LEARN ESSENTIAL STREET SKILLS

There are several things that must be considered when capturing the moment

FOCUS MODES AND FRAMING

most modern mirrorless and DsLR cameras have two autofocusing options: AF single shot, AF continuous shot and manual focus. A rangefinder-style camera such as a Leica will only have Zone focusing. this involves turning your camera to manual focusing, setting the focal point to a specific focus distance (i.e. 8-10 feet away) and then photographing your subjects around that distance. If using AF, remember that digital cameras have the option to use a single focus point or multiple focus points. For street photography, it is better to use a single focus point so that you have control over what is in focus. If you can view guidelines through your viewfinder or LcD, use them to help compose your photos.

EXPOSURE

the main aspect of any photo is to achieve a good exposure. there is the option of just turning to automatic mode or either of the Priority modes and letting the camera do all the work for you. however, in challenging lighting conditions, you will want to take full manual control.

DEPTH OF FIELD CONTROL

the Av or A on your mode dial is used to control how much light your lens collects and determine your depth of field (the distance wherein objects are in focus or blurred out). DOF can add a great creative dimension to your street shots, and can also show or hide foreground or background context.

FREEZING ACTION

this is the tv or s on your mode dial, used to freeze motion on streets of moving subjects or to show creative movement via blurring or ghosting effects. the time value set will also control how much light your lens collects.

ISO

many photographers of other genres look to set the lowest IsO possible, as this creates less noise and produces higher quality images. however, for street photography, it’s better to ensure that you can use a fairly fast shutter speed without the need for a wide aperture, so a higher IsO will generally be necessary. these days, there’s no reason to avoid IsO 1600 and above on a modern DsLR or csc.

“Depth of field can add a great creative dimension to your street shots, and can also show or hide foreground or background context”

Left below PARIS KISS A slowed shutter speed was used to create the motion blur effect of the train, yet the focus was on the emotion of the two main subjects Left above BERLIN GEOMETRY shooting in bright sunlight, it was important to underexpose...