Street Photography: An In-Depth and Complete Guide from Udemy

This in-depth street photography course is designed to teach you

It’s my intention to help you find and refine your own unique artistic voice through the art of street photography and pass on all of the knowledge and experience that I’ve acquired so that you feel inspired and confident enough to consistently create powerful, meaningful, interesting street photographs.

The course is broken up into 9 chapters, which is broken up into even smaller sub-chapters along the way, so that you can tick off each lesson as you go.

The 9 overall chapters are:

Introduction and definition
Philosophies, practices and examples of great street photographs
Tactics, tips and settings on the street
Gear
Styles and approaches
Problems and common things you'll encounter on the street
Inspiration
Post-production (editing, printing and book making)
The future of street photography

There is no comprehensive film school or art school type of experience that teaches ‘Street Photography’ yet, and although there are lots of types of online content about the genre, personally none of my experiences with that stuff so far have offered a

Usually, it’s more-so just pockets of information that you’e digging up, bit by bit. So I wanted to consolidate all of that information and knowledge and put it in one place, in a structured, informative, exciting way for you to watch and enjoy. It’s everything you need to know, distilled down into the key takeaways and delivered in a way that is designed to inspire you and take you to that place where you’re making your best work.

So, if you want to fast-track your learning journey, dial up your confidence in the craft, and start making the work you know you can make - then let’s do it.

By the end of this course you will be able to show yourself and the world You will be well and truly on your way to finding and expressing your own unique artistic voice - you will be so inspired and excited by street photography that you will be bursting at the seams to get out there and explore the world with your camera, and start capturing timeless moments.

What's inside

Learning objectives

How to make consistent, powerful, meaningful street photographs
How to find your style and your own unique artistic voice, photographically
How to tell a story with a documentary-style, street photograph
When and how to engage with your subjects on the street
How to increase your confidence while shooting on the street
How to predict photographic opportunities on the street
How to light meter with a manual film camera confidently
Understanding how to read complicated, world-class street photographs
How to zone-focus with a manual focus lens
What each different lens size and type does, as well as the difference between vintage and newer lenses.

How to utilise compositional elements and an overall balance to strengthen a photograph
How to use editing to enhance the mood and the story and the experience of a photograph
Understanding the ethical and moral issues within street photography
How to avoid conflict when taking street photographs
How to gather inspiration and generate ideas from various sources, whether it be via travelling, reading photography books, watching movies, etc.
How to edit, print, and make books out of your photographs
The difference between street photography, documentary photography, and photojournalism
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How to make consistent, powerful, meaningful street photographs
How to find your style and your own unique artistic voice, photographically
How to tell a story with a documentary-style, street photograph
When and how to engage with your subjects on the street
How to increase your confidence while shooting on the street
How to predict photographic opportunities on the street
How to light meter with a manual film camera confidently
Understanding how to read complicated, world-class street photographs
How to zone-focus with a manual focus lens
What each different lens size and type does, as well as the difference between vintage and newer lenses.
How to utilise compositional elements and an overall balance to strengthen a photograph
How to use editing to enhance the mood and the story and the experience of a photograph
Understanding the ethical and moral issues within street photography
How to avoid conflict when taking street photographs
How to gather inspiration and generate ideas from various sources, whether it be via travelling, reading photography books, watching movies, etc.
How to edit, print, and make books out of your photographs
The difference between street photography, documentary photography, and photojournalism
Show more
Show less

Syllabus

At the end of this chapter you will have a better understanding of what Street Photography actually is, how to get started with it and why it is an appealing craft to learn.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Teaches learners how to find their unique artistic voice, which is essential for developing a personal style and vision in street photography

Explores the ethical and moral considerations within street photography, which is crucial for responsible and respectful image-making

Covers post-production techniques, including editing, printing, and bookmaking, which are valuable skills for showcasing and preserving photographic work

Examines gear-related questions, such as lens selection and camera types, which helps learners make informed decisions about their equipment

Requires learners to have access to a camera and potentially film and printing supplies, which may pose a financial barrier for some

Discusses vintage lenses, which may require learners to source older equipment that may be difficult to find or maintain

Reviews summary

Comprehensive guide to street photography art

According to learners, this course offers a largely positive experience, particularly for those looking to develop their artistic voice in street photography. Students frequently highlight the instructor's engaging and passionate teaching style and the practical tips for shooting on the street as highly valuable. Many felt the course boosted their confidence and provided significant inspiration. While some mentioned a desire for more detailed technical information, especially for absolute beginners, or deeper dives into specific areas like post-production, the course is widely praised for its well-structured approach and success in consolidating information often found scattered elsewhere. It seems particularly beneficial for those past the absolute beginner stage, focusing on the art and philosophy rather than just the technical basics.

