3 Things You Can Do Now to Improve Your Candid Street Photography
Image credit: Craig Boehman
Candid street photography is a very specific pursuit that requires a different set of skills to master. While there are no right or wrong ways to go about it, there are several tips that I find useful that are more suited to the task.
Instead of going into extensive details with a master list of 10 or more tips, I’ll focus instead on three of the most important ones that I believe will help you take better candid shots on your next street photography adventure. The best part is that you probably won’t need to buy new gear unless you’re shooting film or own outdated tech (or just starting out). Essentially, these tips are for photographers using modern DSLRs and mirrorless systems although some of the tips would apply regardless of the gear you use.
Use Live View Instead of Your Viewfinder
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There’s nothing that screams “I’m taking your picture” like putting your camera up to your eyes and facing your subject. I usually cringe whenever I see my workshop clients doing this and I try to breach the subject whenever I can. It’s not the wrong thing to do, it’s just that it’s not always the best thing to do if you want to capture the moment quickly and effectively without disturbing the scene.
I’ll bullet point the advantages of using Live View and then I’ll talk about each of them.
Live View shooting is always faster
Your subjects may not be 100% sure you’re photographing them if they’re looking directly at the camera
If your camera has a flippy screen, you may not ever have to make eye contact with your subjects and can focus more on getting the shot versus concealing your intentions
If you have two eyes, you’re doing yourself a disservice when one of them is squinched shut looking through the viewfinder (which is the wrong way to go about it anyway)
Faster Shooting
Speed isn’t always important but let’s acknowledge one fact: no photographer using a viewfinder can win a quick draw against one who’s using live view. I challenge you to confirm or falsify this claim. If you like a fun challenge, try this:
Have a friend walk with you and take a candid photograph of the same subject. One of you uses the viewfinder and the other, live view. Who gets the best shot most of the time? How many times out of 10? Out of 100 times?
If you want to be scientific about it, have a third partner join you who calls out the subjects at random. See which shooter will be able to respond and capture the subject more effectively. For example, the Caller could say, “Take a picture of that person’s expression before it changes” or “Take a picture of the couple holding hands with their dog running in the background”.
The more complicated the scenario, the more effective the live view shooter is by default.
This may as well be one of the Laws of Candid Photography because physics applies. There’s one additional step that a viewfinder shooter must complete to get the shot: raising the camera to the eye, framing, and pressing the shutter button. The live view shooter only needs to frame and click. It doesn’t matter if the viewfinder shooter is using back button focus or zone focusing; that one action of bringing the camera to your eye, even if it takes half a second or less, can cost you the shot. If you’re new to street photography, it may even take you a few seconds to adjust to the viewfinder world before you can effectively comprehend and frame the scene.
There’s a caveat here. You may interject that doesn’t a live view shooter still has to frame up, even if it’s not to the eye? This is correct. But the distance isn’t as long as far as the range of motion goes, and if you’re walking around with your camera ready (as opposed to around your neck or heaven forbid, in your camera bag or pocket), then you’re already ahead of the game.
Long story short, live view will get you more candid shots because it’s faster. I don’t say so, the laws of physics do.
Is That Photographer Really Taking My Picture?
In my opinion, it’s best that your potential subjects don’t know what you’re exactly to. Sure, you may have a camera out and the world knows you’re taking pictures. But what are you taking pictures of? This ambiguity helps when you want to capture your subjects in a candid image and still maintain eye contact to establish a connection between the subject and your audience.
Many of my candid street photography pictures have subjects that are looking directly at me. That’s because of my approach. Firstly, I’m using my LCD screen and I needn’t be making eye contact with my subject. Secondly, I may be using any number of tactics to ensure that my subject thinks that they’re not part of my plan. This is a topic for another time, but my point here is that by using live view, I’m able to capture candid images of people looking directly at me and I’m able to pull it off without changing the scene more often than a photographer strictly using a viewfinder.
Flippy Screens Are Great
If you have a flippy screen, fully articulated or otherwise, then the act of using live view for candid street photography opens you up to more possibilities. You don’t even need to be facing your subject if your screen swings out and is adjustable. It’s a great way to capture people who are about to enter your composition while not drawing significant attention to yourself. Your subjects may think you’re shooting video or just mucking about with your camera settings. Even if your flip out screen is limited, you can still use it — even while walking — and capture images on the go without tripping over something or stepping in dog shit. Because you’re looking down with both eyes (assuming you have both), you can simultaneously frame and monitor your feet while you navigate candid waters.
