1. Long distance flash
Shoot from a longer distance, around 5 meters, and use a flash.
Some of these shots with film LEICA MP+ 35mm, at f8, Leica SF20, Kodak Portra 400, with flash on full power.
2. URBAN LANDSCAPES: Street photography without people
Show humanity, without including people.
3. Hand gestures
Show emotions via hand gestures.
![Jazz hands. Hollywood, 2011](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/45A6A333-39F2-4A45-B424-C0F8873A0BB1-2000x1333.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1333)
4. Eye contact
Eyes are the windows to the soul.
5. Street portraits with permission
Engage with your subject, and ask them to make a portrait of them.
6. Decapitation Technique
Chop off the heads or eyes of your subject, to add more mystery.
7. Photograph kids
8. Make happy photos of people smiling
Don’t think all your photos need to be super serious. Smile.
![Lady with hat. Santa Monica, 2011](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/9F9C2410-0514-46CA-B6B5-B2A495195271-2000x1333.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1333)
![Woman in elevator. Chicago. 2013](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/AE828532-AB3D-4172-9111-99B2F5CA2BB7-2000x1327.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1327)
![Woman in elevator. Chicago. 2013](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/AE828532-AB3D-4172-9111-99B2F5CA2BB7-2000x1327.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1327)
9. Shoot head on
![How to shoot head on, from my friend Charlie Kirk. The “cut off technique”. Start as red in bottom left, and walk in front of people (white star) when you shoot. And keep moving. Your incoming subject outlined in yellow.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/362046BF-1171-4528-AB76-0F554FAE0C40-1500x2000.jpeg?resize=1500%2C2000)
Use a wide-angle lens like a 28mm and don’t shoot from the side. Rather, shoot head on.
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/79A693F7-45E2-493A-951C-A97F4531EBF3.jpeg?resize=1818%2C1228)
10. “The cherry on top”
![Girl with pigeon shadow. Paris, 2011](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/35CDA625-C95B-4486-A943-484C13FD488F-1331x2000.jpeg?resize=1331%2C2000)
Find one detail in your photo that makes the photo more interesting to look at.
![Superman mural. Superman posing is the cherry on top.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/CFDD1AE1-84CE-4663-8A55-117326D416F2.jpeg?resize=950%2C633)
![Red dot on the suit in London metro. Cherry on top is the red dot.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2DC52DB5-4F22-4C20-8F56-B5D85399A2DA-1326x2000.jpeg?resize=1326%2C2000)
11. Shooting from the side (oblique angle)
These photos aren’t shot head on, but a little from the side. Crouch down while shooting these photos, to be less intrusive.
![Hong Kong man with phone. 2013](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/EB611A0B-2D6B-4CD2-A60B-E10FB4FA11C4-2000x1327.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1327)
12. Shoot indoors
![Dancing drunk suits at bar. Tokyo, 2011](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/82C4F2FD-1EFA-4764-BA3A-53902673FACB-2000x1355.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1355)
Don’t limit yourself to the streets. Shoot coffee shops, restaurants, or stores.
![Man and woman having dinner with orange wall. NYC, 2015](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/6EBAF9FF-727E-435D-9E46-21B2A4298B7E-2000x1333.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1333)
![Man taking a nap inside Hong Kong mall.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/FB29970C-A8BA-43B5-9409-E5AE28C1FF69-2000x1326.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1326)
![Man and woman inside restaurant. Kyoto. 2014](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2BB112AD-E4A3-45FF-9ECB-3EAE23A7AC65-2000x1326.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1326)
![Suit and urinal. Bathroom.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/AAEF6DB0-7266-42A4-A36A-E9549DF09593-2000x1327.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1327)
![Kissing couple, from inside Hong Kong mall.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/C4CAFD22-7439-439F-B334-F071C214CD87-2000x1327.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1327)
13. Shoot subways or public transportation
![Suits in Tokyo metro.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/D06F9FD4-BC36-4946-8EDC-7322558D6A2E-2000x1327.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1327)
![Blurry man in Tokyo, in subway.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/5F42085A-B9D7-46AA-9202-AEE2F47C6E7F-2000x1331.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1331)
14. Shoot through glass with a flash
This will reduce reflections, and cause your subject to pop out.
Or don’t use a flash, just shoot through the glass and see what happens.
