Sounds like a basic question: but what’s better for photography or street photography: black and white or color?
To start off, I think both are good for street photography and photography in general.
The more important question to ask yourself is this:
Which aesthetic do I prefer? And for which project?
I think that within a single photography project, it’s a good idea to stay aesthetically consistent within a project. For example for my Hanoi street photography project, I experimented with both color and black and white in the beginning, but then I decided while living and shooting in Hanoi for about a year that I preferred black and white. I shot it all in RAW in RICOH GR II then processed with ERIC KIM MONOCHROME 1600 preset.
So as a takeaway recognize that when you’re shooting a photography project, essay, or just documenting your life; you’re not going to know whether you prefer black and white or color until you start shooting!
Second point: recognize as a photographer, yes you are allowed to bounce between both aesthetics. For some different projects shoot in color. For other projects shoot black and white. There’s no ultimate right or wrong in the philosophy of aesthetics; it’s your choice, according to your own taste!
A practical tip I have is this:
Shoot either color or black and white according to your mood.
What this means is this:
Generally for black and white, the feeling is one of nostalgia, the past, and timelessness.
Generally for color, the feeling is optimism, hope, the future, and “modernness” and a contemporary feeling.
Of course this is just a generalization. But aesthetics do affect your mood.
You can also shoot color film, like Kodak Portra 400 to evoke a more timeless mood.
Similarly, you can shoot black and white in a way which looks very contemporary.
There’s still a lot of unpaved roads in photography and street photography. The genre of street photography only started really in the 1920s with Henri Cartier-Bresson (1920-2018 is only around 100 years). I imagine street photography will be around for at least 2,000+ years (as long as humans have public places). So don’t let cliches of the past hold you back!
For monochrome I really like the work of my friend Josh White. For color, I like my friend Chú Việt Ha.
For the old school photographers, for monochrome I really like Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Weegee, Josef Koudelka, and Richard Avedon. See all Masters >
Classic color photographers include Alex Webb, Martin Parr, Fred Herzog, and Saul Leiter. See all Color Masters >
What does ERIC KIM prefer for street photography?
Simply put, I prefer black and white street photography on digital with RICOH GR II and often with flash. I feel I’ve created an aesthetic I love with the ERIC KIM MONOCHROME 1600 preset with digital.
I still prefer black and white film (Kodak Trix400 pushed to 1600) over digital, but to be frank; my digital monochrome photos look 90% good enough to me, which is more than sufficient.
Also in reviewing my portfolio, I am very happy and pleased with all my monochrome street photography work. I feel I’ve paved enough new roads for myself in black and white street photography, so now I’m more interested in trying to master color street photography for myself as a fun challenge.
Color street photography
For myself I see a lot of new excitement in color street photography: both for digital and film color street photography (or even color street photography with phones, shot and processed with VSCO or computational photography), or even in digital medium format color street photography:
Tips
General tips:
- Figure out whether you prefer color or black and white for street photography. If you don’t know which you prefer yet; keep experimenting and playing with both until you discover which you prefer.
- Don’t get married to one aesthetic for your entire life. Allow yourself to experiment with both formats. After all, you will live a long time as a photographer; never stop experimenting in your photography.
- Experiment shooting film; it’s a good learning tool in terms of studying the aesthetics of photography. Also shooting black and white street photography in film will force you to actually see the world in black and white! (learn more in FILM NOTES).
- Never settle: Keep discovering new processes to improve the look and aesthetics of your photos!
And ultimately don’t over think street photography too much.
Our final STREETTOGS motto:
JUST SHOOT IT!
ERIC
STREET PHOTOGRAPHY 101
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If you’re new to street photography, start here:
- Street Photography 101 Tutorial
- 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
- How to Shoot Street Photography
Master Street Photography
STREET PHOTOGRAPHY STARTER KIT: Everything You Need to Master Street Photography.
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Street Photography Ideas
- 5 Fundamental Street Photography Principles
- 10 Street Photography Assignment Ideas
- How to Tell Stories in Street Photography
Street Photography Techniques
- Photography Technique: Take Photos While Walking!
