10 Street Photography Techniques – Tips and Tricks

Get streetwise and realize the photographic potential in your urban wonderland with these tips:

1. Less is more
In terms of what equipment you use, less if more. If you are wondering the streets of a city for hours and hours, you’ll want to cut down on the fatigue, so a good comfortable pair shoes and a comfortable camera strap should be used. Additionally, you’ll want to blend in to catch subjects unawares; setting up a tripod or using a telephoto lens won’t suggest subtlety.

2. Off the beaten track
Street photography is not the same as tourist photography so don't be afraid to experience whats happening off the beaten track and capture what is being done away from the busy hot spots. Going out at an unusual time will help you find great shots as street photography is not dependent on perfect light. You have no excuse not to go out early and stay out till late.

3. True colours
Colourful clothing or backgrounds can be a distraction in the picture when you want to concentrate on facial expression and gestures. For this reason it is good practice to use black and white. However, there will be opportunities where flashy and ugly colors collide and it may be a shame to try and convert these.

4. In the background
By paying attention to the background, you can catch some great visual effects and stolen moments. Watch for billboards, signs, graffiti and other visual elements that could be used to make funny, ironic or compelling statements.

5. What a performance
Street performers make ideal photo opportunities but try to capture them from a different viewpoint than you would expect. Whether it’s a parade, buskers, free runners, skateboarders or break dancers, they all offer something different to your average street scene. Play around with your compositions and choose a high shutter speed to capture the action.

6. Off the streets
Despite its name, the genre does lend itself to other recreation areas, especially those where people expect cameras to be present. For example, try the seaside, fairgrounds, parks, sporting events or the zoo.

7. New angle
Try laying down or getting on top of a building for an unusual angle. Multi level car parks are great for taking pictures from as there are no windows interfering and you can have full access to all the levels giving you a multilevel viewpoint of the same subjects. Make sure you and your camera are secured, the last thing you want is to drop your camera and hurt someone.

8. Practice makes perfect
With your camera ready, pick a spot that interests you and proceed with calmness, excitement and poise. Don't be afraid to experiment with settings and vantage points. With practice, you’ll only get better at  street photography.

9. Don't be afraid
A famous photographer once told me ‘If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.’ Shots taken in the middle of the action will draw the viewer in, so force yourself to press the button and prepare to deal with the consequences. Better that than regretting missing an opportunity that will never happen again.

10. Frozen Motion
Movement is the key part of capturing the human rat race, keep the shutter speeds fast and that hand steady or find something to support your camera. The fast shutter speed will also allow for a wider aperture to be used which will increase the depth of field of the subject. To capture people moving across the frame, a minimum of 1/125 sec is recommended and an ISO no slower than 400.

These are just a few of the many different tricks and styles that photographers will use to get unique photos.
For options on converting and changing colors within pictures you can try a good photo editing program.