Street photography is a rewarding style that allows photographers to document the world as they see it and share their perspective. When capturing candid moments and compelling stories through street photography, over time, a photographer’s personality – and introspective experiences – are manifested through where their attention and interests lead them to photograph.
As a London-based street and lifestyle photographer, I’ve spent years looking inwards to learn about what I like to shoot most, particularly during my recent travels across Asia. Here, I'll share my tips and techniques to help you feel more comfortable photographing strangers in public, backed by dozens of visual examples I’ve captured in the last year of solely focusing on street photography.
As a disclaimer, I am by no means a master – of anything. Every time I shoot I learn something new, and I hope that continues forever.
When I’ve been asked how I’ve learned my process in street, fashion, or lifestyle photography, it’s because (I feel) I’ve learned 90% of the things not to do. I’m here to share what I’ve deduced from my years of trial and error.
The reflection of a son’s face is caught in the side mirror of a motorcycle as he drives his father, while smoking a cigarette, in the early morning in Bangkok, Thailand.
Contents
The background on why I’m writing this
Understanding the basics of street photography
Tips for blending in as a street photographer
Mastering the art of shooting from the hip
Using a slightly wider focal length for dynamic street shots
Zone-focusing techniques for capturing fast-moving subjects
Engaging respectfully with subjects in public spaces
Leveraging natural light and shadows in urban photography
Overcoming the fear of shooting strangers
The role of body language in street photography
Discreet shooting: how to hold your camera
Finding patterns and themes in your photography
Focusing on faces and expressions
Capturing decisive moments
Knowing your camera settings
Go out and walk around as often as possible to capture moments
Understanding the legality of street photography
Conclusion
1. The background on why I’m writing this
While I’ve been taking photos for over ten years, shooting “professionally” has been mainly a side hustle for eight of those years and now my full-time career for the last two.
Lifestyle photography, defined as photographing candid-feeling, storytelling scenes that illustrate an emotion (often with subjects who aren’t models), is an area I’ve gravitated towards. Fashion photography, on the other hand, has always been my core passion and what got me interested in photography in the first place through my high school photo teacher.
However, the wider market of lifestyle photography in the commercial world made it my most commissioned work. I love photographing people who may not be models. It’s far more rewarding to create an image they, and often the commercial client, are excited about. Especially now living in London, UK, where there’s a never-ending supply of stories to tell with images.
Why does this matter? I love the results lifestyle and fashion photography shoots create – but I wouldn’t consider the shooting process relaxing.
Especially when coordinating fashion stylists, hair and makeup artists, producers, lighting assistants, models, location scouting, and directing your concept (let alone getting everyone onboard), there are a lot of moving parts involved. The results of fashion photography coordination are rewarding but stressful.
I worry about not feeling anxious, though, in fashion and lifestyle shoots because I fear I’d lack preparedness and become complicit by not going out of my comfort zone.
When I left Canada in October 2023 to travel with my fiancée before moving to London the following summer (and get out of that comfort zone further), my goal was to facilitate a creative lifestyle or fashion shoots with models in each country or city I’d travel to.
A salaryman in Tokyo, Japan, walks to work underneath a fully bloomed Sakura cherry blossom tree in the early morning while fixing his suit.
When I got to Brisbane, Australia, where we spent a month, I curated the perfect fashion shoot (in my eyes) with locations scouted on a moodboard I created. After getting a modeling agency onboard with two models, a hair and makeup artist, and a fashion stylist all arranged, I was excited to execute the photoshoot – but it didn’t feel like I was traveling, let alone on a vacation.
It wasn’t until the night before that my stylist began ghosting my messages. Only near midnight did she message saying me she wasn’t feeling great and wasn’t able to make the shoot.
With modeling agencies, most don’t answer their emails after 5:00 pm and you do not have a direct line of communication with the models. These models were arriving the next morning at 10:00 am in sweatpants ready for makeup with no other clothes to wear.
Needless to say, I panicked.
After getting ahold of the modeling agency no sooner than 9:15 am the following morning, I had to let them know we didn’t have anything for their models to wear. While they were frustrated, they were understanding. I learned one model had been already driving from the next Australian state over.
Another photographer in my shoes may have gone to the mall and picked out wardrobes, but I was traveling without a car or other resources to make anything work. This did not feel like a vacation moment or a way to experience new environments. I felt mortified that I had let them down and that I relied too heavily on one stylist without a backup plan. A lot of learning came from this.
Anxiety was high, but the day was beautiful and I didn’t want to waste a day of shooting. I went out to shoot street photography and blow some steam.
A man creates bubbles with a wand while smiling on Brisbane, Australia, street corner, while passersby look unimpressed as the image is photographed a moment before a bubble pops in a stranger’s face.
That day gave me some of the best weather during my time in Australia.
I finally captured some of my favourite street photography images in Australia where I had otherwise struggled in the weeks prior. I had previously felt awkward and tried to shoot so discreetly that it negatively impacted most images I took. I didn’t feel prepared to talk to anyone.
My demeanor changed when I understood this was relaxing to me. This is something I could do well into my elderly years. Shooting street photography was calming, engaging, and never a dull moment – especially when exploring a new city.
Travel photography is great: creating print-worthy images of architecture, culture, urban landscapes, and static cityscape scenes, but street photography felt the most human to me and gave me a sense of connection and purpose.
A sudden rain shower fills the sky in Brisbane, Australia, as strangers synchronously open their umbrellas at the same moment.
This confidence loosened my body language, helped me learn to hold my camera in a way that was discreet but prioritized composition, and removed the barriers that made me a sideline spectator rather than a welcomed guest of the community.
I wondered how I could keep shooting street and create more platforms for this work. That week, I bought a GoPro to mount on the hot shoe of my Canon camera and began recording all my street photography photo walks for YouTube.
