Thursday 7 July 2011

Chot Touch 11 tips for street photography

Copy this after reading it :)


Here are some aspects of shooting at the streets which I wanted to line down:

1. Lesser baggage: While you plan to go out and shoot, plan your baggage accordingly. Carrying too much of gear might not be a good idea because you might want to keep your attention on capturing life in your shots rather than worry too much about the focal lengths. The best could be to carry a nice walk around lens which can work/act as a basic wide angle and standard kit lens [18-55mm] is more than sufficient for everyday street photography.

2. A big and versatile zoom may seem like the most logical street photography lens, especially when you’re hoping to hang back yet still take up close and personal shots. However, I reckon shooting with a fixed lens is best for the street. Using a fixed len forces you to use your body and your brain to compose your shots – making you more aware and engaged and thus a better photographer. Moreover, a fixed lens stands out a lot less and isn’t nearly as cumbersome as some honkingly massive zoom. There’s much online ado about which fixed lens is ideal for street shots. I recommend a 35mm or 50 mm for most situations. Why? Hmmm … perhaps I’ve stumbled upon a good topic for a subsequent post.

3. Casual dressing: Dressing might not appear to be an important variable but then it attracts attention as well. Carrying lot of stuff and dressed like a tourist might makes you feel Odd one out in a busy market and attract lot of attention. Dressing a little casually and carrying your stuff in a casual manner would make others feel that you are one of those regular visitors to the market and might feel more comfortable to all around. In some situations, the opposite might work for you. Did I say "there are no rules here!!!"

4. Observe: While moving around in a market place or a street, look for activities happening around. Every place is characteristic in its own manner. Try finding moments, Listen to various sounds at that place, notice hustle bustle in the market and how people are busy with their chores. Try to capture those moments. An early morning visit to a market might see people setting up their shops, cleaning around, making small rangoli, or a group of friends hanging around cup of tea near the old tea stall, fresh colorful vegetables with dew like water on them, a call centre cab stopping on the way for the employees to gulp down tea before they hit home are all moments and convey different emotions. You can also use different styles and shots to convey the mood and the time of the day as well. Fresh flowers, clean markets and hopes in the eyes are all conveyors of a morning. Look for usual places with unusual perspective and new dimensions.

5. Become part of the scene: The best part of being a street photographer is that you get to be the part of the frame. You can mingle with people and be at the thick of things which would not only give you a lot to ponder about but also lot of different perspectives.

6. Try and get involved: Most of the times I have gone out shooting on the streets, I have noticed that some of my friends would move around, click a shot and try to move out. This leaves the people around stunned, anxious and sometimes angry. The best method is to get involved with people, share a smile and not run with a photo. You never know, a smile or a small talk might give you lot of great shots.

7. Neither appear conspicuous, nor suspicious: Also people, who tend to sneak a shot and move on, might appear suspicious. Be very aware about such activities. It's very easy for people to suspect you and catch hold of you. So mixing up with people not only yields better shots but gets you into lesser trouble too.

8. Bring home a story and not a photo: Street photography is a genre of dealing with people. When someone lets you click their photo or you take without them noticing, you stand a chance to bring their story home. Try and talk to people rather than only clicking them. This way, you would know a lot about the place and their lives. In my interactions at markets, I have learnt a lot from real life examples of those people which is quite inspiring. So, not only click people but try to bring home a story about them.

9. Respect privacy: While on streets, there might be lot of situations where people feel intruded, don't want to be photographed. That is absolutely fine. We should respect privacy of others and move on by sharing a smile with them.

10. Gauge the situation yourself: This could be quite important since many a times you might land in a situation which could be sensitive. You should gauge the situation yourself before clicking or taking an action. A sudden fight breaking out on the street or someone suddenly meeting an accident might tempt you to click them but could land you into a sensitive spot. With time and experience at the street, you would develop the eye to gauge the situation by yourself.

11. Understand Law of Land: There are lots of places where you might not be allowed to take photos so it's imperative that you abide by the laws of land. Ex: Shooting at the railway station, shopping mall , bus stand are all against the law since they could compromise the security, so avoid shooting at such places.


yg penting korg tau ape yg korg shoot, jgn membabi buta shoot n kata ada maksud tersirat tp org lain yg tgk xphm ape pun..

bg semua org yg tgk dpt faham, gmbr tu kira hebat la :)


cheers,

snappshooter pixwork


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