Downtown LA, 2015

6 Tips How to Shoot Street Photography Faster

I have always been a fan of gun-slinger western movies and films, as well as samurai films.

This is something that has always been interesting to me:

How do gun-slingers or samurai train their speed and precision?

Some practical ideas:

1. Shoot zone focusing:

Leica MP, Zone Focusing at f8

For zone focusing it is best to use a rangefinder or a Leica, or perhaps “snap” mode on RICOH GR II. The idea is you prefocus your lens to around 1.2 meters, shoot at f8, ISO 1600. If you can use zone focusing effectively, you should shoot faster than autofocus.

For more tips, read LEICA MANUAL >

2. Micro 43rds camera

Cindy walking ghost
Lumix G9

The autofocus on the micro 43rds is the fastest in the industry. The Olympus Micro 43rds are great, as well as the Lumix cameras.

Recommended cameras in micro 43rds:

3. Always keep your camera on your neck, wrist, or front pocket

This is my simple theory:

If you have your camera physically on you, you will see more photo opportunities, and you will shoot more.

There isn’t an ideal strap. I recommend experimenting with neck straps, shoulder (cross body) straps, wrist straps, or just have your camera small enough to fit in your front pocket (RICOH GR II or shoot with your phone).

Gunslinger always have their pistol strapped to their leg; perhaps we should do the same as a photographer?

Recommended HAPTIC STRAPS:


4. Just shoot it.

Better to take a bad photo than to shoot no photo.

Thus, if you see a scene that might even have a 1% chance of being a good photo,

JUST SHOOT IT.

And after you shoot it, “work the scene” and take many photos (30+ photos if possible).

5. Simple settings

If you don’t like complicated settings, keep it simple. I personally like program mode, or intelligent auto mode (Lumix).

Nobody cares whether you shot a photo fully manually or not.

Focus on interacting with your subjects, composing, and framing!

6. Practice often

eric kim behind the scene maria MADRILES street portrait
Shooting in Downtown LA

If you don’t shoot often, it is easy to get rusty.

MARILA MARDRILES. Downtown LA Street Portrait with Pentax 645z
MARILA MARDRILES. Downtown LA Street Portrait with Pentax 645z

Grease the groove. Keep shooting, and never stop moving.

Remember the Publilius Syrus aphorism:

The rolling stone gathers no moss.

Shoot on!
ERIC

CONQUER YOUR FEARS AT ERIC KIM WORKSHOP >