Guide to Street Photography

This is the MPB guide to street photography, a comprehensive look at the street photography genre with advice, recommended camera equipment and interviews with some of the most exciting street photographers today. 

In this full guide, you’ll get to grips with the basics of street photography, discover the different methods you can harness to improve your own street imagery and learn through our top street photography tips.

Plus, the MPB team will present their recommended camera equipment for street photography—with options for all budgets and levels of expertise—and suggested camera settings for creating street photography. If you have any questions, you’ll find the answers in our street photography FAQs. 

Finally, you’ll get a brief introduction to a few of our favourite street photographers, who are creating some of the best street imagery right now. Ready to explore the exhilarating creative avenues of street photography? Read on to learn more. 

• What is Street Photography?

• What Makes for Good Street Photography?

• Top Tips for Street Photography

• Camera Equipment for Street Photography

• Camera Settings for Street Photography

• Street Photography FAQs

• Get inspired: Interviews with Street Photographers

• More Street Photography Content

What is Street Photography?

Street photography is infamously difficult to categorise. Broadly, it can be seen as an exercise of documenting humanity. Traditionally and historically, much of street photography has featured people. But, as street photography has progressed over the years, it has also become about the inanimate things and what they say about people in the context of space, place and time.

With the right context, street photography can also be a visual document of a specific historical moment—such as a protest, or a political and cultural event. Many street photographers become well-versed in the specific language of the places they photograph. From the quality of light and weather conditions to the architecture, all these details play their part in the visual language the photographer chooses to tell. 

While many people will say that the street photographer is ‘real’, it’s important to always remember that a photograph—no matter if it was staged or not—still carries as many omissions in the frame as it does inclusions. Your choice of lens, colour and framing will always play their part in altering reality.

What Makes for Good Street Photography?

On street photography, famed photographer Bruce Gilden famously said “I'm known for getting close, and the older I get, the closer I get.” There are staunch street photography stalwarts who believe that good street photography is very up-close-and-personal. This proximity provides a viewpoint that you wouldn’t normally experience yourself. Rather than using an 85mm lens from further away, you can use a 28mm or 35mm and you get much closer to the subject—while still allowing their environment to come into view. 

However, this up-close approach is a rather traditional take on street photography. Many modern street photographers have redefined the genre, using tighter lenses and being more methodical with precise framing. 

Generally speaking, you’ll want to have a strong statement about people and place. Be sure that when you see the photograph, it’s immediately obvious what you want the viewer to see. Strong contrast and good light, for example, can add to the impact of the image.

Top 8 Tips for Street Photography

In this section, street photographer Marco Larousse and the MPB team share their advice that should help you get started with street photography. Read on to learn more about the different techniques you could use to improve your street photography.

Act natural

ML: In order to take photos in public spaces as undisturbed as possible and without disturbing anyone else, try to be relaxed and blend in with your surroundings. If you wander through the streets in a hectic or anxious manner, you will stand out and get more attention than you want to get. You should only wear conspicuous clothing if it fits into the environment. Wearing a Hawaiian shirt for example might be a little too conspicuous on the streets of Stuttgart, but it might work in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Take in your surroundings

MPB: Good street photography is about ‘looking’ with intent, actively trying to find pictures to take. Sometimes, you will see a perfect backdrop—an architectural form, with perfect light bathing across it. When you begin your journey, you might just take a photo of it and carry on. When you start getting better, you’ll perhaps wait for a person to come along to contrast against the building, And once you’re really good, you might be prepared to spend an hour just waiting for the right person to come along wearing the right colours for the image to pop.

ML: A busy or inappropriate background can quickly ruin a street photo. So, find a spot that works as a good ‘stage’ for the photo and then wait until the scene is filled with life by a suitable person and until there is a story to tell.

Be patient

ML: Between a perfect street photo and a missed opportunity, there is often only a fraction of a second. That's why it's important to anticipate the right moment to take the photograph. To do this, you will sometimes have to wait patiently at the spot you picked as your ‘stage’. But, at the same time, it is important to be attentive enough to perfectly freeze the irretrievable moment.

