#4 Be Bold

There’s a strange paradox in today’s society - and that is, despite the fact that we take millions more photographs on a daily basis than at any other time in the last 100 years, if you stand on the streets with a professional SLR camera, people’s suspicions are immediately aroused.

So, to be successful at street photography, you need to be bold and learn to dismiss those strange looks as par for the course.

There are some things you can do to mitigate any unwanted confrontations. For instance, if you keep your camera to your eye after taking a shot and after your (human) subject has moved away, it suggests that you were actually photographing something else.

That said, there’s no doubt that, to be a successful street photographer, you have to be bold - you have to get in there to get the shots that you want. It gets easier after a time, when you realise that, in most circumstances, people who don’t want their photograph taken will either move or turn away, or tell you no thanks - and neither of those responses can hurt you.

If you do get caught or challenged, be sure to engage (don’t just walk away). tell the person what you were doing and, if necessary, offer to delete the shots you’ve taken. Most people will be more intrigued than angry - in these instances, I often offer to send them a copy of the shots I’ve taken, which helps to melt the ice a little further.

Street Photography Tips

#4 Be Bold

Les Jones Street Photography