Here are a few points to keep in mind when taking the photographs:
- The right camera settings on both SLRs and Compact Cameras
- If allowed, use a tripod. Keep in mind that many places will not allow the use of tripods.
- Plan where to take the High Street photographs.
- Time - is it a day time shot, or a night shot.
- Think about composition, how to include people in the photograph, leading lines, colour, close-ups etc
- Exposure - if taking photographs at night, it's always best to over and under expose the shot by 0.3. (use this as a guide only, adjust according to your image) Every camera will have a '-+' symbol.
- Final finished image — before I take any photographs, I always think about how I want the final finished image to look. If it's going to be in colour, sepia, b/w or do I need to add noise/gain in the final image to create the mood and atmosphere.
Settings for Compact Cameras
Day-Time
Use 'Landscape' Mode (it will give you the maximum depth of field)
Night-Time
Use 'Sunset', 'Fireworks', 'Night' Modes (every camera is different, please check your camera manual to see which mode gives a slow shutter speed. Use these as a guidance only)
Set SLR cameras on either Aperture Mode or Shutter Mode.
Here are some photographs of High Street Photography
1. This photograph was taken on fully 'Manual' using a tripod. Using a slow shutter speed has created movement of the people walking around in the frame. Photograph taken in Singapore, Sentosa Island.
2. Image taken on 'Manual' mode - Sentosa Island, Singapore
3. Photograph outside a shopping mall in Bangkok, local people offering flowers and fruits at the temples made outside the malls.
4. Bangkok - people praying outside the shopping mall
5. Lunch time rush hour in Singapore
6. Tall buildings - Singapore
7. Olympic torch relay - Basingstoke 2012 (below image was taken with a compact camera)
8. Newquay, Cornwall High Street - the image below was taken using a compact camera, which was set on 'Night' Mode. The image had a slight camera shake, so I have added extra noise at post production, simply because I was using the camera without a tripod. The colour of the image has also be changed in post production.
9. Take close-ups of structures on the High Street. (close-up photograph of the shadow)
10. Clock tower outside Sainsbury's
Hope this articles assists you in taking better and interesting photographs of the High Street. A High Street could be anywhere!
Other useful articles to read are:
- Morning & Night Photography (some camera settings will apply to the High Street Photography)
- Understanding your camera modes (useful to read if using compact cameras or semi-automatic modes on some cameras)
- Apertures
- How to photograph smoke (in this article there is a brief explanation shutters, it will be useful if you wish to capture movement)
Bhupinder Ghatahora
