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5 Simple Street Photography Composition Tips

5 practical street photography compositions you can integrate into your photography today!


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5 Tips

  1. Crouch down low (low angle perspective)
  2. Get your subjects legs in a “V” (triangle composition)
  3. Negative space between your subjects head and the background
  4. Let the photos come to you!
  5. Use the “fishing technique”: compose the scene then wait for your subjects to enter the frame!

Video Lecture: 5 Simple Street Photography Composition Tips

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1. Fishing technique

Establish your composition, then wait for your subject to enter the frame. Similar technique to Henri Cartier-Bresson:

2. Crouch down low

Crouch down low with a wide-angle lens (24mm, 28mm, 35mm), and crouch down from a low perspective to make a more dynamic composition:

3. Leading-lines / Subject’s legs in a “V” / triangle shape

When you’re out shooting, have fun and look for nice leading lines (like escalators, alley-ways, etc). This is a photo I shot at the mall close to my old workplace (shoot more street photography during your lunch breaks!)

Get your subject’s legs in a “V” shape// because it is more dynamic (looks like a triangle).

4. Negative space between your subject’s head and the background

5. Let the photos come to you

I am a big fan of coffee shop street photography (more info in STREET HUNT).

The way I made this photo:

  1. I was drinking a coffee at a coffee shop in Hanoi
  2. I noticed a silhouette of people as they entered/exited the door next to me.
  3. I took out my RICOH GR II, and waited for the subject to enter again.
  4. The subject entered again, and I got a beautiful silhouette of the subject.
  5. I shot in P (program) mode in RAW, and processed with ERIC KIM MONOCHROME preset.


Conclusion

Ultimately I want you to also follow your gut in composition. You don’t need to follow composition tips line-by-line. Rather, study the master photographers, and study their compositions. Figure out which compositions you like, and integrate them into your photography!

Also another tip: study composition by watching great cinema. Don’t just look at photos; analyze them, and integrate the lessons into your own photos!

BE BOLD,
ERIC


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LEARN FROM THE MASTERS Volume 1: Mobile Edition

If you want to achieve your personal maximum in photography, learn from MASTERS MOBILE EDITION (Volume 1)


STREET NOTES: Mobile Edition

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Composition 101

ERIC KIM X ANNETTE KIM X BAUHAUS REMIX

Everything you need to know about photography composition.

Photography Composition Tips

  • Depth Perception
  • Golden Angle Composition in Street Photography
  • Photographer as an “Arranging Artist”
  • Dynamic Off-Center Street Photography Compositions
  • 5 Essential Composition Tips in Photography

Color Theory

Color wheel theory: Dynamic tension between opposing colors.
Color wheel theory: Dynamic tension between opposing colors. Image from CREATIVE EVERY DAY
  • Red and Green Composition Color Theory For Photographers
  • The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Color Photography
  • Opponent Process Color Theory For Photographers
  • Color Theory For Photographers
  • Color Manual
  • How to Shoot Color Street Photography

Learn From the Masters of Composition

Sergio Larrain Compositions
Sergio Larrain Compositions
  • 10 Lessons Matisse Can Teach You About Art and Life
  • Henri Cartier-Bresson Composition
  • 10 Timeless Lessons Edward Weston Can Teach You About Photography
  • 10 Inspirational Sergio Larrain Compositions
  • 5 Henri Cartier-Bresson Photography Composition Lessons

Dynamic Photography Composition 101

Leading lines. ERIC KIM DYNAMIC COMPOSITION
Leading lines. ERIC KIM DYNAMIC COMPOSITION
  • Introduction to Dynamic Photography Composition
  • How to Visually Analyze Your Photography Compositions
  • Dynamic Tension: Opponent Based Theory For Photography
  • Opponent Process Color Theory For Photographers
  • Dynamic Photography Composition 101: Figure to Ground

Painting Compositions

Vermeer
  • Johannes Vermeer
  • Raphael

Dynamic Photography Composition Tips

Chiaroscuro. DYNAMIC LIGHT AND SHADOW. Hanoi, 2016 by ERIC KIM
Chiaroscuro. DYNAMIC LIGHT AND SHADOW. Hanoi, 2016 by ERIC KIM
  • 7 Simple Photography Composition Tips
  • How to Make Aggressive Photography Compositions
  • 10 Dynamic Photography Composition Tips
  • How to Make More Dynamic Picture Compositions
  • Unorthodox Photography Composition Techniques
  • Deconstructed: Saigon Eric Kim Photos

Composition Theory

Dynamic low angle composition. Tokyo, 2011 by ERIC KIM
Dynamic low angle composition. Tokyo, 2011 by ERIC KIM

Take your composition to the next level:

  • Gestalt Theory
  • Juxtaposition
  • Center Eye
  • Low-Angle
  • Dutch Angle
  • Deep Depth
  • Spacing
  • Silhouette
  • Leading Lines
  • Figure to Ground
  • Fibonacci Spiral
  • Cropping
  • Emotion
  • Composition by Eric Kim

Street Photography Composition 101

DYNAMIC REFLECTIONS. Man and three reflections by ERIC KIM
DYNAMIC REFLECTIONS. Man and three reflections by ERIC KIM

For distilled lessons on composition, read the free ebook: “The Street Photography Composition Manual.”

Further articles to improve your compositions in photography:

  • Composition Lesson #1: Triangles
  • Composition Lesson #2: Figure-to-ground
  • Composition Lesson #3: Diagonals
  • Composition Lesson #4: Leading Lines
  • Composition Lesson #5: Depth
  • Composition Lesson #6: Framing
  • Composition Lesson #7: Perspective
  • Composition Lesson #8: Curves
  • Composition Lesson #9: Self-Portraits
  • Composition Lesson #10: Urban Landscapes
  • Composition Lesson #11: “Spot the not”
  • Composition Lesson #12: Color Theory
  • Composition Lesson #13: Multiple-Subjects
  • Composition Lesson #14: Square Format

Composition Theory

Chiaroscuro. DYNAMIC LIGHT AND SHADOW. Hanoi, 2016 by ERIC KIM
Woman and door. Chiaroscuro. DYNAMIC LIGHT AND SHADOW. Hanoi, 2016 by ERIC KIM

Learn compositional theory:

  • Why is Composition Important?
  • Don’t Think About Composition When You’re Shooting Street Photography
  • How to Use Negative Space
  • Street Photography Composition 101
  • The Theory of Composition in Street Photography: 7 Lessons from Henri Cartier-Bresson

Compositional lessons from the masters of art

  • Composition Lessons Raphael Can Teach You About Photography
  • In-Progress: Leonardo da Vinci

Composition lectures


Composition pictures/grids

Eric Kim photography Bauhaus Piet Mondrian


Golden Diagonal Composition

golden diagonal composition
Golden Diagonal Composition / Kyoto Station, 2018

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CONQUER STREET PHOTOGRAPHY IN NYC (June 4th 2021) >

  • June 4th: NYC CONQUER STREET PHOTOGRAPHY (Saturday, June 4th, 2022, 12-5pm Eastern Time)

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