The Street Photographer's Curse

Copenhagen 2016

I hate street photography. But it's the best thing in world.

Sometimes I wonder why I keep doing it - especially if a 3 hour street session in Copenhagen only yields something like the photo you see at the top of this post. Not really a street shot, is it? It may be pretty and everything, but it's very far from what I call street photography.

Get your 10K somewhere else

As street photographers, one of the biggest mistakes we make, is thinking that the more ground we cover, the more great shots we're going to make. Not true. It does do wonders for your fitness, though.

My best cure for the street photographer's curse is simply staying put. Find a busy location in the city where the light is interesting and the background isn't too messy - and then own that place. Take some time to identify how the light falls in the area and which angles will work for your shots.

And then get to work.

Just do it

Street photography can be super intimidating but getting comfortable in a specific location can alleviate some of the tension and anxiety connected with photographing strangers.

It will make the process that little bit easier for you and eventually boost your confidence. So, instead of covering 10K around the city, you should commit to photographing 10 different people during your session.

See you out there.