Street Manual

A field guide for street photographers.

by Luke Carey

Hertfordshire Locations1–2 hours

Harpenden, Hertfordshire

Harpenden, Hertfordshire

An affluent commuter town wrapped around a huge common — genteel, green and quiet, which is exactly the challenge. The pictures here are about the English middle class at leisure: dog walkers, cricket on the common, the farmers' market, prams and pilates, and the small gaps between the polished surface and real life.

Best time: weekend mornings for the market and the common; golden hour for long light down the quiet streets.

Look for: ritual and routine, status on display, and the manicured meeting the wild. Shoot the boredom as the subject, not despite it.

Camera Settings

Any. A 35mm or 50mm suits the quiet, observational pace.

The Assignment

Spend an hour on the common and the high street. Find three frames that make the ordinary and affluent feel worth looking at.

Free Course