1. What is street photography?

Street photography is the art of capturing candid, unposed moments of everyday life in public spaces. It’s not about documenting streets themselves, but the spontaneous interactions, gestures, and scenes that happen within them. It's all about storytelling!

Unlike posed portraits or planned shoots, street photography thrives on unpredictability. The best street photographs often reveal something human: a story, a contrast, an emotion, a fleeting moment that would’ve disappeared forever had it not been captured by a street photographer.

📸 What makes it “street” photography?

• Candidness: The subject is unaware or not performing for the camera.
• Public setting: Usually takes place in public areas: streets, parks, transport, markets.
• Real life: It captures real people, not models or setups.
• Narrative: A good street photo suggests a story, mood, or idea without needing words.

🔗 Want to go deeper? Read this detailed breakdown of what street photography is

🧭 So… is it documentary? Is it art?

Street photography overlaps with both. Like documentary photography, it shows life as it is, but it also leaves room for personal interpretation, visual style, and artistic expression.

You don’t need fancy gear or permission to get started (anything that will capture an image will do!) just observation, patience, and a willingness to see the extraordinary in the ordinary.

🖼️ Examples of street photography subjects:

• Strangers crossing paths in matching coats
• A single red umbrella in a crowd of black ones
• Two nuns in sunglasses taking a selfie!

💡 Summary: What is street photography?

Street photography is the practice of capturing real life in un-staged life in public spaces... moments that are fleeting and often unnoticed. It’s about storytelling, timing, and learning to see what others miss. It's also about interpreting what you see... what you include and exclude from your frame...

 👉 Want to take better street photos?

Street Photography Secrets gives you a complete blueprint for improving your eye, your technique, and your confidence... no matter what gear you use.

2. What are the best camera settings for street photography?

The best general street photography settings are: aperture around f/8, shutter speed at least 1/250s, and auto ISO. These settings help you freeze movement, keep your scene in focus, and adapt quickly to changing light. However, on super sunny days I like to underexpose so that I get inky dark shadows - so my aperture stays around f/16, shutter speed between 1/1000-1/2000, and auto ISO with a limit of 1600... (This means I have to bring the light areas back up again Lightroom).

You don’t need to change things constantly — having a “set and forget” starting point lets you focus on moments, not menus.

🔧 Quick Settings Checklist:

• Mode: Manual or Aperture Priority (Av)
• Aperture: f/8–f/11 → deep depth of field
• Shutter speed: 1/250s or faster → freeze motion
• ISO: Auto ISO with a max ISO set (e.g. 1600)
• Focus: Zone focus or spot focus
• White balance: Auto is fine

🔗 Want to understand how camera choice affects your street photography? Check out my post on choosing the perfect street camera

🧠 Why these settings work:

Aperture f/8 gives you enough depth of field to keep both subject and surroundings in focus, especially useful when things happen fast.

Fast shutter speed avoids blur from movement, yours or your subject’s.

Auto ISO means you don’t have to think too hard in changing light (and modern cameras handle high ISO really well).

Once you’re comfortable, you can break these “rules” to get creative (as I mentioned above), but this setup gives you a reliable base for most street situations.

🖼️ Bonus Tip: Pre-focus with zone focus

If your camera allows it, try zone focusing: manually set your focus distance (e.g., 2m), stop down to f/8, and shoot without waiting for autofocus to catch up. It’s fast and discreet, ideal for classic street work. I don't do the myself as I shoot with my beloved Fujifilm X100V which has a different kind of "zone focus" setting...

💡 Summary: Best camera settings for the street

Start with f/8, 1/250s, and Auto ISO – then adjust as needed. And don't be afraid to experiment! These settings keep things sharp, fast, and simple so you can focus on moments, not menus.

3. How do I overcome fear when shooting people on the street?

To overcome fear in street photography, start small, focus on observation, and give yourself specific assignments. Confidence builds with practice, and has nothing to do with personality.

Even experienced photographers feel nervous at times. The key is not to “get over” the fear but to work with it until it fades into the background.

😬 Why does fear show up?

• You're pointing a camera at strangers, it feels naughty!
• You're afraid of confrontation, being judged, or “doing it wrong”
• You feel unsure about legality or ethics (more on that below!)

This is totally normal. Almost everyone goes through it, but you don’t have to stay stuck.

✅ Practical ways to ease the fear:

• Start with busy areas: You're less noticeable in a crowd
• Use wider scenes: Don’t go straight to close-ups
• Give yourself an “assignment”: e.g. "photograph people with umbrellas" — it gives purpose
• Go with a friend: Just being with someone can ease the pressure
• Have a story in your head: Be ready to explain what you’re doing (“I’m working on a project about city life”)

🔗 This is exactly what I cover in my blog post: Overcoming Fear in Street Photography

💡 Summary: Fear fades with action

You don’t need to be fearless to be a street photographer, just willing to try. The more you go out, the less fear will control you. You’ll be too focused on the moment to worry about being noticed.

4. What are the rules and ethics of street photography?

The general rule is: if you're in a public space, you're allowed to take photos (a quick Google search will help you find which countries do have more restrictive laws) – but that doesn’t always mean you should. Street photography sits in a grey zone between legality, privacy, and personal respect.

Ethics matter just as much as law.

⚖️ What’s legal?

•  In most countries, it’s legal to photograph people in public spaces
•  You don’t need permission unless publishing in a commercial or advertising context
•  You can’t go onto private property without permission
•  Local laws vary – especially in countries with stricter privacy regulations

🔗 Full breakdown here: Street photography law & ethics

🤝 What’s ethical?

• Respect vulnerability: Don't shoot people who are distressed, ill, or vulnerable unless you have a very clear purpose (maybe consider offering to help them instead)
• Read the room: If someone clearly objects, move on! Don't be a duck (yes, that's a typo!)
• Be ready to explain: A calm, honest answer can defuse most situations

You don’t need to justify yourself every time, but photographing with care and intention gives out a very different energy and makes it more fun. Getting told off can shake you up, so be cool and respectful, and you're more likely to go unnoticed.

💡 Summary: Shoot responsibly

Street photography is legal in most places, but your ethics shape how you do it. Lead with empathy, stay informed, and shoot with intention.

🔗 Grab my free ebook: 10 Ways to Become a Fearless Street Photographer

5. What makes a good street photograph?

A good street photograph tells a story, captures a moment, and holds the viewer's eye. It's not about technical perfection, but it is about timing, emotion, and how everything in the frame comes together.

When a street photo works, it usually makes you feel something before you try to explain it. And it should be making your viewer feel something too, whether it's an emotion, curiosity,  or joy!

🧠 The 3 key elements I always look for:

1. Light – Not just exposure, but mood, contrast, direction
2. Geometry – Shapes, lines, framing, symmetry
3. Separation – Definition between subject and background (visually and conceptually)

🔗 I break all of this down and more in my workshops: Street Photography Workshops and Private Mentoring and in my upcoming NEW BOOK!!! Head to your nearest Amazon site and search Polly Rusyn and you'll find my published street photography books and zines.

🎯 Extra ingredients that make a photo pop:

•  Juxtaposition: two elements that contrast or comment on each other
•  Humour or irony: don't make me explain this one! 😉
•  Decisive moment: a gesture, a glance, something fleeting
•  Clean composition: even in chaos, the best photos have intent

A good photo doesn’t have to be explainable. It just has to work.

💡 Summary: What makes a good street photo?

A good street photo captures a real moment with intention through light, timing, and emotion. It invites the viewer to stop, think, or feel something.