Take a photo of location. A cool spot with great shadows and great textures and where people maaaay just so be happening to walk through

Agreed. This seems more like what street photography should be anyway. Sometimes people treat it like candid fashion photography or something

Sometimes when I see "street photography" as random snaps of people walking down an urban street, I feel kinda weird. Those photos and that style of shooting just isn't for me.

I know it exploded when DRTV was running. It made sense for them... it was camera reviews in a really dense and vibrant location. They could take a lot of photos in various conditions that were interesting to look at. It wasn't high art, but it filled their needs really well. Then everyone list their minds and decided it was the only type of photography that mattered.

I’ve seen some street photography done ambush style on YouTube and you should definitely NOT do that kind!!

Gate keeping an art form isn’t it. Street photography at its core is documenting people and the effects of people interacting and moving through public places. Your narrow view of what street photography should or shouldn’t be is impertinent.

+1 The vast majority of this genre seems so mundane and literally pointless. Uninteresting woman walking along a street? Old people talking? Would somebody really want to hang that on their wall?

I think there are so many people stuck in the YouTube/Insta trends that they don't stop to think WHY they are taking that photo... Just it's what this photographer they follow does. You have the people taking random photos of people walking around doing nothing. Then you have people sitting around for 10 minutes getting frustrated that people are walking into 'their' shot.

Simple solution - just live your life without doing street photography. It's not required to be a photographer. If it feels off to you - or you don't see anything or feel a deep desire to do it, the don't. Simple as that really.

Agreed! It is not necessary. I like diving into other genres of photography to find out what I really enjoy. Street is not for everyone, and that is totally ok!

Street photographer here. This is the answer.

But what if Street Photography does speak to you and you are drawn to it?

There's a lot of youtube videos about how to be/feel less awkward, I'd recommend perusing some of those. Some things I've learned through friends, instructional stuff, and experience: * **Don't make eye contact** - look past the person, act like they don't exist. People will assume you're taking a photo of something else. * **Don't move suddenly** - the human eye is very adept at detecting movement—especially in its periphery—so even though you might look weird, keeping your camera up to your eye is less noticeable than quickly bringing your camera up to your eye. Lately I've been wearing my sling around my front and resting my camera on it. My camera's screen doesn't articulate so I have to just hope I get the shot, but I can walk along and shoot and most people don't notice at all. * **Define your own code of ethics** - figure out what your own code is, and follow it with confidence. People can smell a guilty conscience and if you're sure of the morality of your actions your body language will be different. For me it's basically: 1) Avoid making people uncomfortable—so, where possible be invisible 2) don't take pictures of vulnerable people or people in a vulnerable position—this includes kids, people in distress, etc. 3) always try to make people look interesting or beautiful—not silly or ugly. I can't be sure that no one will have a problem with me taking their photo, but I can be sure that I have good motives and that I'm not a threat to them, which allows me to behave and react in a less suspicious/threatening manner. I've found that asking interesting people if you can take their photo is helpful too - maybe a third to half may say no, but when people are into it, it feels empowering. Good luck!

I'll add on a few tips, as I've been really trying to dive deeper into street photography these last couple years: - **Experiment!** - Sometimes I use a little Ricoh GR camera, because it's small and not very noticeable. But sometimes using a tiny camera makes me feel "sneaky." And if I am acting sneaky, people tend to act more suspicious. Sometimes using my ILC camera actually feels more natural, because I'm not trying to hide it as much. - **Shoot from the hip** - If you're not comfortable pointing a camera at someone, try shooting from the hip. All different ways you can do this - some people even hang the camera around their neck and use their camera app. The only thing is that hip shots look like hip shots. Sometimes it works - sometimes you really do need to lift the camera up. - **Parades...** - are a great place to practice! People at parades often WANT to be photographed. Try walking up to a few and asking to take their photo. As you get more comfortable, you'll be able to use gestures, or just stop worrying about people getting upset. Also, the advice on sudden movements is solid. I try to keep myself from dropping my arms to my sides with my camera - I always try to hold it at least at waist-level, so I'm never "raising the camera." Similarly, I try to avoid turning my Ricoh off, so the lens doesn't retract.

then get out every day. start with your hood. go to the same corner every day at the same time. or the same coffee shop and hang outside. let people know who you are. have your camera with you. over time, people will ignore you and you too will feel okay with pointing your camera around. I like the "idea" of street shooting, but as someone who shoots "street style" (whatever that is) at weddings - it's weird to me. Because at a wedding, it's expected that someone is going to be there with a camera, but on the street, although we all take photos of almost everything on our phones, there is still something intrusive and invasive about someone with a proper camera taking a shot of us.

This! While I do the occasional street stuff it requires a certain mindset and you have to be confident with people. Sometimes I’m in the mood for it. But i prefer the solace of a seascape or the calmness of an early morning landscape. Alternative - use a long zoom lens 😂

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A longer prime. I love the compact Sigma 56mm f1.4 on my Fujifilm XT5. It has this great cinematic compression. F1.4 means you can shoot quite a distance and still get some bokeh. The problem is you have to be more accurate with your framing. Having said that, you are a safe distance and the lens is sharp on a 40mpxl sensor. Also learn to shoot fast. Before they notice, your on another shot.

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There are all different kinds of street photography. For example, street portraits will often use longer lenses and wider apertures. More "traditional" street photography usually uses wide-normal lenses (e.g. 28mm/35mm, sometimes 50mm) and f/4 - f/8... but it all depends. Is it gloomy? Rainy? Dusk? Night time?

Yeah often shoot at f8... But there are no rules really. If you're fast you can lock on and get a shot from a distance. Late night Paris streets at 1.4 are magical IMHO.

Yep, I have gravitated towards doing a lot of landscape stuff. I like that photography gives me a reason to go out and visit places I might not otherwise and I like that feeling of being on my own and setting up the perfect shot

I think it depends on what your subject is. Are you primarily shooting a heavily trafficked or communal space and people are inevitably going to be in the frame? Or are you trying to capture people/fashion and the way you find those subjects is to shoot in public space?

This. And also, a lot of street photography is done in busy cities like New York where there's an insane amount of people passing through everywhere. I personally fully expect to be captured without my knowledge when I'm out in a city like NYC. Either in the background of some random tourist's photo, or someone's IG pic/story, or people filming TikToks in the street, or even camera crews shooting something... Etc. It doesn't feel invasive when I notice a camera pointed at me there, even if I am obviously the subject. I'd assume they're trying to capture moments in the city. But if someone were to point a camera at me in my hometown, I'd walk up to them and ask them to see it and what they're going to do with it. And honestly expect them to approach me first to ask for permission, that's happened to me before.

I work near a touristy area of London, I often joke that I’m probably in the background of thousands of pictures

Very good point. There's a huge difference between busy city and small town street photography. Both may be legal, but one is certainly more transgressive than the other due to differences in social conventions.

If it feels wrong dont do it. I myself have long periods where I am not feeling like going for it. And then some long periods where I dont care and go for it. There are plenty other things to photograph than people.

Coming from a country with a similar mentality, I completely understand your frustrations. There is a lot of good advice in the comment section already, but here’s what worked for me: 1. Don’t photograph people, photograph scenes. It’s not very likely — especially if you don’t live in the centre of Stockholm — that you’re gonna find an interesting enough stranger. It is, however, likely that you’ll find a scene that could be enhanced by a presence of a person. 2. Sort of a continuation of previous bit of advice — don’t get too close to people. Not focusing on a person allows you to be farther from them, and thus not shove the camera in their face. Don’t buy a 200mm lens though — those would definitely be frowned upon outside of wildlife and sports. Someone like Pentti Sammalahti is a good example of street-esque photography from further away. 3. Don’t try and be sneaky. You’re already carrying a camera — people are gonna notice you. What I often do is find a location, pull out my camera, focus, and wait (edit: for someone to enter the frame). People are aware you’re taking a photo — but you sort of communicate that you’re not interested in them specifically. 4. Shoot street of your friends! After a while, they get used to you always carrying a camera, and you get a ton of candid shots.

