What is Street Photography (Re Defined)

Everybody is a photographer these days because of the easy access to cameras. There are phone cameras, webcams, and iPods that has cameras, CCTV cameras. And there are many ways to share these photos that many take, like instagram, facebook, twitter, tumblr and many more. Some of the photographs that trend the internet are those random inspirational people or poor people on the streets, some are just fascinating places , tourist spots.


What is street photography ? That question will have multiple answers from multiple people. Some may say it is an act of taking candid photos of people, some may say it is to capture the beauty of the streets because it tells a person a story based on what is on the image.

By Eric Kim

There are many definitions of street photography from people who practice it. For me, Street photography is the act of taking photographs of the public in candid. But let's not base the definition just from myself, Eric Kim, an international street photographer, also gave street photography a definition, he said:

"If I could define street photography, I would define it as the act of taking photos of people in public urban areas in a candid manner"

-  Eric Kim (Street Portraits vs Street Photography)

My definition may seem similar to what Eric Kim stated, it is because he has been an inspirational street photographer to me. Besides giving the definition of street photography, there are things that one must remember in order to capture a true or meaningful street photograph.

Capturing the decisive moment. You also have to think about the timing of the image, Is the scene there? Is the composition right ? of course you can't capture a light trail of cars if the cars are not in motion.

By Eric Kim

Emphasis. For art students like myself know this very well. you have to emphasize your subject in order for your viewer to understand who or what you have captured. 

Imagine a photograph of a market, The vendors and the buyers are in one image then the photographer starts to talk about his image saying lots and lots of things about one specific vendor, and we all went like "whhhaaaat?". It's because he did not gave emphasis on that vendor, what if his image was just the vendor itself, nothing else, then we would understand things better. 

Colors, depth of field, and light rays, can be used to emphasize an object in your image.

Black and White. According to many (if not most) street photographers, a street photograph must be in black and white, and that is one of the rules and shooting street photography. Well honestly, you don't have to use black and white BUT it may be less dramatic or the colors are just too distracting or irritating. Black and white may also be useful in hiding the ISO noise. 

There are many things that a street photographer must think about. A photograph of a fire hydrant is not street photography, but if it includes children playing with spilling water from the hydrant, then there is more story. 

By Eric Kim

Street photography is difficult to define by words, but by heart, it is already defined. To me, basically, Street photography is taking photographs of people giving me a unique feeling, a different kind of story, the mundane, the everyday life of a particular type of person, or something just captures my attention in the public.

you may have a different definition, but it does not make you wrong. for as long as you love what you do, there's no one that can tell you otherwise.