- New Tokyo GoPro Fusion POV Street Photography YouTube Videos
- ERIC KIM Street Photography Tips and Technique
- The 360 Degree Technique in Street Photography
- How to Work the Scene in Street Photography
- How to Shoot Layers and the Bookend Technique in Street Photography
- Street Photography Technique: GET CLOSE & FILL THE FRAME + GOLDEN DIAGONAL COMPOSITION
- Street Photography Techniques: The 3D Scan/360 Degree Technique (Shooting Head-on) and Holding Your Camera High in the Air and Point Downwards (and Use Your LCD Screen to Frame the Scene)
- The Walking Alongside Someone and Shooting Until They Notice You Street Photography Technique
- SUPER INNOVATIVE NEW GOPRO STREET PHOTOGRAPHY POV EXPERIENCE: Cutoff Technique, Shooting Head-on with Flash, and Slow-Motion on RICOH GR II at 28mm
- How to Shoot a Street Portrait: Tips, Technique, and GoPRO POV Tutorial
- Street Photography Technique/Composition: Leading Lines and Crouching Down Low
- How to Shoot Layers in Street Photography: GoPRO POV Video Composition Tutorial
- How to Shoot Street Photography with a 24mm Lens
- The Cutoff Technique in Street Photography
- THE CUTOFF TECHNIQUE IN STREET PHOTOGRAPHY: GOPRO POV KYOTO ERIC KIM
JUST SHOOT IT. HENRI NECK STRAP by ERIC KIM
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Street Photography Articles
- Street Photography is Like Fishing
- Why Do We Feel Nervous Shooting Street Photography?
- Street Photography Philosophy
- Everyday Street Photography
- Why Street Photography?
- Why You Must Follow Your Own Voice in Street Photography
- How to Overcome Guilt in Street Photography
- 5 Dynamic Off-Center Street Photography Compositions
- 5 Night Street Photography Composition Tips
- How to Talk to Strangers
- How to Overcome Fear in Street Photography
- Street Photography Empowerment
- Eric Kim’s Top 30 Street Photography Tips
- How to Shoot Street Photography on a 35mm Lens
- 7 Tips How to Conquer Your Fears of Shooting Street Photography
- Street Photography Lifestyle
- How to Use Tactful Flattery in Street Photography
- How to Conquer Social Anxiety With Street Photography
- Street Photography Secrets Debunked
- 10 Dynamic Street Photography Tips
- The Benefits of Shooting Street Photography
- The Street Photography Manifesto
- My Experience Shooting Digital Medium Format in Street Photography
- Why Do You Feel Guilty Shooting Street Photography?
- Improvise in Street Photography
- Ethics in Street Photography
Street Photography Composition Techniques
- 10 Inspirational Sergio Larrain Compositions
- 5 Henri Cartier-Bresson Photography Composition Lessons
- Street Photography Technique: Overlap
- Street Photography Composition Lesson: Chunking
- The Fishing Technique in Street Photography
STREET NOTES.
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LEARN FROM THE MASTERS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
Timeless wisdom from the masters of street photography.
FUNDAMENTALS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
- The Psychology of Street Photography
- Fundamentals to Street Photography
- How to Conquer Fear in Street Photography
- Street Photography Secrets
- NEO STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
- Street Photography Lenses
- Street Photography Settings
- Street Photography Techniques
- Street Photography Ideas
- CLOSER.
- CLEAN BACKGROUND
Street Photography Inspiration
- How to Enter the Street Photography Zone
- Simple Street Photography Tips
- How to Defuse Confrontations in Street Photography
- How to Make Controversial Street Photographs
- Street Photography Project Ideas
- How to Make Good Street Photos
- Is Defining “STREET PHOTOGRAPHY” a Good Thing?
- STREET PHOTOGRAPHY “RULES” TO BREAK
- Walking Meditation in Street Photography
- 10 COMMANDMENTS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY
- Street Photography is Improvisation
- In Praise of Randomness in Street Photography
- How to Become a Fearless Photographer
- How to Make Better Street Photographs
- 12 ERIC KIM Street Photography Assignments
- Meaningful Street Photography
- 25 Street Photography Tips by ERIC KIM
Beginner Street Photography Articles
Get started in street photography:
Definitions in Street Photography
- Visual Sociology Street Photography
- Why Street Photography?
- What is Street Photography?
- Why Shoot Street Photography?
- The History of Street Photography
How to Shoot Street Photography
- How to Shoot Street Photography
- Street Portraits 101 by ERIC KIM
- The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Street Photography
- 70 Street Photography Tips for Beginners
- 15 Street Photography Techniques and Tips
- A Letter to My 18 Year Old Self: If I Started Street Photography All Over Again
Street Photography Equipment
- What is the Best Camera for Street Photography?
- What is the Best Lens for Street Photography?
