The BEST Camera for Street Photography

by Eric Kim on August 30, 2010

*Thank you for the overwhelming support for my photography and blog. I have been moving into a new house the last few days, so it may take me a while to respond to all of your comments via email/this blog/flickr. However once I get settled in, hopefully I will get back to everybody! Also if you are curious, this post is going to be put into my “Street Photography 101″ book, which will be released for free and is currently in the making. You can read the other excerpts I have written so far here.

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This is the best camera for street photography.

Haha–tricked you. As there is no “best” paintbrush for a painter, there is no “best” camera when it comes to the street photographer. The camera is merely a tool, and there are different tools required for different situations and tasks at hand.

In street photography as well as general photography, photographers can sometimes become more obsessed about camera gear over actually taking photos. Photographers who are obsessed with camera gear often feel that their images are lacking due to their equipment, when their underdevelopment of photographic vision is the culprit.

Therefore many individuals fall into this trap and go on a never-ending chase in the hope that buying more expensive camera bodies and lenses will help them get better images. However most of them are quite dismayed when they realize that when they buy the newest and most expensive equipment, their images don’t get any better. Now don’t get me wrong—nice bodies and lenses can indeed give you images with better sharpness, resolution, and color, but they won’t give one intrinsically better photos.

When it comes to street photography, I like to believe that the best policy is to have the least obtrusive camera and lens as possible. The antithesis of an ideal camera for street photography would be a 1D Mark IV with a Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L lens attached to it.

Although my knowledge of cameras may be limited when compared to the 20+years plus photo veteran, I will try my best to outline the pros and cons of different cameras that street photographers use, including rangefinders, DSLRS, or compact “point and shoots”.

Rangefinders

Leica M9, Expensive as hell but gives the photographer the "fully-manual" feel

Rangefinders are glorified for their ability to take images without a battery, being small and unobtrusive, quick in operation, and virtually silent in terms of a shutter sound. Rangefinders are fully manual, meaning that you have to manually focus and manually control exposure through aperture and shutter speed.

The most popular rangefinder (by far) when it comes to street photography is the Leica. It carries all of the fore mentioned characteristics and has a tradition for being built like a tank with superior optics. Shoot—the granddaddy of all street photography (Henri Cartier-Bresson) used a Leica for his entire career.

Taking photos with a rangefinder is much different than many other cameras because what you see through your viewfinder is not necessarily what your photos show up as. There are superimposed grid lines showing the borders of how much your camera will actually capture which many photographers claim that gives them a sense of freedom and seeing entire scenes.

However there are obviously cons with using a rangefinder camera. First of all, rangefinders are fully manual, meaning that one has to learn how to constantly adjust for the changing lighting in an environment with aperture and shutter speed, while modern digital cameras can do this automatically. Although many advocates of using fully-manual settings do not see this as a disadvantage, the aspiring street photographer may have a difficult time constantly adjusting his or her settings.

Furthermore if one decides to get a digital rangefinder (the Leica M8, M8.2, or the coveted M9), they are most likely going to drop a huge chunk of change. As I am writing this, the market price for a M8, M8.2, and M9 is $2500 used, $6,500 new, and $8,400 new, respectively.

Leica M9 with 60mm Hexanon at F1.4, 1/1000, ISO200, ND filter (via http://blog.yanidel.com/)

DSLRS

Canon 5D, the DSLR I currently use

It seems that nowadays many street photographers use digital SLRs (DSLRs) to take their photographs. DSLRs are massively popular due to their overall image quality, quick shutter speed, and their ability to interchange lenses, and relative affordability.

However the downside to DSLRs for street photography is that they are relatively large and clunky, and look intimidating to the average person. Furthermore due to the fact that it has a mirror inside, it makes a loud clicking (or clunking) sound when taking photos, which can disturb the serenity of a scene. There is nothing more apparent than the loud mirror-clacking of a DSLR on a quiet subway.

However that doesn’t mean that it is impossible to use a DSLR for street photography. I currently use a Canon 5D for my street photography and in order to make my camera more stealthy, I covered up my “Canon” and “5D” logo with black gaffers tape. I feel the advantage of this is that it converts my “professional-looking camera” into any old generic-looking camera. This makes the camera look less conspicuous in public, and makes people feel less anxious when you are taking photos of them.

Furthermore, DSLRS have great high-ISO capabilities, which make them ideal for shooting at night without having too much noise in the shots. The 5D is notorious for having creating clean images at even high-ISO’s. I never hesitate to shoot my camera at ISO 1600 or even 3200 at night when capturing scenes with faster shutter speeds.

Furthermore, another huge advantage of DSLRs is the ability to interchange one’s lenses. Therefore, one can switch up his or her lenses once in a while if you want to shoot at different focal lengths. I primarily use my Canon 24mm f/2.8 and Canon 35mm f/2 for my street work, and occasionally the Canon 50mm 1.8. Using different focal lengths helps me strive to be more creative when shooting.

"The Corridor" - Shot by me with my Canon 5D in Prague.

