really hope you enjoyed this post, guys. And I would know from you. Are you using this technique for your street photography? Never tried or you prefer to go AF? And in the last case, why?
