5 Essential Tips to Improve Your Street Photography

There are few genres of photography I find more interesting and engaging than street, but it's a tricky discipline to master. In this video, Pat Kay walks you through five essential tips that could help you improve.

I have often tried to unpack what it is I love about street photography. Perhaps it's the (usual) lack of pretense or how genuine the genre tends to be, but I have always gravitated to it. Like wildlife photography, it requires dedication and patience just to get the chance at a great shot, and that's before you consider the technical and theoretical side of a great image.

There are a lot of street photographers I draw inspiration from and enjoy, from Vivian Maier to Bill Cunningham, but there is one photographer I have discussed before because I believe he encapsulates one of my favorite elements of the craft: mastery of light. That photographer is Fan Ho. The Chinese photographer was a true artisan of light and composition and I may have to do a substantial piece dedicated to him someday soon!

What makes for great street photography in your eyes? Is it light, composition, or something else entirely? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.