Stay alert

MPB: The key is to always be alert. Try to go out without any distractions so that you’re forced to observe. Look up, look down and all around, study the buildings and lay of the land close to you. You’ll need to understand how light behaves at different times of day. 

Start local

ML: It can be difficult to find exciting subjects in your hometown because you feel like there is ‘nothing interesting’ to photograph. When vacationing in unfamiliar places, most people find it easy to see interesting photo opportunities. This effect can be described in one sentence: “We no longer notice what we constantly see.” Therefore, the first step to taking good street photos is to relearn how to see. Limit yourself to a single street or square and look for what is special or unusual in everyday life.

MPB: Starting with your local area is a good way of training your eye as to how things work, once you have a good base of knowledge of your local area, you can apply much of what you’ve learned anywhere else you might go.

Stick to the basics

ML: A painter sitting in front of a blank canvas must think carefully about what needs to be included in the picture in order to communicate the idea of the picture to the viewer. As photographers, we often have to sort through and reduce the visual chaos on the streets to reveal the essence of our story. When in doubt, leave it out. So if you doubt whether something needs to be included in the picture, then it's better to leave it out.

Capture emotions

MPB: People love looking at other people. We are naturally inclined to react to others’ emotions. Street photography is a great place to see this playing out in natural surroundings. Many of the great street photographers have captured the beauty and happiness of the world, as well as its harsh realities. People crying, arguing or even fighting are events that naturally play out in public places—but it’s always worth asking yourself what is and isn’t appropriate to photograph.

Respect your surroundings

ML: Many people don't particularly like being photographed in public spaces. That's why, regardless of legal discussions between the right to one's own image and artistic freedom, it is important to be respectful and empathetic when taking street photos. You don’t want this important documentary art form to get a bad reputation. As my personal guideline, for street photography, I think about whether I would find a certain photo of myself or my family acceptable or not. Everyone has to use their own moral compass for that. But sometimes it's better not to take a street photo, especially if there is a chance that it makes people uncomfortable.

MPB: Always proceed with caution and make assessments as to whether you should or shouldn’t photograph someone or something. There is a lot of online and offline discourse among street photographers about this—with compelling arguments for both sides. Ultimately, aside from the law, it’s down to your own personal discretion whether you should photograph anyone or anything you see in a public place.

Camera Equipment for Street Photography

Technically, you can use practically any camera to create street photography. However, weight, discretion and usability are all important factors to consider, alongside physical buttons, rapid autofocus and a decent prime lens. In this section, the MPB team presents a few camera options for street photography—with options for every budget and level of expertise. 

Best Cameras for Street Photography

Let’s take a look at our top five cameras, including compact cameras and body-and-lens setups, for street photography.

Fujifilm X100V

The Fujifilm X100V is a stylish, compact and capable camera. Specifically designed to be taken everywhere, it has practically all the features you could ever want from a street photography camera.

Packed with tech, the Fujifilm X100V punches well above its diminutive size and weight. Paired with the super-fast 23mm f/2 lens, this camera is the perfect match for on-the-go street snaps.

Read the full Fujifilm X100V review.

Ricoh GR III

If compactness and discretion are of the utmost importance, then the Ricoh GR III is the one for you. The Ricoh GR III more than rivals the image quality of much, much bigger cameras. If you prefer a tighter focal length, the Ricoh GR IIIx is equipped with a 40mm-equivalent f/2.8 lens.

You can find out more by reading our Ricoh GR III review and our Ricoh GR IIIx review for travel photography.

Nikon D850

If you are looking for a DSLR for street photography, try the reliable and trusted Nikon D850. This full-frame DSLR is perhaps one of the most well-rounded and versatile cameras ever made. Paired with the Nikon AF-S Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G ED or the Nikon AF-S 35mm f/1.4G, it makes for a brilliant option as a street camera setup.

Sony A7 III

For street photography, our pick for the most well-rounded and cost-effective mirrorless camera is the Sony A7 III. Pair the Sony A7 III with the Sony FE 35mm f/1.4 GM, Sony FE 35mm f/1.8 or Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 for a quick and reliable street photography combo. 

If you’re a hybrid photographer-videographer—and you want a single camera to handle everything—then the Sony A7 III is the one for you.

