Tips For Street Photography In A New Location

Spend a day taking it all in

When you arrive at your destination, I suggest spending the first day just taking it all in. Photography is not a priority but I would still bring my camera with a 35mm prime just in case. You’re not actively looking for photos. You are just observing. What is the light like? How are people dressed? What’s the rhythm of the city? Is it slow or fast? What is catching your eye? How do you feel? Basically your core focus on the first day is being present and observing. This will really help when it comes to the following tips.

Get an rough high level understanding of the location

This next tip can be combined with being a tourist on the first day. You want to get a good high level overview of the city. You want to get your bearings. You don’t need to be an expert but you need to have a rough idea. Where is the old town? Where is the new town? How does the transport system work? How long does it take to get from the harbour to the city centre? What areas are best avoided? Having a basic understanding of these things will save you so much time later down the line. In terms of how to find this out, well there are three ways. The first way is through traditional online research and google maps. The second and more fun way is by taking an open top bus or a private tuktuk or even hire a guide. Finally is my favourite way and that is to just walk and walk and walk. Sure, there is more expense and time involved but this will really put you in a good place for the rest of the trip.

Avoid distractions

This is the one that I always forget and have to keep reminding myself. If I am out shooting alone, there is every chance that I will have my headphones in listening to music or a podcast of some kind. This is ok if you’re relatively familiar with a place, but when you’re somewhere new, you really want to be paying full attention. So I suggest avoiding all distractions in form of audio. You want to hear how the city sounds. Is it a quiet city or a loud one? I feel that by being in tune with the sounds of a city, we can better take it all in, at least initially. Another huge distraction that I am equally guilty of is always being on my phone and checking who’s messaged me or how is my last video or photo doing. This just takes away from the experience. So try your best to avoid all distractions so that as much of your attention and energy goes on being present and immersing yourself in a new place.

Read the room

Every location is different especially when it comes to how people react to photographers. In some cities like New York, you can rest assured that no one cares. In some smaller towns in Germany, people might be a bit more reserved or cautious when they see photographers. So earlier I suggested going out with just a body and a small 35mm prime. Because you can use this to judge how do people react to you and your camera. Do they pay attention or not care? Is there a difference between using the viewfinder or the screen? Do they say anything to you? Do they seem unhappy or happy when they see a camera? If you smile and greet people, how do they respond? The goal is to get an idea of how people respond to you taking photos and how far you can push it.

Note Lens Choices

Open a new note on your phone and make notes every time you think you need a certain lens. For example when I was in Noli, there was one shot that I knew I needed a telephoto for. However when I was navigating the tight streets, a combination of my 28mm and 50mm primes proved to be the best. Basically you want to have a rough idea of what lenses you might need and how often you need them. If you have seen at least 5 compositions that work at 50mm in a specific area, then you know what lens to come back with. If you found one specific shot where you need your telephoto, then note it down and come back with that lens.

Note Locations

Jumping onto the previous point, as well as lens choices, note down any interesting locations you stumble upon. It could be a nice composition, good light or something else that catches your eye. The best way to make this note is using the camera app on your phone. By taking a simple photo, you have a visual reference, a geotag and a time/date stamp. So that way you know exactly where and when to come back.

Get a creative direction

Another good practice is to think about what creative direction you’re going with this location. Are you going for bright and vibrant? Or dark and moody? Of course this depends entirely on where you are and the current season but even a bright summers day in the Mediterranean can be shot in a different way. You might not fully get this direction till you edit your first few shots but at least you will have a rough idea for when you go out to shoot. So as you’re walking around and observing, make notes on creative direction.

Reach out to locals

Finally reach out to locals and ask for advice. When I visited Italy, I asked my friend who’s from the area to show me a few spots that only a local might know. Also go give Fabi a follow on instagram for some lovely photos from Liguria. Of course I appreciate that not everyone has a social media following they can ask but you can hire a guide for a few hours. Or even ask some of the locals in the coffee shop. Most people are friendly and helpful. So even if they can’t show you around, they can tell you where you should look.