Sometimes in street photography you can create some kind of extra feel just by changing the angle and making it a bit more interesting, play around, use different lighting, different angles, you might be surprised with the results.

Exposure: 1/200 Aperture: f/7.1 Focal Length: 18 mm ISO: 200

Upon observing repeating patterns in the subjects, you may find them pleasing to shoot. Of course, some things are not so readily apparent. Anyhow, if you’re on a photographic walkabout, watch out for repeating patterns.

Note that these patterns also exist in organic subjects (sometimes arranged by Mother Nature herself)…

Once you’ve mastered this, go one step further to introduce an element that breaks the repeating pattern. Finding this element is of course a whole new challenge but will allow your photograph something for the audience’s eyes to latch on to.

People shooting is very challenging especially when the person is aware that he or she is being photographed. That said, it is important for the photog to have good rapport with the subject before the start of the shoot. If the subject is a stranger, please try to obtain permission and spark a conversation with him. You will find that the subject is more willing and relaxed if you took the effort to understand his background. Also try to present him as a fellow human being worthy of your respect. Eye contact is important especially since the eyes are the windows to the soul.

This gentleman, I met him at an old Hindu temple in Sentul. I had approached him as I felt his wizened visage held a ton of memories and them eyes had seen better days. I was indeed sympathetic when I saw his abode and I offered him a little money after taking his photographs (of course with permission).

You will notice that I converted the photos to monochrome. I shall elaborate on my conversion process in future but I chose to relay the scene in mono simply because I wanted to enhance the atmosphere.

While I had taken many shots, my favourite one was this particular one where I managed to eke out a little hint of smile from his otherwise melancholic features. I would have preferred the portrait format but nevertheless, I felt that it did not diminish the effect of the shot.

P/S In relation to the comment made by Wong below…

My subsequent shots of him in the ‘correct’ portrait format did not hold that precious smile…

Taken this at Masjid Jamek STAR LRT station, on the way back to my place couple of months back. Saw the reaction of the people across the station, seeing the oncoming train towards their direction and decided to take photos them lah.

Movement can be captured if you use the right shutter speed. Too fast, then the photo will look dead, no movements at all. Too slow, then the photo will be overexposed and the movement could not be seen.

You can try this on your own too. Just set your camera to S(or Tv for Canon), and just set the shutter speed that you want, dont worry about the aperture value, the camera will do it for you. Once you’re comfortable with it, how about trying to take similar photos in manual mode?

Have fun shooting

Street Photography in Singapore outside Funan Digital Mall.

Exposure: 1.6s ISO: 320 Aperture: f/22 Focal length: 18mm

View the large version to see the detail in the bottom half as it’s quite dark.

Taken without a tripod and my new D70s resting on the cathedral gate with the lens, body supported by my hand. The technique is called bracing.

When you don’t have a tripod, and you are doing street photography use whatever you can, lean on a tree, rest your camera on a wall or a fence, or even a friends shoulder to steady it.

I had to use max aperture so it was over-exposed, as with no tripod I still had to keep the shutter speed down to 1.6 seconds.

Street photography is about grabbing the scene, capturing the essence of the moment, I’m still trying to master that.