![Suit eating sandwich, Chicago. No flash.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/07FA378D-E434-41EC-AE4D-1687E63004E5-2000x1327.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1327)
15. Shoot hotel lobbies
![Man in suit in San Diego hotel lobby. He owned the hotel.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/66580D38-773A-4A14-83DC-25CB15DCDB8A-2000x1327.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1327)
You will find interesting scenes in hotel lobbies.
![Hotel room lobby. Istanbul, 2014](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/15B4CEED-FE1F-42B5-A0C5-2D5F0A1727E5-2000x1333.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1333)
16. Make social/political/economic critique and commentary through your photos
Be opinionated about politics, social inequality, wealth, or your economic views with your photos.
![eric kim car layers mexican man americans](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Americans-31.jpg?resize=2000%2C1326)
17. Layers and depth
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/D83337ED-F8BA-449C-9C85-949682ADE9B4-2000x1327.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1327)
Don’t just shoot one subject. Get very close, fill the frame, and have a foreground, middle ground, and background.
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/IMG_0944.jpg?resize=2000%2C1327)
![Layers of people in elevator. Tokyo, 2017](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/ERIC-KIM-TOKYO-STREET-PHOTOGRAPHY-2017-0152038-2000x1325.jpg?resize=2000%2C1325)
![Depth New York street photo, 2015](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/eric-kim-street-photography-new-york-city-depth-black-and-white-800x530.jpg?resize=800%2C530)
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/R0004144-1-2000x1325.jpg?resize=2000%2C1325)
18. Weird juxtapositions
![Why is there a security camera in the desert?](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/DC934A13-A50F-4C37-8EF6-E369226C1BBE-2000x1326.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1326)
Create a weird image, comparing different uncanny, or uncommon combinations of stuff next to one another.
![Backdoor to the universe?](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/A30EF9B7-93B0-48E1-8F82-C7B107644757-2000x1326.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1326)
![Why does the mannequin on the left look so real?](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/66A7EF28-00A8-4982-9129-2878EFFE141E-2000x1333.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1333)
![Julian Assange and kim Jung il. Where do the legs come from? Zurich.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/05E7CCB8-B8E5-4818-9D7D-D54ACDD245B5.jpeg?resize=950%2C713)
![Taxi cab in Mumbai.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/29192E98-B946-40F0-8A1B-D0D8BEC1B185-2000x1327.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1327)
19. Atmosphere/mood
![Smoke with flash. The smoke adds to the mood.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/43E25137-E36E-4755-939B-9BCAAD1734D0-1333x2000.jpeg?resize=1333%2C2000)
Transport your viewer into a new atmosphere or mood. Use flash, smoke, fog.
![Fog. Sapa, Vietnam](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/B24D3B40-FDDE-40B9-88AC-C09B5C5F3FD8-2000x1325.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1325)
Or shoot a photo in color, that looks like a scene from a film. Shoot at the beach.
![Marseille man at beach. Mood of the azure blue ocean. Kodak Portra 400 Film adds the mood.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/82B76BEB-AE4D-4050-878C-912CD126598F-2000x1327.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1327)
20. Dodging and burning
![Dramatic picture of Hanoi woman. Background darkened, and her face and eyes brightened for dramatic effect.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/375F84D6-073D-44BB-8C97-984A2D66AB2B-2000x1325.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1325)
Dodge (brighten) and burn (darken) parts of your frame using the adjustment brush in Lightroom, and reduce and increase exposure on certain parts of your frame to add more drama to the scene.
![NYC, 2016. I darkened (burned) the left of the frame, to add more attention to her face.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/nyc-2016-portrait-eye-centered-braids-eric-kim-street-photograpy-black-and-white-Monochrome-21-800x1208.jpg?resize=800%2C1208)
![Hands. Paris, 2015](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1C386F26-5A93-4B76-80E1-3A6E640E5C68-2000x1325.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1325)
![Hands of a 92 year old woman. Hanoi, 2017](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/64DC1FDD-687A-4338-93F4-F00DE3C69709-2000x1325.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1325)
21. Minus exposure compensation
![Street portrait with -1 2/3 exposure compensation. To make his face more dramatic and pop from the background. By using minus exposure compensation, the background turns totally black.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/E02D7561-8AFB-4CED-9CE8-FE2DEF34CED7-1325x2000.jpeg?resize=1325%2C2000)
For dramatic effect with dark shadows, and better exposure, shoot with -1 or -2 exposure compensation.
