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Street Photography Ideas

Hands of a 92 year old woman in Hanoi.

Ideas for your street photography:

Indoor street photography

You can shoot street photography even on college campuses:

Integrate architecture

Photograph a silhouette of your subject, with the architecture surrounding and framing them:

street photography
Leading lines, architecture street photography.

Eye contact

If you see something interesting, get close and keep clicking. When you make yourself obvious, you will often get eye contact, which often makes for a more interesting image.

Why? With eye contact, it feels like the subject is looking directly at you (the viewer). This makes for a more intimate image.

Photograph hands

Hand henna tattoo. I asked this woman if I could just photograph her hand.
Hand henna tattoo. I asked this woman if I could just photograph her hand.

Often people don’t like being photographed, but they don’t mind if you photograph their hands.

  • Hands of a 92 year old woman in Hanoi.
    Hands of a 92 year old woman in Hanoi.
  • Crossed hands of woman in Paris
    Crossed hands of woman in Paris
  • hand cigarette pink iPhone
  • Hands face. Downtown LA, 2018
    Hands face. Downtown LA, 2018

Juxtapose people against backgrounds

Photograph people against murals, posters, or graphics. Inside Starbucks.
Photograph people against murals, posters, or graphics. Inside Starbucks.

If you see a human being and some interesting background, make a photo of this juxtaposition (contrast).

Mannequins

Juxtapositions between humans and mannequins are always interesting.

Surrealism

Surrealism. Woman with big plant going through door.
Surrealism. Woman with big plant going through door.

Fun street photography tip:

Make surreal images.

Surreal — photos that we know are real, but don’t seem real.

For example, photos in which the head of the subject is replaced with an object.

Solo people

People dining alone.
People dining alone.

Photograph people alone, deep in thought, reading, or doing something. You can get a sense of their concentration and focus.

Flash at slow shutter speed

For example, this photo I shot on a film Leica M6, 35mm, with a flash at around 1/15th of shutter speed:

Flash, blur. Seoul
Flash, blur.

Never stop curating

In praise of a dynamic portfolio: never stop curating your portfolio of images.

  • People in elevator. Japan
    People in elevator. Japan
  • flip phone
  • Tokyo flash, RICOH GR II. Escalator.
    Tokyo flash, RICOH GR II. Escalator.
  • tattoo chains
  • tokyo
  • Layered Tokyo street photograph
    Layered Tokyo street photograph
  • Woman
    Omotesando, Tokyo
  • ERIC RIVERA: Philly
    ERIC RIVERA: Philly
  • Japan man sleeping on subway train
  • Venice
  • Suits nyc

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

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HENRI WRIST STRAP PRO

Henri wrist strap pro

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Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Photography Entrepreneurship

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

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Ultimate Beginner’s Guide to Mastering Photography

eric kim ultimate beginners guide to mastering photography udemy

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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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