How to: Photograph Street Festivals

Event photography combines different genres of photography and offers an exciting mix of street, portrait and concert photography, depending on the type of event. A good example for a street-style event is the Karneval der Kulturen, or Carnival of Cultures, a well-known street festival in Kreuzberg, Berlin, where people celebrate the different cultures that make Berlin such a special place. The highlight of the event is a big parade, where people from different countries and associations with lavish costumes can be admired. 

Photographer Stefanie Schmid Rincon attended this year’s festival to give us an insight into the world of event photography. Read on to check out her tips and imagery. Over to you, Stefanie.

I am Stefanie Schmid Rincon, a German-Colombian photographer and director living in Berlin for the past 15 years. I work as an entertainment and event photographer emphasising mostly the documentary part of it.

Be it directing music videos or photographing musicians on tour, I have been fortunate enough to call visual art not only my passion but also my work. Coming from a street photography background, I started to combine that type of style into my music, event and portrait photographic work—trying to make situations look as real as possible.

What does event photography entail?

Event photography includes various areas. What they all have in common is that many people come together in one place to meet, watch a performance or celebrate something – as was the case at the Karneval der Kulturen in Berlin. I wanted to capture the festival from a street photography angle. Taking interest in not only the street parade, but the attendees that come together to celebrate the different cultures that make Berlin so special. 

When photographing public events with big crowds like these, I tend to try to focus on different people and moments at the same time, telling many stories in one image. Making it feel as real and timeless as possible. I focus on interactions, movements, colours and light. The trick is to be observant and fast.

Camera kit for event photography

For events, I like to work with two cameras to have two different lenses without the hassle of changing them. My main camera is the Canon EOS R6 with my RF 50mm f/1.8 STM lens, which makes me always feel confident and close enough to the subject. In addition, I also have the Canon EOS 5D Mark III with an EF 24-70mm f/4 L IS USM lens, for the more all-around moments, to be either far away or closer.

Camera settings

When shooting in daylight I go on a low ISO (200-320), high speed and a mid aperture of f/5.6-11 to be as sharp but also have a little bit of depth. I also like playing with the background and foreground, either having the front out of focus or focusing on silhouettes. 

My interest is for the viewer to look as close to the photos and always find different scenes and something new. For example, in the image below I enjoyed this scene of having three different people in the same situation adding the mirror reflection on the person in the black t-shirt and the background with the festival crowd.

Considerations before shooting

Beforehand I try to think of possible things and moments I would like to photograph, but this is just a guideline to keep in the back of your mind, since it’s a journalistic shoot, nothing will go quite as you imagine. 

Also, you need to be open to changes that inspire you in the moment that take your images or series into another direction, since we never know what exactly we are going to see and encounter. If you want to shoot in black and white, colour, digital or analogue is something that is important to decide beforehand, since these are decisions that make up for the style of your photos and how you photograph.

Conclusion

In general, for event and street photography shoots, my main focus is to try to be as invisible and quick as possible, so the moments don’t get lost. What is also very important photographing in an open space is also to be respectful with the people and their surroundings. Getting a good composition in messy and crowded environments is a challenge that I’m always up for.

Looking for more street photography content?

This article is part of the MPB Guide to Street Photography, our comprehensive look at how to create street photography, with camera recommendations, advice and interviews with experts.