Like the endorphins I got from running and other exercises, the way my mental health felt after shooting street couldn’t be ignored.
I made it my goal to only shoot street photography for the next entire year.
This guide and the recommendations included are what I learned during that time. Because street photography has done so much for me, my confidence, and the outlet it’s provided to document the world and unique people around me, I wanted to motivate others to pick up a camera and go shoot.
Furthermore, I saw on communities like /r/photography and /r/streetphotography on Reddit that people, every day, were asking how to overcome the awkwardness of street photography. It was a problem that I encountered, and it sounded like most others have too, and only through trial and error have I found a way to make it a part of my daily life.
2. Understanding the Basics of Street Photography
Street photography has become one of the fastest-growing forms of modern photography, mainly because of the population growth of major cities and how accessible it is to practice the craft.
Street photography is about capturing spontaneous moments that tell a story. My travels have taken me from the bustling streets of Tokyo to the vibrant markets of Bangkok, each location offering unique opportunities to document daily life.
A father and his two daughters ride a moped scooter in Hanoi, Vietnam, as they leave a flower market on the eve of Tet (Lunar New Year).
I didn't always shoot street when exploring new cities. When traveling, I would focus on shooting urban landscapes and cityscapes, getting cars and streets and unique buildings. Unique individuals passing by, however, I would take an occasional, quick hip-fire photo of. Only months after my trip, when going through my photos to build a portfolio with, did I find that people made the images the most interesting. Specifically, people's faces showing emotions and documented moments.
This inspired me to go out specifically looking for people, and only through YouTube seeing YouTuber's like Paulie B's "Walkie Talkies" series did I understand and learn more about this art form.
Traditional, New York-style street photography can often be character-based (finding the unique people that may have a story to tell, but the audience viewing the photo can only infer) or documenting split-second scenes. They're often described as "moments of decision". It’s like urban anthropology, documenting people candidly as they're seen – while still applying all the same photography composition techniques such as leading lines, rules of thirds, framing, pattern, and even finding Fibonacci sequences.
Police officers in Seoul, South Korea, take pictures of the approaching sunset on a riverbank.
Police officers in Seoul, South Korea, then compare their sunset photos.
Many people on TikTok create these “street photography” videos approaching strangers on the street asking them to take photos of them. Historically, this is not street photography. At its best, they are “street portraits”. The documentary style is removed in most of these Reels and TikToks. The vast majority of these TikTok videos are faked, and used with individuals who have already agreed and have staged these scenes. However, many are real and are engaging – but it’s disappointing how staged content overshadows the genuine. These videos dominate the #streetphotography hashtags and have pushed out what this art form and style was built around.
Today, photographers online often dismiss labels and definitions of photography genres, citing that it is always up to interpretation. And I think that’s okay, in some respects. Everything deserves to be photographed, and modern tastes change. But when exploring historical street photographers and the bodies of work they created, like Greg Girard and Fred Herzog who are two heroes of mine for example (from my hometown of Vancouver, BC), all images are candidly documenting scenes.
Don’t be let down if you dive into historical street photography and find images that are far different than what TikTok portrays. But, if you do dive into Instagram on the other hand, these still candid street images do still permeate with an ever-growing audience for these images. You just need to find the right tags, accounts, and artists to support.
3. Tips for Blending In as a Street Photographer
Blending in is crucial for authentic street photography. Wearing neutral clothing and moving naturally within your environment helps you become less noticeable.
Neon-dressed runners in Tokyo, Japan, stretch and get ready while perfectly framed and similarly posed.
For blending in, outside of what you wear, how you hold your camera can be the difference of capturing a spontaneous moment and spoiling it with an obvious camera pointed at them. In section #3 and #10, this dives deeper into not spoiling those moments.
Often, blending in means making your camera less obvious to those passing you by on the street. This can be achieved is often how you hold it. Avoid having it hanging around your neck. You’ll still get great moments, but those skeptical will see a camera from far away. Try wrapping your camera strap around your wrist and carrying it around your hand at first.
Picking the right camera
The camera you choose will often dictate how easy it is to blend in. Many street photographers say to act like you’re a tourist, where no one will pay you any attention.
Using a lower profile camera, namely, “range-finder” style bodies, are small, compact, and are easy to take everywhere you go. These are easiest to hold in your hand and to raise up and shoot in a quick moment. Personally, my Fujifilm X100V is my “take everywhere with me” camera that I never leave the house without. I have a Lacoste camera bag that makes it easy for me to keep this discreetly with me, and it’s arranged so I can pull it out in a split moment.
Feeling like its an accessory makes it easier to want to take it everywhere.
A Vietnamese police officer standing guard in the Tet (Lunar New Year) evening in Hanoi, Vietnam.
This was photographed with my Fujifilm X100V that I had on me at the time, when I wasn’t expecting to shoot street photos – but this chance lighting lined up perfectly.
A shop owner squats in the light with his wife standing by in Hanoi, Vietnam.
This was another example of having my Fujifilm X100V with me at exactly the right time when I wasn’t expecting to shoot street photos.
That said, the majority of my street photography photos are shot on my Canon R5. It is a beast of a camera – and it’s big. I own it because of the fashion and lifestyle photography work that I do, and it would feel like a waste to not take advantage of its capabilities for street photography.
It is especially hefty because I use my RF 24-70mm f/2.8 lens more than anything else on it. It gives me a wide range and the images have always been my favourite because of the quality of the L-series glass.
It is a HEAVY setup, and something I worked up to the confidence to take and use with me. For anyone reading this with a larger, DSLR, my experience shown in #13 “How to hold your camera” will shed light on how to use any size camera strategically for candid street photography.
My philosophy was always, if my camera feels too big and heavy, that’s my problem and not the camera’s. The range of a 24-70mm zoom, especially shooting in new environments, lets me have a range to choose from when framing a subject. I can stand still while shaping the right frame too. Many photographers swear by only using prime lenses (meaning, they’re set to certain focal distance), which is a great place to start as you’re most creative when your gear limits you.
