Street Photography

Ross Harvey shows you how to turn street snaps into interesting, well-layered, and exciting street photography that inspires and entertains

- Ross Harvey

Understanding the art of street photography is to first understand that street photography is itself an art and a difficult one at that… Being entirely organic in nature there are no opportunities to orchestrate what you believe is the perfect shot – the creative vision held in your mind’s eye. There are no second chances either if you miss a moment – no matter how beautiful or novel – you’ll have missed it forever. As will the rest of the world!

There are, however, techniques and skill sets that can open the door to more opportunities, pulling that once-ina-lifetime shot within your reach. This is the art of street photography; a vision, an open mind, the ability to react and the photographic skills necessary to capture those moments to share with everyone.

Challenge accepted!

Capturing great street photography is a challenging process, it’ll test your eye, patience, skills, and confidence. Setting expectations is crucial. If you’re new to the scene, don’t expect to walk onto the street and start finding killer photographs straight away, and don’t wait to stumble upon a wondrous scene already set up for you. While the latter can – and does – happen, it is rare, and relying on such will limit your ability to produce high-caliber work in the majority of circumstances.

While this may sound a bit daunting at first, the challenge is a key part of the process. Have fun with it, embrace it and always stay determined. Street photography has taken me all over the world and gifted me wonderful experiences. It can do the same for you, as long as you stay positive and remember that it’s not just about the end product, it’s about life experience and growth both as a person and as a photographer.

MINIMAL GEAR, BIG IDEA(S)