The Basics of Street Photography

Ian says, “Working in an urban environment gives you more photographic opportunities, but you can also do street photography in small towns.” The goal is capture visual stories about the places where people gather. You are photographing tangible objects like streets, cars, buildings and people in a spontaneous manner. The great street photographer Cartier-Bresson coined the phrase “The Decisive Moment.” It’s when form and content, vision and composition all come together.

Join pro shooter Ian Plant for ideas on what makes an exceptional street photograph.

See all of the videos in our Street Photography Course:

Taking It to the Streets: An Introduction to Street Photography—Course Preview
Street Photography Equipment
Rights and Responsibilities When Photographing People in Public
Techniques for Handheld and Tripod Photography
How to Photograph People: Tips and Techniques
Techniques for Capturing Great Street Photographs
Using Shadow Photography to Enhance Your Shot
The Basics of Street Photography
Using Your Photos to Tell a Story
Capturing Artistic Composition in Street Photography
Artistic Street Photography: How to Capture the Best Shot
Photographing Sunsets Tips and Techniques
Using Night Photography to Capture a Skyline