Mastering Street Photography

Master di fotografia #3

by Brian Lloyd-Duckett

Street photography has a tradition dating back over a century, and today's digital world finds it enjoying a renaissance - yet there is little expert advice available. This is a practical guide to capturing the candid moments that reveal life at its most dramatic, absurd, or beautiful. Brian Lloyd Duckett demonstrates how the successful street photographer needs to be an unseen observer, with the camera a mirror of everyday scenes and unaware subjects. A guide to equipment and technical skills leads into lessons in finding inspiration, developing projects, and composing different subjects and scenes - laying the foundations for you to impose your personality on your photography and develop your own distinctive style. The book also addresses such key issues as staying safe and within the law when photographing on the street, and the art of building an audience for your images.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[Jiaying · Rating 4 out of 5]

Haven't been catching up here on reading ever since I took up Street photography lol! Jokes aside, overall this book has been informative - covering from the pros and cons of different cameras, basic technicalities, post-production and the way we portray ourselves as we are 'photographing' strangers (using the word "photographing" loosely). The book also contains few assignments for you to try out on the streets within your vicinity alongside the learning points behind those photography challenges.

My favourite chapters has got to be the ones on Conquering Your Fear, Developing your distinctive photography style, and the timing to choosing subjects in a world of chaos. I relate to this approach in the book especially as an amateur, "Simply bring the camera to eye level, ignore people directly in front of you, pretend to be shooting something in the distance. Don't look at them and focus attention on the space behind them." I thank iPhone for their "Burst" mode too which helps quickens the process but with moderation of course. Furthermore, what works also is to shoot with someone. Not only it helps with being comfortable on the streets amongst a sea of strangers, it also helps 'balance out'. I'm not sure how to articulate this out but my fellow street photographers might understand this sentiment. Perhaps when I get more comfortable, I will try to interact with strangers on the street and take portraits.

Amidst the thrilling sensation when it comes to photographing fleeting moments, it also touches on the Legal and Ethical Issues concerning this genre in our contemporary world.

[Mike Eccles · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a wealth of insight in this volume. It is full of ideas, practical tips and skills, examples and challenges to the reader. It has taken me some time to reach the end as I have been pausing to try things out. Now I’ve finished I will use this as a reference book and keep returning for clarification and refreshment. Excellent!

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book filled with practical and inspiring advice. Well-written and accessible. I'd recommend it to anyone new to street photography.

[Wilde Sky · Rating 4 out of 5]

A guide to taking photographs of everyday life.

I thought some of the images were stunning and much of the advice seemed practical / sensible.

Reading / viewing time around one hour.

[Stephen Hooker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best advice not just on technique but on how to act and what to do when on the street. Marks this book out as significant and priceless.

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! Inspiring photos!!