Moral of the story, if you’re starting out brand new, go for that smaller, range-finder style camera. If you can’t, go for the smallest lens you can on it like a “pancake” prime lens (the RF 28mm for Canon, for example). Don’t bring an array of lenses out with you in order to stay creative and looking for ways to work within your confines.
Tip: Remember that expensive gear only compensates for poor conditions. If you’re shooting on a sunny day, ANY camera will take incredible photos.
Camera brands don’t matter. The biggest photographers use multiple brands. They’re all amazing, and comes down to personal preference and how you navigate it (especially knowing the menus). Keep an open mind to gear.
If you’ve got a big camera like me and a bigger lens, be sure to keep reading on and know that you can eliminate awkwardness.
One-month update: Shooting with my pancake lens
Of course, after publishing lengthy articles like this one, I find myself tending to do the opposite of what I’ve written right after sharing it. I guess, subconsciously, I’ve immortalized my techniques and now it is time to work on a new challenge or weakness.
I traveled the world with my pancake RF 28mm f/2.8 prime lens alongside my RF 24-70mm f/2.8, along with a neck strap. While I took out my pancake lens several times, I was never as happy as the photos I took with the zoom lens. The images were always sharper and took in light better with the latter.
I found my neck strap got in the way too and made me stand out (especially with a big lens hanging off of it). My 28mm lens became my backup – so small I almost forgot I had it in my bag while traveling.
However, now having lived and settled in London for a bit, I’ve found myself loving the pancake lens. I love it because of its shortcomings.
The tiny lens (paired with a neck strap, though worn cross-body), lets me always keep my camera out and I forget it’s there. It lets me bring my R5 to more places (my Fujifilm X100V still has its place in time, though). Because it is so light, I barely notice I have it on me and it’s just always ready.
The prime lens forces me to get up close. With my zoom lens, I did find I’d sometimes cop out and zoom in – but with more underwhelming results than simply moving my body and getting closer.
I’m less worried about approaching people too with a less intimidating camera. Moreover, I’m less worried about breakage or theft because I stand out less and my 24-70mm, which is my workhorse for commercial photography, is kept at home. With depreciating camera body prices, the lens is now worth more than my R5.
The smaller lens lets me take time to frame it, and I can rely less on hip firing for split-second moments because of how fast it is to maneuver it into place. The only comparison I can think of is, if you’ve played Call of Duty or any first-person shooter, it’s like how light machine guns have delayed aim-down-sight time compared to a submachine gun. I wish I could make a better analogy, but that sums it up perfectly.
So what? In short, I still love my 24-70mm and I use it for most of what I shoot. However, I found that bigger zoom lenses are great for exploring new areas – especially while traveling. You’re ready for anything.
On the other hand, small pancake lenses are perfect for familiar environments where you know the distances between you and your subjects, your time isn’t limited, and you’re going about other errands where street photography becomes an opportunity rather than a purpose of your day.
4. Mastering the Art of Shooting from the Hip
Shooting from the hip can produce candid shots without drawing attention to yourself. This technique is especially useful in crowded urban settings like London’s busy streets.
A fashionable Vietnamese family gets ready for their annual family photo during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday season in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Photographed from the hip.
Shooting from the hip is the biggest way I overcame my awkwardness or apprehensiveness of street photography. Bringing a camera to your face can spoil a moment if the subject is turned directly to you. Try practicing shooting from the hip; it’s going to take time – but it is highly forgiving when shooting digital.
Modern cameras have autofocus so advanced that it makes this a breeze. Canon mirrorless cameras, for example, have eye-tracking technology. This is why I love my R5 because of how fast the focus is. But this can be achieved on most mirrorless models (especially other brands, too). People who love Sony were blessed with features like this long before Canon has, but the AI focusing playing field has levelled now. Even my Fujifilm X100V has face tracking.
This technology enables you to shoot from the hip and always get their eyes in focus. It makes your rate of return of great photos, much, much higher than guessing from a focus point. Combine this with a focal length we’ll chat about next in #4 and camera settings we’ll discuss in #15 and you’ll have a kit that’s forgiving to learn on and capture captivating moments with.
If your camera doesn’t have AI autofocusing – or even autofocus at all, no worries. Any camera, even manual focus film, can take great hip fire photos. In #5 we’ll chat about zone focusing to shoot from the hip without relying on or needing autofocus.
Keep a low angle, and use your tilt screen.
By keeping your camera lower, you don’t block your line of sight and people passing by won’t notice your camera as quickly. Then, if your digital camera offers a tilt screen, use that to make quickly glancing down a breeze for framing hip fire shots.
How you hold your camera (we’ll chat about that in #10) will also impact your rate of return when shooting from the hip.
A group of private school boys argue on plastic stools outside of a snack shop in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Photographed from the hip.
5. Using a slightly Wider Lens for Dynamic Street Shots
35mm is the same focal distance as how the human eyes see. Your eyes are used to this, and it’s naturally the most common focal length you’ll see and hear about in street photography.
A 28mm lens, on the other hand, provides a wide field of view that captures more of the scene and gives context around your subjects. This approach works wonders for creating dynamic and immersive street photographs.
A welder in Hanoi, Vietnam works in sandals and has no eye protection as he stares at his arc welder while fixing a metal frame.
The wider 28mm lens shows the interesting context framing the welder, including the colourful, crushed block of aluminum cans, the hanging hoses that match in colours, and the other weathered wood leaning up against the wall. They all contribute to the compositional framing of the welder and add more interest to his scene.
