How to gain speed and confidence in STREET PHOTOGRAPHY

Two things which hold a lot of street photographers back are lack of confidence and being too slow while shooting. Improving both of these things will help make you a better street photographer. In the video, Jeff looks at the things which affect confidence and speed on the street.

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📷 All of the black & white images in the video were edited with our SilverChrome profiles and presets for Lightroom:

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1-2-1 TUITION & MENTORING

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Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:34 Respect your comfort zone
01:43 Know your gear
03:13 Shoot for yourself
04:13 See the world through your eyes
05:33 The street isn't a catwalk
06:35 Know your rights
07:24 Body language

[juliette-mansour]

In the 20 years I’ve been shooting street I think this channel offers one of the very best advice on this genre I’ve seen so far! Subscribed.

[SourPlanet]

Gotta mention the smile! A genuine smile is one of the best weapons we have. Well, most of us. My smile sends them running 🥳

[gpdoyon]

Fantastic advice, sir! Your best point was to always shoot for yourself. Once I did that I released all the pressure and indecisiveness and just enjoyed the process.

[Joanne_Mahlmeister]

As a fledgling street photographer, I find your videos to be a valuable resource. I will also admit that I absolutely love the images that you include as examples, they are beautiful.

[DannerPlace]

Anymore, I simply take a camera with lens attached and leave the bag behind. More discreet, easier to move about, and less weight.

[garethdwatkins]

Nice point.. since I left photojournalism I only shoot pictures for myself.. Yes I do post them on FB & Instagram... but I don't care at all about likes and followers, it's all far too superficial. In fact Instagram is a great archiving method so I can easily find my shots on my hard drives..
Then I make photo books, and get one copy for me.. If others want them I will get further copies made, but I do it all for myself.
I spent 20 years, shooting what others wanted, be it, a newspaper or an assignment I was given as an agency snapper... None were my subjects... Now I can choose what I shoot..
So yes great observation we should all be shooting for ourselves.

[dueviastradatravel]

Some of the best advice I’ve heard on YouTube. Honest and True. One thing I’ve learned in 45 years of photography learning the law is first and foremost. For example in France, the person photographed owns that photo and not the photographer.

[streetsmm]

One hundred percent agreed! The body language of a "subject to be" is very important, also having a bit of fear will keep you alert in the street and don't forget to smile, smile makes everybody at ease, well, almost everybody!🍻

[PrototypeSourri]

I've watched these kind of videos years back already and it's nice to see that some of the aspects you mentioned have greatly improved since then for me. Now I'm much more at ease, relaxed and can concentrate on the scene, rather than my own thoughts, fears and doubts.
Great videos as always.
Cheers!

[tofulosophy]

Excellent summary of how to get started or to grow in one's street photography journey. Keep it up, mate.

[carlmcneill]

I use either a 28mm or 40mm on a full frame and shoot between f/5.6 and f/8 and use a zone focus. Some people use aperture priority mode but I shoot in manual mode but use auto ISO. Occasionally I'll open the aperture for a shallow depth of field and then focus where I need to and wait for someone to step into that spot but usually I focus on the ground on a spot in front of me that will have most everything in focus. That way the only thing I have to worry about is taking the photo. A lot of times I have my camera on a neck strap hanging down to my chest. I don't even raise the camera up to my eye.

[VirgilTheCreative]

Thank you for this video, we need the creativity back, we all see differently, that's what makes art...art

[antdenzic]

Don't know why it took me so long to subscribe to this channel? Obviously I needed my head checked out. Love your content mate.

[matthewheap]

So concise, insightful and helpful. Thank you. I recently had my Leice stolen due to not reading the scene correctly. Until the day comes when I can afford my next camera, I will practice observation without one and practice learning how to blend into my surroudings whilst also being sympatico with them. Finding that balance is something I have always struggled with. From my younger days of shying away due to social anxiety and discovering photography as a medium to reintegrate myself with the outside world, I have at times, with a dash of dutch courage, gone full 180 and become like a bull in a china shop, full Gilden Mode. Neither approach has proven advantageous for my street photography. Thank you for your genuine words of wisdom. I appreciate your and your partner's work, as well as your choice of Locations. Blackpool is great, Brighton of course and London goes without saying. But props for Blackpool, fascinating little town with a lot of character and a big heart. Thank you for your work and your representation. All the best to you both. Thank you

[sshapiro]

You always provide great information. Thank you for posting more useful content.

[bec]

Brilliant video, and actually with useful advice and tips! Thank you for keeping hammering home the importance of taking photos for ourselves rather than the social media brigade!

[derrenleepoole]

Sage advice. I would say that reading people is one of the hardest things to do. Why? Because we often bring our preconceptions with us when we observe someone, even if we’re unaware of it. The clothes they wear, their haircut, they have a certain type of dog etc… that can be a barrier to taking photographs if you’re just starting out, it’s a barrier we create unconsciously.

[theblackmanarmedwithacamera]

A VERY INCREDIBLE VIDEO WITH WORDS OF GREAT WISDOM THAT EVERYONE INTERESTED IN THE ART OF THE STREET SHOULD HEAR!! WELL DONE! 💯🤘🏾🤘🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[tomfenn]

The late, great photographer Grace Robertson, once told me that a good photojournalist should never take their camera out immediately, but instead, like you point out in this video, walk around for a while and observe and take in what you will bring your camera out for later on. Good channel, advice and video. Super images too!

[danielx]

I have just started building up my street photography skills. Years ago, I spent most of my photography time photographing architecture and doing abstracts and minimalist street scenes. I have some personal qualms about photographing people's faces up close, I recognize that we don't have a reasonable expectation of privacy on public streets to use the legal phrase, but I'm super cautious photographing strangers. I'm getting better at it, however.

One of my goals is to use human subjects within the frame as compositional elements, and that focus has been very helpful to me. I'm just not a confrontational person, and to be honest, I had agoraphobia for 2 years and I'm just not looking for confrontation with strangers. I think our personal lives and our personalities factor into how far we can go with photographing strangers' faces.