697 – Street Photography

Why do I want to do street photography – since I started doing this blog not far off two years ago now I have written a fair number of times about the practice.

I like taking all sorts of photos, from macro (I really need to practice this – and might indulge in a bit of microphotograhpy) through abstract to Panorama, but with not that many opportunities for the street, by which I mean people in the street.

I think people get fixated on certain things, particularly with this hobby (and to be honest most hobbies that I seem to get interested in) the equipment. Of nearly everything I have read by far one of the most consistent comments is that a DSLR with a big lens is by far not the ideal combination of kit for street photography, it is too bulky, and too obvious. One of the points of street photography is discretion.

So, if we can’t use our DSLR, how about the mobile phone? You really can’t get much more discrete than that, this devices are ubiquitous – I don’t think it’s unfair to say that. Apparently penetration of the mobile phone stands at nearly 92% of the worlds population. Of course, some excellent street photography pictures can and will be taken with the mobile phone. But because users have relatively little practical control over the camera in the phone (control is possible, but fiddly, and not really responsive to “the moment”, it is not considered the ideal device.

So, what is the perfect device for street photography? Well it appears to be a small compact camera, that provides full manual control preferably through external buttons and nobs rather than menu options and prices seem to start at around £500 up to as many thousands as you wish (and are able to spend). That’s just a tad frustrating because I can’t really justify that level of expenditure. Even at the bottom end.

I haven’t found my solution yet. Luckily, that’s not a major problem as I don’t have that many opportunities. Oh, and I am very aware that an operator will blame their tools for their own failings. I need to practice with the tools that I have, and then perhaps one day, I will wander through the streets of Gosport, or Dorchester or Weymouth taking some good streets photographs.