First and foremost, street photography is merely an ethos. It’s a way of doing things and viewing the world itself. Don’t get caught up in any basic notions of what street photography is because you read a book about it or watched some video online. Just go out there and explore using your curiosity and intuition.
Photograph on repeat
When I photograph, I like to observe the same area over and over again throughout different times of the day, week, month, and year. In all weather conditions, you can go out there and photograph. It’s important to embrace the elements and photograph no matter the external conditions. Recognize the patterns of your hometown. Maybe there’s a street vender that’s always starting his business at the same time every day. Say hi to security guards, janitors, and people that are working on the street. When you study the way in which your city operates on a day-to-day basis, this can actually help you with your photography.
Keep it simple
Don’t get bogged down by a camera. Simply keep it in P mode and point shoot. The simpler the better, because this allows you to make more photographs. When you’re contemplating the settings and getting caught up with making the perfect picture, perhaps this holds us back as photographers. The simpler and faster your approach to making pictures and culling through photographs, the more you can actually study the work itself.
Make slideshows
The slideshow is a solution of viewing work that I’ve been interested in this past year. I find that looking at work in consecutive order using a slideshow is very entertaining and allows me to retrace my steps. Perhaps this is a great way to study the work itself and learn from your own pictures. The more photographs you make, the more photographs you have to study from and draw inspiration from. You don’t have to only look at external works from books and galleries for inspiration. Just dig into your own archive and study the way that you see the world.
The beat of the street
When you’re on the street, find yourself flowing in tune with the rhythm of the way people move. Observe the beat of the street. Watch the feet and how people dance upon the streets themselves. This will allow you to always be prepared with your camera to photograph those moments that are ever so fleeting. The point is, the more you study the street itself, the better your photographs will become. Don’t we all want to make better pictures after all? The goal is to make pictures that satisfy your soul. Continue photographing, and you will inevitably become a better photographer.