Street Photography Part 2

In Part One of my series on street photography (Click here to read Part One.)

I told you about the equipment I use and the laws and ethics.

Time to get into the fun part of street photography!

Actually, I like to think of it more as candid photography,

and you can shoot great candid photos just about everywhere you go.

Watch for spontaneous moments during family time.

Instead of always setting up poses, look for natural MOMENTS

at a family wedding...

I snapped this in our charming London hotel room.  

I loved the antiquity of the wall mural,

next to the modern...Hubby on his iPad.

I didn't make him pose, I photographed him just as he was

including an interesting composition with the hazy sun streaming in

through the airy open window!

Street or Candid Photography starts with keen observation. 

Start SEEING what is happening around you!

I was visiting the Detroit Zoo a few years ago. 

While photographing the amazing iris garden, I saw this

cute scene of a little girl photographing her mom.

CLICK! 

These next few shots were also taken that day at the zoo.

CLICK!

The cutest triplets!

CLICK!

Children are so precious and natural!

CLICK!

I also love the sign saying: PLEASE keep off the fence!

I pay close attention  and muster patience to wait for MOMENTS!

CLICK!

I don't know these people, but I watched for interesting 

sparkles in time to capture forever.

Wherever you happen to be, look around and snap  photos of 

PEOPLE...

who just happen to be where you are, looking or doing something interesting.

CLICK!

People spark LIFE into a photo!

People can also bring size perspective to a landscape.

In Nice, France, I was shooting down this 

pretty street of pastel-colored buildings.  

I noticed a woman with a big red purse walking toward the intersection.

I held up my camera, framed the shot,

then waited for her to walk into position...

CLICK!

She makes this photo fabulously interesting!

I'm always looking for candid opportunities!

By a pharmacy in Provence, France, I snapped this:

I passed by this family while walking the beach at sunset.

SNAP!

Loved this quaint shop in Gordes, France,

and it's extra charming with the shop owner at the door!

It's all about observing then lifting your camera and clicking the shutter!

It takes guts to do that, but the rewards are worth it.

If you have a fascination with candid photography like I do...

plan an outing to an interesting location with people milling about.

Don't bring your kids or other distractions...this mission is

for you to learn how to observe and capture some great street shots!

At a farmer's market, I saw this vendor sharing samples of his kettle corn.

I composed it so you could see the big bags of kettle corn to tell the story!

In all photography,

composition can make or break a photo!

You will get some of your

best street photos when you take control of composition.

It can be as simple as changing angles.

I liked this woman's big bag of produce at the farmer's market,

so I quickly snapped this photo from eye-level.

It's fine, but I wanted to emphasize the big bag, so I 

quickly squatted down and snapped this at bag-level without her ever knowing!

Just changing angles, I drew attention to the big bag.  

YOU get to pick what your viewer sees in your photo.

Emphasize what drew you to the scene in the first place!

I loved this girl's pink hair!

So I walked around behind her and made the pink hair the focal point.

One of my favorite tips for street photography:

Compose your shot with an interesting scene, 

then wait for someone to walk into the shot!

I loved this sign by a coffee shop...

"I am only as strong as my coffee!"

I actually sat right down on the sidewalk and composed the shot

with the sign to the left.  I also loved the flag and pretty sky.

I wanted to be eye level with the sign so those who viewed my photo

 would read the sign.

Then I waited, and waited until those two lovely ladies walked by with COFFEE!

CLICK!

Yes, I looked silly sitting on the sidewalk holding up my camera.

The women had to walk around me.

Please, be willing to crouch down or actually 

SIT DOWN ON THE SIDEWALK

to get a great angle!

I saw this pot of pretty red geraniums outside a shop.

I sat right down on the sidewalk and composed my shot

which included the historic lamp post!

I was with my friend Terri who snapped this photo of me.

I got into position because I saw a pretty gal in a flowy red blouse approaching

and I thought her top matched great with the flowers!

CLICK!

Look for a way to tell a little story with composition.

WHAT are you including in your photo to tell the story?

These ladies are going to a restaurant and it's an outdoor cafe':

Always be observant for interesting people

and things in the surroundings that will create great composition!

In this next photo, I was drawn to the red door and the 

overflowing flower pot out front.

