If you’re shooting street photography while on the road, here are some practical tips I’ll give you (advice I wish I could have given myself:
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Some quick travel photography tips:
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1. Keep going back to the same place!
Go back to the same place over and over again, get to know the locals, and just shoot “candid” street photography. This means once you’ve built some rapport with locals in a certain area, just keep going back and shooting. Everyone will start to ignore you and you can shoot freely!
2. One camera, one lens
Practical tip: before you leave for a travel street photography trip, just bring one camera and one lens. Just bring a RICOH GR II and pack ultralight!
3. Start your own photography blog
Bring your laptop, iPad, or phone when you’re traveling and post your photos while you’re traveling.
Make your own photography website/blog (bluehost.com and WordPress.org) and post your photos and blog about your experiences!
Experiment only posting to your own website and blog, NOT your Instagram or Facebook; to build your own platform!
4. One backpack
Bring everything on your trip with one camera backpack. I recommend Think tank Perception 15 or the Pro version (if you plan on vlogging and doing video).
Carry everything on, no checkin luggage.
5. Black merino everything
Black merino wool shirt, leggings, socks (two pairs of everything). Exofficio boxer briefs. Wash every pair every evening in the shower with shampoo, then wring with towel and hang dry for next day. Stay super light with clothes.
Just buy the merino wool stuff on Amazon:
- Darn tough wool merino socks
- Wool X men merino wool leggings
- “Shark shoes” water shoes (cheap $15 minimalist shoes for travel)
- Any black merino wool t-shirt (Minus 33 or Outlier NYC).
6. Work on a mini photo travel street photography project
Seek to make 3-5 good photos for your trip. And make a small mini project out of it.
If you can make 3 good street photos from a week of shooting, you’re doing very well!
7. Travel to somewhere more affordable
Don’t just travel to expensive places. For saving money, I recommend New Orleans, Mexico City, Hanoi/Saigon, Bangkok. Save your money, and also stay at cheap hotels (hotels.com) or cheap airbnb.
8. Be friendly/aggressive
Get close to your subjects when shooting street photography, and smile and talk with them! Show them the photos on your LCD screen and offer to email them the photos too!
This is the “friendly/aggressive” strategy in street photography.
9. Go to where the locals hang out
Don’t just go to tourist locations to shoot. For example in Saigon, locals go to the mall (Saigon Center). I’ve done more spirited street photography at the mall than in the streets!
Another tip: go to “hipster” neighborhoods, or even shoot at coffee shops.
Another tip: shoot at the park! This is the STREET CLUB assignment, join here >
10. Don’t expect to make any good photos
The purpose of traveling is to have time to disconnect from home, and have more time to think, meditate, and reflect on life.
Don’t expect to make good photos, and you’re probably more likely to make good photos!
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