With my Leica M9 set up with my Canon Speedlite 430EX, I experimented street photography with a flash for the first time in Los Angeles (3rd Street Promenade). Despite what people say, I didn’t get punched in the face or my camera broken (although I did get shoved once hard in the back). Overall, it was quite a fascinating experience, and I learned a ton about the process. Keep reading to watch the video of  my crazy stories, and also check out some of the photos as well.

The Setup

First Impressions of Shooting Street Photography With a Flash in Santa Monica

(Apologies– the video gets cut out. Not sure what happened…)

Photos taken with the Leica M9 and Off-shoe Flash

When I shot these photos, I did a combination of the below:

• Don’t ask for permission and take the photo
• Don’t ask for permission and take the photo then give them a compliment
• Approach a person, say a compliment, and take the photo
• Ask the person to take their photo

Which one of these images stand out to you? Also, if you have any questions about flash street photography, please leave me a comment below!