Street Manual

A field guide for street photographers.

by Luke Carey

Techniques2 hours

Costume and Context

Someone in a suit at a car boot sale. Full evening wear on public transport. A child in fancy dress in a supermarket. Formal clothing at an informal event and vice versa. The clash between what someone is wearing and where they are produces instant visual tension.

Watch for: treating people as props. The picture needs affection, not cruelty. There's a difference between finding something funny and making someone a punchline.

The point: clothing is costume. Everyone on the street is performing something. Sometimes the performance is clearly wrong for the venue, and that's the picture.

Camera Settings

Any.

The Assignment

Find one person whose clothing is clearly wrong for the context. Photograph them in that context.

Free Course