Point and Shoots

Canon S90- Small but packs a punch

There are currently a handful of high-end point-and-shoots on the market that many street photographers use for shooting in the street. These cameras tout larger image sensors, which gives better image quality as well as cleaner images at higher-ISOs. The most notable high-end point-and-shoot cameras are the Panasonimc LUMIX series, the Sigma DP series, the Canon G series, and the Ricoh GR series.

The advantages of point-and-shoot cameras for street photography is that they are small, have a virtually silent shutter, and that they are unobtrusive. However on the other hand, many point-and-shoot cameras have shutter-lag, which can make it difficult to capture moving people without getting them blurred out.

"Sunflower" - Shot by me and my 5-year old Canon Powershot SD600

Micro 4/3rds

Panasonic GF-1- the best 4/3rds camera in the market

I have yet to do any street photography with the new Micro 4/3rds cameras such as the Olympus EP-1, EP-2, or Panasonic GF-1. Please feel free to leave a comment if you have done any street photography with a Micro 4/3rds camera, and it could be compiled to fill up this section!

Photograph by the GF1 (via http://craigmod.com/)

So what do you think? What is the best camera for street photography in YOUR opinion? Leave a comment below and let me hear your thoughts!

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Please introduce yourselves!

by Eric Kim on August 27, 2010

Hello My Name Is...

Hey guys,

So after my guest post on Digital Photography School for my “10 Tips for the Aspiring Street Photographer,” I have been getting a lot of love from the online photography community. In order to get to know you guys better (and for you guys to get to know one another better as well), why not leave a comment and introduce yourselves? Let me know where you’re from, how you found out about my site, and what about street photography appeals to you? Looking forward in hearing from all of you

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Street Photography Techniques – Street Photography 101

by Eric Kim on August 23, 2010

When it comes to street photography, everybody has their own style and techniques. What interests one street photographer may not necessarily catch the eye of another street photographer. However in order for you to get a better grasp of what kind of styles there are in street photography, I have compiled a few elements that street photographers like to use to their advantage when constructing their images.

Play with Juxtaposition

"Skating" - Paris, France.

Juxtaposition is a big and fancy word that artists love to use. If you are not familiar with the word, it simply means drawing a stark contrast between two elements in an image. One could use juxtaposition in his or her favor by creating an image that is interesting, ironic, or just plain uncanny.

For example, if you were to see a sign that says “get fit” and you see a woman eating an ice cream, that makes for an image with great juxtaposition. Or you can see a sign that says “get big” with a small person standing next to it.

Juxtaposition doesn’t always have to be between a sign and a person. It can be between two people (think attractive vs ugly, fit vs fat, or tall vs short). It can also be between a person and an inatimate object, like a person next to a tree, skyscraper, or car.

Juxtaposition can either be found naturally in daily life, or constructed by a photographer by framing his pictures to only include certain elements. If you are quick enough on your toes and always have your camera by your side, you will be able to capture those “Kodak moments” or as Henri Cartier-Bresson likes to call, “The Decisive Moment.” Furthermore, there may not be an apparent juxtaposition in a scene, but if you can capture an image at a certain angle or only include certain elements, you can create an interesting image.

Look for the Light

"Despair" - Toronto, Canada.

“Look for the light” is often what great photographers tell aspiring photographers. When the word “photography” is broken down, it literally means “painting with light.” Great street photographers leverage this to their advantage as well. Look for the light and make interesting and even magical scenes. If you are in a dark corridor and you see a single beam of light shining through, try to capture it so that it appears that a single person is under the spotlight. Such minimalist and simple pictures are beautiful.

Experiment taking photos during the day and night. They both have a life of their own. Although street photography can be favorable under well-lit conditions during the day, fascinating scenes can also be found during the night. As Van Gogh once said, “I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.” Experiment with light and shadows, day and night, bright and dark. Look for interesting lighting arrangements, whether it be the flashing lights in front of a movie theater or an alley with Christmas lights suspended above.

If you are able to use the light to your advantage, you can be an amazing street photographer.

Go for the “Candid Look”

"3 Venetian Ladies" - Venice, Italy.

As humans, we are naturally attracted to looking at other people. There is a strange enjoyment that humans have in studying the faces, voices, and expressions of others in a voyeuristic type of way. As social beings, we often also enjoy comparing our lifes conditions to the lives of others, or even living vicariously through others as well. Therefore when it comes to street photography, the common person loves looking at candid portraiture of people in public. There is something very pure about it, as a person’s true soul and condition can often be shown best when they aren’t posed—contemplating a certain thought or living in a certain moment.

Capturing candid images can be difficult at times. How can you take an image of somebody without them even noticing that you are taking their image? Remember one tip that you can try is “shooting from the hip,” or taking photos with your camera suspended at waist-level, shooting up. Also make sure to dress casually and don’t look too conspicuous in public. If you are going to the slums of a downtown area, it is probably best to keep your bright designer clothes at home. Be cognizant of your surroundings.

Also try to be discrete with your camera. If you have a DSLR, refrain from using a huge and clunky zoom lens, and use a small prime lens instead. If you don’t feel comfortable carrying around a DSLR, bring your point and shoot, which is even smaller and less conspicuous.