Well-organized course structure covers key areas.

"The course structure is logical and easy to follow, covering all the main aspects."

"Appreciated how the course consolidated so much information into one place."

"The breakdown into chapters made it manageable and progressive."

"A very thorough overview from philosophy to post-production."

Helped students feel more confident shooting.

"My confidence level went up significantly after taking this course."

"Felt much more comfortable approaching street photography after learning these techniques."

"It gave me the courage I needed to just get out there and shoot."

Successfully inspires and helps find artistic voice.

"This course truly helped me think about finding my unique artistic voice in street photography."

"I finished the course feeling incredibly inspired to go out and shoot."

"The examples of great street photographs and photographers were a huge source of inspiration."

"Helped me move beyond just taking pictures to making meaningful images."

Useful, real-world advice for shooting on the street.

"The practical tips for actually being out on the street and shooting are invaluable."

"Learned so many helpful techniques and approaches for interacting (or not) with subjects."

"The chapters on confidence, avoiding conflict, and predicting opportunities were very useful."

"Gave me actionable strategies to feel more comfortable taking photos publicly."

Instructor's passion and engaging style praised.

"His passion for street photography is infectious and makes the course lectures incredibly engaging."

"The instructor is passionate, articulate, and provides fantastic insight based on real experience."

"I really enjoyed the instructor's teaching style; his enthusiasm was motivating."

"The course benefits greatly from the teacher's clear and passionate delivery."

"Loved the energy and real-world experience shared by the instructor."

Post-production section could be expanded.

"The editing and post-production section felt a bit brief compared to other chapters."

"Wished there was a more in-depth look at editing specific to street photos."

"Could use more detailed examples or techniques for post-processing."

Could benefit from more technical detail.

"While great on philosophy, it could have more depth on camera settings or specific gear usage for beginners."

"Needed to supplement some parts with other technical tutorials."

"Felt some technical aspects were only briefly touched upon."

"More hands-on technical demos would be helpful for some topics."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Street Photography: An In-Depth and Complete Guide with these activities:

Review Basic Photography Principles

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Reinforce your understanding of fundamental photography concepts like aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to better grasp the technical aspects discussed in the course.

Browse courses on Aperture

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Read articles or watch videos explaining the exposure triangle.
Practice adjusting aperture, shutter speed, and ISO on your camera.
Experiment with different compositions using the rule of thirds.

Read 'The Photographer's Eye' by Michael Freeman

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Deepen your understanding of composition and visual storytelling, which are essential for capturing impactful street photographs.

View The Photographer's Eye - Definitive Edition:... on Amazon

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Read a chapter of 'The Photographer's Eye'.
Analyze the composition of street photographs, identifying key elements.
Practice applying compositional techniques in your own street photography.

Practice Zone Focusing

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Improve your ability to quickly and accurately focus on subjects in street photography scenarios, especially when using manual focus lenses.

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Set your lens to a specific aperture (e.g., f/8).
Estimate distances and pre-focus your lens to those distances.
Practice quickly adjusting focus as subjects enter your pre-focused zone.

Four other activities

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Show all seven activities

Read 'Bystander: A History of Street Photography' by Colin Westerbeck and Joel Meyerowitz

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Gain a deeper appreciation for the history and evolution of street photography, inspiring you to develop your own unique style.

View Bystander: A History of Street Photography on Amazon

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Read a section of 'Bystander: A History of Street Photography'.
Research the work of a street photographer featured in the book.
Reflect on how the history of street photography influences your own work.

