An idea from STREET HUNT: shoot street photography on the subway, bus, or public transportation.

Why the subway?

Red dot on head of suit. London tube, 2014

One of the challenging things as a street photographer is to stay inspired to shoot everyday, regardless of how busy you are in your everyday life.

If you take the subway, tube, bus, or any other form of public transportation on your commute to work, this is one of the best places you can shoot street photography.

How to shoot on the subway/bus/public transportation

Some practical ideas:

1. Don’t make eye contact:

Suit and NYC subway

Make photos but pretend like you’re shooting something behind your subjects. Or pretend to be a lost tourist, and photograph the subway map in the background.

2. Shoot with a wide-angle lens:

Subway street picture of man and advertisement. Tokyo, 2017

Use a 28mm or 35mm lens in street photography, and this way you don’t need to point your lens directly at your subject. Put them off a little bit on the left or the right side of your frame.

3. Shoot on the platform, not just inside the train/bus:

Blurry man in Tokyo, in subway.

If you shoot on the platform while you’re waiting for the subway, or waiting for the bus, it is less anxiety-ridden than shooting directly on public transportation. Look for people who are bored and waiting. Look for strong emotions– people looking lost, desperate, or who knows, even happy and excited.

4. Whenever possible, try to photograph people head-on (showing their faces):

Woman in New York Metro who is looking directly at me with eye contact. The dynamic tension of, “What is she going to do, or say next?”

Showing the back of someone’s head is never very interesting. By showing the faces of your subject, you will better capture emotions in them, which is the cornerstone of street photography.

SUBWAY by Bruce davidson

Photograph from Subway by Bruce Davidson / Magnum Photos

My favorite project on the subway was done by Bruce Davidson:

Bruce Davidson: Subway (learn more on Magnum Website or see the entire project here)
Purchase “Subway” by Bruce Davidson on Amazon >

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