The MAGIC of Street Photography
(and how it can inform your wedding work)

Street Photography has always been the cool kid of the photographic industry, and wedding photography is ever the oldfangled unfashionable square. Even landscape photographers in their fishing vests and hiking boots seem to get more street cred than wedding snappers.

But what if we could tap into some of that cool? What if we could figure out what their particularly tincture is, the magic in their photos that moves people - other than soon-to-be-brides - in ways that wedding photos never seem to be able to?

To really get a grasp on what makes a great street photo, we need to take a quick trip back into the past, and look at where the whole genre began.

Street Photography found its roots around the 1920s and 1930s. It’s no accident that this was also the time the 35mm camera first made it’s appearance. It’s hand-held size allowed photographers to move through busy streets and capture fleeting moments, and the 35mm film of the time was better suited to lower light shooting. The 35mm cameras also allowed photographers to shoot directly through the viewfinder, instead of needing to look down into the top of the camera. All of this meant versatility & speed, and meant that photographers could move more freely and capture more spontaneous imagery.



1. Understand the location. Walk the street. Scout and plan.

2. Be ready. Don’t let your camera get in the way. Don’t obsess over settings.

3. Shoot deep.