If you have a cropped sensor digital camera, like the Fujifilm X100V, it’s important to note that a wider lens will get cropped in because of your sensor. For example, the fixed lens on my Fuji is a 23mm f/2.0 lens. On a full frame camera, like a Canon R5 or others, 23mm is quite wide. However, on the X100V, the cropped sensor makes a 23mm the same as a 35mm.
Confirm if your camera body has a cropped sensor, then look into how much focal distance is cropped in on your lens. A kit 18-55mm lens found on most entry-level DSLR cameras is cropped in considerably, compared to a full frame camera where 18mm is incredibly wide – almost creating a fisheye approach. That lens is made smaller and wouldn’t fit on a full frame body.
Speaking in terms of a full frame camera, or a film camera where cropping doesn’t occur, 28mm is my chosen focal length. While I love 35mm and it’s the most popular choice, I find 28mm enables me to get much more context around a subject.
For example, it allows me to compose to sidewalk, buildings, signs, and other passersby around someone – adding more environmental context and opportunities for composition. It’s great for groups of people as well as getting up close. Especially when shooting from the hip, 28mm on a full frame is more forgiving and will enable you to get more of your subject in frame than a 35mm might from the hip. If you have the megapixels, you can always crop in.
A group of salarymen in Tokyo, Japan, walk to work in the early morning sun with curious expressions.
The 28mm lens frames the centred subject with his colleagues to his left and the sidewalk, buildings, and poles all framing and creating leading lines and composition to guide your eyes.
That said, it always takes practice. 35mm is just fine, but note that slowing down more is always required. Getting the whole subject in frame isn’t always the goal, either. Find a balance that works for you, but know when starting out that a wider lens like 28mm is easier to work with.
For me, this is why I use my 24-70mm f/2.8 lens so frequently. I walk around with it set to 28mm, and I zoom in or out where needed.
Just know that with a 28mm, if you’re taking photos from a reasonable distance back, your subject will be much smaller than 35mm.
“If your pictures aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough.”
– Robert Capa
28mm, for my favourite shots, may often require getting up close to a subject – much close than a 35mm would. Keep that quote in mind while shooting and know you may have to step outside of your comfort zone and get in close to make the most of your wide focal range (to keep the focus on your subject rather than the surroundings distracting the frame).
A woman enjoys beer and almonds in the afternoon sun with her dog on her lap in Tokyo, Japan.
Shot at 28mm focal length, getting up close to fill the frame is often required to highlight the subject best. Further away may have added distracting elements that would not have added to the composition or led the viewer’s eyes away from the subject.
Many photographers shoot up to 200mm with a zoom lens. This lets you snipe from a distance, but flattens and compresses the background – making it easy to tell it was photographed from far away and looks irregular than how human vision may see the world (for street photos, specifically). Any lens can be a street photography lens. There’s no right or wrong way, only personal preference.
If you’re shooting with a Canon mirrorless camera, the RF 28mm lens is the smallest mirrorless lens Canon makes. I picked one up myself and it looks great on my camera. It is incredibly light and easy to manoeuvre like a range-finder camera. That said, the autofocus can be considerably slow – even with the AI of a body like the R5. You may find this with glass made by Canon than isn’t the L series.
Some may disagree, but if you’re walking quickly down the street and your subject is coming at you at an equal speed, capturing a quick shot may often be out of focus. No panic though, zone focusing, as we’ll discuss next, can overcome the limitations of ANY lens.
6. Zone Focusing Techniques for Capturing Fast-Moving Subjects
Zone focusing is a valuable technique, particularly in fast-paced environments. Set your focus distance and use a small aperture to ensure your subjects are in sharp focus.
Small aperture, like f/8.0 to f/11+, creates a deeper field of focus. Meaning, after a shorter distance away from your camera, everything will always be in focus. Keep your aperture locked at f/8.0 or greater, and use your shutter speed to mitigate how much light you have.
Don’t be afraid of a higher ISO – modern denoising programs like Lightroom’s lets you safely use high ISO. While I edit with CaptureOne now, I keep Lightroom just for this feature.
Full frame cameras especially are far more forgiving, and I often keep my ISO on Auto, but trying my best to often keep it below ISO 3200 for the best quality shots (shooting below ISO 1600 on the R5 specficially renders little difference in quality for street, in my opinon).
Tip: Need help figuring out where your “zone of focus” begins once your aperture is set? Try PhotoPill’s depth of field calculator.
As the widget below is out of date, download the PhotoPills mobile app for their updated catelog of camera bodies and lenses (neither of mine are included here, but I wanted to include the widget to illustrate its functionality).
I’m not affiliated with PhotoPills – it’s just a great app I wish I knew about sooner.
This gives you a diagram, specifically for your camera and lens, of where to stand and what will be in focus at which distance. This is a tool I wish I learned about much, much sooner. Be sure to keep your camera in manual focus, or set your camera to back button focusing (so that your camera doesn’t focus when half-pressing the shutter button; it can instead be set to a button like the “*" button on Canon). This means every time your photo is taken your focus won’t reset.
Using the PhotoPill’s depth of field calculator made me fall in love with my 28mm pancake lens from Canon and added a new challenge, but the quality of glass on the L series RF 24-70mm still kept this as my workhouse when shooting in new environments. When shooting in familiar ones, like my East London neighbourhood, I know what I’ll be encountering more and the pancake lens comes with me.
7. Engaging Respectfully with Subjects in Public Spaces
Sometimes, direct interaction with your subjects can lead to powerful portraits and an emotional moment. A smile or nod can go a long way in gaining trust and making your subjects feel comfortable. Don’t be afraid to approach them and compliment them geniunely, then offering a photo.
A dog walker in Tokyo, Japan shows off his roaming gang of the day. As I walked past, he yelled out “17 today!”.
No words were exchanged to have him pose excitedly as he did; as I walked by with a smile and open body language, he saw my camera and instantly jumped into position.
