Street Photography: Perspectives and Practical Techniques on the Street

The false myth. The genre with the most blurred boundaries: street photography.

Let’s start with the very definition of street photography. In reality, it isn’t a strictly defined genre; its boundaries aren’t clear-cut, much less precise. Personally, I would define it as photography taken in public places where the human presence is central. Within this framework, we’ll see that there can be several distinct categories. For example, there are photographs with great historical and documentary value (Bresson, Klein) and others where aesthetics, abstraction, or the surreal prevail (Webb, Moriyama)—which can be extremely different from one another. But for now, let’s start by defining these two broad categories.

The unstaged scene is undoubtedly essential when discussing street photography, especially if we claim that the photograph itself has historical or journalistic value.

And this is where the first problem arises.

How do you take street photos without being seen? The myth of the invisible photographer is just that—a myth. In reality, no one can become invisible… but you can blend into the scene, making yourself much less intrusive and even going completely unnoticed. Speed is key here.  Either you move very slowly (you enter the situation, the chosen space, and wait a bit…) or you capture everything at extremely high speed (often suited to moving situations). Time, therefore, is the main variable that allows us to alter our perception of the space we are interpreting.

Rome, August.

Cameras.

Of course, there may be other factors that help. For example, using a small, unobtrusive camera. Or taking photos without raising the camera to your eye. The latter can be achieved in two ways: either by being so familiar with the lens you’re using that you don’t need the viewfinder’s confirmation, or by using cameras with a tilting display. I also find cameras with very quiet or completely silent shutters useful (Leica M, Sony A9, Sony RX104, Fujifilm X100V, etc.)

From this perspective, there are several cameras today that are ideally suited for street photography. These include the Ricoh GR3 and GR3X, various Micro Four Thirds cameras, the Leica M and Leica Q, various Sony models such as the A9, A73, A74, A7R3, A7R4, and A7R5, the Fujifilm X100V (which you can read a review of here), the Fujifilm XE-4, and so on.

My current choices are the Leica Q2 Monochrom, the Leica M11, the Sony RX10 Mark 4, and the Leica SL2S.

Typically, the standard focal lengths used range from 24–25 mm up to 50–75 mm. That is, focal lengths capable of capturing subjects while still taking their surroundings into account. However, there’s nothing stopping you from experimenting with much wider-angle lenses—down to 10 mm, which I’ve tried a couple of times—or much longer telephoto lenses (which is why I added the Sony RX10 Mark 4 to my kit).

Fast autofocus can be convenient. But it’s less essential than other factors, such as a shutter with absolutely no lag. The key, once again, is timing. Just as in the discussion of the “invisibility” of the “street photographer,” where timing was the main factor, it is here as well. But in this case, it’s the ability to anticipate what’s about to happen around the photographer. Sensitivity.  And endless practice. If your shoes aren’t worn out, you’re not practicing enough. ;)

The Light

Castel Sant’Angelo, Rome, 2022. Leica M11

Learning to see the light. This is a fundamental principle for any photographer and any photographic genre. But for street photography—where everything is unpredictable, where you never know what to expect, and where the pace is often extremely fast—it is even more important.

In this regard, a key tip might be to force yourself to work with the spot meter. This is a step I would take after trying out the spot meter in slightly less dynamic situations, such as portrait photography or landscape/architecture photography.

Recently, several cameras have been released with an exposure mode called “Highlights.” Essentially, it preserves the highlights in whatever scene you’re framing. I’d suggest you only move on to this mode after you’ve had plenty of practice with spot metering.

Variations & Constants

You can usually use semi-automatic modes, such as aperture-priority mode. Especially since most cameras today allow you to set automatic ISO by specifying the minimum shutter speed below which the camera will increase the ISO. So, in effect, this is a way to work quickly while controlling both the aperture and the minimum shutter speed. On the other hand, I would also suggest trying to work with manual settings to see what comes out of it. See, for example, my ongoing project “A Second of Life.” The same applies to the locations where you shoot. Return to the same places multiple times to try to capture images that are completely different from one another. When you no longer find inspiration, change locations, search, explore, and lose yourself.

But most of all, HAVE FUN!!

Customize the look.

Find a workflow that works for you when it comes to editing and post-production. While it’s true that this is usually the least interesting and most tedious part, it’s also true that if you want to create something truly personal, you’ll need to edit your photos. I’ve chosen Capture One 23 Pro and Exposure X. Once you’ve honed your editing technique, it will take very little time at all.

In conclusion

Via del Corso, Rome. 2022. Leica M11

Think of these notes as a guide. Don’t take my suggestions as gospel. Instead, treat them as starting points—and then feel free to turn them on their head. For example, by using a medium-format camera for street photography. Or by being as intrusive as possible. The only rule that matters is to follow your creative flow. Personally, I do this by observing my surroundings in the most harmonious, continuous, and least intrusive way possible. But each of us must find our own path by following our own inclinations. And—from time to time—by stepping outside our comfort zone.

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