- What to Consider When Buying a Camera
How to Conquer Your Fears in Street Photography
See all articles to conquer your fears >
Intermediate Street Photography Articles
Take your street photography to the next level:
- How to Become a Stoic Street Photographer
- The 10 Principles of Good Street Photography
- 7 Tips How to Capture “The Decisive Moment” in Street Photography
- The Importance of Social Skills in Street Photography
- The Street Photography Code of Ethics
- “Taking” vs “Making” Photos in Street Photography
- Follow Your Gut in Street Photography
- 10 Reasons Why You Should Never Chimp While Shooting Street Photography
Advanced Street Photography Articles
Find deeper meaning in your street photography:
- How to Master Street Photography
- How to Be a Zen Street Photographer
- Personal Street Photography
- The “Bookend” Technique in Street Photography
- Street Photography is Self-Therapy
- Zen in the Art of Street Photography
- Taoism and Street Photography
- How to Find Your Style in Street Photography
- Follow Your Gut in Street Photography
Street Photography Tips & Technique
Learn how to shoot on the streets:
- 70 Street Photography Tips for Beginners
- 15 Street Photography Techniques and Tips
- Flash Street Photography Guide
- Take More Risks
- Don’t Think About Composition When You’re Shooting Street Photography
- 7 Tips How to Capture “The Decisive Moment” in Street Photography
- 7 Tips How to Make a Great Street Photograph
- Tokyo Street Photography Contact Sheets
- Video: Why it is Important to “Work the Scene” in Street Photography
- Shoot Less, Better
- Make Shitty Photos
- Shoot Effortlessly
- 10 Tips for Candid Street Photography
- 103 Lessons I’ve Learned From Street Photography
See all street photography tips and techniques >
Street Photography Guides
In-depth guides on street photography:
- How to Shoot Candid Street Photography
- How to Shoot Street Portraits with Permission
- How to Shoot Black and White Street Photography
- How to Shoot Color Street Photography
- How to Shoot Street Portraits with Permission
- How to Shoot Layers in Street Photography
- How to Shoot Urban Landscapes
Street Photography Equipment
The best equipment for street photography:
- What is the Best Camera for Street Photography?
- What is the Best Lens for Street Photography?
- Why I Love Cameras with Non-Interchangeable Lenses
- The Ultimate Beginner’s Guide for Cameras in Street Photography
- What to Consider When Buying a Camera for Street Photography
- In Street Photography, The Smaller the Camera, the Better
- Why Sharpness is Overrated in Street Photography
- How to Shoot Street Photography on a DSLR
Street Photography Editing and Workflow
- Video: Introduction to Editing, Processing, and Workflow in Lightroom
- How to Edit (Choose Your Best Photos) in Street Photography
- How Studying Contact Sheets Can Make You a Better Street Photographer
- Debunking the “Myth of the Decisive Moment”
How to Start a Street Photography Project
- Free E-Book: The Street Photography Project Manual
- How to Start Your Own Street Photography Project
- How to Come Up With a Personal Photography Project Idea
Learn From the Masters of Street Photography
“He without a past has no future.”
Start here:
- Why Study the Masters of Photography?
- Great Female Master Photographers
- Cheat Sheet of the Masters of Photography
- 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
- Beginner’s Guide to the Masters of Street Photography
- Download All Articles >
The Masters of Photography
Classics never die:
- Alfred Stieglitz
- Alec Soth
- Alex Webb
- Alexey Brodovitch
- Anders Petersen
- Andre Kertesz
- Ansel Adams
- Araki
- Blake Andrews
- Bruce Davidson
- Bruce Gilden
- Constantine Manos
- Daido Moriyama
- Dan Winters
- David Alan Harvey
- David Hurn
- Diane Arbus
- Dorothea Lange
- Elliott Erwitt
- Eugene Atget
- Eugene Smith
- Fan Ho
- Garry Winogrand
- Gordon Parks
- Helen Levitt
- Henri Cartier-Bresson
- Irving Penn
- Jacob Aue Sobol
- Jeff Mermelstein
- Joel Meyerowitz
- Joel Sternfeld
- Josef Koudelka / Part 2
- Josh White
- Lee Friedlander
- Lisette Model
- Magnum Contact Sheets
- Magnum Photographers
- Mark Cohen
- Martin Parr
- Martine Franck
- Mary Ellen Mark
- Rene Burri
- Richard Avedon
- Richard Kalvar
- Robert Capa
- Robert Frank
- Saul Leiter
- Sergio Larrain
- Sebastião Salgado
- Shomei Tomatsu
- Stephen Shore
- The History of Street Photography
- Todd Hido
- Tony Ray-Jones
- Trent Parke
- Vivian Maier
- Walker Evans
- Weegee
- William Eggleston
- William Klein
- Zoe Strauss
Free Downloads
Free Street Photography Books
Distilled information on street photography:
- STREET PHOTOGRAPHY MANUAL by ERIC KIM
- The Art of Street Photography
- 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
- Street Photography Contact Sheets
- Street Photography 101
- Street Photography 102
- Film Street Photography Manual
- The Street Photography Composition Manual
- The Street Portrait Manual
- 31 Days to Overcome Your Fear in Street Photography
- Zen in the Art of Street Photography
For more resources on photography, Start Here >