Street Portraits Tips for Fast Shooting
Summer is fading and Autumn is in the air. What better time to perfect the art of street portraiture? Walk right up and ask a total stranger if you can take their photograph to add to your street portraits’ collection. Let’s try this…
- Remember to use a small fast lens. The shot below of One Man and His Dog was taken with a 40mm pancake lens. This lens is tack sharp, small and will not intimidate a person, let alone a dog, (whose bite may be worse than his bark!)
- Get your settings correct before you approach the subject. Take a test shot; check your histogram and you’re ready. You can then fire a few shots very quickly, say Thanks! and then go.
- Ask permission with a smile, most people will not refuse a friendly non-threatening approach.
- Don’t use flash, just crank up your ISO if you need to. Onboard flash may spoil the portrait.
- Always carry your camera and then you will be ready when the person who interests you most as a photographer comes along.
Street Portrait Lens
My personal favourite is my 40 mm pancake lens. Try it…
Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Lens
Lou Smith is a Fine Art Photographer with over 25 years experience in the visual arts and teaches Street Photography techniques in London. If you would like to learn essential street photography skills, check out our photography courses page. See you soon.
Photographs and content may not be used without permission.
© Lou Smith 2014, All Rights Reserved
Artist at Lou Smith Fine Art Photography
Lou Smith is a Fine Artist working in the creative mediums of photography and painting. Lou is an expert in her field and has over 25 years teaching experience. Lou Smith has shared her passion for photography with thousands of photographers from around the world.
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