/thread

I think others already said but yeah you have 5 options: 1: Don't do it if you don't feel comfortable. 2: Force yourself to do it, this is how you can make progress and get more confident over time * A: Ask people if you can take photos * B: Don't ask people, just do it 3: Shoot something else, buildings, wide angle stuffs which might include people 4: Try to pretend you are shooting something else, someone will walk into your photo by accident and you happen to press the shutter when they walk into your photo. 5: Get a telephoto lens and shoot from the distance I am also trying to force myself to do some of these combinations, yeah it can be hard especially if you are an introvert :)

Yeah I agree with you, it's why I never have done any street photography. I stick to landscapes and wildlife. The only time I ever photograph strangers is if they're in a boat in the distance.

It is awkward, and 90% of ‘street’ photos are untinteresting sneaky photos of people on crosswalks. I don’t get the appeal tbh. If you feel weird about it, that’s completely normal, because it is weird. You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to.

That’s just because most people are bad at it. I get the feeling that a lot of middle class people just want to be doing something with the word “street” in it and think it’s cool. But they don’t have the character or creativity to do it well so long focal length shots of people’s back it is.

This is how it feels to me as well. Just random pics of people devoid of any context or interesting framing whatsoever.

Do agree a lot of “street” photography is this, I don’t care about close up portraits of random people on the street. However, I really do like something like [this.](https://i.imgur.com/DX2AUyT.jpeg) Where there is a human subject in the composition, but they are not the only part of the composition. I think it really does add to the photo, and is much less awkward to shoot. So my suggestion to OP, focus on finding good interesting compositions without people, then wait until someone walks into it. Make people part of the composition, not the entire composition.

I don’t think that’s a bad photo but it is pretty trite. There are thousands of photos just like it. There’s no surprise, unexpected element, story, tension, etc. In order to get away with pure aesthetic merit being the only factor in an image’s worth, they need to be jaw droppingly gorgeous. Otherwise there needs to be some kind of story or message. Basically, that’s a photo that you look at and say “hm, nice.” And move on

Fair enough, I often feel that way too but sometimes it's just fun to shoot visually pleasing compositions with the human element in them. I often like to play around with the white balance to create a mood so it's not _only_ a pretty picture. Take a look at my last post for example, does that do something for you? To conclude, I agree with your viewpoint but at the same time the fact that something's already been done can be said for almost anything that's being shot nowadays. Does that mean these photos are somehow less valid? I'd love to see some of the stuff you like for inspiration!

Oh I know it’s fun—I do it too. I have fun in the act of composing but afterwards when looking at my photos I’ll think “I mean it’s alright…. I didn’t really do anything special though”. I’m extremely critical and that extends to other photographers AND my own photos. I’ve shot probably twenty five thousand photos since I started with a cheap dslr at 13 (I’m 23) and I have about 30 that I think are actually good. Most of the early ones were trash but as of now I am satisfied with probably 1-2/500. Looking at your post, slides 3, 5, and 6 are good. Actually good. Not just because they’re all blue. Some people like that style and some people don’t—I think it can be great and I think it can be shit. But 6 especially is be something I’d be interested in seeing printed very large in a gallery. The rain and haze make it. 3 and 5 are good too, 3 inferring a juxtaposition between the man and the looming corporate tower. But both 3 and 5 have just a bit too much sky that’s throws off the balance a little. I love the swooping glass curve in 5 but there’s just too much sky that takes your eye away. Sometimes I have a problem with “forcing” a photo—where even while I’m in the process of composing or trial-and-erroring I can tell it isn’t truly worth it, but I’ll still feeling compelled to take it—or after the fact, holding onto it for what I WANT it to be rather than what it actually is. I’ve recently been compiling a list of my favorite photographers based on all my disparate notes and bookmarks and things. I’m not done but here’s what I have so far. In my opinion every one of these photographers is truly exceptional for various reasons. Landscape, street, fine art, documentary, portrait… * Sam Abell * Nobuyuki Kobayashi * Toshio Shibata * Rinko Kawauchi * Chloe Dewe Mathews * Jonas Bendiksen * Alec Soth * Awoiska Van Der Molen * Sally Mann * Nick Brandt * Alice Q Hargrave * Simon Norfolk * Andreas Gursky * Pieter Hugo * Fan Ho I had a review session with Jonas Bendiksen when I was 20–one of the most valuable experiences I’ve ever had—and he said that I have a truly good eye but I need to focus on story and cohesion and quit relying on exoticism. I agree one hundred percent. I still need to get better visually but that’s not my weakness The barrier keeping me on a lower plane than my idols is story and cohesion—I haven’t found a cohesive theme for a body of work. That’s changing recently and I have some ideas for projects cooking up. I can DM with you if you want if this is too much for a comment thread lol

Very interesting, I've never heard of these photographers aside from Sam Abell and even then the first time I've heard of him was during the X100VI's release. Sure send me a DM, would like to some some of your work too

>Basically, that’s a photo that you look at and say “hm, nice.” And move on What's wrong with that? I'm still at the point where I struggle to even take photos that do that, I feel.

Yeah that’s fair! Mark Fearnley is definitely a better example of what I was talking about, he finds the coolest fucking spots

I guess it can be hard for everything to come together naturally in a street setting, so that you have a photo with good composition and a good meaningful story. I wonder how many walks and sessions it took for the photographers of old to get their great works done. These days the social media grind requires you to be posting constantly to maintain engagement, so every walk has to produce. The standard has to be shifted lower. There's also definitely merit to images that just depict city life, even if they may not be as unique or groundbreaking. I see a lot of street photography content that's great at capturing a "vibe" even if the images don't necessarily tell a poignant story.

That’s nearly all street photos to me. Might as well stick a GoPro on your chest and take screen grabs when you get home. I much prefer street images with a compositional bias, like Schaller or Fearnley but I think a lot of street purists would call that architecture.

I can't stand those photos

That's because 99% of street shot in the last twenty years is between bad and awful. Good street photography actually has rules. There is depth and context and composition and it is not edited after the fact, it's all done in camera. The majority of what people call street photography today isn't street. it was just shot on a street.

Street photography was also supposed to have a point. Scoping out interesting people that have a tie in to the unique qualities of a specific place, and documenting it with exceptional composition, timing, and use of light. Think Joel Meyerowitz. All those things have to be present in order to be truly great street photography. There’s a reason it’s quite possibly the hardest discipline of photography. Almost nobody can make it work in a truly emotional way.

I can see this but devoiding it all to street photography is crazy. A lot of it is important. Not talking about just the guys that shove a camera to the face with flash, in talking daily life of the current period. Especially if they put the work physically. Without it we would only get what’s on social media and that’s becoming more and more vague. Digital dark age with so much information that soon people from 2010 could just bring up photos of someone emulating fashion from 2010, or photos from 2010 could be social media posts from then with a super heavy degraded jpeg. Just how I view it. Although I agree sometimes it’s just meh shock photo.

/r/walkingpastwalls

Lmao that sub is great. Had no idea. s t r e e t s c e n e s

Haha. It looks abandoned now, but it used to be active.

That’s bad photography, street is my favorite genre, look for interesting photographers.

