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Styles: Street Photography / Reportage
This should be the easiest thing to do as it is going on all around you, however when people first try street photography, the results don't look like the photographer has just captured everyday life. This could be because people look too hard for a photograph rather than just capturing the moment.
Get in close 
In order to get a natural expression on your subject you may be forgiven for thinking that hiding in the distance with a telephoto lens would be ideal, however the majority of street photographers opt for wide angle lenses and they get close to their subjects.
This is because photos taken with a wide angle lens give the viewer the feeling of being in amongst the action whereas a photo taken with a telephoto lens can give the feeling of a photo taken from a distance and hence have a sense of detachment from the scene. Good street photos should not look voyeuristic, they should make the view feel part of the scene not a distant observer.
For great examples of street photography have a look at some pictures by the master of this art form, Henri Cartier-Bresson.
Be considerate
Be aware of your legal rights. Different countries have different laws with regards to photographing people, in some countries it is perfectly legal to photograph people in public and to use those photographs, whereas other countries have more restrictive laws. Be aware also that photography on private premises is likely to be up to the owner of the property.
Don’t photograph people who don’t want to be photographed. Even though you may be legally entitled to do so it is basic decency to respect people’s wishes if they ask you not to photograph them.
Know the Law 
If shooting in a foreign country, know what the laws are for street photography. Some countries do not allow you to take pictures of people without their advance permission.
You may want to be careful photographing near government or military buildings too.
Wait for people to come to you
Try finding a good background for your photograph and waiting for people to walk into your scene… then photograph them.
Should you have people look at the camera?
In general, you want to capture the scene in a way that is not influenced by the presence of you, the photographer. If you have someone staring at the camera, it will usually not work too well. However this is not always the case, and sometimes it ends up making a brilliant picture.
Be prepared
Be ready to take a picture in a fraction of a second. Opportunities come and go in under a second and you need to be prepared. You might want to leave the camera in 'Auto' or 'P' mode. This way, you will be able to snap the opportunity as soon as you spot it.
Check that if you camera has an auto power off, that it will spring to life again when you press the shutter button. Some Fuji cameras have the annoying feature of requiring you to turn them off and on again before you can take a picture.
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Photo by Phil
This picture, taken in Hannibal Missouri USA, captures the atmosphere of the street fair.
And those turkey drumsticks sure look tempting! |
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Photographs
This is a site about photography so I'm sure you are expecting to see plenty of pictures.
For now, why not take a peek at the flickr galleries belonging to the two authors of this site.
Colin's Flickr Page
Phil's Flickr Page
"The world is going to pieces and people like Adams and Weston are photographing rocks!"
- Henri Cartier-Bresson
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