The door led into an ice cream shop, but you couldn't tell that until I 

moved the hand-dipped ice cream sign next to the door.

I sat down on the sidewalk and composed so the flowers were in

the foreground and the sign was clearly in the shot.

I snapped this test shot showing my thought-out composition.

Then I sat on the sidewalk with my camera holding that frame

and waited until the magic moment when this little boy

walked out licking his ice cream!

CLICK!

To show you the importance of composition,

my friend Kim was along with her camera that day and was standing next to me.

She snapped this photo:

In all fairness to Kim, I was teaching her street photography that day and

she did what most of us do...she got excited when she saw

the little boy with the cone and quickly snapped his photo

from her eye level.

But, if you want your photos to go beyond the mundane,

 take the time to think out the composition,

then WAIT for the right person to walk into the shot!

CLICK!

Compare the two photos taken at just about the same time. 

This is the perfect comparison to show you how composition is VITAL!

It's not that I'm a better photographer than Kim, I just made the effort to compose!

Mine tells a little story with the sign fully in view.  The other is a snapshot

and a bit confusing with all the stuff in the photo.

YOU  CREATE THE PHOTO!

LOOK for composition!

In this next photo, I was attending our summer Greek Festival.

Most people would photograph the audience watching the dancers like this:

I challenge you to search out a more compelling composition.

I looked around the audience and saw this woman in a pretty hat.

I stood behind her waiting for the dancers to dance

into position...SNAP!

The viewer is drawn into a fascinating composition.

Take the time to look for an interesting person, story, angle or perspective

and craft a composition that will boost your candid photos to 

outstanding!

I adore children, and I love to capture them in ACTION!

I look for interesting clothing like this little girl's 

pretty dress billowing as she walked.

Shoot at a child's level! 

 I was sitting on a bench and lowered

my camera...

CLICK!

Look for kids in action!

Have the patience to stand there and shoot a bunch of

photos until you finally get the ONE!

The kids had to remove their shoes to play on the amusements.

I love capturing a child's natural actions!

Once again, think composition. 

 I sat down on a bench to get a lower

perspective of this adorable little fellow.

Be willing to get up close and into position

to capture candids.

I stood right by the stairs leading to the stage!

I love getting together with our local Photo Club to shoot in a location.

We are always AMAZED at the different perspectives in our photos

even though we were in the same spot seeing the same things.

This also shows how composition makes the shot!

Outside an ice cream parlor, children gathered around this cute dog.

One of the photo club members snapped this photo:

I wanted to show the children's delight, so I sat on the ground

at an angle that showed their faces.

Yes, it takes time and effort when you really just want to snap a quick photo,

but the payoff makes it worthwhile!

Rather than snap a quick shot:

COMPOSE!!!!

I began composing when the horse and carriage were 

far down the road.

I had time to sit down on the curb, look through my

camera lens and include the

charming red fire hydrant and pretty landscaping in the composition.

Then I waited for the horse to clomp into position naturally...

CLICK!

Look for snippets in time that will never happen again.

Compose and CLICK!

Look for leading lines that

draw the eye to your subject.

Capture people at work:

And, people at play:

Pay attention to COLOR! 

I loved how the colors of the umbrellas match the veggies, so

I shot low to include that color!

Note the overall composition of this photo

to include the pretty vegetables and this man's facial expression.

My photo pal Lucy sneaked this photo of me shooting street photography.

I was placing these strawberries in the foreground.

Crouch down even lower!

This is the photo I was taking.

The low-shot strawberries create a leading line to the subject.

Shoot from above.

In this case, I was up in a lighthouse on the shore of Lake Michigan!

Shoot from below.

Wait for facial expressions!

Watch for emotion.

Snap interesting moments.

Study fascinating light situations.

Be alert for unexpected details!

Look really close!

Shoot in all weather!

I'm always looking for interesting people and situations.

Sometimes, I get caught.

I just smile and often they smile back.

I always have my iPhone in hand so I'm ready to

quickly point and SHOOT!!!  Be quick and make it happen!

By staying alert and observant, you can often anticipate a shot...

someone in interesting clothing is approaching!

Lift your camera and when they are close enough CLICK!

I hope this gives you enough ideas to take your

camera or iPhone to the streets!

In Part Three, I'll talk about editing your street photos.