Try street photography with a loud ass 80’s film camera. That will make street photography like a recon mission. Source: I took my loud ass Contax camera around Tokyo today for some night time cherry blossom shots and it was a symphony of film advancement mechanisms

Walked around tokyo and learned how to ask ”Can I take a photo of you?” In japanese, and got quite nice results. Many people were quite surprised and looked genuinely happy about the interaction, and it was really enjoyable for me as well :) This feels much easier abroad for me and havent tried the same in Finland (quite the same reasons as OP in Sweden). One tip is going for people that are either dressed really well or out there in some way as I feel they are often more open to it than your average joe.

You can always ask if you can take their photo. Won’t be as candid but it works.

Just get a 600mm lens, you will be just a little dot in the distance ;)

Walking in the street with a super tele lens sounds fun :)

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That was definitely a factor in this incident: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_12,_2007,_Baghdad_airstrike

I have done that with my Sigma 60-600, need strong arms though.

I live in a small ish city in Norway and feel the same way, i take some pictures of the streets when i travel, but i usually try not to focus on people. I just realized that its not for me, i dont like when my personal space is invaded, so i hate doing it to other people, even if they dont care. So i just look at street photography, maybe take a couple pictures here and there while i travel, and other than that i do landscapes.

I feel very strange even just though residential neighborhoods and streets with a fairly noticeable camera. Not to mention using the viewfinder. I understand that this is my problem. Walking with friends helps to overcome this and feel more comfortable. I'm not a big fan of the typical majority of street photos, especially of random people. Don't find it interesting or beautiful, to do something like this successfully, in my opinion, you need a lot of talent and experience, in other words, it's not exactly where you should start. So I can advise you to: 1. Go out with your friends 2. Pick easier targets for a start: interesting architecture, cars, nature, flowers, landscapes, and blah blah blah. Whatever you like 3. Ask for permission. If you see something interesting, someone's dog, a car, or a beautiful girl, it's worth improve your socialising skills. Approach and say, for example, "I really like your dog, it's so cute, can I take a picture?" You can even make a separate email and give it to the person in case they want to get a nice picture of themselves 4. Go to public places, horse racing, car meets, take a friend with a dog and go to the dog park, (just to give you an example)

I'm surprised you're the first person I've seen in this thread to mention going out with friends. Seems like the easiest way to not feel uncomfortable. If you're alone and trying to be sneaky then no wonder you start to feel uncomfortable.

Great honest post. Been shooting for 20 years and over that span of time, people show up in my frames less and less. I don’t want to ask people, I don’t want to invade privacy and I seek solitude so much that only the spaces that don’t have people in them, interest me. If you want to challenge yourself to be more outgoing with asking people or shooting people, by all means, go for it. But people are captured on camera so much these days, the old saying of people seek their 15 minutes of fame, anymore it’s like 15 minutes of privacy.

There's more to street photography than just taking photos of strangers. Not sure why people here are saying don't take photos of people point blank...that kind of negates a lot of existing street photography (unless, ofc, there's a law that prohibits photographing the public). Alternatives *are* asking for permission, trying to take photos of other subjects (ie. buildings, interesting lighting/shadows, etc.), or trying a different category of photography. FWIW, eventually you can also kind of get used to it. I won't photograph children, the homeless, or anything that might paint a stranger in an 'unflattering' way. Or I shoot photos with people at side angles or from behind so their face isn't actually in view. There will always be a battle of ethics and morality. Edit: spelling/grammar x2... noticed I was missing 'be' in the last sentence rip

To add to the topic of street photography ethics: If you're taking a photo of a street performer, throw them a dollar. It's only fair!

Good point!! If only I was in the big city enough to see buskers haha

I really hate this notion of “street photography is taking pictures of people passing by and that’s it”. There’s so much more to it but it seems like a lot of people want to make it just that. I see a lot of this nonsense in the Ricoh sub too.

I feel like it comes down to a lot of social media and photographers taking (pretty good) photos of people and others wanting to emulate it...but they aren't able to, and they don't understand that street photography doesn't *need* human subjects present in a photo. Also it takes so many years of practice to get to a point of knowing *what* to look for, how to frame it, blah blah. I don't really like taking pictures of people passing by that often, and if I do I rarely take them head-on, but it's not the only thing you can take photos of on the street. I'm only starting to grasp what I really enjoy, but there's a lot to a street! Graffiti, leading lines, shadows, animals, architecture, open doors, bright colours in a duller environment, nature, random objects in places they shouldn't be, long exposure for cars driving by, etc. Just recently I passed by a church I live near with a cemetery along a major road and took a photo of it but when I got home I saw it was trash, so I walked back yesterday and circled around to get some photos which tried to tell a story. It's such a good practice of observing things with your eye and engaging with street photography differently from the "status quo". I feel like a lot of "street photography" today, esp on social media, lacks feeling/emotion/purpose. And, I mean, sometimes something just looks cool, other times it's just to capture a moment for yourself, and that's great. Those can be good reasons, but they're not *always* the reason, y'know? But that's my take on it and I'm sure others would disagree.

You might like to read On Photography by Susan Sontag, it talks a lot about this

Op, this. Amazing book right on topic. Prepare for your photo world to be turned inside out, though.

Yeah, it's really good, I'd recommend the audiobook version also.

To me personally, that kind of street photography is the laziest and most uninspiring. There is nothing creative or interesting about shoving a camera in someone’s face when they’re on their way to somewhere. In the moment, you are getting in someone’s bubble and I would hate it if someone did that to me as well. So yes it’s awkward and shitty and you shouldn’t feel bad about feeling that way. There are other ways to do street photography that is much better and rewarding. Find some good street photographers online and use them as inspiration.

You should check out Mark Fearnley's work. There are many styles of street photography. You don't really have to point camera at people. You can just be stationary and point camera at a scene, then wait for people to move into your scene to capture the photo.

I’ve done this a lot. I live in a tourism city, so there are a lot of people walking around shooting. I just blend in, lol.

I find street photography varies massively depending on location. In London and New York people expect to see cameras everywhere and don't bat an eye. In smaller cities, people are way more aware of cameras and often less comfortable with being photographed. That kind of candid street photography just unfortunately might not be suited to where you live. Ultimately though, everyone feels uncomfortable shooting street at first, and that feeling is something you have to push through if you do want to pursue it.

You dont have to jump in the bandwagon. Youtubers romanticize streetphotography, and it just ruins the genre imo. Shoot what you want to shoot that wont make you feel awkward.

So many comments, but I'll chip in with a suggestion. Look up Fredrik Axling. He does a lot of street in Stockholm, and half of his photos are not very focused on getting close to people. He also tends to specify the gear he used (to have an idea of focal lengths). Sounds like he has a mix of characteristics that could inspire you.

