Composition

What makes a great photograph? Is it something we see or something we feel? 

Joel Meyerowitz once wrote that if something compelled you to take a photograph, it was worth capturing for the simple reason that it resonated with you. In fact, part of the allure of street photography is precisely this aspect of unpredictability, never knowing what may catch your eye, or when the stars may align at the very moment you find yourself walking past. 

I guess it was an orange kind of day...

Whichever side you relate to, there are certain elements that a photographer can use to his or her advantage when attempting to compose a memorable shot.  These range from the simple, such as avoiding shooting at eyesight level, or using a leading line to draw your viewer in, to arguably the most known technique, the Rule of Thirds which dictates that you divide a scene equally in two vertical and two horizontal lines, and place your subject or point of interest on one of the four intersecting points. 

These guidelines can often be critical when taking landscapes or portraits, but in street photography you do not always get the chance to set yourself, carefully pose your subject or calmly adjust your position. Indeed, the streets rarely offer the same traditional elements to help you frame a shot as a studio or landscape; people rarely walk or move in the direction that you hoped they would, nor does traffic stop at the perfect moment to frame your subject! As such, we benefit from the rules not always applying to us, provided the scene is sufficiently gripping and we can find creative ways of framing a scene; otherwise our images fall flat like everyone else’s. 

Upside down reflections can look surprisingly realistic

Therefore, a street photographer must use unlikely elements to achieve their intended effect. This can include using lines on a stairway to draw a viewer in, matching colours on clothes and vehicles to provide a sense of continuity, or even creating optical illusions through reflective surfaces (e.g. puddles or windows). Each of these ideas can add texture and layers to an otherwise plain scene, thereby creating a more compelling narrative, and even if it remains simple, it may well intrigue, if only for a moment.

Beyond these principles and the myriad number of techniques at our disposal, one key consideration remains: regardless of the equipment we possess and our experience level, do we fill the frame with action or opt for a simpler, more minimalist composition? Some locations will naturally fit one approach, but even in a crowded street it is possible to isolate a subject, and vice versa, in an empty street it is also possible to fill your frame if you dare challenge your subject’s personal space (This almost always results in understandably quizzical looks). 

An 'understandably quizzical look'

Fortunately there is no right or wrong way, as demonstrated by the success of two contrasting street photographers, Fan Ho and Garry Winogrand. The former was famous for beautifully simple black and white photos, while the latter preferred the hustle and bustle of a busy street or stadium. Both of them created wonderful portfolios, regardless of style differences, perhaps demonstrating the charm at the heart of any memorable photo, the rules help, but ultimately you just know when it is a keeper.

“There are no rules for good photographs, there are only good photographs”  Ansel Adams