Shooting in the city can be both the easiest and hardest photography you’ll do. First, it’s a target-rich environment — people everywhere, perpetual backdrops and usually lots of action and interest. You could walk down the street, fire your camera randomly, and usually come away with something decent. But that doesn’t necessarily make what you get actually good. Being good takes the same degree of thought, planning and skill that any other photographic genre demands.
So I consulted two extremely talented street photographers — Jill Shomer (@jillshomer) and Brad Puet (@bradpuet) — to see how they work their magic. And I threw in a few tips of my own. Check out the advice below, grab your camera, and hit the bricks.
Be a Geometry Major
New York City-based photographer Jill Shomer looks for great lines. “I’m really attracted to geometry and perspective,” she said. “I like to find that in long street views and in facades with a lot of windows. I’m also super hung up on straight lines — to me, that’s what makes a photo mine.”
Focus on light
Seattle-based street photographer Brad Puet loves light. “I always look for how the light plays with the city,” he said. “The nooks and crannies where light might seep in, or even where it blankets a crowd.” Living in Seattle, where it’s overcast much of the time, makes that a challenge, however. “I become a giddy little kid whenever the sun comes out.”