A man walks his five dogs (four of which matching) through the streets of Sydney, Australia.
I stopped and asked him for a photo. Like the one previous, he had smiled with his pups lined up for a pose, but I captured this one as he was arranging them like he was commanding a team of sled dogs which I found more interesting. If you pose someone, be aware of opportunities of them getting in or out of position.
That said, in the work I’ve made, I’ve always appreciated the candid, organic moments I’ve captured the most, but communicating non-verbally is just as important even when creating these images. We’ll explore this more in #5: the role of body language.
On the note of respect, please avoid photographing homeless people without direct consent. You’re not “creating awareness” by photographing them down on their luck. You wouldn’t walk into someone’s house and photograph them at their dinner table without getting invited in; the streets are their home and they have no choice in that moment for privacy.
For homeless folks, that is their home and it deserves respect. This also applies to those with visible disabilities if your subject’s disability is the core focus of making the photo interesting. Re-evaluate your audience for that photo and if it’s respectful for the individual. Don’t post or share anything you wouldn’t feel okay about yourself being shared too.
8. Leveraging Natural Light and Shadows in Urban Photography
Natural light can add depth and emotion to your street photos. Early mornings and late afternoons provide soft, directional light that enhances the atmosphere of your shots.
A textured detail shot of women in uniforms standing and waiting for the train with long, morning light shadows in Tokyo, Japan.
While for headshot portraits and lifestyle photography, I would initially often shoot in overcast. Especially in London where it’s overcast more days than not, that’s my only option. It does create a great blanket of soft, even lighting without shadows which is often flattering. However, in my street photos that I’ve loved the most, shadows and hard light can make any subject more interesting. Anything! When it’s sunny, gear towards that as your shooting day and look for what’s in and outside the shadows. This is how any subject in street photography can be elevated. I’ve since applied this to my lifestyle and fashion photography too.
That said, make it your mission to shoot every day. You won’t always get sun, and some things are interesting in any weather. Especially rain too, where people are distracted and hidden under umbrellas. But a perfect shooting day for me includes sun and shadow.
Tip: Shoot near sunrise and sunset. Also on PhotoPills, their sun tracker and golden hour guides enables you to see where the sun is at anywhere.
I have mine saved on my iPhone as a dynamic widget, showing the golden hours in both the morning and the evening. This gives you a window of photography to base your day around.
A well-dressed salaryman in Tokyo, Japan, steps into the morning sun off of a pedestrian bridge on his way to work.
Why is golden hour important? It gives you sun low in the sky, with more flattering shadows than if it were the middle of the day – where someone’s nose shadow would strike their face and become more distracting. You’ll find longer shadows in golden hours, warmer light, lens flares, and the most interesting contract of the day.
9. Overcoming the Fear of Shooting Strangers
Feeling awkward about photographing strangers is normal. Start by shooting in busy areas where you’re less noticeable, and gradually build your confidence.
A young boy rides in the back of a pickup truck and looks off while in front of a political election poster. His sister rides next to him and his extended family with colourful hijabs sit around him. Photographed in Lombok, Indonesia as part of my Bali street photography digital zine.
To keep the subjects unaware that they were my subject, I framed up the election poster behind them and waited for the pickup truck to ride in-frame without turning my lens towards them.
Keeping on moving is always recommended. While “fishing”, by standing still, is an easy way to shoot, sometimes continually moving and hunting gives you more to see, but also removes you from any situations you may feel awkward once a photo is taken.
At the end of the day, people forget about these interactions within minutes. It’s easier said than done to eliminate this apprehensiveness from your head, but the bigger the city you’re in, the easier it is to be “forgetful” in this respect.
A way to avoid conflict and feel at ease, if you see a subject you like coming, is to look through your camera and frame your shot before someone arrives into the frame – like you’re taking a photo of the scene behind them. It will appear that you’re photographing everything but them, and they just happen to be walking through at the last second. They’re less likely to react and you’ll have a clean frame
10. The Role of Body Language in Street Photography
Body language plays a crucial role in street photography. Observing and anticipating gestures can lead to compelling images that convey emotions and stories.
A group of friends laughs outside of a nightclub, lit up by red light, in a Tokyo, Japan, alley.
My smile and open body language made it easy to capture this genuine moment without bringing awareness or suspicion to the camera in my hand.
Your own body language is the most important. This connects back to the value of shooting from the hip. If you see someone coming, and you keep glancing down at your camera, they’re going to be led on that they’re the subject of your image and often feel uncomfortable.
Keep a smile on your face, hold great posture, keep your chin up, and don’t be afraid to make eye contact and smile. But, avoid looking down at that camera. Be someone who is approachable and not hiding and taking photos. Keeping your headphones out of your ears keeps you engaged with what’s around you and less of a spectator.
This will be the hardest part for many people, especially if you identify as introverted. Street photography does benefit from having an extroverted personality, but that can always be mitigated with practice.
A book that changed my social life in new situations, beyond street photography, was reading (or in my case, listening to the audiobook) of “How to talk to anyone” by Leil Lowndes.
While traveling, this helped me make friends everywhere I stayed and made me far less worried about interacting with strangers. Her descriptions around body language are incredible to keep in the back of your mind (especially posture), and some of her points I keep as sticky notes in my journal to remind me of what I learned from her.
Like a magician with sleight of hand tricks, you’ll never see a magician looking at their hands while they perform the trick. Magicians are masters of leading your attention. Where you look, or where your dominant hand goes, will lead your subject’s attention.
By not giving closed off body language by looking down at your camera, you’re keeping them engaged with your eyes. Moreover, as we’ll discuss next about holding your camera, keeping it in your non-dominant hand enables you to control their attention and focus away from your camera and present in the moment instead.
Four salarymen head to the night life district of Tokyo, Japan, after a day of work.