Here are some tips from me, I was the same as you. I’m in Bangladesh and it’s really awkward sometimes cuz people love to stare here and ask ton of questions specially about a shiny shiny camera. • Get a 50mm or similar prime this will let you get close to subjects from a distance • Start off by doing non-human subject street photography get used to the vibe of street photography, take pictures of cool architectures, crowd of people instead of single human subject, take photos of massive structures first (like small human subject against a vast background in black and white perhaps?) • take pictures of people from the back, maybe a old man wearing a hat walking down the street frame it such that his shoulder and head is in the frame such photos are less intrusive • go somewhere where people are already taking a lot of peoples, observe and try to take a picture differently • go on Facebook and see if there street photography communities nearby if there are get in touch with them and go on a photo walk together with them • or take a friend with you.. or wife or girlfriend? Take her with you use them are subjects. Only you know that he/she is your friend/gf/wife etc not anyone else so ask them to pose and click • look for mundane scenes that you can make interesting in post edit, for I saw someone post a picture of train series. One of his photos was nothing but just a man resting his feet on another seat. That’s all. But the framing was very interesting • look for close up shops, (details in someone’s hands a construction worker perhaps, a street artist holding or a brush? Musical instruments) these are super close and less intrusive as the person’s face isn’t in the picture • finally, don’t be afraid to ask. Just say hey there your outfit is dope, the way you’re working is super interesting etc etc etc. and remember if you have IG after you post a certain number of photos and build a feed of the above mentioned kind of photos maybe.. you’ll always be always be able to pull up your IG and say hey I’m a street photographer this is my feed I love your so and so would you mind if I take a picture of you.. or continue doing what you’re doing would you mind if I take a quick picture of you.. and often times they’d be more than happy to let you and might even drop you a follow and ask them to send the picture to them later on. Hope these tips work it’s stuff that I could think off of my head from experience

Don’t try to be sneaky with it. People can read your body language and if you’re being sneaky, they’ll assume you’re doing something creepy. Try to build your confidence in taking pictures in public by taking pictures of scenery that happens to have people in the frame. You don’t have to be in their face. Get closer when you feel ready to get closer (I.e. be more comfortable potentially engaging with people) - don’t force it and definitely don’t resort to hiding the fact that you’re taking pictures. Last piece of advice - don’t feel like you have to emulate the high energy, dense street photography that people take in places like NYC, London, or Tokyo. Think about what works for where you live and explore that further.

It's not that weird unless you make it weird. At the end of the day, it's all about confidence. If you are taking photos of everything and everyone, no one will feel targeted. Personally, I never had anyone complain about having their picture taken and if I want a shot where a person is very prominently the center focus, I'll ask for permission. A lot of those situations turn into impromptu portrait sessions, and I love that. I'll then ask for an e-mail or any other way I can send them the photos I took. There are some rare occasions where I'll feel someone got uncomfortable and I'll excuse myself and that's it. Never become a reason for confrontation, but if it ever does, I'll just delete those photos and do my best to explain myself. Everyone has the right to not want a stranger taking their photo. I'm usually a shy person but give me a camera and I'll turn into an extrovert. You would be surprised at the power of a snap followed by a thumbs up and smile. The only thing I'll not photograph, unless there's a really good reason to, is children. As I get older it might get weird to photograph younger women too, but for now I feel comfortable with it.

why not go to performances and public events where people expect to be photographer because they are doing something awesome? why not focus more on the city scape , find a frame u like, point your camera and wait for someone or something to move into the frame. The "i was here first" trick. If someone walks into your camera thats on them. Certainly turn off manual shutter and use electronic shutter so there is no noise when taking a picture. Use a medium telephoto lense like the 70-300 or 40-150, or 80mm or 90mm prime. Get some distance. These are all options to experiment with. Good luck. From: a person dealing with the same awkwardness.

Tried it once and chickened out after about two minutes. I just don’t have the disposition for it.

If I have people on my street pics, they are tiny creatures and their faces are unrecognizable. Everything else makes me uncomfortable. I only take portraits of people I know. Different people have different approaches. You have to find your comfort zone.

I get the feeling. The solution, I've found, is to take pictures, not of people in the street, but of the street environment which happens to have people in them. I use a crop sensor with a 35mm or 24mm lens, so rather wide angle, and rarely is the subject just a person in some sort of candid pose. Rarely is the camera pointed directly at them. Be straight with the camera as well. Hold it up to your face and take a picture like a normal person. It's super creepy to take random sneak shots of strangers. Prepare yourself for the inevitability that one day, someone might ask to look at what you just shot. If you are going to be shy about showing them a picture you just took where they are in the frame, you shouldn't take the shot. That's how I define an "invasion of privacy". I've even taken shots where I get this feeling and immediately delete them. And again, my subjects are not people, per se. I'm not taking un-asked-for street portraits where the subject is a person doing a candid thing. It's of the environment and the street life I see around me, which usually have people in the scene.

This is what I do… I shoot scenes. If people happen to be in it, great. If they’re doing something interesting, even better!

I prefer to creep up on landscapes or wildlife over people. Unless they are in an event I'm hired to photograph. I also find the majority of street photos uninteresting although the good ones can be great.

The issue with street photography nowadays is that many people believe that taking random pictures of people in the street qualifies them as street photographers. However, it's often pointless if the photo lacks uniqueness. Street photography encompasses a variety of approaches that don't necessarily involve intruding on people's personal space. You can capture scenes from a distance, experiment with interesting compositions, shoot reflections, seize unique moments, or focus on silhouettes. However, if your aim is to roam the streets and simply snap portraits of people without their consent, it can feel intrusive. While it may not be illegal, it's weird and 99% of the time uninteresting, unless the subject is genuinely exceptional or doing something unique.

I have seen someone the other day trying to sneak up to a homeless person sitting in the street covered with a blanket. Didn't look happy. More of a sad scene I was right beside him when he pulled out his huge Sony with a big full frame lens lowering his hand to the seating eyes of that someone man and taking a photo before the person even realized what was happening. The guy with the camera walked away pretty fast. The homeless person realized what happened and looked even more sad. I bet the picture is amazing. But fck that person

It feels like traditional street photography is increasingly incompatible with current social values, particularly with increased concerns about privacy. There’s a certain irony to people having a problem with being captured in one person’s camera when at the same time their image, voice and various other data are being constantly harvested by the technology we use all day, but I find it easy to empathise with. Personally I wouldn’t be comfortable taking uninvited, identifiable shots of strangers, but, hypocritically, I do enjoy looking at that type of street photography. It’s a shame that the kind of street photos that I find most engaging are probably among the most ethically questionable.

I'm currently going through the same situation with my X-T30 II. From what I've learned so far, you just gotta force to change the way you think about it. I'm still FAR from being good or confident at street, but I'll just ramble about what I've learned in the past weeks dailying my cam on my commute through Berlin. An important lesson I've learned is to thoroughly think about what I'm shooting. If you're noticing that a moment is happening, take a pic of it. If someone notices it and approaches you, you then can actually explain why you took the shot and what you like about it. So you're actually having a reason why you're taking pictures and aren't just *taking pictures of random people* Also, ease yourself into it. Don't try to go full extrovert mode if you don't feel comfortable doing that. I myself don't really feel comfortable shooting in peoples direct line of sight, while being relatively close to them yet. So I just don't really do that and try to get more front shots / closer shots in **with time.** As to the neck strap run and gun thing. I absolutely get what you mean. Try to hold your cam at chest / head level most of the time, that way you won't have as much movement in people's proximity vision, making it less likely that they'll notice you (and making it an easier move to properly take a shot). And in the end, you're the one making it weird. Be upfront with your art (especially to yourself), try to force yourself to actually take the shot properly. It'll be a lot more fun for you and a lot easier to explain if someone notices you if you don't look like you're actively trying to hide what you're doing. I know it's easier said than done, but in the end I'm sure you're not trying to invade anyone's personal space. So if someone doesn't want their pictures to be taken and approaches you, you can just delete the pictures and the problem should be solved. Also, as others already said. You don't have to do street. The X-T30 is awesome at so much more than that, so take pictures you're comfortable with. It's a hobby after all.

I personally don’t care to take pictures of strangers. I would only be interested in capturing architecture and landscaping.

Try capturing architecture, patterns, textures instead.  I agree taking pictures of people as your photos main subject without their permission is weird, awkward and invasive.

