Through the shop window
Jules Carr creates fineart street images by using shop windows
If you feel like you’d like to add a new dimension to your street photography, it could be the perfect time to consider adding window images to your repertoire. Now that hospitality and retail are re-opening their doors, the streets are coming back to life and opening up a wealth of opportunity for creative imagery.
Shops, bars, restaurants and public transport are ideal places to start, particularly after dark. At night, interior lights reveal unfolding stories that spring to life with a cinematic quality, revealing human interactions and emotions. By day, shooting through a window out to the street can bring a whole new angle to your street photography. Candid moments, beautiful still-lifes, stunning abstracts, interesting reflections… the possibilities are endless!
Shooting through glass will always pose a couple of technical and physical problems, but with some practise and experience you’ll be able to get around these in no time. Be aware of your own reflection. Shoot at an angle or, if you are shooting straight-on, position yourself behind a handy door frame or similar to avoid putting yourself in the picture.
Keep it simple. Try to avoid too much clutter, and be aware of busy reflections that could spoil your image.
Get creative! Condensation, raindrops and smeary windows can help create an atmospheric, almost painterly effect when combined with interesting light. Use these to frame your composition, or take a more abstract approach and focus on interesting textures and shapes. This works well after dark. www.julescarrphotography.com
Street wise
Be respectful of people’s privacy: the last thing someone enjoying a meal needs is a camera in their face! If you spot an interesting tableau, think about your shot and get your camera set up and ready to shoot beforehand, then you can move into position and take your photo quickly. The true skill to street art is that no-one ever knows you were there.