Leica Q2

The Leica Q2 does not disappoint. A pleasure to hold and use, the Leica Q2 is simply incredible for street photography. Streamlined to be as simple as possible, while still delivering incredible image quality, the Leica Q2 is undoubtedly a premium camera—albeit with a premium price tag to match. 

For more info, check out our top cameras for street photography.

Best Lenses for Street Photography

Whether you have a DSLR or mirrorless camera, the lens is one of the most important parts of your street photography setup. Let’s take a look at the different focal lengths, the difference between prime and zoom lenses, and which we’d choose for each major brand.

Prime lenses

Prime lenses are usually perceived to provide better image quality than zoom lenses. But using prime lenses can also foster a greater understanding of your chosen focal length. Your street photography then flows better, from image to image, because any individual prime lens will always behave in the same way. Your images will look like they are part of a single body of work.

Shooting with primes allows you to understand all the nuances of how the lens behaves. Before you even hold the camera to your eye, you’ll know exactly where you need to stand. You’ll also learn about the lens’ limitations, or how it distorts. Primes are also small and discreet, two factors that have always been valued in street photography. The drawback is, of course, that prime lenses provide no zoom. If you need to get closer to the subject, you have to—quite literally—get closer by zooming with your feet. However, this isn’t always the case. More on this later.

24mm

Traditionally, 24mm is probably the widest focal length most street photographers will ever use. A 24mm prime lens helps to really take advantage of the environment, placing your subject within it for context. However, you will need to get really close to your subject indeed. This focal length isn’t for the fainthearted.

Depending on the size of your sensor, remember to consider the crop factor when choosing lenses. APS-C sensors are smaller than full frame, with a crop factor of 1.6, and Micro Four Thirds sensors are smaller still, with a crop factor of 2. So, when choosing a lens, you’ll want to divide the full-frame equivalent by the relevant crop factor to give you the equivalent focal length. For example, if you’re looking for a 24mm-equivalent focal length for a Fujifilm APS-C camera, you’d divide 24mm by 1.6, giving you 15mm. There isn’t a Fujifilm 15mm lens, so you’d choose the Fujifilm XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR.

Most Canon full-frame DSLR street photographers would be happy with the Canon EF24mm f/1.4 L USM or the Canon RF 24mm f/1.8 Macro IS STM for their mirrorless counterparts. In the full-frame Nikon camp, you have the Nikon AF-S 24mm f/1.4G ED for DSLRs or the Nikon Z 24mm f/1.8 S for mirrorless. Sony full-frame shooter? Try the Sony FE 24mm f/1.4 GM. For Fujifilm APS-C photographers, the Fujifilm XF 16mm f/1.4 R WR. Last, if you prefer Micro Four Thirds as a format, we’d recommend the Panasonic DG 12mm f/1.4 ASPH or the Olympus ED 12mm f/2. 

28mm

Slightly longer than the 24mm, the 28mm prime is a little more manageable. While the 28mm still requires you to get close to your subjects, it has less distortion. It’s also important to mention that much of the world’s greatest street photography was created using a 28mm prime lens.

For Canon full-frame cameras, you have the Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM for DSLR or the Canon RF 28mm f/2.8 STM for mirrorless. If you’re using Nikon, we’d recommend the Nikon AF-S 28mm f/1.4E ED for full-frame DSLRs or the Nikon Z 28mm f/2.8 SE for Nikon full-frame mirrorless. Sony and Fujifilm photographers can’t go wrong with the Sony FE 28mm f/2 and the Fujifilm XF18mm f/2 R. Finally, if Micro Four Thirds is your thing, then there’s the Panasonic G14mm f/2.5. 

35mm prime

The 35mm prime is the go-to lens for street photography, largely seen as the ‘standard’ for creating street photography. The 35mm prime has the ability to be a perfect middle-ground between the ‘normalness’ of a 50mm and the width of a 28mm. For many street photographers, if they had to pick a single prime lens, it would be the 35mm prime.