11. Discreet Shooting: How to Hold Your Camera
Learning the right way to hold my camera was my biggest learning curve. They way I approach it I feel is unique characteristic to how I shoot and is something I can teach others.
Because I’ve opted for such a big camera – which takes photos I love but the size can be cumbersome – I’ve had to learn techniques that don’t interrupt my flow of shooting
Two pieces of gear that I use to effectively hold my camera: Peak Design wrist cuff and Peak Design clutch. For my smaller Fujifilm X100V, I also use the Peak Design micro clutch alongside the cuff.
The clutch (or hand grip often seen with other brand models) alongside the wrist cuff (or any wrist strap) adds two layers of protection so I don’t worry about dropping it or theft.
I own a Peak Design neck strap too, but I rarely use it for street. I only for client shoots where I need both hands available for other tasks and avoid putting my camera down (but I still keep the clutch affixed even with the neck strap).
The landscape orientation technique
What I do is I keep my camera in my left hand. I keep the strap on my left wrist and I carry my camera down by my side, pointed down or elsewhere, when walking around. When not in use, my four fingers of my left hand are slid into the clutch (the reverse hand/direction the clutch is made for), making it comfortable to carry for long periods. The clutch also takes strain off your hand.
If I’m looking to shoot, my left hand carries the camera by the lens, or fingers loosely holding the grip of the body. I hold it loose and down by my side always. Having my right hand free, as mentioned pervious, distracts attention away from my camera and has it free for other tasks like checking my phone when needed – so I don’t have to remove my camera for frequent right-handed actions.
With my right hand free and often drawing attention away (such as moving when I walk or talk), my left hand brings the camera into shooting position pointed at the subject, and my right hand discreetly moves over to the shutter to take the photo. When using autofocus and not zone focus, I have it set so the half press focuses (using eye-tracking) and I take the photo.
This forces you to use BOTH your hands while shooting. This keeps your camera far more level than shooting one-handed, and far more accurate when aimed at your subject.
Without this, if you’re right handed, it is difficult to to shoot towards to left side of your body without using both hands. This reduces the amount of motion (and strain) required to photograph anyone passing you on your left.
A mother waits intently to cross the street as her baby clutches her back while held up by a blanket carrier in Bangkok, Thailand.
The landscape orientation hip firing technique I shared allowed me to capture this unique moment here. It may have otherwise been spoiled if a camera was brought to my face.
In short, the left hand brings the camera into an aimed position (horizontally) at the subject at a low angle, and the right-hand hits the shutter. Then my camera easily goes back down my side and I continue walking.
This technique, for DSLRs and bigger bodies, has cracked the code for me for getting subject-centered, in-focus, well-framed street photos FROM THE HIP. This can all be done without looking down at your camera, and you’ll find your success rate is much higher this way.
When not using this technique and keeping my camera in my right hand, I found I would otherwise gravitate to photographing those only passing me on my right, as it was less distance to bring my camera up for and aim.
With my left hand underneath and aiming, I get the full range of coverage on my left side and right. As my right hand is brought to my camera anyway to press the shutter, it’s an easy motion to guide it back to facing those on my right side. It is otherwise awkward to do the opposite (bringing to your left side) if you don’t have a hand already underneath it.
A group of friends admire an apple tree shown off by the purchaser. Small fruited trees, popularly kumquats, are purchased and displayed during Tet (Lunar New Year) as a sign of good luck in Hanoi, Vietnam. Apple trees, specifically, are quite rare in this context.
This image, like many closeups in this guide, were captured with the landscape hip fire technique to document organic emotions without spoiling them.
While this technique shoots horizontally – another similar and even more discreet approach – can be used to shoot in a portrait or vertical orientation.
A barrister in Brisbane, Australia, runs late to court after a lunch break who’s dressed in a gown and wig.
This was photographed with one hand using the portrait orientation hip fire technique.
The portrait orientation technique
What you do, in your left hand, is turn your palm upwards. Grip your lens so that it is held portrait orientation and sits in the valley of your thumb and index finger (pointed away from you). Palm facing up, fingers wrapped around the lens. Now, your left thumb should be free to reach the shutter button.
When set to auto focus on the half press of your shutter, you now have a one-handed portrait-orientated hip firing machine. With your right hand free, you may find that this is the easiest way to avoid drawing attention to your camera, and it’s easier to keep your camera level and pointed.
Try both of these techniques out. They work on any camera and focus on less work for editing later on. They keep your camera level, pointed at your subject, in focus, and discreet to capture candid moments and street shots.
Discreetly geared up
A camera bag that’s low profile and doesn’t overtly look like a camera bag, like the Peak Design 3L Sling which I love for my R5, will make it easier for you to bring it everywhere you go.
I used to always take a backpack with me, but it was cumbersome. The more I left at home, the better I got. Working with what you have keeps you creative and nimble. Bringing a small bag (or none at all) makes it easier to blend in, too.
To keep you comfortable, a good pair of walking shoes is always a worthwhile investment.
Next to that, if you’ve got thicker thighs like me (shoutout to the other stocky short kings and queens reading this), Lush’s “Silky Underwear” powder will stop the chafing. I never leave the house without it. Maybe this isn’t something you expected to learn in an article about street photography, but boy so I swear by this stuff now after shooting throughout Asia and it all contributes to keeping me out shooting longer while more confident and comfortable.
12. Finding Patterns and Themes in Your Photography
Focus on patterns and themes such as fashion or daily routines. This can help create a cohesive portfolio and body of work, while making your process and results more engaging. This keeps you focused on a goal and eliminates the awkwardness of not knowing where to focus your energy.
As a fashion photographer, I look for patterns I see around me and document what people wear. As you take more and more photos, you’ll find you’ll gravitate towards certain themes – even subconsciously. Early on, you may ask yourself what your style is. This is never something you can force, but grows with time. Only when you shoot frequently can you step back and look at your body of work and see what themes you’ve subconsciously focused on.
