You’ll find a plethora of tips in street photography for beginners. Blogs and videos will go heavy on what gear to use and which photographers to study. These types of tips certainly have value, but they’re not the most important. In this article, I’m sharing what I feel is the number one tip for anyone starting their adventure in street photography.

Video: Street photography for beginners

Street Photography for Beginners

I’ve been shooting street photography for over a decade. My work has been seen in the likes of The Guardian, Leica Galleries, Frames and more. I’ve also written on the topic extensively, receiving hundreds of combined bylines in the likes of The Phoblographer, PetaPixel and DPReview.

With that, I feel I’m now at a stage where I can confidently share tips in street photography for beginners. My number one tip is something I have had to accept over time and it may be one you’re not so keen to read; but it’s important.

My number one tip in street photography for beginners is to be patient. Regardless of how much you study and what cameras you buy, time is the main factor in improving your skills. The quicker you accept it takes time to understand lighting, to improve how instinctive your mind is and how well you can judge a scene, the sooner you will be at peace.

I see many photographers invest in Photo books, spend thousands on cameras and lenses, and then give up within a year because they were not creating the street photographs they thought they would. It’s sad to see and certainly not a reason to give up on photography.

The passionate street photographer

The reality is, patience can only be born out of passion. To stick at street photography you must really love it, because it’s hard and can often be frustrating. But, if you are passionate about the craft and hooked on the process rather than the outcome, then being patient and taking your time to hone your skills won’t be a problem.

It took me about eight years, perhaps more until I felt confident in my own street photography skin. Sure, I’d make a good photograph here and there, but it wasn’t until recently that I developed an assurance in my skills that can only come from time, patience and practice.

Practice includes taking my camera with me everywhere I go. Whenever I go for dinners, nights out, or a quick walk to the shop, I always have my camera over my shoulder. I may not always use it, but it’s there, ready if I need to capture a scene.

Perhaps my number one tip in street photography for beginners, is more accurately that you must understand there are no quick routes to perfecting your skills. Sure you will read about overnight successes, but often the skill set does not mirror the online hype – that’s just the world we live in now. But for most, only dedication to the craft will make you a better street photographer.

Signing off

Of course, study the masters. Their work is meant to serve as a useful recourse. It’s also good to get inspiration from the modern day masters, those who are grinding each day to create a high-standard of street photography.

But, remember for your personal journey, for your own development, it’s a marathon not a sprint. Accept that early and I’m confident you’ll not only love street photography, but, eventually, become the street photographer you had always dreamt of becoming.

Did you find this tip useful? What are your top street photography tips? How do you feel about your current body of work? Let me know in the comments. Thanks for reading.

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