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Level 7

How to Dress when doing Street Photography

How to Dress when doing Street Photography

If you want to excel in street photography , one has to learn how to become one of the locals.  Take a bit of time to see what the local people are wearing and wear that clothing , or as close to it as possible. Try and wear darker clothing as well.
If you want to stick out like a sore thumb then wear a bright shirt , with a bright design , and immediately you will become a target for beggars and people who will target your equipment.
Wear comfortable shoes , flat and shoes that you will have no problem walking long distances or even been able to run in.
Over the many years of doing street photography , i have found that I can cover huge distances , I walk criss crossing roads , I walk up steep stair cases , and if i did not have comfortable shoes , I would do myself an Injury.
I try and keep my clothing as dark as possible and as close to what the locals are wearing as I do not want to stick out , I want to be able to move with the people on the street and not be seen as a threat or target. 
I also use a sling bag to hide my Camera when taking photos on the street. I only bring my camera out when I want to take a photo. The Camera bag is easily concealed  under my arm , have a look for a Sling  Camera Bag ,   its almost like a gun holster , you can use your right hand to grab your camera and shoot and then  put the camera back in the bag in one fluid motion . Highly recommended .

There are many different styles of Street Photography. I enjoy Candid shots , so that means that the people do not know you are taking photos of them. 

Have a look at one of my Galleries of photos of Good candid Photos 
https://paulwatson.smugmug.com/Street-Photography-Best-of-Color-



A flash of Color In Cape TownA flash of Color In Cape Town

Poet , Photographer , Artist , Videographer , Sailor .
Cape Town, South Africa
5 comments
Former Google Contributor

Re: How to Dress when doing Street Photography

Hi @Mongoose

 

Thanks for sharing these useful tips. I'm sure that a lot of Local Guides will find it very helpful. 

 

How long did it take before you started focusing on Candid photography instead of the other street photography styles? It would be really great if you share a bit more about your favorite technique.

 

P.S.: Please note that I've changed the label of your post and now you can find it under the label Photography.

Due to the volume of private messages Google Moderators receive, I do not read or respond to private messages. Please post publicly so others may benefit from your discussion. If you require urgent assistance, please tag a Google Moderator. Thank you!

Level 8

Re: How to Dress when doing Street Photography

You make it sound like a dangerous mission @Mongoose  I hope any new guides do not get scared by this. For me taking photos for Local Guides, is an enjoyable and fun experience and common sense telling me not to get into any dangerous situations just for a photo, but maybe it depends on what part of the world that you are in or something 

Level 7

Re: How to Dress when doing Street Photography

Just a bit of Background , I have been to Rio De Janerio , twice and for extended periods of time , Singapore , Pucket City , Panama City , Almeria , Athens , Lankawi ,, Sanya ,  Regio , Polaris , Fortaleza , Durban , Johanessburg , Cape Town and many smaller citys and places off the beaten track .. There is no sugar coating things , some city streets are rougher than others and I am never going to say "go do street photography" and its perfectly safe.  People need to be sensible , and these days sensable is not walking streets of a city with a big expensive camera.  One has to be on the look out and be prepared to defend yourself or make sure that you can see danger before it happens and maneuver away from it before you are taken by surprise. Downtown in many of the cities have some of the most breathtaking and unique opportunities for beautiful awe taking street photos. . You can stick to the tourist routes and take photos that so many other tourists and visitors have taken , or you can venture into the heart of a city , but by taking precautions and understanding and been able to predict a problem before it happens is something that is hardly ever discussed.  Criminals are opportunists , so don't give them the opportunity  . Understanding and knowing when you have taken a wrong turn and how to find your way out a bad area without drawing attention to yourself is something i have have picked up from my 20 Odd years of photography ., I am very happy to share my knowledge and , no I want to raise awareness and not spread fear. I am not going to tell people lies that the streets of most cities are safee.. They are not.. This is not the 1960's ..

Poet , Photographer , Artist , Videographer , Sailor .
Level 7

Re: How to Dress when doing Street Photography

Hi many thanks for your interest in my Style of street photography.

I will and plan to do a series of How To's for avid street photographers , from what Equipment to use , to how to see a photo before it happens , then at the decisive moment , Capturing it. 

I love people , but not in a I want to hug them way. I love watching how the do things , how they walk  , how they act and not when they think people are watching. And i love humor. One of the most difficult things i have tried to take photos of on the streets is Humor. Its not that easy to take a funny picture of people on the street without been mean or making fun or misrepresenting the person or persons. Humor often comes from one person always been the looser , , so when I get the opportunity to take a photo of a person or story and I am not misrepresenting or making someone the looser , then its a gem. And when I can make someone smile and get the funny side and laugh all the other way on the other side of the world because of a photo i took , man that's something special. We living in a hard , fast brutal world , and a bit of light heartness and humor can go a long long way.This is a Great Example of some good natured humor. A baker who is locked out his own Bakery. The shot has loads of small detail ( Even me taking the photo in the reflection of the window ) , and only when one picks out  the bakers hat , then the shop items  in the window , does one start to put a story together .  At a glance its not such a bad photo , but a deeper look has you smiling and getting the funny side of things . Taken in Cape TownThis is a Great Example of some good natured humor. A baker who is locked out his own Bakery. The shot has loads of small detail ( Even me taking the photo in the reflection of the window ) , and only when one picks out the bakers hat , then the shop items in the window , does one start to put a story together . At a glance its not such a bad photo , but a deeper look has you smiling and getting the funny side of things . Taken in Cape Town


Poet , Photographer , Artist , Videographer , Sailor .
Former Google Contributor

Re: How to Dress when doing Street Photography

Hey @Mongoose,

 

Thank you for your honest and unique approach to photography! Your photos show exactly that and I have to admit, this is so refreshing! 😊 The photo album is amazing and I hope to see more posts and tips from you.

 

Do you perhaps have a photo or an album, as one of your ultimate favorites over the years? We'd love for you to share that. 🙂

 

PS: Don't forget to tag Local Guides in your posts by writing @ before the name. This way we receive a notification, thanks.

Due to the volume of private messages Google Moderators receive, I do not read or respond to private messages. Please post publicly so others may benefit from your discussion. If you require urgent assistance, please tag a Google Moderator. Thank you!