I don’t like street photography. I don’t understand why it’s so fetishized. There are so many styles of photography—some of which don’t even have a specific name—yet everyone thinks they need to take photos of strangers on street corners because it’s the cool thing to do? And 99% of the photos are so fucking dull too. Is street photography really what you dream of doing, or are you just doing it because it’s the thing to do? Have you considered documenting a specific occupation, kind of person, type of object, etc in a more considered manner? If you REALLY need to do street photography in Sweden, and you’re scared of being judged, hang around whatever tourist sites there are and take photos of foreign tourists.

Its not for everyone and a lot of it really depends on the city that you live in and the size of it. You dont have to do street photography to be a photographer and I see a lot of bad street photography too.

If it feels bad to photograph people without their permission, trust that feeling. You have to not care about how the other person feels when you take the photo because 9/10 times they are a little pissed or annoyed. I respect the genre and the people who do it, but I know it’s not for me personally.

There are many different kinds of street photography, check out Morten.clicks on Instagram, he's Oslo based (not quite Sweden, but I imagine it's kinda similar), he doesn't invade peoples privacy at all

You need a little population density. I did a lot of street when I was young and lived in NYC. Now that I’m older and live in a smaller place with few people on the street, I’ve given up on it.

If personal space is such a prevalent part of the culture, why not explore that with your images, ask questions to why is it like this, what do you find interesting about it, what might others find interesting, use the distance to your advantage, your environment has something special big bustling cities do not. Shot how it feels, not how it looks.

I live in Sweden, too, and found this is the case also. I lived in the UK before, and everywhere was so busy I just sort of blended in. I never stuck my camera in people's faces, but I've switched it up and decided to try to take photographs that aren't obvious. For example, taking photos of buildings with leading lines up to cyclists. You could consider getting a longer focal length.

It's like that. It might work in New York or mega big cities but it's awkward everywhere else. I don't care about street photography either (even looking at other's photos), so I happily ignore it exists

I totally agree, especially as a Gen X male. I look for architectural or city scape shots rather than people.

Can't believe nobody mentioned it yet, but why don't you "fish"? Create and interesting composition and wait people to enter your frame, once they are on it is on them. This should be much less confrontational than what you are describing.

It IS awkward. If it’s not for you, it’s not for you, and that’s ok. Don’t force it. If you want to keep trying it, try more crowded places. I know for me, big crowds made it a little easier to make street photos because there’s so much more around, so many things people are distracted by that you as the photographer just fade into the crowd. I’d avoid the sneaky photos. In the end there is still a bit of creepiness. The whole idea of having the camera on your neck and using the app to “spray and pray” sounds like more of a headache for you having to go through so many files, hoping you got one. Overall, I’d say keep trying and see if you can get more comfortable shooting on the street, more crowds and if you’re still not making work you like then maybe try something new. You can always go back to the streets. Good luck.

Try out abandoned places or places without people for a start and see what you like and people later.

If you feel like a creep, people will sniff you out as seeming creepy. Maybe if you get over that and don’t have a guilty creep vibe then people will not mind as much. People know about creeps. But the y also know about photography as a hobby and profession. Maybe be MORE overt about your photography. Don’t be sneaky. Wear a goofy hat or like an old press photographer hat. Trick your retro camera out. Be obvious about your benign intentions.

Don't look at social media for street photography. Look at the work of the greats to see what it supposed to be. Henry Bresson, Robert Frank, Garry Winogrand, Lee Friendlander, Elliot Erwitt (my favorite), Wegee (to an extent) not all of his is street, Mary Ellen Mark, some of Eggleston's work, Joel Meyerowitz. Bruce Davidson is largely misunderstood, he was breaking the rules the others were setting so don't start with him. IMO Street pretty much died in the digital age. What's called street these days is really not street photography.

I used to do a lot of street photography. I was a photojournalist and would try to capture people in my personal work like I would on assignment. As the years have passed, though, I have become increasingly sympathetic to the argument that street photography is an invasion of privacy. Today I am much more likely to take pictures of street scenes (that very well may have people in them) than of specific people on the street. I like candid street photos, but I do not want my hobby to make other people uncomfortable.

Do not do it sneakily. If you don’t have the conviction or inclination to openly and brazenly take strangers photos, don’t do it. Think about it. If you already feel uncomfortable doing it, how much more uncomfortable will you feel when you’re caught doing it sneakily. It also tells other people that you think what you’re doing is wrong and will be harder to justify to them and yourself. Sneaky street photography does a disservice to us all.

Take pictures of what you like. If you don't like taking street photography pictures, then don't do street photography.

There's many street photographers that simply ask before taking a photo if they see someone interesting - give that a shot! I live in Canada and it's similar, I don't feel comfortable taking a close up photo of someone so I just don't. I personally think the close up street photography is a little overdone at the moment so I mostly am trying to find interestingly lit spaces in the city as opposed to interesting people.

Change your approach to street photography. It doesn't have to be all about random shots of strangers. Find an interesting composition or interesting light and let a person walk into your frame. If you're still there pointing the camera the same direction you were after they've walked by, they probably won't think twice about it. Worst case they may think "I was just in that person's photo" rather than "they just took a photo of me."

Do you really really want to do street photography? I know it's the hot trend on social media and whatnot, but I think that's the biggest question you need to ask yourself. In the city I mainly shoot architecture and urban landscapes, so while my 'street' photography often includes people, the people are not the focus they just sometimes happen to be in the photo, so I don't typically feel awkward about it.

I wanted to learn street photography and I tried it a few times, but I ended up learning that I prefer architecture photography. Photography in general is a journey, you always start somewhere you think will be the one you want, only to find out it was only the beginning of a path you will go down and take detours and step off to the sides along the way. Enjoy the adventure :)

Like anything else in life, it's a skill that takes time firstly to become comfortable with and secondly to become proficient at. There are certainly some strategies you can employ to mitigate the awkwardness. Put on some headphones and music and chill the fuck out or amp the fuck-up. Stick yourself somewhere in the environment, become a fixture of the area for 15-20mins, act and feel like you belong. Take photos, you'd be surprised how little anyone gives a shit. This will sound weird I guess but feel the vibe of the place and become it. Pre- and post-framing, set up a shot like you're taking a photograph of something else perhaps far away throw in a little acting, checking the camera settings or acting miffed when someone walks in front of you. Hold the same pose throughout, even after you have the shot. If anyone tries to talk to you just say "I'm trying to take a photo of that" or mutter about "people getting in the way" and randomly gesture towards something. Loud music, high shutter speed and don't stop moving. I to use this method when I'm at events, especially with short lenses. What's wrong with your subject seeing you take their photo? A smile and thumbs up go a long way and sometimes even a "I love your (hat, shoes, outfit, whatever)" you can still be nice. There's no need to act like you're doing something wrong or creepy if you're not doing something wrong or creepy. It becomes easier the more you do it until it becomes second nature.

If your entirely new to photography, don't force yourself to shoot straight-up-in-your-face-street-photography. The next time you walk around the streets, try looking for something else than people to take photos of. You'll be amazed at how easily taking photos in public will come to you once you got the hang of it. Also, any kind of protest/demonstration/rally is a good training ground for street photography.

I had my first run in NYC which is easier due to the sheer amount of people. But I adjusted my camera on a strap with one hand to portrait orientation. The shutter button at the top side and shot from the hip with good results. Essentially you want people to think youre recording and not shooting. Yes, I couldnt reframe as much but people dont know when I pressed the shutter. You need to practice a lot to get to know your focal length, next time I’ll be setting manual aperture so I know everything will be in focus at say, 4 mts distance.