The high afternoon sun washes over parts of the face and outfit of this fashionable woman in Kyoto, Japan. The light draws attention to the texture of her bag and hoodie while the windswept hair creates more interest in her face.
This was photographed as part of a larger series of street fashion photography across Japan.
For me, I found from my last year of solely doing street photography, that I focused on work culture the most. Sub-themes within that space were uniforms, commuting, family businesses, and leisure time.
When I look inside myself, this comes from my time working in the corporate world and now being fascinated by the routines of those around me. This has made it easier for me to group together series of images that follow patterns that I’ve identified. They can be as big as concepts like working culture, and down to small, objective things like dogs in strollers.
Be sure to tag your work and see these patterns as you develop. One photo of a dog in a stroller may not be as interesting as several all laid out that show a pattern and theme. These are things that you can write about and share you work in an effectively, editorial manner rather than one-off images.
For example, this is a series of “hand visors”. I included this set to illustrate that one of these images, on its own, would often be ignored and never published. However, as a group of five, these create a narrative and evoke more playful feelings than one by itself.
Tip: if you’re looking to arrange your photos digitally in cohesive sets for patterns you’ve documented, trying viewing the files as “tiles” if you’re on a Mac.
Make the icons as big as you can, and then drag your photos into different groups. You can visually see the kinds of images working together in sets. This is how I plan my Instagram posts and how I group photos after a trip. I make a folder above the list of icons I’ve made titled with the theme (such as uniforms, cats, street vendors, events, etc.).
13. Focusing on Faces and Expressions
Once you’re feeling more confident, a person’s face is the most unique thing you can photograph which cannot be replicated by other photographers (unless, they photograph that exact same person the same way).
Faces tell the biggest story and are often (but not always) the hallmarks of the most interesting street photos. Challenge yourself to getting photos of people’s faces. When we talk about the legality in #17, this is ok to do.
A family in Tokyo, Japan, disagreeing with taking family photos in front of a Sakura cherry blossom tree: each one with a different expression, looking like an accidental renaissance painting.
Beginners may often gravitate towards backs of people’s heads, people looking down at their phones, or the elderly. This is because they’re safe targets, because they have slower reaction times (or none at all if they’re looking away from you). I believe in “shooting everything” to not miss a moment and set rules for yourself, but if you find yourself primarily taking photos of subjects like these, you may not be stepping as far outside of your comfort zone as you could be. Or, most commonly, you’re not spending enough time on the street being available and ready for these highly coveted faces to occur.
While just a subjective opinion, art, too, is subjective. What we find overdone or easy today may be interesting in the future. Someone looking at their phone today could, in 30 years, be like someone in a phone booth 30 years in the past: something we rarely see today and consider nostalgic. So, go out and shoot everything, but step out of your comfort zone and shoot the challenging things – because those often have the best stories to tell.
Two uniformed flight attendants on break between flights sip coffee and look out at the overcast sky covering the Tokyo Skytree in Tokyo, Japan.
I recommend focusing your energy on getting unique faces as much as possible to push you out of your comfort zone. However, I include this image to show that the backs of heads can be interesting and intriguing too. Anyone and anything can be a good subject, within context, and I subscribe to the ideology of “shoot everything”.
14. Capturing Decisive Moments
The essence of street photography lies in capturing decisive moments – those fleeting, significant instants that tell a story.
A mother takes a candid phone photograph of her partner and toddler in matching kimonos in Kyoto, Japan, during the Sakura season.
Decisive moments are everything in street. They’re actions, rather than static subjects. Decisive moments mean a moment of interaction, emotion, framing, reflection, or chance encounter that tell a story. They’re the hardest to find and the most captivating. It requires you to be out and shooting frequently. It’s not a matter of “if” you’ll see decisive moments, it’s a matter of “when” and requires you to be present, available, and ready.
15. Knowing Your Camera Settings
Settings are important – especially when shooting from the hip to limit awkwardness, but they’re not everything. This is why I’ve saved this last because it’s the least important compared to everything psychological and physiological mentioned before. Settings will always vary based on your camera and situation. These are more some guiding principles that I’ve found to get me the best results.
Aperture
On manual, I keep this locked at f/8.0. If it’s extra sunny, I increase it to f/11. I want a deep depth of field so that more things are in focus. This gives you a better success rate for your subject being in focus along with the extra context and compositional elements around them.
That said, for a lot of my street photography journey I would shoot on shutter priority and let my camera go to f/2.8. Getting bokeh blur is nice in street photography. You do heavy rely on your autofocus a lot to make this work, however, and I found I was more successful, and found my photos more interesting, when I shot with a deeper depth of field (higher aperture setting). You’ll find its easier to go from shooting up close to a subject then to far away.
Firefighters from Osaka, Japan’s fire department practice drills in front of their firehall, suited up and perfectly arranged around each other.
The high aperture setting in this image (f/8.0) allowed for the text to be legible on the uniform of the closest firefighter, along with each other firefighter and fire hall contents to be sharp.
Shutter speed
Because I walk quickly and I take photos on the move, my subjects are often moving too. I keep a fast shutter in order to eliminate motion blur and be ready for any scene: be it someone passing by in a car or running to make a crosswalk signal. For this, I try and keep it at 1/1000s. I’ve rarely ever gotten any blur or misses with a shutter speed that high. Anything high is overkill unless you’re focusing on freezing fast moving cars. If there isn’t enough light, I drop it to 1/800s. 1/500s is okay for me if I consciously keep slow myself down. But 1/1000s of a second is my ideal situation. If I see I can maintain less than an ISO of 400 (or even 800) while at 1/1000s shutter and f/8.0, I’ll increase my aperture to f/11
A group of men head to work on the back of a cargo tricycle in Bangkok, Thailand.
