9 Street Photography Tutorials To Hone Your Skills

From the moment you step out of your house, there are a lot of images that can be captured. Street photography is documenting candid images on the streets or in the public without staging. These images are a pure representation of what's happening in the world and should not be manipulated to change the story.

Street photography can be made meaningful and powerful through the photographer's observation and unique vision and it will remain as a documented evidence of things that happened or were seen at a particular place and time. The definition of street photography is not a fixed one because different people define it differently, but a simple definition may be documenting everyday life in the public candidly. You need to capture the story, emotion, environment in a street photograph and this can also be done without people in the frame.

Here are 9 useful tutorials that will help you to improve your skills as a street photographer!

1. What Is Street Photography?

A highly debated topic is, “What is street photography?” There are numerous discussions, articles, and even debates on what street photography is. This article from Eric Kim talks about what street photography is and isn't and what is really important in street photography. There are also a few articles at the end of the discussion that are really interesting and useful for anyone getting started with street photography.

2. Street Photography – An Introductory, How-To Guide For Beginners And Intermediates

When you get started with street photography, you may be shooting anything and everything you come across in the streets. While that is not a bad thing, in order for you to grow as a street photographer, you need to observe and connect with the world that is around you in order to capture timeless photos or moments. Whether you are a beginner or have some experience in street photography, this tutorial by James Maher goes into every detail on street photography including camera settings and equipment.

3. Street Photography Composition Rules

Street photography is sometimes done really quick because things can happen in a fraction of a second and you need to be ready to catch the action. When doing this, as a photographer, you will need to observe the surrounding environment and visualize how you can make the image more compelling and the story more meaningful and powerful. In this tutorial by Javier Damlow in Street Photography Magazine, he talks about the fundamental rules of composition in street photography.

4. There Is No Bad Light For Street Photography

When capturing street photography depending on where you are photographing, you can shoot all through the day from early in the morning till late at night. Since you are capturing the real essence of the moment, there is no bad light for street photography, but to use any light that is available to your advantage. This tutorial from Digital Photography School talks about the various light situations that can be used for street photography.

5. Street Portraits

While street photography itself can be a bit scary and intimidating, capturing portraits of strangers in the streets can be a bit fearful if you are someone who is a bit shy. You may sometimes get angry or upset responses from some people, but there are a lot of people who do not care about it much and you also need to keep in mind the law of the country/city you are capturing street photography in. In this tutorial by Frederik Trovatten, he discusses how to deal with the fear of approaching strangers in the public, getting confident and other tips on how to take photos of strangers in the public.

6. 10 Tips For Unbelievable iPhone Street Photography

If you do not have a camera and only shoot using your smartphone, you can still shoot street photos. There are a lot of popular and incredible street photos shot with a smartphone. This tutorial from iPhone Photography School discusses 10 tips for unbelievable street photography using a smartphone.

7. Street Photography Ethics: To Shoot Or Not To Shoot

Street photographers are used to photographing strangers in public. However, there are regulations across a country and around the world, so before getting out and photographing, it is good to take a look at the rules, standards, and laws of the country, so you do not get into serious trouble. This tutorial by Megan Kennedy on expert photography will take you through all you need to know about street photography ethics.

8. Shooting From The Hip In Photography – How To Perfect This Technique

Shooting from the hip is a great technique in street photography because it allows you to be discreet, not draw attention from others and blend in, so you can get amazing candids. This technique comes with its own challenges with regard to focus, composition, and other camera settings. This tutorial on Street Bounty by Sebastian Jacobitz covers all the details, equipment, settings, and techniques required to shoot street photography from the hip.

9. How To Edit Your Street Photography That Wasn’t Quite Right In Camera

Like all genres in photography, street photography also requires some form of editing to get the colors, lighting, details, and contrast in the images right. Editing can be sometimes challenging but with a few tips and techniques, you can make a good street photograph work. This tutorial from Digital Photo Mentor has some editing tips and ideas for editing troublesome street photographs.