If you really wanna give it a good try here are some of my tips: 1. Choose busy areas, people being distracted in their interactions is best. (Markets, commuting time) 2. Make your potential subject aware of your activity before you turn to them. Take photos of something/someone else in front of them so they notice you. 3. Always smile. Be prepared that someone won’t be happy, if they say anything apologise and say you are working on a photography project. 4. Choose abstract views that aren’t direct to subjects. Reflections of windows/puddles or through car windows to the other side. 5. Be confident. You are not hurting anyone so be happy and confident in your activity, people/subjects will match your energy. I’m only 7 months in and am having a great time, I have some POV videos on TikTok and IG. @Opiapic

As a fellow swede I feel your pain. Are you in a major city? A good tip is to go and shoot at major events or gatherings that happen on the streets. This weekend I noticed a lot of my street photographer friends went to “Hammarbymarschen” in Stockholm. You could also try and to street portraits were you ask for permission. There are plenty of tips at how to succeed with this approach online. Your mileage may vary depending on what kind of community you will be working in. There are plenty of things that can help make street photography less awkward - let people walk into the frame for instance. I don’t think trying to hide the camera is a good approach. If you are awkward the people around you will notice and be like wtf

Completely agree that street photography is mostly pretty creepy

Check out Roman Fox on YouTube. He both have videos about being sneaky and his photos rarely have any faces in them but are still very good. Ropa annars högt och ljudligt om att Säpo tjuvlyssnar på din mage så kommer ingen notera just kameran.

I was exactly this way for awhile.  The trick that got me over it was really getting it through my head was that I'm capturing 'something'.  A lot of new photographers just take photos of everything and anything.  Thats when you get that weird feeling where youre invading.  Just point blank shooting someone who is ordering food from a deli or something.  That's just weird for everyone involved haha.  Taking a photo of a ramen hut with people walking by is a composition.  Taking a photo of a car as someone is admiring it is a capture of expression.  Taking a photo of people waiting at a bus stop while steam bellows around them is an event.  The easiest thing someone told me was "if someone confronted you and demanded to see the photos, would you be embarrassed?  If so, don't take the photo.  If you can explain why you took the photo, take the photo." 

Personally I think it’s weird. If you want to do it then asking for permission is good. Otherwise it’s fun to go out with someone who wants to be photographed, like a model for example, and shoot them. You can create the exact scenes you want to see which is nice. 

It, like most new things, absolutely takes practice. Be mindful of your body language more than anything. If they’re looking down at your camera, it’s probably because you’re looking down at it too and drawing attention to it or them. If they see you, smile. Often times, no words need to be exchanged. Took me a couple years to get the hang of a style and the way to hold my camera that made sense and didn’t spoil moments.

Whenever I'm out on the street with the purpose of photography, I don't make it a point to take photos of people necessarily. I'm often looking for interesting 'scenes' that may or may not have people in them. Cool reflections, dramatic lighting, juxtapositions, etc. Sometimes (maybe most) this will involve a subject that is a person but even then it's not "all the time" that they are front centre in the shot. Obviously the actual place you are will dictate what 'interesting' is in terms of a shot and so perhaps you're left with only people as what you'd want to photogoraph. TBH, it sounds like what you find awkward is specifically Street Portraits and not Street Photography in general. I just looked at the top post from this sub for the last month and I'd say it exhibits a lot of non-awkward photos in the street photography category (albeit Japan which is just so photogenic regardless what you're shooting lol): https://www.reddit.com/r/fujifilm/comments/1bfh25t/japan_xt5/ Another one of the top posts from this month with some great, what I would consider non-awkward, shots: https://www.reddit.com/r/fujifilm/comments/1b9ic70/magical_light_in_stockholm_yesterday_feedback/

I enjoy shooting on the street but not photographing people. So many talented street photographers are out there doing there thing. But it's not something I'm interesting in. Now an old car? snap. neon lights? snap. Building that's falling apart? snap. Is that a ghost sign peaking through on that wall over there? snap.

A solution I had was to shoot with 135mm up to 200mm lenses and shoot from far away. Or just don’t do it. I mostly avoid shooting people just for the sake of shooting at them unless they added to the context of a scene

If it makes you feel any better. There are people on that same street taking pictures of god knows what with their cell phones. 98% of society doesn't realize it. Same with cameras, I've only been stopped twice, and both times turned into a good interaction when I showed them their photos. I also have some super cheap business cards that I pass out to people that might catch me, then they can go reach out and ask to see the photos, or go to my IG and see them.

IMO street photography is about documenting the street’s life, sometimes there will be people in it, so try to take pictures of the streets and not focus on just the people.

Maybe picture Street Photography as taking the kind of photos that you'd love to look at from this place you are at, but from 40 years ago. For me, that wouldn't be rando-surprised people being harassed by an influencer photo maniac, but scenes that would have felt completely mundane back then. Find the qualities in that. Chances are that this puts you in a documentographer mode, much more at home within your self and your surroundings.

My rule is if I think anyone is uncomfortable with me taking their photos, or even taking photos in an area, I just don’t do it. I’m out to have a fun time and record some cool memories, not ruin someone else’s good time or cause myself stress!

In cinema studies we say that camera works on the principle of a machine gun))) Anyway, it's common problem and I understand that all problems only in our heads. The worst what might happen with you - it's when someone come to you and ask to deleat photo you made. But usually they don't. In my photography school we had an exercise: we had to make 15 portraits of strangers on the street, come to them and ask to take a photo. It helped me to get over my fear in some way.

200-600mm street photography is the only way to be safe.

Check out the film, \_Finding Vivian Maier\_ [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finding\_Vivian\_Maier](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finding_Vivian_Maier) I also find it very awkward and don't take shots that I'd like to, but there are many other opportunities for interesting stuff from a distance, too.

Have you tried it in a big city where there's less of an expectation of personal privacy??? Maybe you can save the street photography for city vacations.

Using a camera with a waist level finder, like a Hasselblad, is one way to be sneaky. You're looking down at your camera, so it might look like your fiddling with a gadget, and the lens just happens to be pointing in the general direction of your subject.

Thats why digicams are better. And i believe old people will be happy too. I too will feel violated if a big camera is pointed at me

Find a purpose. Try to think what would you like to convey. A story. Then look for it in the streets. It could be patterns, like silhouettes of children playing. Or bikes. Or people smoking in different settings. Or people in a rush. Or how they interact with the city. Think about any story. Does your city have traffic jams? Try to make pictures of it and how it affects people. Does it have lots of rain? Look how to convey how rainy it is and how does it affect people’s lives. That’s at least how I see street. Taking pictures of people without aim or sense can yield good results but often lacks motivation and you easily run into that uneasiness you write about.

I've tried streetphotography and I can totally relate that it is an absolutely awkward experience. I hated it and moved on. I do landscape only and enjoy it a lot.

Similar. I have 2 approaches 1) Shoot wide to capture the scene. People are not focal or don't take up majority of shot, but you can still compose and time to capture people doing interesting things 2) NOT really street - hire a model and shoot them around busy/ interesting locations

What about handing a card to them with your instagram so they can see you love these types of images and not a creep. Make it a conversation starter.

Two things: 1 - Wrong camera. Only because it looks like a "proper" camera. It will capture the images just fine and work just fine, but people react to the SLR shaped "professional" looking camera WAY differently, than say something small and old and stupid looking. Like the X20. 2 - Instead of going into someone's personal space, just stand there, trying to get the background right, and let them walk into YOUR space. You can pretend they got in the frame "on accident", maybe even look annoyed. 3 - You know, asking people if you can take their photo is allowed too. Just snap it when they're distracted/relaxed. 4 - Bruce Gilden and Henri Cartier-Bresson are both considered "street". They're totally different in their approach. And Garry Winogrand gets very close. While Robert Frank has a more touristy distance. Fan Ho was often so far away he could have done landscapes! What I mean is that the point of street photography isn't always getting uncomfortably close, all up in someone's face. I mean it can be. And you're not alone in your shyness. If those are the photos you want, you need to practice! 5 - YOU DON'T NEED TO BE COMFORTABLE! And neither does you subjects. In fact, a LOT of great art has come from discomfort! 6 - Armour? A photo vest can be armour. An orange high-vis jacket can be armour. 7 - Any type of station or mass transit is easier to work than say streets at night. I'm sure there are plenty other tips. These are mine!

