{"id":77919,"date":"2018-02-08T07:14:34","date_gmt":"2018-02-08T15:14:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/?p=77919"},"modified":"2018-02-08T08:48:15","modified_gmt":"2018-02-08T16:48:15","slug":"5-night-street-photography-composition-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/erickimphotography.com\/blog\/2018\/02\/08\/5-night-street-photography-composition-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Night Street Photography Composition Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

You can make epic night<\/a> and winter<\/a> street photographs, just remember to go out and shoot!<\/p>\n

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STREET HUNT: Street Photography Field Assignments Manual<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"STREET<\/a><\/p>\n

Re-inspire your photography with STREET HUNT: your practical street photography field guide,<\/a> with 49+ Practical assignments to stay inspired and challenge you to photograph everyday, everywhere!<\/p>\n

Buy STREET HUNT<\/a><\/p>\n

Learn More ><\/a><\/p>\n

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1. Leading lines<\/h2>\n

\"Abstract<\/p>\n

Use compositional leading lines<\/a> at night, to draw your viewers eyes to the main subject.<\/p>\n

In this scene, I was going downstairs to the bathroom at Ippudo ramen restaurant in London, and I saw these vibrant red leading lines. I waited a second, and was lucky enough to have a waitress walking up the stairs that made this shot:<\/p>\n

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2. Evening melancholy mood<\/h2>\n
\"Man
Man in office building at night. London, 2018<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ve been inspired a lot by Edward Hopper, and love his melancholy mood of his paintings and especially his evening pictures. I was inspired to make the above image just walking around at night before dinner with my RICOH GR II<\/a> and ERIC KIM NECK STRAP<\/a>, in Program<\/a> mode, ISO 1600. Below are some paintings from Edward Hopper that allowed me to see the scene, and thus shoot:<\/p>\n

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Here is the office worker painting by Edward Hopper I particularly love, because of the sense of isolation, yet hope.<\/p>\n

\"Edward<\/p>\n

Lesson: Study paintings and shoot at night<\/h3>\n

Study the work of Edward Hopper or other painters and artists. Find the inspiration from their pictures, and shoot more at night!<\/p>\n

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3. Shoot into windows at night<\/h2>\n
\"Contact
Contact sheet. Man at night through glass. London, 2018<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I love shooting through windows at night, with the condensation on the windows. Get close, and try to get eye contact with your subjects.<\/p>\n

For this scene, I got close, and started to shoot. He noticed me, and then I smiled and waved through the glass. He also smiled. And I kept clicking.<\/p>\n

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Assignment: Shoot into windows at night<\/h3>\n

\"Shooting<\/p>\n

Don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t be afraid of photographing into windows. Look for bars, coffee shops, restaurants, or any places open at night. Try to photograph the mood, with the obscured glass windows, and any blurry surfaces, with condensation.<\/p>\n

When photographing people through windows at night, try to get eye contact<\/a> for more intimate and connected photos.<\/p>\n

\"Abstract<\/p>\n

Also experiment just shooting random stuff through windows, and capture an emotion<\/a> or mood.<\/p>\n

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4. Shoot with a flash, pretend like you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re shooting something behind people<\/h2>\n
\"Night
Night street photograph with flash. Lisbon, 2018<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Shoot with a flash<\/a> at night in crowded downtown business areas, and just pretend like you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re shooting advertisements behind<\/em> people. This will allow you to have more flexibility to shoot at night, and also make more interesting photos with better exposure.<\/p>\n

\"Lisbon<\/p>\n

Also when shooting with a flash at night, try to shoot your subjects off-center (either on extreme left or right of the frame), to add more dynamism<\/a> to your composition, and also try seeing if your photos can follow the \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Golden triangle<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d composition.<\/p>\n

\"\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Golden
\u00e2\u20ac\u0153Golden triangle\u00e2\u20ac\u009d composition overlay outlined in red<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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5. Shoot a street portrait at night with permission<\/h2>\n

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If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re shooting at night, stop someone, ask for permission<\/a> to make their portrait<\/a>. Use a flash<\/a> or with natural light, with a high ISO like 1600-3200.<\/p>\n

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You can find lots of great subjects to photograph at night, and the worst when you ask for permission is that someone will say \u00e2\u20ac\u0153no\u00e2\u20ac\u009d. Often they say, \u00e2\u20ac\u0153yes!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d<\/p>\n

\"eric
Hearts. Downtown LA, 2011. Street portrait with flash and permission.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Some pictures below from my \u00e2\u20ac\u0153Old Colony<\/a>\u00e2\u20ac\u009d project shot at a bar at night in Provincetown:<\/p>\n

\"Provincetown,
Provincetown, 2015. Shot with permission. I asked the woman to stand in front of this poster.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Provincetown-The-Old-Colony-3\"<\/p>\n

\"Provincetown-The-Old-Colony-5\"<\/p>\n

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Conclusion<\/h2>\n

\"Mannequin<\/p>\n

The secret to happiness as a photographer is just to shoot more, with less restraint. Shoot all the time, no matter how shitty or cold the weather.<\/p>\n

Treat every opportunity as a good chance to make photographs, and also always expand your oppportunities to shoot street photography<\/a>, whether during the day during your commute, or in the evenings at night<\/a> after work, or when it is dark in the winter<\/a>.<\/p>\n

JUST SHOOT IT.<\/a>
\nERIC<\/p>\n

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ERIC KIM Neck Strap: JUST SHOOT IT.<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"RICOH<\/a><\/p>\n

ERIC KIM NECK STRAP<\/a> is your minimalist companion on the streets reminding you to JUST SHOOT IT.<\/p>\n

Buy Now<\/a><\/p>\n

Learn More ><\/a><\/p>\n

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HENRI WRIST STRAP<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"HENRI<\/a><\/p>\n

Never miss the decisive moment ><\/a><\/p>\n

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MASTERS<\/a><\/h2>\n
\"Learn<\/a>
Learn From the Masters of Street Photography Book<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Learn timeless lessons from the masters of street photography ><\/a><\/p>\n

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STREET NOTES<\/a><\/h2>\n
\"\"<\/a>
STREET NOTES<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Take your street photography to the next level with STREET NOTES ><\/a><\/p>\n

STREET NOTES MOBILE EDITION ><\/a><\/p>\n

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HENRI NECK STRAP<\/a><\/h2>\n
\"HENRI<\/a>
HENRI NECK STRAP<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Never miss another decisive moment ever again ><\/a><\/p>\n

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HENRI WRIST STRAP: PHANTOM BLACK<\/a><\/h2>\n
\"Henri<\/a>
Henri PHANTOM BLACK<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Conquer the streets with HENRI PHANTOM BLACK ><\/a><\/p>\n

PHOTO JOURNAL<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Find more Personal meaning in your photographic life with PHOTO JOURNAL ><\/a><\/p>\n

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STREET PHOTOGRAPHY 101<\/a><\/h1>\n

If you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re new to street photography, start here:<\/p>\n