How to photograph people on the street

The scariest thing about street photography is getting close to take pictures of complete strangers.It will take some time to get used to it, and in the beginning you will probably shy away. Here are some simple tips to help you get over the fear or how to stay unnoticed while doing it.

I know some people just ask to take somebody’s picture but I always rather shoot them without them posing. The photos in this post are from my recent trip to Paris. 

Tip 1
If you see somebody interesting approaching just line up your shot in the direction you think they are going. This way you can let them walk into the frame and it looks like you just wanted to photograph something else and they happen to walk through the frame.
Disclaimer: Some people are very polite and will stop because they don’t want to walk through your frame… then you’re usually busted, but just tell them to keep walking :)

Tip 2
If you took somebody’s picture and you can see them looking at you through the viewfinder and you want to stay undercover.. just keep shooting as they walk out of the frame and pass you by. They will think you were taking pictures of something else.

Tip 3
Another good trick is to shoot from the hip. I have a tilting screen that I can flip up, this way I can just leave the camera hanging around my neck and I look down at my screen. People usually only think you are taking a picture when your bring the camera to your eye. Also the angle from shooting from the hip can be quite nice for street photography.

Let me know if you guys have any good tips for photographing people on the street!