Theres a lot of street themes that don’t involve actual people or faces - Find the light, chase the shadow etc find your happy space and observe. It’s amazing what just appears when you “see” (which takes a huge amount of practice and lots of fails). Don’t overthink it too much, just getting out and enjoying is all part of it. Have fun!

Try staying in some place and letting the picture come to you, instead of chasing it. I find it way less awkward when I stay in some spot, find a composition and wait until someone passes by to complement the shot. I think the presence of people really enriches the photo. The action of pulling out a camera in front of someone is waaaaay weirder than staying in place. Let people pass you by, instead of going after them. And be okay with losing shots. Lots of shots.

There are so many ways to enjoy photography and create meaningful images, and for some reason a whole lot of people think street photography is the only way. Find another way! Experiment, get into the Big Outdoors, and stop worrying about forcing yourself to stick a camera in someone's unwilling face, to take a picture that probably no one (even yourself, let's be honest) will ever care about. I say this with love!

I straight up can't do street photography of people for this reason. Just not in my kit. Focus on things you enjoy more!

Use a tripod

I use to shoot street photography first with an 85mm prime lens because I didn't want to be noticed. I did that for awhile until I felt confident enough to go a bit more wide. I started to get my favorite shots at 50mm and I was also shooting at the hip; or using the LCD screen which helped my nerves. It wasn't until I jumped to a 35mm equivalent where I noticed that I was really getting into people's personal space. I switched from using the LCD screen to using the viewfinder but only because it felt like I had a wall up that no one could see behind. That was my mind trick. I remember using it in Macon, GA on a beautiful Saturday in the Spring last year while visiting a friend as a warm up before heading back to Atlanta. The one thing I noticed is that the more foot traffic the easier it is to take the shot; and so I tried it on the ATL Beltline that day and the results I thought were amazing. Although Atlanta is not NYC, and people notice you even more than some larger cities. Eventually when I started to shoot film photographer I went even wider. I found myself taking more photos of other things than people in the street because of the wide angle. It helped me evolve my street photography. In fact, the wider I got the more I started to experiment. At an 85mm and 50mm equivalent I just focused on people. At a 35mm and 28mm equivalent I started to capture much more, layers things in my frame, and had better storytelling. When you do it enough you'll realize what's appropriate and what's not. Today I find myself asking people sometimes before taking the shot. And even if you ask them you can still have them act candid. Other times you might want to do a street portrait which is fun and I love speaking to random people. As a person from Charleston, South Carolina back home random people will greet you in the street and ask how your day was. Before you know it you're having a deeper conversation. That southern hospitality has helped my interaction. I'm an ambivert so I like to be social sometimes. However, there are days where I just want to capture the city I live in or the place I'm at without that human interaction. In the end street photography is therapeutic because it helps me connect to reality and people. I went from shooting people looking at their cell phones or showing their backs; to people looking directly at me or actually getting in the middle of what they're actually doing.

Get a long lens and keep your distance until you are comfortable. If you have a high megapixel camera you can point it at something else but catch your subject in the frame and crop. Eventually the feeling you are talking about goes away and you realise most people don't care.

I’ve been shooting street for about 4 years now, and I feel like there are no hard and fast rules for the average shooter. I shoot wide open, closed down at f8, use long lenses for massive compression and ultra sides for crazy distortion…really depends on my mood and what new toys/lenses I carry. I have terrible G.A.S., but am trying to make it worthwhile by using all my lenses for regular street photography. Nothing says “hello there” like shooting on the subway with a 180mm telephoto 😎. I think the main thing is to define your style and your ethics through use - go out and see what feels right for you and what you think is in good taste. And always smile if someone sees you - that acknowledgment of a shared moment goes a long way!

I did some street photography when I was in my 20’s. I figured people would just pass it off as youthful exuberance. They mostly did. I took a break and bought the xt3 when it came out looking to jump back in. I couldn’t do it any more. Some dude in his 40’s taking photos in the CBD of primarily 20-40 year old professionals, in a consent-led climate just threw me right out of contention.

Just for info, in dk at least, you will need permission to post it, and I'll suggest a written one. Otherwise you risk a law suit. Unless the person on the picture is not humiliated or made to stand out. Its why I don't do it, if just one decide to be a dick about it. Saw one doing hair on people traveling was quiet interesting. 🙂

pro tip: learn to love the short telephoto range (60-100mm full frame equivalent), and then work on your technique and get wider and wider angle shots later on

Just YOLO

The street photographers that I enjoy watching on YouTube have one thing in common: they are not shy about interacting with or even being confronted by people on the streets. So if it’s not something you are comfortable with then maybe do something else with your camera that you do enjoy. It’s not set in stone that every photographer has to do street. However there is something to be said about stepping outside of your comfort zone and challenge yourself to do and be more. And there are indeed those who are introverted but also good at street photography. You just have to figure out a way to do it that suits you. YouTube is always a good source for inspiration.

If I think I might make someone feel weird, I ask for permission. What I say depends on the situation, but I always tell folks that I'm studying photography and I'm practicing to improve my skills. I might also say... * Why I chose this spot (e.g., the light, the atmosphere, the history...) * Would you like to make a funny pose with me? * If it's in or near a business, I offer to take some nice pictures for their social media profile. If they don't have a social media presence, I'll offer to add them to the businesses Google Maps listing. * Can I take a picture of your dog? * Ask for suggestions for a good picture, try out their suggestion, and then ask if they'd mind if I included them in the shot. The actual advice can be good or bad, but people are almost always more comfortable accepting a request from somoene who has already demonstrated that they will listen. Basically, just don't be a weirdo. I also have a lot more luck shooting with a longer lens. Most "street" setups are 23mm or 27mm, where you have to really get in people's faces to get an interesting shot. I prefer a compact 50mm.

If you really like taking photos of people, but not like models or in studio, consider documentary photography. Instead of photographing randomly on the street, contact an organization doing something interesting, or a sports team etc. and tell them why you’re interested in them, that you’d like to follow them around over a period of time so you can capture what goes on there, and whether you’ll share your photos with them or sell them to a magazine, or put them on your social media etc. This is a really good way to tell more intimate and in-depth stories. Kind of like news photography but much slower, and kind of like street photography but much more structure and purpose. You’ll even learn a lot by being around them a lot, and they’ll also grow to trust you. Start with a small ngo that does like beach cleanups or wetland restoration or whatever. Most of my photography has been street photography for about 15 years now. I lived and live in some of the most populated cities in the world, so the anonymity makes a huge difference. For me it’s about walking to new and familiar places, making them interesting to me, and capturing people being happy, being themselves, being lost in the moment etc. I hope one day I have a body of work that showcases the diversity and joy of the human experience in a place. Also I’ve been lazy about doing the kind of documentary photo i mentioned above. I used to work in documentary film, but have a much less exciting but more comfortable job now. Writing this is making me want to seek out some projects again. Thanks for that!

It is true that outside of tourist areas, in most cities around the world, it is received as strange.

