In today’s article we will talk about the ideal equipment for street photography, it is not exactly a new discipline, however, it is an undeniable fact that is in full swing, this may be due to the proliferation of smartphone cameras, but it is not exactly an exclusive discipline of mobile photography, although it has been widely adopted by it.
And, while you can perfectly take street photography simply with a smartphone or any camera, if you want to go further and expand your range of options; If you have discovered that street photography runs through your veins; If you’ve noticed what makes you vibrate, lose hours of sleep, or walk as many miles as Forrest Gump, this article is for you.
- Before we go any further.
- I think we should stop for a moment to see what street photography.
- Urban photography.
- Street photography or what you prefer to call it.
Now we are entering a marshy terrain, because defining it is not exactly easy, the attempts to define it are quite varied and in some respects there is controversy, two points seem quite clear to me, and they are on which I will base my definition for this article.
Therefore, you could say that street photography is the one that captures life on the street, and I would add that it is the one that captures the essence of what happens in public places, the one that records people’s relationships with spaces, or between them. , the one who whispers stories, the one who immortalizes the customs and way of life of a society.
Once we have located ourselves and know what we are talking about, we can focus on what we promised at the beginning of this article, what is the ideal equipment to capture the smell of the street, its soul, its essence.
I insist that you can only take street photography with camera, whether SLR, mirrorless, compact or mobile, each of these options is valid.
Now, like all discipline, it has its peculiarities, and if you are going to give in body and soul you will like to expand horizons and enjoy all the options, so I will detail the ideal equipment.
Elemental Dear Watson. You need a camera,As we said, everyone may be worth it, but it is true that there are features more suited to the idiosyncrasies of street photography. If you are thinking of buying a camera thinking that its greatest use will be to be on the street, you’d better consider these features:
Here are some cameras recommended for street photography, aren’t they all, but are they all ?:
It is a compact camera with retro design and state-of-the-art technology that you can find for about 1200 euros on Amazon.
In the case of this Fujifilm, we are talking about a MALA and with a much more affordable price, which is around 700 euros.
4. Grizzly Ricoh
The best thing about this camera is that you can go completely unnoticed and the results won’t let you down at all.
As I said, they are not all the recommended street photography cameras that exist in the market, however, all that I have presented to them, for their characteristics, can be excellent companions when it comes to kicking in the street and capturing the essence of it.
Some of these cameras I have presented are compact, so this section could be ignored if it were your case, although if you look closely, the focal length on the compact recommended for street photography usually hovers around 24-35 mm, on an APS -C sensor, which equates to a “lifetime” of 35 mm or 50 mm, and what does that mean?Well, you could say that this is the focal length most commonly used for street photography, because it is the one that most closely resembles the vision of the human eye, does not deform like angles and is not flattened like telephoto objatives.
However, despite the great debate about focal lengths in street photography, there is no exclusive focal length for capturing street images, although there are some recommendations when choosing your ideal lens.
Even if some people say no, it’s not street photography, if you want you can use a telephoto lens to get closer to what you want to photograph, the thing is that it’s not very discreet unless you hide on a paparazzi plane. And of course, that’s where you lose the essence a little bit.
Another option, different from the standard focal lengths mentioned above, is to use an angle to capture more of the scene, since it is not always a very specific and delimited action that we want to capture, but what makes sense is to contextualize it inside. of a larger space.
On the other hand, choosing between fixed focal or zoom is something very special, each option has its advantages and disadvantages and it is each one who has to choose with what he feels most comfortable with at all times and what he needs for each situation or type. photo I want to do.
Although, usually, if you’re starting out, a zoom allows you more versatility, until you find out what type of photo you want to get, once you’re very clear about the focal length you manage best and that gives you more satisfaction, it’s time to use a fixed lens.
Everyone knows its limits (and those of its camera), maybe with battery life you have enough for a street session, but if you’re going to delve into street photography, if you find out that’s the discipline you have. aspire to get a spare battery.
The worst thing that can happen to a street photographer is having to go home because the battery is depleted. Well, what’s that?
This is the second evil that can happen to you. If you’re a quick finger; You are shooting in RAW and/or burst, to capture the perfect moment; Either you’re just super inspired or the streets are full of opportunities, you can end up with a full map before you know it. If your memory runs out before time and opportunity, it will be really frustrating.
A replacement card in your pocket doesn’t weigh or occupy, but do you save it?
You can spend many hours on the street with your camera around your neck and we all know that the straps provided with the camera are not the most comfortable in the world, if you appreciate your neck and back and are convinced that the street will not be a matter of navigation or testing, it is better to get hold of the strap that best suits you.
If you are one of those who simply carry their compact in their pocket or neck you will not need backpack, but if yours is on a case-by-case basis and because you do not miss any opportunity, charge with different lenses, batteries, flash, etc. , you can not ignore the choice of the right backpack.
Similarly, if you plan to photograph in a rainy environment, you should not stop protecting your computer.
This may sound strange, but it is because you do not know the work of Bruce Gilden:
It is not an essential accessory, of course, but it is very useful for experimentation or if you want to take night street photography. Of course, I don’t think it’s necessary to say that we’re talking about an external flash.
Yes, obviously it’s not a photographic accessory. But it’s almost as necessary as a camera, finding the best street scene will rarely be a casual thing, there’s a chance, yes, but normally you have to kick the streets for hours if you want THE PHOTO. And most of all, if you want to have fun and have fun.
Whether you wear uncomfortable shoes, wet or cold feet, the need to photograph will evaporate in the time it takes to click.
Is everything ready to eat on the street? I hope I have clarified you a little, if so I ask you, please, to share this article on your favorite social network, in this way we shed more light on other people who look like you.
Thank you and see you soon.