{"id":59767,"date":"2017-07-27T23:26:28","date_gmt":"2017-07-28T06:26:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=59767"},"modified":"2017-07-27T23:56:24","modified_gmt":"2017-07-28T06:56:24","slug":"street-photography-settings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2017\/07\/27\/street-photography-settings\/","title":{"rendered":"Street Photography Settings"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Istanbul
Istanbul, 2013<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What are the best settings for street photography?<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Let me try to break it down for you.<\/p>\n

Why Settings?<\/h2>\n
\"Tokyo,
Tokyo, 2011<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ok, let\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s get philosophical.<\/p>\n

First of all, why are the Settings you use important in street photography?<\/p>\n

\"\"
Tokyo, 2011. Leica M9, flash, f16<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Obviously, it is to capture the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153decisive moment\u00e2\u20ac\u009d\u00e2\u20ac\u201d when you see a fleeting moment you want to record. It happens so quickly. Often we are too slow to capture it.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Tokyo, 2011. Film Leica M6, flash, f16<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Therefore, like a wild western, we want to become faster. Quicker. More alert. More keen, like a sharp shooter in street photography.<\/p>\n

What can we learn from Westerns?<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I love western films. How do these gun slingers have their gun \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Settings\u00e2\u20ac\u009d to shoot quickly?<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Gun in holster: Always strapped to their leg, ready to draw at any moment. Lesson: always have your camera strapped to you somehow, ready to draw. Have it in your wrist (ERIC KIM STRAP<\/a>) or always on your neck like a necklace (HENRI NECK STRAP<\/a>).<\/li>\n
  2. Turn off the safety: If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re in a gun fight, you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want the safety on. Imagine, if the safety is on your gun… you might accidentally miss the shot. In photography, have your camera setup so you have it always ready to turn on quickly. If you shoot with your phone, know how to quickly access the camera. If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re shooting with your camera, turn off the auto-sleep. Have it always ready to shoot. <\/li>\n
  3. No hesitation: No fear. If you hesitate in a fun fight, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re done. In street photography, you don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t want to hesitate. We need to kill hesitation, fear, and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153paralysis by analysis\u00e2\u20ac\u009d.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Set it and forget it!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/h2>\n
    \"\"
    He noticed me and said, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153You need to for permission before taking my photo!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d I then asked him for permission, and he said no. I got the shot anyways. Shot in P mode on Ricoh GR II.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve experimented with so many ways to shoot street photography over the last 10 years.<\/p>\n

    Ultimately, I think \u00e2\u20ac\u0153P\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (program mode) is ideal for street photography.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    I remember this commercial from my childhood, the Rotisserie Chicken Maker. You just \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Set it and,,,forget it!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d You threw the chicken in this machine, pushed a single button, and about 5 hours later, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122d have a juicy rotisserie chicken ready to eat. I think he\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s sold millions.<\/p>\n

    \"\"
    DARK SKIES OVER TOKYO<\/a>, 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Anyways, I learned from my buddy Bill Reeves that Magnum photographer Paulo shot in P mode. Same with Steve McCurry, he apparently just shoots in P mode now. My friend Neil Ta told me that Magnum photographer Moises Saman also shoots P mode. The internet wasn\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t joking when they say that \u00e2\u20ac\u0153P\u00e2\u20ac\u009d mode stands for \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Professional\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. If the real pros can shoot in P mode, in war zones, why can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t we?<\/p>\n

    \"Tokyo
    Tokyo. 2015. Shot with RICOH GR II in P MODE, with flash, through a translucent umbrella.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    When I shoot on my digital Ricoh GR camera, I keep it in ISO 1600, P mode, center point autofocus. I just point and shoot.<\/p>\n

    If you shoot with your phone, just use the default camera app. Point and click.<\/p>\n

    \"Tokyo.
    Tokyo. 2016. Shot in P MODE with Ricoh GR II.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Make your Settings as simple as humanly possible, while still being able to capture \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the decisive moment.\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Zone focusing<\/h2>\n

    Another way, if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re shooting with a manual camera and lens: zone focusing.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Sample Settings:<\/p>\n