Two Eyes Are Better Than One
Speaking of eyes, how many of your photographer friends squinch their eyes when they’re shooting? Do you do this? There are two problems with this strictly from a general photography perspective.
You’re potentially missing out on what’s happening in your immediate vicinity
Your squinched eye can get very sore during longer sessions
Both points are equally important when you consider a long-term photography passion.
When it comes to candid street photography, you really have both eyes available in a split second to scan the vicinity once you frame up. You’ll miss fewer shots when you make it a habit to use live view and your non-dominant eye will thank you for not abusing it.
My over all tip is: if you’re using your viewfinder and you squinch your non-dominant eye, practice without doing so. Both eyes should be wide open when you’re taking pictures.
2. Use Prime Lenses or One Focal Length
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Once again, it comes down to physics and overall speed. When you’re using a prime lens (or one focal length on a zoom lens), you’re forced to zoom with your feet. Practice with your favorite wide-angle lens or focal length, somewhere between 24-35mm.
You may find this a difficult task, especially if you don’t have any prime lenses and it’s natural for you to zoom in on your subjects. But I can tell you from personal experience and from watching my workshop clients that it slows candid photography down considerably, especially if you’re new to street photography.
The act of zooming could remove the possibility of having one finger ready on the shutter button or the LCD screen, depending on the camera and shooting technique. And it’s a time-burning exercise like no other except for the problem that crops up in my third tip.
Zooming. Reliance on a viewfinder. And certainly in tandem…these are demonstrably time-killing exercises in the big picture of candid street photography.
3. Fine-Tune Settings
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I’ve saved the worst time-killer for last, mucking about with camera settings. I have seen photographers burn a minute or more because they’re screwing with their camera settings when potential subjects are strolling by. Or just as bad, chimping constantly after each shot was taken. Okay, so I’m throwing in chimping (checking your photo) as a freebie here only because it often occurs when settings are being adjusted. In short, you shouldn’t be fumbling with your camera when there are subjects around — not unless it’s absolutely necessary.
Unfortunately, newbies and many established photographers alike trying out street photography for the first time are often ill-prepared for the fast-paced nature of candid street photography. That’s not to say that all candid street photography is fast-paced. But let’s look at it from the perspective of always being prepared, i.e. being an effective photographer. You need to have this stuff worked out. Here’s my best advice on this topic:
Fine-tune your settings so that you only have to change one parameter at any given time.
What does this mean?
If you’re shooting in Manual Mode, I’ll often advise my clients to set the ISO (AUTO ISO is good when in doubt) and the aperture, which depends on whether or not you’re trying to blur out the background or trying to provide context. Then that leaves just the shutter speed. In this scenario, all you would have to do is adjust the shutter speed on the fly to regulate the overall exposure. If your shutter speed becomes too slow to capture the subject, then use your extensive knowledge of the Exposure Triangle to work out the best settings.
The semi-automatic modes function in much the same way and provide de facto one-touch fine-tuning options. For Aperture Priority, you’re primarily dealing with only the aperture although many mirrorless systems offer minimum shutter speed options too. If you’re in Shutter Priority or anything else, you’re likely dealing with the prospect of changing one primary setting.
Even in a limited space, it’s not always possible to keep the same settings. The best scenario is to fine-tune your settings so that your fingers are doing less work and your mind and eyes are focused on your subjects. Speed isn’t everything but sometimes it’s the difference between an award-winning NatGeo photo and another shot for the recycle bin. Ask any photographer about this and they’ll probably have a story of the one that got away because they weren’t ready. Then ask them about the ones they got because they were ready. Chances are they weren’t fumbling with settings just before they got the shot.
Exceptions Abound but the Proof Is in the Pudding
There are always exceptions, right? Thinking photographers like you and me need to make them from time to time. No one way of shooting will always work. No one piece of camera gear does everything. No one setting is king. We have to think on our feet and try to get things right. And we don’t always succeed.
When I shoot candid street photography, I’m always ready. My camera is in hand. Live view is streaming. My focal length is set. My settings are dialed in. Through experience and a lot of trial and error, I’ve learned, among other things, that being quick on my feet will help me get more pictures during my candid street photography sessions.