After you take images of your subjects, keep your eyes wandering and not fixated on one person. Pretend that other people can’t see you. Then you will truly become invisible.

Go for the “Shock Factor”

"Camera Shy" - Seoul, Korea.

Bruce Gilden has definitely got to be the grandfather of this technique. One of his techniques can be as follows: He walks around the streets of NYC with his camera in one hand and a flash in the other. Once he sees an interesting person, he quickly steps in front of them, crouches, and takes a photo of them (flash firing and all). Naturally, this surprises many people, which makes for fascinating looking images. People often question this style, as they feel that the subjects are treated as “prey.” However one thing that people can’t argue with is that this approach is definitely legal, and can make for fascinating looking images.

I know only a few street photographers that have balls like Bruce Gilden and are able to have the courage to do such photography. I wouldn’t suggest it to the beginning street photographer, as this is definitely a much more extreme approach which takes years of practice to get comfortable and used to. Seasoned veterans and hardcore photojournalists, however, should have no problem with this approach.

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Of course there are much more tips and techniques than those listed above. Stay tuned, I have a lot more stuff up my sleeve

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Eric Kim Street Photography Typography

by Eric Kim on August 19, 2010

I love typography. I played around with some new free font I picked up at Smashing Magazine and playing with color schemes from Colour Lovers and mashed this little piece up together. Leave me a comment below and let me know what ya think!

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How To Buy an Amazing Road Bike for under $200

by Eric Kim on August 17, 2010

My Nishiki Prestige. Circa 1980's

Whoever is looking for a bike, take this advice from my friend Miles’ step-dad. He was a competitive biker back in the day, and he still fixes bikes for a living. An amazing period, with a great wealth of information. Big thanks to him for helping me purchase my first road-bike, a Nishiki Prestige (pictured above) for only $175 (I talked the guy down from 200) ! It runs like a dream, and is in mint condition. Also it looks pretty sweet with the red tires and all.

Here is the original E-mail he sent me. Hopefully this will help other people who are looking for bikes themselves.

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Hi Eric (I’m Tom),

I think we can do this, I’ll scour Los Angeles Westwood craigslist and send some ads to you so you can go out and look at bikes. The best deals are the late 1980s Japanese bikes, the ones you want have aluminum alloy wheels, but a steel lugged frame. I highly recommend Centurion “Iron Man”, Nishiki ‘Prestige”, Miyata 600 and higher to 1000, Fuji “Team”, Shogun “1000”, Univega several models with 700c wheels, Schwinn “Tempo” and a few other models made in Japan like”Prelude”

In the mid to late 1980s, the dollar was strong against a weak Yen, the Japanese were producing world class bikes and selling them in the U.S. at prices that other manufacturers couldn’t touch. This ended about 1990 and started about 1985 so you want to look for bikes from that time period only. After 1990, bikes became overly complicated and the frame quality declined as the Japanese economy was pulling ahead.

Another possibility is an American bike like a Trek, or a British bike like a Raleigh, but the chances of finding those (a good quality one)for $200 is slim. (keep in mind that all the companies made low-end or junky bikes during this period as well as fabulous bikes, so here are things to watch for.

#1 Frame tubing, The best Japanese steel was Tange #1 and Tange #2, there will be a sticker under the seat on the frame tube saying whatever the tubing is, Tange 1 and 2 are double-butted chrome-Moly and that is the lightest and strongest. Double butted means the inside diameter varies, towards the ends that need extra strength, the tubing walls are thicker because that’s where the stress is. The middles of the tubes are thin. You don’t want to buy bikes where the tubes are dented at all or repainted, original finish is a must. Paint scratches are O.K. but dents are a deal breaker.

At 5’11”, depending on leg length, I’d recommend a 56 to 60cm frame, the measurement is from the centerline of the crank axle up the mast to where the seat-post drops in. People selling bikes often give false measurements so you need to bring a metric tape measure.

Avoid bikes with 27” wheels, if the bike has 27” wheels, it means the bike is either cheap or too old. Make sure you get 700c wheels, on aluminum rims, with aluminum hubs, bring a magnet if you can’t tell the diff.

The deraillers should be Shimano, it’s possible that they could have SunTour, but those are most likely older than the time period we are looking for.

Bikes of this period have a head sticker, not a headbadge, (unless it’s a Schwinn)

#2, spin the wheels, there should be no wobble or hop, this is important, the wheels should spin for a long time, if the wheel stops after a couple seconds, something is wrong.

#3 don’t worry about bad handlebar tape or worn or rotted tires, those should be replaced anyway when you buy a used bike, you never know where the last owner’s hands have been and you don’t need gross stuff on yours.

#4 bring a 5mm and a 6mm Allen wrench, loosen the seat post and make sure it is still adjustable, same with handlebar neck, bikes left in the rain often get alumi-ferric corrosion in those areas and get stuck, and you don’t want that. The seat post clinch bolt is usually only turnable on the chainwheel side remember, one side does NOT spin. Sometimes people put the clinch bolt in backwards though, so carefully try the other side if the bolt on the chainwheel side does not spin easily.

Let’s begin…

T

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