The high shutter speed of this image (1/1000s) allowed for this quickly moving vehicle and person to be frozen in place.
ISO
Now this is where it really comes down to your camera. I shoot on auto because my sensor in the R5 is huge and I can work with high ISO with minimal loss in quality. Generally, keeping it at ISO 1600 or less isn’t going to give you any issues for full frame cameras, at least. As mentioned before, modern de-noise AI tools makes stretching your ISO much more achievable.
I manually set my shutter and aperture, I keep my ISO auto, but I monitor where my auto ISO lands. If it’s above 3200 consistently, then I try and lower my shutter. My sweet spot is 400 to 1600 usually – which is a big range. Photos look fantastic between ISO 100-400; however, the difference a higher aperture can make in street photography is greater than a few stops of ISO (as noisy ISO can be corrected – but lack of focus cannot). For example, it may mean getting a subject in focus or getting a sharper background.
A meat stall owner in Taipei, Taiwan, smokes a cigarette inside while cleaning up. Part of my Taipei street photography digital zine.
The difficult light forced me to use ISO 12800 in this image. While I use CaptureOne for most editing today, I used Lightroom in this image for their denoise AI tool which does a spectacular job and increasing the quality.
White balance
While I used to always shoot with auto white balance, I found it made my shots far more inconsistent. It made editing far longer and I had less stylistic control. I encourage you to use manual white balance. Simply use the presets when you’re out: daylight, cloudy, shadow. You have more control of the warmth and temperature of your images. They’ll be way easier to edit – and may even be ready to use out of camera in many circumstances. You lose stylistic control without using manual white balance choices.
Where I do find auto white balance the most useful for street photography is at night. With so many different lights, changing environments, and temperatures, it’s hard to keep up. With the lack of consistency, I do find keeping auto at night the easiest to get consistent shots.
A woman shields herself with an umbrella from the downpour of rain in Osaka, Japan.
While I often set my own white balance for stylistic control and a more consistent editing experience, in situations with competing light sources – especially at blue hour or in the evening – auto white balance becomes a helpful tool.
16. Go Out and Walk Around as Often as Possible to Capture Moments
The essence of street photography lies in its spontaneity and unpredictability. To truly capture the raw, unfiltered moments, you need to be out in the world as much as possible. Walking around different neighborhoods, parks, and urban spaces not only increases your chances of encountering interesting subjects but also helps you develop a keen eye for potential shots.
You just need to go out and shoot. Make it part of your routine.
Every time you step outside, you make yourself available to decisive moments and faces. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. The more often you’re there to document those “when” moments, the greater your body of work will be. This cannot be stressed enough.
Whether it's the morning rush of commuters, the quiet solitude of an early evening, or the vibrant energy of a weekend market, each walk can provide unique moments that contribute to your body of work. Being consistently out there also allows you to observe patterns, understand lighting at different times of the day, and become more comfortable with your surroundings.
I’ve found that my best shots often come from days when I wasn’t specifically planning to take photos. By simply carrying my camera everywhere and being prepared, I’ve been able to capture fleeting moments that would otherwise have been missed. It's about being in the right place at the right time, and the more you’re out walking, the higher the chance you’ll be there for those perfect, unrepeatable moments.
Three men in uniform walk in synchrony down a pedestrian bridge in Tokyo, Japan.
This was photographed when I had captured next to nothing I was excited about that day. Just as I was putting my camera away, I saw these men approaching in a perfectly composed position. It’s another lesson of always putting yourself out there to go walk and shoot. These opportunities will appear, you just need to be available for them.
17. Understanding the Legality of Street Photography
Street photography, by its nature, involves capturing candid moments in public spaces. However, it's crucial to understand the legalities surrounding this practice to ensure that your work is respectful and lawful. The legality of street photography varies significantly by country and region, so always be aware of the local laws.
In many countries, it's legal to photograph people in public places without their permission as they do not have an expectation of privacy. However, there are exceptions. For instance, photographing in certain sensitive locations, like government buildings or private property, might require special permissions.
One key point to remember is that while taking photos might be legal, publishing or using them commercially without consent can be a different matter. For example, in the United States, you can photograph people in public spaces, but using those images for commercial purposes without a model release can lead to legal issues. However, you are legally entitled to use that image as a piece of art – and generate income from that for artistic purposes. Think of photo books and photo prints.
In Europe, GDPR regulations add another layer of complexity. You need to be mindful of how you store and use images that could identify individuals. Always err on the side of caution and respect when dealing with these images. London and the United Kingdom, however, are much like North America.
For personal anecdote, I’ve had encounters where people asked me what I was doing. A simple, polite explanation about being a street photographer capturing the essence of urban life often resolves any concerns. However, I always respect anyone’s wish not to be photographed and delete the photo if requested.
The best practice is to be discreet, respectful, and knowledgeable about your local laws. Doing so not only protects you legally but also maintains the integrity and trust essential for street photographers
A uniformed train conductor in Tokyo, Japan.
Like the United Kingdom and North America, Japan allows for photography of strangers in all public areas with the same usage permissions and restrictions.
18. Conclusion
Street photography in London and everywhere in the world offers endless opportunities to capture your city's diverse culture and vibrant life. By applying these techniques, you can overcome the initial awkwardness and create compelling images that tell a story. It becomes an outlet to document and share the way you see the world.
When the awkwardness is overcome, I hope you feel the same sense of relaxation, comfort, and drive to go out and shoot as I have.
If you want to see more about how I shoot, I invite you to watch my first on-camera recording of my street photography walks in Taipei, Taiwan, with videos coming for each of the cities photographed and displayed in this guide.
I share my most recent street photography work on my Instagram which I encourage you to follow. If this guide was helpful, I recommend checking out my additional guides below and subscribing to my newsletter at the bottom.
Thanks for making it to the end! Let’s stay connected.