Create a Photo Essay

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Develop your storytelling skills by creating a series of street photographs that tell a cohesive narrative.

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Choose a theme or subject for your photo essay.
Capture a series of street photographs that relate to your theme.
Arrange your photographs in a sequence that tells a story.
Write captions or a short narrative to accompany your photographs.

Start a Street Photography Project

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Apply the knowledge and skills gained in the course to a real-world street photography project, allowing you to explore a specific theme or location in depth.

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Define the scope and goals of your street photography project.
Choose a location or theme for your project.
Dedicate time each week to shooting for your project.
Review and edit your photographs regularly.

Create a Street Photography Zine

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Solidify your understanding of street photography by curating and presenting your best work in a tangible format.

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Select your best street photographs from the course and your personal projects.
Design the layout and format of your zine.
Print and assemble your zine.
Share your zine with others and gather feedback.

Career center

Learners who complete Street Photography: An In-Depth and Complete Guide will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Photographer

A photographer captures images, often for artistic, commercial, or journalistic purposes. This course in street photography can be particularly useful for photographers looking to develop a candid style and improve their ability to capture authentic moments. The course's focus on finding a unique artistic voice and confidently shooting in public spaces can translate to other photographic fields. It is particularly useful for a photographer to know how to anticipate opportunities by using body language and the environment. The lessons on editing, printing, and making books of photography further build a comprehensive profile for a photographer.

See salaries and explore the career path for Photographer

Fine Art Photographer

Fine art photographers create images with a focus on artistic expression and vision. This course is an excellent fit for a fine art photographer, with its deep focus on finding a unique voice, its detailed study of composition, style, and approaches, and its emphasis on the practice of creating street photographs, which allows a photographer to refine their approach to the art. Lessons on post-production such as editing, printing, and book making are also useful for a fine art photographer. The course may help a fine art photographer to better understand the philosophy of what makes a great photograph.

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Documentary Photographer

Documentary photographers use photography to capture real-life events, often focusing on social or cultural issues. This course helps a documentary photographer by teaching how to capture candid moments, how to read a room and how to adapt, and to find stories. This course also helps to better understand the difference between street photography and documentary photography, which may provide a documentary photographer with a deeper understanding of their craft. The lessons on finding a unique artistic voice and how to use editing to enhance a story add to the value for a documentary photographer.

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Photojournalist

Photojournalists document events and stories through photography. This course helps a photojournalist by teaching how to confidently shoot in public, to anticipate opportunities, and to tell stories via photographs. The course also presents information about how to avoid conflict while shooting, which is an important consideration when photographing in public. Additionally, the understanding of ethical and moral issues within street photography may help a photojournalist work in compliance with these standards, and the course will help them to better understand how to capture multiple versions of an event, and the relevance of doing so.

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Urban Explorer

Urban explorers investigate and document abandoned or off-limits spaces. This course is an excellent fit for an urban explorer as it teaches how to find stories in public spaces, and how to confidently shoot in public, as well as how to read a room and to adapt to any environment. The course emphasizes finding a unique artistic voice, which may help urban explorers express their experiences through photography. Moreover, the course helps one learn how to avoid conflict, which is important for one who may investigate off-limits spaces. The lessons on composition and style may also be useful.

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Freelance Photographer

Freelance photographers work independently, taking on various photography projects for different clients. This course may be useful for any freelance photographer who wants to expand their portfolio and skills. The comprehensive approach of the course, covering everything from gear and settings to composition, editing, and even book making, makes it helpful for developing a well-rounded skill set. A freelance photographer may find value in a course that helps develop the ability to tell a story via documentary style photography, and to capture multiple versions of a moment.

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Visual Storyteller

A visual storyteller uses images and videos to convey narratives and connect with audiences. The skills taught in the course may be very useful for a visual storyteller, especially the sections on finding and telling a story, and composition, as well as the lessons on editing and post-production tools such as book making. Moreover, the focus on finding a unique artistic voice ensures a visual storyteller can use their unique perspective to capture authentic moments. By learning how to read the room, and how to adapt, a visual storyteller may perform their craft in public with more confidence.

