Dear streettogs, if you want to learn more of how to shoot street portraits, I just put together a 47-minute video lecture for you! In this lecture I cover what “street portraits” are (and how they differ from “street photography”), how to approach strangers, how to overcome the fear of rejection, as well as practical tips for shooting street portraits.
You can see and download all the slides for free on Slideshare or on Google drive.
To learn more about street portraits, check out my Chicago Street Portraits POV videos on YouTube.
30 Tips When Shooting Street Portraits
Below are some of the tips I included from the presentation on how to shoot street portraits (and a few extra freebies):
- Keep working the scene until your subject forgets about you
- Ask your subject to move to an interesting background
- You don’t need to photograph your subject’s face
- Take a photo of your subject looking at you / not looking at you
- Focus on the edges
- Ask your subject to look down / look up
- Provoke a response
- Remember you’ll never see them again (don’t miss out on the opportunity)
- Be genuinely interested in your subject
- Compliment your subject
- Talk to your subject before asking to take their photograph
- Realize that just because you had a good interaction doesn’t mean it is a good photograph
- Look for dramatic light
- Ask your subject: is it okay if I move you?
- Slightly touch your subject to change their posture, direction, or position
- Ask your subject not to smile
- Shoot both landscapes/vertical photos
- Shoot from different perspectives
- Get close, then get closer
- Talk to your subjects while photographing them
- Realize a posed photograph can look candid
- Capture the “unguarded moment”
- Try to shoot with / without a flash
- Capture hand gestures (get their hands close to their face)
- Shoot the same framing more than once (realize that their face direction might move, or facial gesture)
- Look for the surrounding environment (environmental portraiture)
- Realize a street portrait is more about yourself, not your subject
- Try to capture an “authentic” look that doesn’t look too posey
- Focus on details (use macro mode)
- Don’t feel guilty about “wasting your subject’s time” (they love the attention)
What are some tips you have when it comes to shooting street portraits, or any questions you might have? Leave them in the comments below!