Street Photography: Content vs. Form Explained
What’s poppin, people? It’s Dante. Today, I want to break down some ideas about composition in street photography, specifically discussing content versus form.
In street photography, life is out of our control. There are so many spontaneous elements out in the world that we want to combine to make a picture—someone jumping over a puddle like Bresson, a boy and his mother sharing an endearing gesture, or the classic image of a man smoking a cigarette. These are the tried-and-true decisive moments we chase on the streets.
“What makes or breaks a great street photograph is whether or not the content, the moment, is synthesized efficiently with the formality of composition.”
We can debate whether form is more important than content, or vice versa. Ultimately, in street photography, content tends to take precedence. However, to become the best street photographer possible, you must synthesize both content and form.
Putting Order to Chaos
Street photography is about putting order to chaos, which is difficult to achieve. Take, for example, a scene of basketball in Baltimore:
- There’s chaos with decisive moments happening—gestures, light, and shadow interplay.
- But beyond content, there’s also form, achieved by positioning my physical body in relation to the subjects and background.
I relate the moment of the boy playing in the fountain to the decisive moment unfolding, while also being hyper-aware of the background. This awareness of positioning creates a cohesive and visually engaging image.
“A lot of street photos fall flat because they lack an awareness of form and shape.”
Observing Moments Beyond Snapshots
In Rome, I once captured a moment featuring a hand gesture that stood out. But I didn’t just capture the hand; I positioned it formally on the right side of the frame, allowing the left side to be filled with two nuns. This synthesis of content and form creates visual harmony.
When I’m on the street, I don’t just take a picture and move on. I sense the possibility of a photograph, observing how to relate the subject to the background.
Example: In Philadelphia, at a bus stop scene:
- I positioned myself to align the pole on the left-hand side.
- I observed the light and how it cast on the subjects.
- I waited for the spontaneous moment to occur within this pre-set stage.
“Being aware of the formality of composition allows you to create visually engaging and emotionally impactful images.”
Setting the Stage and Being Patient
Finding strong content isn’t enough—you must also set your stage and be patient. In a busy market in Mexico City, I noticed too much chaos, so I narrowed my focus to a colorful mural. I used light and shadow to create a formal backdrop and waited for the right moment to walk into the frame.
Key takeaways:
- Position yourself to relate subjects to the background.
- Be patient and wait for elements to align.
- Be aware of light, shape, and form to create visual impact.
“We are responsible not just for reacting with intuition but for sensing the potential of a photograph.”
Conclusion
Ultimately, the goal is to combine content and form seamlessly, responding quickly to the moment while ensuring a visually compelling composition.
Practical tips:
- Watch the light and set your stage.
- Observe how subjects move through a scene.
- Position yourself intentionally.
This is just a quick dive into my thoughts on content and form in street photography. We’ll dive deeper into dissecting more images in the future—until then, stay observant and keep shooting.