Iâve been told by friends and colleagues that street photography came as a breath of fresh air into an otherwise mundane world of shooting landscapes and studio portraits, while many others, myself included, found it to be inherently uncomfortable in just about every way possible. Finding the beauty in the commonplace, and capturing it without disrupting your environment isnât something that comes easily to all, but it seems we can all agree that there is a certain type of candid allure on the streets that simply canât go undocumented.
Also be sure to check out our Editor in Chief’s post on how the camera retaught him street photography.
Make Yourself Invisible
Itâs said over and over again when talking about street photography. In fact, Henri Cartier-Bresson, the undisputed father of photojournalism, said it well:
“One has to tiptoe lightly and steal up to one’s quarry; you don’t swish the water when you are fishing.”
The âfishingâ analogy is so often used in photography, but itâs relevance cannot be overstated when discussing street shooting. Learning to be comfortable in your environment is arguably the most important part of street photography. Much of it is a mental obstacle, but there are a few things that Iâve discovered that not only made me more comfortable, but also made people on the street more comfortable with my presence.
First and foremost, I needed to rethink my gear. I shot on the street initially with a big Nikon DSLR and a 35mm lens. It seemed inconspicuous enough to me, but people on the street donât take kindly to being shot by a large DSLR. It grabbed peopleâs attention with itâs large black body and loud clacking mirror. It went entirely against the purpose of street photographyâblending into your environment to catch candid moments happening around you. Not to mention, I only needed to hear the words âterroristâ and âcreepâ a few times before I realized something needed to change.
X100
Then came the Fuji X100. There are a few very compelling things about this camera that can completely transform your ability to street shoot comfortably.
First, itâs small, and itâs very light. Roaming the streets for hours at a time searching for scenes is not only intellectually tasking, but at times can be physically straining as well. The last thing you need is 5 pounds of camera gear hanging around your neck all day. In addition, anecdotal evidence shows that smaller cameras are more likely to be carried along, while DSLRs often sit at home. I always regret not bringing my camera with me, but Iâve never once regretted actually bringing it. This is even more true for the X100.
Itâs harmless. The X100 is a beautiful piece of kit, but on the street it simply isnât taken seriously. Itâs treated like a toy. Thereâs no 200mm telephoto lens or loud mirror clacking to distract people. In fact, Iâve had a number of people ask me why Iâm shooting with a âfilm cameraâ. Instead of bothering to explain that thereâs an APS-C sensor and Fujiâs custom built EXR image processor inside the body, I just shrug it off with a simple, âbecause people donât mind itâ. People are indifferent to film, as it seems there is a mental disconnect between a shot being taken, and it actually being developed and examined. I must say, Iâve never been so happy to have my gear be misunderstood.
Most importantly, it takes phenomenal photographs. A sharp lens, excellent high ISO performance, and my very favorite focal length for shooting on the street. There are so many options now for small cameras with large sensors, and theyâre getting better every day. The Fuji X100, the Leica X1, Olympus E-P3, and so many others that are all capable of taking absolutely stunning pictures. Ditching your DSLR for a small camera isnât nearly the compromise it once was.
The Intellectual Hurdle
But wait, thereâs still the intellectual hurdle.
What if they get angry?
Even though humans are inherently vain, we donât like being caught off guard. When things are out of our control, we get scared, and our fright turns immediately into anger. I cannot remember a time in recent history when I havenât been confronted at least once by somebody Iâm photographing. Itâs simply part of the territory, and your best bet is to go into the situation prepared.
For me, the most effective method of diffusing anger has been to smile, apologize, and walk away. Asking to take oneâs picture isnât necessarily a bad idea, but it takes away from the candidness of the scene. Itâs trial and error, and you need to find what works best for you, but going into street photography fully aware of peopleâs potential reactions is the first step in learning how to diffuse them.
Just Shoot
Lastly, it seems that carrying a smaller camera has taught me to think less critically when shooting.
The X100 can, at times, be an incredibly frustrating camera to use. Itâs autofocus is horribly slow, and often inaccurate, and metering goes haywire more often than Iâd like. Unfortunately, thereâs no time to chew on your framing, or worry about the autofocus not working properly. You need to just shoot. Pre-set your focus, pop it in aperture priority, and just shoot. Iâve stopped worrying about the autofocus not taking, or the metering underexposing my shot. It seems like a step backwards, but some of my favorite shots have been ones I didnât even think to take. You could spend hours setting up your framing and exposure, but youâll be largely missing the purpose of using a small camera for street photography in the first place: making yourself invisible.
Shooting on the street, particularly with the X100, has been one of the most rewarding experiences Iâve had in years. It is wildly refreshing to shoot with only your initial perception of the scene in mind. Itâs all about going with your gut, and it sure is a lot of fun.
Buy the Fuji X100 here at Amazon
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