It can be difficult to maintain focus in street photography.
By its very nature it is a random pursuit, and not easy to plan for. The resulting images can be less than satisfactory as they may not seem connected or part of a whole, other than that they were taken in roughly the same place.
This might work well when we are exploring a new location, particularly one that is in sharp contrast to where we live, but if we constantly photograph the same locations, we will be expecting interesting moments to elevate our images, and these moments don’t come along very often.
Having a project in mind before going out into the street gives us some advantages:
(a) We can have at least a rough idea of what we want to capture.
(b) Our focus for our photography shoot will be improved.
(c) Our images will have a purpose, a cohesion, a connection that might not otherwise be achieved.
I happened to be in a small seaside village in Co. Sligo, Ireland, when the annual triathlon was taking place. I decide to go out with a focus on telling the story of the day through some images.
What did I learn from this mini project?
· By taking photographs I became part of the action rather than merely an onlooker, which increased my interest in the event.
· I witnessed many interactions and conversations which were a great example of community action and support.
· I felt that my images gave a flavour of the day and gave me a reason to be out taking photographs in an area which is more remarkable for its scenery than its street images.
☆
I really enjoyed my mini project and I see how it can inspire and give more direction to a street photography outing.
FOR FURTHER LEARNING
You might like to watch this video from well-known street photographer Brian Duckett -