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Art Director

An art director is responsible for the visual style and images used in advertising, publications, or media. This course may be helpful to an art director as it deepens their understanding of photographic composition, style, and the emotional impact of images. The course's emphasis on finding a unique artistic voice can refine a director's approach to visual storytelling. Additionally, the section on post-production may give an art director useful insights into editing choices. An art director may find value in learning how to source inspiration from various sources. Understanding the ethics and morals of photography may further help an art director in their role.

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Content Creator

Content creators produce various forms of material for digital platforms. A content creator will find value in this course by learning to tell stories via photography, and by learning to take a project from inception to post-production. This course also helps teach how to create consistent, powerful and meaningful images. The understanding of photographic composition and style, combined with knowledge of how to avoid conflict in public, may provide a content creator with a useful toolkit. Additionally, learning how to generate ideas via inspiration may help content creators maintain a continuous stream of fresh ideas.

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Travel Blogger

Travel bloggers create content about their travels, often including written and visual components. This course may help a travel blogger through it's study of how to capture a story through documentary-style photographs. It also includes guidance on how to explore a city and how to source inspiration from various places, including by traveling, reading and watching movies. Additionally, the course teaches how to edit, print, and make books of photography, which are valuable skills for a travel blogger. A travel blogger may find value in the lessons on gear, and how to capture multiple versions of an event.

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Social Commentator

A social commentator observes and analyzes societal issues, often sharing their perspectives through various media. This course may help a social commentator through it's study of how to tell stories through documentary-style photography. The course also emphasizes how to find stories, to observe the environment, and to capture authentic moments. Moreover, a social commentator may benefit from the course's study of ethics and moral decisions, and how to avoid conflict in dynamic environments such as in public.

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Social Media Manager

A social media manager builds and maintains a company's social media presence. This course may help a social media manager by allowing them to better understand the visual language of photography. The lessons on composition and style in photography, combined with the tools to source inspiration, may help the development and creation of engaging social media content. Moreover, a social media manager may find value in learning to find and tell stories through documentary-style photographs, and to understand the ethics and morality of photography.

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Street Artist

Street artists create art in public spaces, often interacting with their environments. This course may help a street artist by allowing them to better understand the nuances of photography, and how to capture authentic moments. The sections on gear, composition, and the ethical considerations of taking photographs may provide a street artist with new perspectives on their craft. A street artist who also wishes to capture and document their own projects may find value in learning the ways to tell stories through photography, and how to present their work by doing post-production such as printing and book making.

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Gallery Curator

A gallery curator selects and arranges artwork for exhibitions. The curator may find value in this course by learning to better understand the nuances of photography, including how to read great street photography, and how to better understand the difference between types of photography. The course also helps one to think poetically, to bring emotion into the art, and to better understand the challenges of different styles of photography, and vintage versus newer lenses. The lessons on post-production may further give a curator insight into the choices made by an artist.

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Archivist

An archivist preserves and maintains historical documents and records. This course may be helpful to an archivist who is interested in photography or who works with photographic collections. This course may broaden an archivist's understanding of the art by teaching them how to appreciate a great street photograph, how to edit, print, and make books and how to understand the history of cameras. An archivist may even find value in learning the difference between different styles of photography. The course also goes into the ethics of photography, which may help an archivist understand the nuances of this art.

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Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Street Photography: An In-Depth and Complete Guide.

The Photographer's Eye (Definitive Edition):...

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Delves into the art of composition and design in photography. It provides a comprehensive understanding of how visual elements work together to create compelling images. It is particularly useful for understanding how to arrange elements within a frame to tell a story, which is crucial for street photography. This book is commonly used as a reference by photography students and professionals.

The Photographer's Eye - Definitive Edition:...

Paperback

Bystander

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Provides a comprehensive overview of the history of street photography, showcasing the work of influential photographers and exploring the evolution of the genre. It offers valuable insights into the different styles, approaches, and philosophies that have shaped street photography. This book is more valuable as additional reading than it is as a current reference.

Bystander: A History of Street Photography

Hardcover

Street Photography

An In-Depth and Complete Guide

What's inside

Learning objectives

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Comprehensive guide to street photography art

Activities

Career center

Reading list

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