Check out the Canon EF 35mm f/1.4 L USM for full-frame Canon DSLRs or the Canon RF 35mm f/1.8 IS STM Macro mirrorless equivalent. What about full-frame Nikon? Well, the Nikon AF-S DX35mm f/1.8G for DSLR—and the Nikon Z35mm f/1.8 S for mirrorless—will leave you in good stead. Next, Sony street photographers looking for a 35mm prime should go for the Sony FE 35mm f/1.8. Meanwhile, for Fujifilm, you’re on the right track with the Fujifilm XF 23mm f/1.4 R. In terms of a 35mm-equivalent match for those smaller Micro Four Sensors, you’re looking at the Olympus ED17mm f/1.2 PRO. 

50mm prime

Who doesn’t love the 50mm prime? While most 50mm lenses will still distort a little, it’s virtually unnoticeable. Plus, it’s ideal for shooting scenes from a little further away—or if getting close to your subject isn’t an option. Traditionally, it might be a little too tight as your only street photography lens. But it has been used very successfully by many street photographers, so it’s always worth considering the 50mm prime.

So, let’s take a look at 50mm primes for your camera. If you have a full-frame Canon, try the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM for DSLRs or the Canon RF 50mm f/1.8 STM for mirrorless. Nikon users, you can mount the Nikon AF-S 50mm f/1.4G to your full-frame DSLR or the Nikon Z50mm f/1.8 S to your full-frame mirrorless camera. What about Sony full-frame cameras? Well, the Sony FE 50mm f/1.8 is always a safe bet. Moving down in sensor size to APS-C, you have the 50mm-equivalent Fujifilm XF35mm f/1.4 R. Going smaller still—all the way down to Micro Four Thirds—for street photography, we’d recommend the 50mm-equivalent Panasonic DG 25mm f/1.4 ASPH or the Olympus ED 25mm f/1.2 PRO.

Zoom lenses

Zooms are a great option for street photography. They allow you the flexibility of reframing your shot without moving or losing image quality. You simply turn the zoom ring and you have options from wide angle all the way to telephoto. Sometimes, it just isn’t possible to move closer with your feet. So, having the ability to zoom can be a great advantage over primes. However, zoom lenses can be big and bulky. So, you might stick out a lot more than if you shot with a prime. 

From an imaging point of view, having a lens going from 24mm all the way to 70mm means your images will look different if you are using the entire zoom range. You can ‘zoom with your feet’. However,  filling your frame with a subject from further away on a 70mm will render a very different look than a close-up with a 35mm.

Finally, shooting with a zoom can potentially promote laziness. And what’s wrong with being lazy? Well, sometimes a ‘pretty good’ shot—taken with a longer focal length—could’ve otherwise been a spectacular close-up on the wider end. In street photography, like with many things, you often have to put in the work to get the results.

Let’s have a look at some of the options. If you’re using a Canon full-frame DSLR, try the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM or its mirrorless counterpart, the Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS. These zoom lenses are good zoom options for street photography. As are these Nikon zoom lenses, where we have the Nikon AF-S24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR for full-frame DSLRs. Alternatively, if you’ve moved to Nikon full-frame mirrorless, there’s the Nikon Z 24-70mm f/4 S.

Invested in a Sony full-frame mirrorless setup and looking for a zoom lens for street photography? Look no further. The Sony FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS Zeiss Vario-Tessar T* is a great option. Next up, if you have an ever-stylish Fujifilm APS-C camera, you can complete your camera bag with the Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS.

Last but not least, we have Micro Four Thirds cameras. If you’re looking for a versatile focal range for street photography, there’s the Panasonic G X 12-35mm f/2.8 II ASPH P. OIS and the Olympus 12-45mm f/4 PRO.

Camera Settings for Street Photography

Everyone shoots a little differently and has their own set of rules. Some make it more challenging and fun, while others are set to make sure you get the shot. 

There’s one great thing about wide lenses. You can set your aperture to f/5.6 and above and have everything in good focus—from three feet to infinity—so you can almost forget about focusing. Autofocus tech has made huge advancements in recent years. But if you absolutely need to get the shot, especially in a busy area with plenty of people, autofocus might not always get the focus where you need it. 

While they differ if it’s bright or getting dark, these settings should produce good results where you can focus on getting the shot.

