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Street Photography is Art with People

In praise of street photography:

It took me a while to realize this, but here is an interesting idea:

Street photography is art with people.

Nothing is more beautiful than the human being

With beauty and aesthetics, I believe the ultimate beauty are humans.

The ultimate pleasure we humans get is in other humans.

Perhaps the reason why we enjoy street photography so much is that it indulges several of our interests:

  1. The ability to observe and analyze other human beings.
  2. Through making photos of people, we interact with other (real) human beings in the real world (humans enjoy interacting with reality).
  3. We inherently find human beings beautiful, thus when we photograph other humans, we show our delight and appreciation of being alive (in the company of other human beings).

Photos are art

Not all photographs are art. Yet, many artworks are photographs.

For example, if I photograph my receipt or my parking spot, I don’t consider that art. However, if I am meaningfully and consciously trying to make artwork (using the camera as an artwork-creation device), then the photos I make are my artwork.

Making artwork we like to look at

This is the thing:

As photographer-artists, we should strive to make photos that WE like to look at ourselves!

For example today I spent a great deal of time looking through my archives from 2014, and found some of the photos (included in this post). And it is lovely, because I genuinely enjoy looking at these photos!

How do you know if a photo is good or not?

If you like looking at the photo, it is a good photo.

Street photography as a tool to augment your personal joy and happiness in life

I believe the main benefit of street photography isn’t to make street photos; the benefit is LIVING MORE ENGAGED!

It means street photography helps us step outside of our comfort zones to interact with other (real humans), street photography helps us leave the house, and street photography helps us discover more beauty in our fellow human beings!

Remember:

The point of photography isn’t to become a better photographer, the point of photography is to improve your life!


Tips

  1. Always use the simplest, smallest, and least cumbersome camera possible. Treat street photography as a tool to better interact with other humans — any camera which can lower the friction in your interaction with another human is the best camera! I recommend Fujifilm XF10 or RICOH GR II.
  2. Treat street photography as a lifestyle; a way to interact with the world. A life in which we’re not shy with strangers, a world where we PREFER to interact with others; a life in which we aren’t meek!
  3. Strive to interact more with other human beings; the ultimate street photographer.

LIVE ON!

ERIC

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  • HOW TO SEE: Visual Guide to Composition, Color, & Editing in Photography

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Street Photography 101

CONQUER YOUR FEARS AND MEET NEW PEERS at ERIC KIM EXPERIENCE > 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.

Never Stop Shooting

For more free resources, presets, and PDF visualizations on street photography, join my free ERIC KIM NEWSLETTER to stay inspired and empowered. Also join ERIC KIM EXPERIENCE if you want to take your street photography to the next level and conquer your fears and meet new peers. To join a positive and passionate community, share your photos in ERIC KIM FORUM. Look forward to having you friend :)

Street Photography Articles

cyan pink composition istanbul
  • 10 Advanced Street Photography Tips and Techniques
  • Daredevil Photography
  • Lingering Technique: How to Work the Scene in Street Photography
  • Why Photograph People?
  • No Guilt in Street Photography
  • Street Photography is Hard.
  • Street Photography Inspiration
  • 5 Simple Tips How to Shoot Better Street Photos
  • 10 Super Simple Street Photography Tips
  • How to Shoot Head-On in Street Photography
  • The Decapitation Technique in Street Photography
  • Be Brazen in Street Photography
  • How to Shoot Better Street Photographs
  • Drive-By Technique in Street Photography
  • How to Shoot a Wedding Like a Street Photographer
  • Street Photography is 80% Risk Taking!
  • 10 Simple Street Photography Principles
  • 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

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ERIC KIM x HENRI NECK STRAP
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Street Photography Ideas

Mad men. NYC, 2017. Pentax 645Z
  • 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.

STREET NOTES MOBILE EDITION x RICOH GR II
STREET NOTES MOBILE EDITION x RICOH GR II
Push yourself out of your comfort zone with STREET NOTES: Mobile Edition. STREET NOTES PAPER EDITION ON AMAZON >

LEARN FROM THE MASTERS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

LEARN FROM THE MASTERS by HAPTIC
Timeless wisdom from the masters of street photography. Learn more about MASTERS > Buy MASTERS on Amazon >

FUNDAMENTALS OF STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

elegance, seoul, 2009 Eric Kim 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

eric kim street photography marseille kodak portra 400 sunbather beach
  • 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

eric-kim-street-photography-color-chroma-1 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

Tokyo Eric Kim rain umbrella
  • What is the Best Camera for Street Photography?
  • What is the Best Lens for Street Photography?
  • What to Consider When Buying a Camera
See all equipment articles >

How to Conquer Your Fears in Street Photography

  • How to Conquer Your Fears in Life
  • Shoot What You’re Afraid Of
  • How to Channel Your Fear into Bravery
See all articles to conquer your fears >

Intermediate Street Photography Articles

eric-kim-street-photography-color-chroma-19 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

eric-kim-street-photography-suits-color-kodak-portra-400-2 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

laughin-lady-contact-copy 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

tokyo-eye-eric-kim-street-photography-contact-sheet-0000545 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

0-eric-kim-street-photography-sweat-downtown-la 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
See all equipment articles >

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

MASTERS PROTOTYPE by HAPTIC
“He without a past has no future.” Start here:
  1. Why Study the Masters of Photography?
  2. Great Female Master Photographers
  3. Cheat Sheet of the Masters of Photography
  4. 100 Lessons From the Masters of Street Photography
  5. Beginner’s Guide to the Masters of Street Photography
  6. Download All Articles >

The Masters of Photography

Prague, 1968. Josef Koudelka / Magnum Photos
Prague, 1968. Josef Koudelka / Magnum Photos
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

  • Eric Kim Lightroom Presets
  • Street Photography Presentations
See all free downloads >

Free Street Photography Books

eric-kim-street-photography-only-in-america-14 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 >

HENRI SHOULDER STRAP

Film Leica MP x Henri Shoulder Strap (CREMA BROWN)

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Street Photography Starter Kit

street photography starter kit by ERIC KIM

Master street photography >


HENRI WRIST STRAP PRO

Henri wrist strap pro

For the pros >

Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Photography Entrepreneurship

My brand-new Udemy Course, "Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Photography Entrepreneurship" now live!

Seize your destiny >


Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Photography

eric kim ultimate beginners guide to mastering photography udemy

Master photography >

ERIC KIM WORKSHOPS

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Unleash your creative potential:

2021:

  • April 10-11th, 2021: BOSTON / Discover Your Unique Voice in Photography Workshop [Register Intent Here]
  • May 1-2nd, 2021: CHICAGO / Street Photography Composition Masterclass [Register Intent Here]
  • May 22-22nd, 2021: NEW YORK CITY / STREET PHOTOGRAPHY MASTERCLASS by ERIC KIM [Register Intent Here]

Be notified of when new workshops are live here.


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