If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” – Robert Capa
Impact is important
The best street photographs make a lasting impact. Getting closer to people helps you to fill the frame. A filled frame doesn’t necessarily mean jam packing 1 million different things into one picture. A successful filled frame includes elements that leave an impression on the viewer. I’ve always tended to get close when I practice street photography because it leaves the viewer feeling connected to that moment.
Be authentic
Authenticity is important in street photography. Getting closer will allow you to remain open and honest with your approach and process of making photographs. You don’t want to be that guy that’s hanging out across the street with the telephoto lens, zooming in on strangers as they pass by. The street photographer should be in the heat of the action as close as possible to describe what life was like during that fleeting moment.
Raw energy
Street photographs that evoke raw energy are powerful. In order to achieve this goal, you must get in at a close proximity to the scene. Hone in on people’s gestures, hands, feet, and the gaze of the eyes of the people that you photograph. Make pictures that create a dynamic that feels raw and real.
Connect with people
By getting close to your subjects, you can connect with people on a new level. Don’t be afraid of rejection from strangers, but embrace it! Be playful on the street. You don’t need to be a fly on the wall all of the time. Sometimes it’s good to engage with conversation to get closer to the moments that you desire to photograph. Getting close will not only help you make successful photographs, but will also give you the potential to come home with a laugh, and a memory shared with others.