How to do street portrait photography successfully
Street portrait photography is one of my favorite parts of my photographic practice. Not only does it allow me to create cool photographs, it also helps me go outside my comfort zone. Creating street portraits is a process, and one some people struggle to understand. To help, I’m going to cover each step one must take to have the best possible outcome in street portraiture.
VIDEO: Street Portrait Photography explained in 10 minutes
What is street portrait photography?
Even though there’s a ton of information on this topic, people still often confuse what is meant by street portrait photography. Is it street photography? Is it portrait photography? Well, the answer is, it’s a mixture of the two.
Street portraits blend the two genres by using the candidness of street photography and the focus on a human subject like in portraiture. But, the term candidness is slightly misused in this area. Although it’s true that a street portrait isn’t a planned photoshoot, there still tends to be an interaction with the subject before the shot, albeit a very short one.
But, until we find a perfect term for what it is, street portrait photography is the best description we have for the practice. In short a street portrait is an unplanned portrait of a stranger you meet on the street.
Types of street portrait photography
In terms of the types of portraits you can make, well there are plenty of options. They can be:
Full body portraits
Environmental portraits
Double or group portraits
Headshots
A standard up close headshot tends to only include the subject's upper body. This type of street portrait is good to really put focus on the attractive qualities of your subject. That be their natural look, cool makeup or accessories they may be wearing.
Full body portraits
A full body portrait involves showing your subject from head to toe. This is great when photographing from lower angles, where you want to give a feeling of power to your subject. It’s also a good option for those subjects that dress to impress and deserve their full attire being on full show in the photograph.
Environmental Portraits
Environmental street portrait photography is the art of capturing someone in their natural element. It could be a street artist or performer, or perhaps someone working at a local coffee shop you visit while you break from your long walks and street photography. Environmental portraits are that little external detail that tell you more about a person.
Double or group portraits
Pretty self explanatory, but double or group portraits involve photographing more than one person in a single frame. Personally, I love photographing couples, especially in tourist destinations. It’s a nice way to give a couple a nice surprise, as most are restricted to only smartphone photography images of their travels.
Practical approach to street portrait photography
The first part of the process is the approach. I’ve written an extensive e-guide on this topic and I recommend you read it if you have a fear of approaching strangers on the street. I will cover it in brief here though, as it’s the most important part of the process.
Confidence will be your greatest asset. If you approach someone with confidence and feel comfortable complimenting them, then they’re more likely to agree to having their portrait taken. Be concise in your explanation but be sure to explain who you are, what you do and why you want to photograph them, this will put them at ease.
Also, be sure to make it clear the photo is as much for them as it is you. Some people who do street portrait photography don’t send their subject the photo. I don’t agree with this. A street portrait can be a wonderful gift, so don’t just see it as an opportunity to bump up your portfolio.
Consider your surroundings
Finding a compelling subject is easy enough. Finding them in the right environment is the challenge. Built up areas may offer a higher number of potential subjects, but they also come with plenty of hurdles you need to jump over. For example, it will be harder to isolate your subjects, especially if you’re on the high street.
It’s here you will need some confidence. Use the confidence to ask your subject to step away from the hustle and bustle to get a better shot. This may seem simple, but remember you’re already unexpectedly asking someone to make their portrait, and the more you ask them to do the more chances of them losing interest in letting you photograph them.
Think about the background
In street portrait photography, it’s natural to have a hyper focus on the subject. However, if you really want to make that portrait pop, you need to consider other elements as well, like the background for example.
Here it’s important to ask yourself how the background can give more strength to your subject, or alternatively, take away the strength. Take the below street portrait as an example. I was attracted to the subject's vibrant attire, and I knew if I positioned them in front of the gray backdrop, it would give more power to the colors.
Don’t forget lighting
In street portraiture, the strength of your subject is what’s most important. This should be your top priority when out making street portraits. But, lighting will make or break your image. I recently came across a cool subject when doing photography in Bogota. Unfortunately, the lighting is flat and gray, and it really takes away from the subject.
I still took the shot because it’s a nice moment shared with another person. But, in reality I don’t like the outcome due to the poor lighting conditions.
Soft, even light on a white cloudy day are great conditions for doing street portrait photography. Usually late morning and late afternoon are the best times as the light behind the clouds tends to be less harsh. Here’s one I took at an indoor street market, which had beautiful large windows that allowed the soft light to come through.
Also consider contrasting light situations. Someone standing in an archway where the backdrop is dark and the light meets the entrance, will really stand out. Here is one I made at the archways in the gardens of the Taj Mahal, it still remains one of my favorites.
Editing street portrait photography
There are some dos and don’ts of street portrait photography, and some of them relate to editing. Although there’s nothing wrong with making edits, I think it’s best to make them subtle, rather than doing heavy edits.
This is because earlier, you told someone they looked cool. You liked their style and perhaps told them they were beautiful. You then deliver a heavily edited image, with lots of masking, skin softening, unnatural color in the eyes - what message are you sending when you have greatly changed someone's appearance?
Keep edits basic. Change the exposure if you need, add some contrast and a little sharpness to the eyes. There’s nothing wrong with some color toning either, to give it a specific aesthetic and style. But, when it comes to the subject, remember why you photographed them in the first place, for their natural form and appearance.
Signing off
That brings this street portrait photography guide to a close. Remember, it is just that; a guide. You will also find your own techniques the more you practice the craft. However, as a foundation and to help you get started, these are good pointers to help you make better street portraits.
If you’re wanting to improve your full street photography game, check out these four skill you need to improve. And, if you’re a total beginner, here’s my number one tip to help you get going.
Did you find this street portraiture guide useful? Why do you enjoy making street portraits? Is there another guide you like me to cover? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading!
FAQs
What is a street portrait in photography?
A street portrait is a portrait that is taken outside on the street. They’re usually candid, meaning you approach a member of the public and ask if you can make a street portrait of them.
What is street photography called?
Street photography is called just that; street photography. It’s the process of making candid images out in a public space, often without consulting your subjects.
What is street photography style?
Street photography style uses many of the elements of traditional street photography. They’re images made in a public space. The difference is that street photography style tends not to be candid, instead replicating the candidness of street photography. It’s common for clothing brands to use street photography style.
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