“There is one thing the photograph must contain, the humanity of the moment.”
—Robert Frank
Henri Cartier-Bresson, the founder of contemporary photojournalism, was a master of time. He coined the phrase "decisive moment" to characterize the moment when the photograph is "most meaningful."
Timing, in my opinion, is the point at which your exposure, composition, lighting, and subject all converge perfectly. Timing is critical in photography for anything from facial expressions to sunsets.
You can either anticipate or create ideal timing. If you want to picture the sunset, you must plan ahead of time. If you're photographing a person, have them repeat or refine a certain position or emotion for you. Sometimes we just happen to be in the right place at the right time. When was the last time you were traveling somewhere and watched a beautiful moonrise? Or the look on your child's face when they were overjoyed by something? Learn to spot those moments.
When digital cameras initially became available, they were plagued by considerable shutter latency. You'd push the shutter button, and the photo would be shot three or more seconds later. Some of them still do, particularly tiny cameras. If you are experiencing this issue with your camera, make sure your flash is either fully on or off. Some of the shutter latency can be caused by the camera determining whether to use the flash or recharging the flash before allowing you to take the picture.
Life moves quickly. Keep your camera on and close by at all times in case you come across an interesting subject to picture. Capture the moment as it occurs because it will not wait. When you're out on the streets, it's difficult to plan shots. Choosing crowded areas, on the other hand, can provide you with numerous opportunities to experience fascinating scenarios. Simply be alert and follow where the move takes you.
You notice how rapidly the light changes around outside, right? It’s not a secret that bad lighting should not deter you from taking photographs. Instead, develop the practice of chasing optimal lighting. Take note of the optimum times to take photos. Use your camera when the sun is shining and the weather is pleasant to increase your chances of returning home with excellent photos. You'll be astonished at how much brighter the colors in your images look if you photograph an hour after the sun comes up or an hour before it sets.
Nothing is static in the streets. When you identify a subject you wish to capture, rapidly compose your shot and hit the shutter. You may only have a brief moment to choose your image. You lose the picture if you miss the right moment. Reveal through your images that life is never still. Don't just take ordinary photographs. Create dynamic photos that convey the vitality of the location and its inhabitants. Experiment with varied shutter speeds to make the viewer feel the action in your images.
Because street photography is all about candid shots, you can't ask people to pose for you. The most compelling street photos make viewers feel as if the camera isn't even there. When people are aware of your camera, they are less likely to act naturally, which will be evident in the images. You won't be able to be invisible, but you can be inconspicuous.
Happy accidents are unplanned situations with beautiful results. They happen a lot in street photography because its primary purpose is to chronicle unanticipated situations. Although street photography requires a great deal of ability and insight, it also relies on luck. Don't overthink things. Have fun taking images of everything that piques your interest. Experiment with different camera angles and settings. Make no apologies about making blunders. Errors can sometimes yield the most delightful photographs.
Street photography is all about utilizing a camera to engage with other people. It's a terrific method to keep track of different types of people who have left an influence on you, even if they are strangers. Interesting people make for interesting subjects. Look for folks who stand out because there's a good possibility you won't see anyone else like them again. Individuals with a sense of mystery elicit interest in photographs.
You can notice actual detail when you see it: skin pores, eyelashes, reflections, and so on. When they are not present, our eyes may fill in or discard the blanks to understand the image, but the mental exercise of filling in is not as pleasurable as really seeing it.
Many factors can prevent your image from being detailed. Focus and depth of field are two ways we intentionally detail something. This helps distinguish one part of your photograph from another. Any camera with a respectable sensor and a competent lens is capable of producing that level of detail—the kind where you can zoom into an eyeball indefinitely and still see an astounding amount of information.
Perceived detail is a different story. The perception of detail frequently comes at the expense of actual detail. And further, there are many labels for the same idea. When you see slides and knobs promising sharpness, contrast, structure, or brilliance... These are all about the impression of detail. Even factors like color and grain influence detail.
Try to capture photographs from many angles to tell the entire tale. Shoot from several perspectives, such as above, below, eye-level, close up, far back, and so on. This allows you to observe subtleties that would otherwise go missed or convey the story in a different way.
In addition to focusing on your content, it can be nice to include some environmental elements. This might be anything including the décor in the room, the way the light comes in through the window, wildflowers in the field, road signs, or school books on the table. These all help convey a feeling of location and time and add perspective to your story about that day or activity.
Make sure to come close and catch the story's finer aspects. This could be hands holding the paintbrush, a row of paints, eyelashes, mucky hands, or jeans stained at the knee from playing on the dirt. A word of caution: When you approach close, your depth of field shuts immediately, so you need to be extremely careful with focus!
Wide angle lenses are wonderful for capturing the entire picture, but for going in close for the details, you may want to change to a longer focal distance so your nose isn't forced up against the action!
You don't have to be shooting an activity to get the details. For instance, when your subject is not present, write down a detail about them that you want to remember: Their favorite movies arranged on the coffee table. The shambles they left at breakfast. The cowboy hat hung on the door, patiently awaiting their return. The book ready for bedtime reading. These details bring life to your story.
When considering what images are most important, I encourage going beyond what you feel you "have" to obtain just because it's what everyone else is doing, like getting ready shots by having makeup applied, and so on. I believe you only need a couple truly good photos from the shoot to be successful.
When taking a photograph, many people do not pay attention. However, if you pay attention to these details, you can easily end up with a much better picture than a simple point-and-shoot shot with no effort put into it. I suggest shooting in manual mode for the greatest results in this practice.
Examine the image in your viewfinder after you've taken the shot.
● Pay attention to light and shadow.
● Pay attention to the background.
● Pay attention to the focus.
● Pay attention to the shutter speed.
● Pay attention to the aperture setting.
● Pay attention to your feelings.
● Pay attention to distracting elements.
● Pay attention to the story you want to tell.
Now that you have captured some beautiful images, it’s time for post-production. To learn more, continue to the following chapter.