I think there are varying degrees, i've seen YouTube videos where photographers go right up in front of someone on the sidewalk and snap a pic with flash. I personally think this is too confrontational, but on the other end of the spectrum I have seen people rig set ups to be able to take photos very stealthily, such as 90° angle/periscopic viewfinders, to avoid having your body facing the subject. Try a longer lens, I have been doing the majority of my street photography with a 100mm lens, allows me to remain well away from my subject or scene. Also striking up conversation and then politefully asking if you can have permission; can get you very far. Most people don't have an issue being photographed, they have an issue with a complete stranger doing it. If you initiate a dialogue and introduce yourself, most of that awkwardness goes away All in all, don't let It deter you. Let it become part of the creative process in capturing the photo you're after.

LoL, you're describing exactly why I never could warm up to street tog. Additionally, I can't grasp it. That's the beauty of tog, there are various genres you can try and see what matches your personality and creative talent!

It’s a tough genre

Maybe street photography is not for you. Sometimes street doesn’t mean point the camera at someone, read the street, the light , find a great composition, wait for someone to enter your photo space and shoot!

I have been doing street photography in Copenhagen. It is not that bad once you get the first few shots in. Shooting nice frames where you know people are walking in frame is a way. (once did that in copenhagen where people would stop inorder not to “ruin” my photo. If you are confronted just say you’re a photography student doing your homework and get on with your day.

Street photography doesn't need to be intimate portraits, let people enter your scene don't enter there's. If you find a shot you like just hold the framing, and let people come and go.

>Might as well be pointing a gun Heard lots of people be doing that in Sweden now

I don't usually take pictures of people and/or when I do they're in the background or in a scenario where they aren't the main subject nor would think they are

Best advice I can give you is just dont care and if it turns out to be a great photo. Just walk up to the person and show it and ask their email adress so you can send it to them often people like It in my experience.

Try a super wide lens! I have the 10-20mm 3.5 sigma and you can point it forwards and still capture everything around you without looking inteusive

I usually ask people if I can take their photo and rarely get rejected.

You need to watch some blogger on YouTube who go to a large Citi and approach random woman on the street and ask them if they want to participate i na photoshoot and get free photos in the end. If you do this a few times it will boost your confidence.especially.avter you get a few rejections. Normally the reaction is positive Channel is : WhoIsYourBrad

Not an expert, listened to some: 1. If it's not appealing to you, just don't do it. 2. If you can be charming and relatable, talk to people nicely, make that part of it, don't be creepy. 3. Use compact gear (like the XF WR F2 series). 4. Be there first. Setup your shot, and let people walk into it. 5. If you want to be stealthy and spontaneous while respecting legal boundaries: you can set your camera up silent (turn all noises off or volume 0), electronic shutter, and then the touch screen for touch-to-snap-photo. Then tilt down the screen, so you can be looking down at it and while pointing the camera where you want. You'll more blend in with people staring at their phones as you stealthily snap photos.

Photography is photography is photography. There are no rules. It doesn’t need to be candid. Photography is always about choices. You’re in control of how and what you frame. So if you’re excited about documenting people in public spaces then just learn to talk to people. Connect with them. Once they’re relaxed you can capture amazing portraits that say very truthful things about public life. They don’t have to be stiff boring portraits. They can have energy in them. They can be experimental. There is great depth and joy in that. Practice telling stories. What do you have to tell us about your life or life in Sweden? I say this as someone who has shot on the street for many years with a flash up close and is probably one of those people on YouTube that that guy above is complaining about! Connect with people. It will take your life in amazing directions. The photos will be the cherry on top!

Also reach out to Johan Jehlbo for advice. He’s very nice and super talented and Swedish! You can find him on Instagram or his website. He will have great advice for you. Tell him an old friend in LA says hello.

I am a street photographer and work the streets every single day. I only photograph people. It’s my hobby and passion. The idea of “invading people’s spaces” only has to be that if you’re doing it incorrectly or without enough thought. Every day I get thanked for the pictures I take of people; by the people in the images. I like to think I bring a moment of delight to people’s day. It’s all about how you approach the subject of street photography. The term is too vague and encompassing to have much meaning. My suggestion is to go to a good photo bookstore and lookup many of the classic street photographers. Or search through Instagram for the experts of today. Decide whose work speaks to you and try to figure out how those photographers arrived at their images. Usually you can find a lot of commentary about their philosophies and how they navigate the streets. Set yourself moral parameters and stick to them. Be polite, respectful and grateful. I find I work best when I’m in a good positive mood. It’s harder when I’m tired or not focussed. Every situation is unique. Some people sitting alone want to be left alone. Others are keen or even desperate for someone to talk to. Learn to use your instincts to determine who is who. I look forward to my daily photo walk. It’s not awkward most of the time and becomes even less awkward as you become experienced. Perseverance is important. Good luck.

My street photography has evolved over the years, and I've moved away from the 'candid street portrait' because it can feel exploitative. If I'm really inspired by someone's look, I'll strike up a conversation with them and ask if they want to pose for a portrait, then show it to them afterwards and offer to send them a digital copy, or potentially even a print. The results are different, but in many ways better I think. Otherwise, I like to shoot areas where there's clear evidence of people, but no actual people are visible in the shot. Or perhaps just something non-identifiable, like people's feet walking by. All that said, if I'm walking around and see the perfect composition, I'm going to take the shot, regardless of my other preconceptions. If it does end up being a great candid street portrait, and I recognize that right away, then I'll make an effort to catch up to the person and have a conversation, so I can offer them a copy. I think this shift in my style has come from both my artistic sense changing over the years, and also my own self image. A young man taking photos is perceived differently than a middle aged man taking photos. I think the way I dress matters too. I'm often wearing a bright red jacket while shooting, such that I'm more visible to cars, and people around me. I try to make it clear with my dress and body language that I'm not trying to be sneaky in any way, even if I'm using a long telephoto lens.

The way I got started is attending events like parades, political rallies, holiday happenings, sporting venues . Most People at public events like to have their picture taken and usually want to pose. Be nice. Comment on their costume or other apparel. Don't be creepy, be interested and complimentary. This will build your confidence.

Find a frame and hold it for a couple minutes. If people walk through, that's on them. It also is a matter of culture though, in NYC for example, no one really cares.

I do the trick of getting the real shot with the people in it but continuing to “shoot” / focus my lens in the same direction as if I had been waiting for them to move. I feel as though Northern European countries have very different attitudes about being photographed without permission and some countries have laws against it, which may be part of the reason it feels more awkward

Zoom in more.

It sounds to me like you need to realign yourself with the philosophy of art. If we take away all the pain, discomfort, awkwardness, challenge, and tact, there really isn't a whole lot leftover. My advice is to embrace the awkwardness and be rewarded with better, more meaningful photos. It's all about making a decision between art and civility/etiquette/normalcy. If you value the comfort of yourself and of strangers over your art, you might as well just put the camera away. My only other piece of advice would be to not let your mind wander and make everything weird. Taking a photo of a child playing, a woman walking to work, etc is only creepy if you're a creep. Society is trying to change that and tell us that practically everything is wrong or creepy. I'd ignore that and carry on. TLDR: Get out there and take your photos. Don't worry about anything other than capturing cool moments, even if that means pissing people off.

It always has been weird to photograph random people

Just make sure to ask permission before you take a photo of someone. Here in the States I've seen people get their teeth knocked out for the same reason. Just be smart and be careful and you'll be fine.

Make a challenge out of capturing moments where the subject is facing away. Or if you see someone interesting you can always say, "hey I like your style, can I take your portrait?" just explain you're a street photographer who documents life in your city. Worst that can happen is they say no. If someone seems the least bit hesitant in answering like I'm putting them on the spot, I immediately back off. I hate that one well-known street photographer who aggressively gets in people's faces. To me that's not capturing a moment, it's creating one artificially by provoking reactions. Cant remember the guy's name.