1. Set the aperture between f/5.6 and f/11

2. Set shutter speed between 1/125 and 1/500

3. Set ISO to auto

FAQs

Check out some of the most common questions about street photography, answered by the MPB team. 

What is street photography?

Street photography is a genre of photography centred on people and their relationship to place and time.

How do I create street photography?

Look at your surroundings. See what makes it special or unique from an architectural, people and lighting perspective. These are likely to be the three things that will feature most heavily in all your shots.

What if a passer-by doesn’t want to appear in my street photography?

Be respectful and polite. Depending on the local laws, you can either explain that you’re within your rights or you can apologise and delete the images. In general, regardless of laws, it’s better to err on the side of caution and avoid taking a photograph of anyone in a vulnerable or compromising situation. 

How will my street photography age?

As street photography is about people and time, the images are often imbued with sometimes small and sometimes obvious giveaways of where and when they were shot. You might want your style to be more ambiguous. Often, with the passing of time, the ‘seal’ of place and time can be one of the work’s strengths.

Does street photography need to feature people?

Traditionally, street photography tends to feature people within the frame. However, more recently, street photography is increasingly becoming about people. Ironically, this doesn’t always require people to be present in the shot. 

Is all street photography candid?

The short answer is yes. Street photography is about showing and reflecting a certain ‘truth’ about people in places and in time. By posing or reacting to the camera, the subject is changing the representation of themselves in that place. Their actions are no longer genuine, the moment is no longer candid and the image is no longer street photography. While there are exceptions to everything, sometimes definitions require boundaries—and candidness is one of those prerequisites. 

What are the rules of street photography?

You don’t always need people. You can shoot in colour. You can use something other than a 35mm lens. The captured moment must be candid. 

Get inspired: Interviews with Street Photographers 

Check out these interviews with some of MPB’s favourite street photographers. 

Denis Cherim

The work of Denis Cherim, winner of the 2020 Street Photography International awards, is hard to categorise. While it explores the mundane, his captured coincidences make it extraordinary—with elements of street, documentary and architectural photography. His meticulous attention to detail, incredible eye for nuance and perfectly lined-up juxtaposition almost make his images look doctored. 

Read our interview with Denis Cherim.

Gulnara Samoilova

Former Associated Press photographer Gulnara Samoilova won international awards, including the World Press Photo contest, for her coverage of 9/11. Following trips to China and Cuba in 2012, Gulnara branched out to fine art and street photography—and has since travelled to Brazil, Myanmar, Argentina, Mexico and Russia. She is now the founder and curator of Women Street Photographers, a community providing support and amplifying the work of women artists.

Read our interview with Gulnara Samoilova.

Nick Leuze

City streets are the real runways. For street-style photographer Nick Leuze, fashion photography has always been a part of his life. In this interview, we speak with Nick about his gear, fashion and street style.

Read our interview with Nick Leuze.

Simon King 

Street photographer and PetaPixel feature writer Simon King is also a course tutor at the University of the Arts, London. In this interview, we speak to Simon King about his insights into photography, teaching and how to take the path of least resistance when choosing gear.

Read our interview with Simon King.

Polly Rusyn

Polly Rusyn is an award-winning street photographer based in London, UK. Her work is imbued with colour, and the vibrancy of places and people. Using the world as an ever-changing canvas, she uses humour, light and a juxtaposition of objects and elements to reflect everyday life.

Read our interview with Polly Rusyn.

Craig Whitehead

Craig Whitehead's photos are beautifully coloured, all candidly shot with a unique sense of composition and humour. He has been compared to other photographers, like Saul Leiter and Ernst Haas, who paved the way for colour in street photography. Craig, however, prefers to keep his attention on the street and on his work. We speak to Craig—who goes by the monicker @sixstreetunder—about social media, inspiration, colour and processes.

Read our interview with Craig Whitehead.

Siegfried Hansen

Award-winning street photographer Siegfried Hansen is known for his compositions that draw on graphic connections and coincidence in the public sphere. We speak with Siegfried about his gear, technique and street photography.

Read our interview with Siegfried Hansen.

Thank you for reading the MPB Guide to Street Photography, our comprehensive look at how to create street photography, camera recommendations, advice and interviews with experts.

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