![contact sheet side tattoo eric kim](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/contact-sheet-side-tattoo-eric-kim-800x337.jpg?resize=800%2C337)
![Red shirt and green background. Low perspective shot. New Orleans, woman and deer.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/ERIC-KIM-STREET-PORTRAITS5-1325x2000.jpg?resize=1325%2C2000)
22. Blur/movement
Either shoot with a flash with a slow flash (1/15th of a second), or shoot without flash.
![Man with face mask in Seoul. Shot with flash at 1/15th of a second](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/0358FBDA-29ED-4FFA-9A52-F83146D5B6C8.jpeg?resize=1228%2C1818)
![Grimace dog. Paris, 2011](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/DAA1DE74-45DA-486A-9D43-BC5585F25273-2000x1500.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1500)
![Jazz man with trumpet and light trails. Shot with flash at 1/15th of a second](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/7D715A3E-52D8-4C92-9219-AE81F8FDE3F4-2000x1333.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1333)
![Woman with pink leggings. Shot with flash with slow sync speed (1/15th second)](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/C5B7F8E9-DE92-487A-9396-67E9B1A0637A-1326x2000.jpeg?resize=1326%2C2000)
More movement will add more dynamism to your photos.
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/55B3F0E2-064A-48B0-ADF1-796F9F243D39-1357x2000.jpeg?resize=1357%2C2000)
23. The decisive moment
![](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/D984AD02-90AE-4AD1-B3DF-C47DF98C3971-2000x1331.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1331)
A wonderful moment, like a kiss, embrace, or something tender between two people.
![Old couple peck on cheek. Paris.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/5826EA0D-0AB9-41A4-9F56-5944F252DBD2-2000x1331.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1331)
Decisive moment means to see a good moment, and be fast enough to capture it.
24. Shoot your subjects as silhouettes
![Silhouette of man, rooftop bar in Hanoi.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/C869BDE6-01E7-4E91-9251-2F49E7BB7B62-2000x1325.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1325)
Shoot with the light behind your subject, or use -1 or -2 exposure compensation to create mystery with the silhouette of your subject.
![Silhouette of woman behind door. Hanoi, 2017](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/F7BD1CBD-F200-45A2-921D-686D3B29233D-2000x1325.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1325)
![Silhouette suit man. Street photograph in Tokyo, 2011](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/BC8FDE15-81D6-4B5D-B579-D6C0E0CE3642-2000x1331.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1331)
![Simple figure to ground composition. Man in silhouette in black in top left of frame against white sky.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/AB35F800-848F-476D-A96E-B81D5965A83A-1325x2000.jpeg?resize=1325%2C2000)
![The conductor. Silhouette at Walt Disney hall at fountain](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/the-conductor-downtown-los-angeles-2009-2000x1333.jpg?resize=2000%2C1333)
25. Show your own soul in your own street photographs
Ultimately, your street photos are about you — not your subject. Reveal your own soul through your photos, by engaging with your subjects, talking with them, and also choosing subject matter which reveals who you are.
![Eric Rivera with cigar](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/516F4B5D-79B3-48D0-824D-E586867AF01C-2000x1327.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1327)
![Laughing man in Paris. 2015.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/eric-kim-photography-black-and-white-tri-x-1600-leica-mp-35mm-film-1136-800x1207.jpg?resize=800%2C1207)
![Girl laughing with blue sunglasss. Kyoto, 2017.](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/ERIC-KIM-PHOTOGRAPHY-KYOTO-STREET-0021038.jpg?resize=3264%2C4928)
![Woman laughing. NYC, 2017. Pentax 645Z](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/5E0026EC-7A89-4818-911C-9483783E1918-2000x1500.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1500)
![Laughing old people. Tokyo, 2017](https://i0.wp.com/erickimphotography.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/D18F7586-1FE4-4917-8C1F-D84441D0E07B-2000x1325.jpeg?resize=2000%2C1325)
Conclusion
Define street photography for you, never stop exploring. Shoot with joy and fun, like a child.
No rules, no regulations. Only tips, and different techniques for exploring the streets with your camera.
ERIC
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LEARN FROM THE MASTERS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
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Timeless wisdom from the masters of street photography.