Have you seen a picture that triggered your curiosity to find out the story behind it? Have you seen a picture that invokes your emotion such as sad, angry, happy, shocked etc.? Have you heard people said that the pictures are worth a thousand words? All these happened because the image itself has been through a creative thinking process from the photographer’s mind. The creation of a photograph is a process that involves numerous decisions and actions.
In these regards, I want to discuss this topic specifically on how to be focused in Street Photography genre.
In these regards, I want to discuss this topic specifically on how to be focused in Street Photography genre.
Many of us would typically think that Street Photography is easy. Just snap away the shutter button and later pick and choose which image that we like the most, edit it, and later post it in the social media – and we expect people to like it like we do. If we do this, most of the time, we will be disappointed with the results. Why? To understand about this matter, one must understand the purpose of “Photography”.
The Purpose of Photography
The essential purpose of photography is communication. Few people take pictures solely to please themselves. But most of us take them because we want them seen by others. We wish or are compelled to inform, educate, entertain, reform, or share some experienced with others. Pictures are a photographer's means of expression as words to writers.
Therefore, for us to “communicate” with our audience, we must know what type of “language” that they are expecting from us. And the main “language” in photography is “emotion”.
Robert Plutchik's theory says that the eight basic emotions are:
The more emotional the shot is, the more it appeals to our senses, and the greater the connection we can convey to our audience.
To successfully project the emotions of our images to the audience, there is another thinking process that every photographer must do → finding the right background that fits the emotion.
Therefore, for us to “communicate” with our audience, we must know what type of “language” that they are expecting from us. And the main “language” in photography is “emotion”.
Robert Plutchik's theory says that the eight basic emotions are:
- Fear → feeling of being afraid
- Anger → feeling angry. A stronger word for anger is rage
- Sadness → feeling sad. Other words are sorrow, grief (a stronger feeling, for example when someone has died)
- Joy → feeling happy. Other words are happiness, gladness
- Disgust → feeling something is wrong or nasty
- Surprise → being unprepared for something
- Trust → a positive emotion; admiration is stronger; acceptance is weaker.
- Anticipation → in the sense of looking forward positively to something which is going to happen.
The more emotional the shot is, the more it appeals to our senses, and the greater the connection we can convey to our audience.
To successfully project the emotions of our images to the audience, there is another thinking process that every photographer must do → finding the right background that fits the emotion.
© Hisham Ahmad, Kota Raya Bus Terminal, Kuala Lumpur, 2018
Think about the background – Every time before pressing that shutter button
Imagine yourself as a painter, and a painter would need a blank canvas to make a drawing. Either horizontal or vertical, a painter must draw a right background to fit its subject and the story that the painter is trying to convey. Same goes with Photography.
By the way, the word "photography" itself comes from the Greek roots φωτός (phōtos) means drawing, and γραφή (graphé) means light, together, it means "drawing with light". Therefore, a background in an image is very crucial in any situation.
By the way, the word "photography" itself comes from the Greek roots φωτός (phōtos) means drawing, and γραφή (graphé) means light, together, it means "drawing with light". Therefore, a background in an image is very crucial in any situation.
Nevertheless, finding a right background in a Street Photography genre is a daunting process. Sometimes you’ve got the emotion that you want but the background is not contributing to it. And most of the time, we failed to find a good background to fit our subject. It’s requires a thinking process that needs perseverance and motivation. Based on my experience and observation, below is some of the tips that might help you:
- Look for a simple background – Too many objects in the background will hinder the audience from the main subject.
- If you can’t find any good background from an eye-level view, sit down to find a different perspective.
- Sometime a clearer or a simple background can be the blue sky up above. And sometime a road sign down below your feet can be used as well. Use your imagination when composing the shot.
- Don’t just shoot and leave – if you find a great subject to shoot, walk and shoot around the subject. You might find the best background that fits the emotion when you see your shots later.
- Follow the lights and shadows – sometime the shape of a shadows can contribute to emphasis your main subject as well.
© Hisham Ahmad, Jalan Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, 2018
Learning through experience
Photography is a journey. If you want to get to a new place you have to travel there either by walking, driving, flying, or some other mode of transportation. You can't skip that step and expect yourself just instantly be there. Photography is the same, except in this case the desired destination is a achieving a good (or great) images. Your goal is to make images that satisfy you, which you're also happy to share with others. The journey itself will makes you a better photographer over-time. And the most important aspect of all, is the joy of crafting the images.
Henry Cartier-Bresson in 1976 wrote this about the joy of photography:
“To take photographs is to hold one’s breath when all faculties converge in the face of fleeting reality. It is at that moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy.”
Henry Cartier-Bresson in 1976 wrote this about the joy of photography:
“To take photographs is to hold one’s breath when all faculties converge in the face of fleeting reality. It is at that moment that mastering an image becomes a great physical and intellectual joy.”
Ultimately what you want when you’re shooting in the streets is to fall into a “flow state”. It’s achievable when you are 100% focused at the task at hand (by finding the right emotion and the right background). When it happened, these “flow states” allows you to lose yourself in the moment of shooting in the streets.
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