I had my camera and a 50mm lens with me, and began shooting. I navigated through the crowds, my wife close behind me. The impromptu celebration was exciting and intoxicating, even for someone like me who doesn’t follow the sport. Suddenly, I caught sight of a couple kissing in the middle of an intersection. Spurred by the cheers of the people around them, the young man arched the back of his lady friend and planted a lingering kiss on her lips. I snapped a few frames and the moment was gone.

Street photography is much more than just taking pictures of strangers. It’s really about taking disparate elements and, within the context of the frame, creating a relationship that’s beautiful, striking and sometimes even funny. It’s about “seeing”—recognizing the potential to bring light, color and gesture together.

Looking For Light
My schedule doesn’t provide me frequent opportunities to travel to exotic locations to photograph. I have to make time on weekends, shooting in my immediate neighborhood or a nearby city. I’m often surprised by what there is to photograph within a three-mile radius of my house.

When I hit the streets with my camera, the first thing I look for is the light. I’m not just looking to see if it’s overcast or sunny. I’m searching for a shaft of light or an interesting reflection off of a surface. A beam of light hits a red wall and the color can become bright and saturated. Yet it’s also the shadow area immediately adjoining that area that interests me. The strong contrast between light and dark can make a mundane scene suddenly sparkle with life.

If I see a street scene with such an isolated shaft of light, I stop. The light hitting the sidewalk alone may not be particularly interesting, but this is where a little patience pays off. As people briskly walk down the street, there may be a person wearing a red jacket or yellow shirt who, when he or she steps into the light, brings the moment to life. I manually prefocus on the spot and wait. When a subject moves into position, I snap the shutter.

Keep It Simple
I sometimes spend a day creating images based on an individual idea, a specific color or shape, for example. Some themes may be more people-focused, such as displays of affection or a touch. This narrows my attention. Although I may create other images as well, photographing with a theme in mind often results in a more successful day of shooting.

While I usually work with an SLR, increasingly I’m using a compact digital camera. They’re far less obtrusive than a huge SLR, and I find that people who I approach are more agreeable to the idea of being photographed when I’m holding a camera that fits in the palm of my hand. The most important feature is a camera with minimal shutter lag. To reduce any potential delay, I focus on the area where I expect to take the photograph and depress the shutter release halfway, locking focus and exposure. Then I fully depress the button to take the shot.

Approaching People
Although I take many of my people pictures surreptitiously, other times I approach someone about taking their photo. If I was drawn to them because of an article of clothing they were wearing or an activity in which they were involved, I begin the conversation by focusing on that, rather than jumping in and asking to take their photograph. If I feel a degree of comfort, I ask them. If they decline, I continue speaking to them for a little while before moving on. Several times, because I continued to engage someone in conversation, they changed their mind and asked me to take their photograph.

Street photography can be high art, but it also can be an ideal way to discover the beauty of the world outside your door and improve your photo skills.

QUICK TIP
Never be satisfied with only a single shot of a scene. Fully explore your subject by shooting numerous frames at different focal lengths and perspectives.