Street Photography Tips pt. 8
Get Low
Are you always shooting at eye level? Maybe a bit lower at waist level? Try shooting from the ground. Shooting from ground level creates a perspective so many people will never even think about. Perspective is everything when it comes to street photography, so don’t hesitate to get your camera right down to the floor to grab a shot. Use puddles, sewer grates, grass, or whatever is nearby as a foreground element to give your photos more interest, also.
Try Not to Crop (But Don’t Be Afraid To)
Okay, this tip leans a bit toward the “purists'' mentality of street photography, but bear with me a sec. Try not to crop your images if you don’t have to. Don’t be afraid of it though, as there’s nothing inherently wrong with cropping an image. I do it all the time. The photo here started off like this, but after realizing how much empty space was taking up the frame, I cropped it down to this. Is it a mind-blowing photo? Not by any stretch. But did I enhance the quality of the image by cropping it down? Personally, I think so. Most of the great photographers of yesteryear did it as well, so I’m not sure where this concept of “cropping is bad” really came from. However, if you can train yourself to compose and capture the entirety of your image from edge to edge, you’ll be much quicker at finding and photographing a great moment while you’re out.
Use Colors Wisely
There are so many ways to use color in street photography, but a few simple ways to start is by looking for juxtaposing colors, like a blue wall contrasted by a pop of orange or yellow. Look for complimentary colors, like red and green, or a scene with monochromatic colors, like reds and oranges; or blues, purples and teals. Good use of color can make a relatively boring scene much more interesting to look at.
