How I Choose My Best Street Photography Shots

What’s poppin’, people? It’s Dante. This morning, we’re diving into my iPad Pro to discuss how I choose the best street photo. I’ll walk you through my process of selecting keeper shots, pairing similar photos from different scenes, and ultimately deciding which one stands out.

By analyzing these frames, we’ll gain a better understanding of what makes a keeper photo. So, without further ado, let’s jump into the iPad Photos app and take a look.

Analyzing the First Scene: Youth Playing in a Tree

In the first scene, we have children playing in the trees—a youthful, playful moment. The challenge is:

Why is one photograph better than another? What makes a certain photograph stronger?

When you’re out shooting and making lots of pictures, you’ll often come home and notice similarities across your frames—even years later, even across different places in the world. And that’s a good thing because it sharpens your ability to make strong selections.

Breaking Down the Two Images

Image 1: A girl playing in the tree, with a clean and simple composition. The foreground is established with prominent legs, creating intrigue and mystery.
Image 2: More elements, more dynamics, but ultimately too chaotic with distracting background elements.

The keeper: The first image—because of the simplicity, the emotion on the girl’s face, and the clear separation between the foreground and background.

Another Pairing: The Looming Wall

In this set, we have two similar photos from East Jerusalem:

Photo 1: A stroller being thrown against the looming wall, with clean separation between the elements.
Photo 2: A more dynamic frame with more subjects but lacking compositional clarity.

“For me, less is more. Simple frames, simple moments.”

Ultimately, the stroller shot wins because of its balance between moment and form.

Mumbai Workers: Finding the Rhythm

Two shots of workers on the back of a truck, with hands creating repeated gestures throughout the frame. What sets the winner apart?

The key elements I consider:

Foreground interest – A man holding a bag draws the viewer in.
Repeated gestures – Creating a rhythm throughout the frame.
Separation – The winner photo has better subject separation.

The image with repeated gestures throughout different planes of the photo creates a stronger, more visually engaging composition.

Light Is Everything

When comparing images from Mexico City and Hanoi, the interplay between foreground and background elements is similar, but one thing elevates the winner:

“Light becomes an element in the frame to be very hyper-aware of and vigilant of.”

The Mexico City shot wins due to its use of light and shadow, adding an extra layer of mystery and depth.

Philadelphia: Bus Stop vs. Penn’s Landing

Two similar scenes in Philadelphia capture light and shadow play in dynamic ways:

Bus Stop Photo: The interplay between silhouettes and light creates a visually striking composition. The man’s downward gaze and the silhouette fill the frame, guiding the viewer’s eye.
Penn’s Landing Photo: A wider, more open scene with light and shadow, but it lacks the depth and layering that makes the bus stop image stronger.

“The photograph at the bus stop is much more visually dynamic because of the added layer of light and shadow play.”

The winner is the bus stop photo, thanks to its simplicity and the way the light interacts with the scene.

Selecting Rainbow Shots

I’ve captured multiple rainbow photos from different locations—Philadelphia, New York, Baltimore, and Zambia. But when it comes down to it, the winner must have:

A clear and dynamic rainbow presence.
A strong emotional element.
A simplified and impactful composition.

The final selection: The Jericho shot—because of the interplay between the boy throwing the rock and the rainbow in the background, creating a timeless image.

Toy Guns: Playful vs. Serious

I’ve encountered kids with toy guns in many places. When analyzing similar shots:

Some are too playful and lack the mystery needed to elevate the frame.
The winning shot captures tension, mystery, and a strong juxtaposition between the child’s hand and the gun.

Lesson learned:

“Less is more. A simple composition with impactful content wins every time.”

Conclusion

When it comes down to selecting keeper street photos, I always ask myself:

Does the image have a strong moment?
Is the composition clean and readable?
Does it engage the viewer emotionally and visually?

The process of selecting the best image is all about refining your eye, staying true to your vision, and always looking for that one-of-a-kind moment.