The Secrets Behind Good Black-and-White Street Photography
If you think street photography is just about pointing a camera at varied people and moments on the streets, think again. There are numerous things to consider before taking street photos if you want them to turn out at peak quality.
Street photographers use their art to capture unique moments of everyday life. Taking great photographs on the street, whether of interesting people or candid scenes, calls for not just the necessary gear but also the correct intuition and lighting reflexes.
It’s precisely the spontaneity of these images that gives them nuance. Candid photography transcends the feeling of a staged photoshoot and gives a true rendition of life as it appears naturally. In this article, we will discuss a few street photography tips to take your craft as a street photographer to the next level.
Whether you are at the beginning of your journey, already have some experience with street photography but want to escape your street photography fear, or simply want to read up on a new topic, this article will uncover some valuable insights about black-and-white street photographs.
6 Secrets Behind Good Street Photography
Let’s get straight into the tips, so you can start taking amazing black-and-white photographs right away:
Make Use of Natural Lighting
When shooting street photography, you'll probably have to rely on the surrounding light. Few street photographers use flash or any other kind of artificial lighting. Therefore, it's important to take street shots in a style that complements the light.
You shouldn't venture out on overcast or rainy days expecting to take high-contrast black-and-white street shots. Moreover, find some shade if the light is too harsh and you'd like to get softer shots. It is also recommended to stay out of the direct sunlight, but this will depend on where you take the pictures.
Prioritize Facial Expressivity in Street Portraits
The ability of black-and-white photography to draw more attention to faces than color images is one of its greatest strengths.
Pay close attention to the people in your images. You should be doing this anyhow, but while shooting in black and white, make sure to focus on the facial expressions and eyes for the most striking results.
Stay away from those who aren't open about how they're feeling. Seek out those who possess that unique characteristic that sets them apart. Because of this, it's not uncommon for regular folks to make the most stunning images.
Shoot Your Images in RAW
Camera settings are an important part of any type of photography. Even though RAW will shoot in color, it contains all the necessary information to produce high-quality monochrome images.
Given how fleeting and dynamic street images are, this is of paramount importance. Because the light is both imprecise and changes so rapidly, you will frequently miss perfectly composed shots. With RAW, you'll have greater leeway to edit and transform them into stunning monochrome images.
Still, many photographers prefer JPEG because of the great built-in black-and-white profiles on modern cameras, and it's not a bad choice. It merely limits your options for post-processing photo corrections. Plus, you may always use those black-and-white profiles while editing your RAW file.
Stay Consistent with Your Photography
This specific advice is particularly for those who wish to showcase their images – whether it be in a gallery, or on a viewing night with friends. Documentary photography, for example, relies on consistency to tell a full story.
Many times, it's best to stick strictly either to solid colors or black-and-white while assembling a project of your work. The audience can fully immerse themselves in the work's content as a result of the continuous world-building provided by the photographs.
It is helpful if the photos you edit together have a consistent style. Make an effort to transport your audience to a monochrome universe.
Stay Focused and Adjust Your Settings
When shooting in black and white, pressing the trigger at the right time is essential, as is paying close attention to the camera's settings for the optimal shutter speed. The difficulties of street photography are magnified when the subjects are in motion.
It calls for a good stance, careful adjusting of the camera's settings, and a laser-like focus. If you want to get good at this, you have to try a lot of different things until you find the one that works for you and can consistently capture those little moments when they happen on the streets. The payoff for all that hard work, though, is priceless.
Be Patient and Attentive
If you want your street photos to turn out well, one thing you need to do is be patient. By taking your time, you can anticipate when the light will be ideal for your photo shoot. This type of photography records everyday life, therefore it needs to occur as naturally as possible.
This piece of advice applies to every kind of photography, not only black-and-white street photography. Keep your eyes peeled, and your pace slow once you've found a decent position. Taking pictures doesn't necessarily require constantly changing your location. If you are patient, the decisive moment will likely come to you.
Conclusion
Landscape photographers, documentary photographers, and portrait photographers have been making use of these six tips to elevate their images. To capture fleeting moments and transform them into fine art, you need skill, precision, patience, and the right equipment.
For some examples of black-and-white people and street photography, check out my portfolio. What do you prefer, street photography from busy cities or quieter places in the countryside? Let me know in the comments!