1. Shoot In Black & White

Did you know the iPhone camera lets you shoot in black and white?

Most people shoot in color and convert to black and white later. But for the best results, you should shoot in black and white.

(Don’t worry, you can always convert the photo back to color later!)

So why shoot your street photos in black and white?

Well, there are certain elements that make a black and white photo successful… light, shadows, patterns, shapes, lines, etc.

Removing the color allows you to see these elements more clearly.

Shapes, lines, and patterns will stand out. And you can instantly see whether a particular kind of light will work in black and white.

So how do you shoot in black and white on the iPhone?

It’s super easy!

Simply open the iPhone Camera app. Then swipe up on the screen (or tap the little arrow at the top of the screen).

Swipe across the icons above the shutter button and tap the Filters icon (three circles). Then swipe across the filter styles and select Noir.

Now you can shoot your photos in black and white!

Note that the iPhone camera filters are non-destructive. This means you can change them after taking a photo!

So if you decide you want your photo in color, just go to the Edit option in the Photos app and select a different filter.

2. Capture Minimalist Black & White Street Photos

The best photos are often the simplest ones!

The fewer elements you have in your photos, the more eye-catching they’ll be.

This is especially true for black and white street photography.

So if you want to capture striking black and white street photos, you should aim for minimalist compositions.

And the best way to do that?

Include lots of empty “negative” space in your photos.

But how do you find empty space in an urban environment?

Well, it might sound challenging. But it’s easier than you think!

The best way to create minimalist street photos is to find an open space in the city. Squares, parks, and cultural sites are great places for minimalist street photography.

If you’re not familiar with the city, you can easily find these kinds of spaces by exploring Google Maps.

Now, just wait for a single human subject to appear in the scene. Compose your shot so the person has a huge amount of empty space around them.

The negative space allows you to control the viewer’s attention. It guarantees the viewer’s eye will be drawn toward the subject.

When composing your photo, think about where you want the subject to appear in the frame.

I usually like to have my subject in the center of the photo as this often has the most impact. But you can experiment and take several photos with the subject in different positions.

Finally, make sure you avoid any unnecessary visual distractions. You might need to adjust your position or shoot from a different angle to avoid unwanted elements in your frame.

Shooting from a low angle is a great way to get more sky in the frame and eliminate a distracting foreground.

3. Use Leading Lines In Your iPhone Street Photography

The most important goal for us as photographers is to control the viewer’s attention…

And there’s no better way to do that than using leading lines!

Leading lines literally lead the viewer’s eye to the subject. And they add amazing depth to your images.

Cities are full of leading lines that you can use in your iPhone street photography.

Roads, paths, bridges, walls, fences, road markings, tunnels, underpasses, and other architectural elements can be used as leading lines.

Simply position yourself so the line leads from the foreground into the distance.

Ideally, you want your subject to be at the point where the lines converge in the distance.

For the most powerful visual impact, compose your shot with the lines starting from the corners of the frame.

This will add more structure and completeness to your photo. And it draws the eye right from the foreground of the scene.

But don’t worry if you don’t get the lines perfectly positioned. You can always crop the photo later to create the perfect composition.

Most leading lines in cities are straight. But don’t forget to look for curved leading lines, such as spiral staircases. These will create truly magical images!

For the perfect shot, climb to the top of the staircase and shoot downwards to capture the beautiful spiral line.

If possible, capture a person somewhere along the line or even right at the bottom of the staircase.

But spiral staircases look great by themselves, so always capture a few shots even if there’s no person in the scene.

4. Look For Patterns In The Urban Landscape

Patterns offer another way to make your black and white street photography more interesting.

I love patterns so much!

Repetitive patterns instantly catch the eye. And they hold the viewer’s attention while they spend time examining the details.

In cities, you’ll find all sorts of patterns in modern buildings and architecture.

Many modern buildings have facades with repeating shapes or lines. Even a row of windows, pillars, or arches can be used to create patterns in your photos.

If you’re not familiar with the city, use Google to search for images of modern buildings in the city. You can also use Instagram or Google Maps Street View to preview images from the area.

Once you start looking, you’ll find so many modern buildings with patterns you could photograph.

When you’ve found a scene with a repetitive pattern, decide which angle you want to shoot from.

I usually like to shoot straight toward the building, creating a symmetrical composition.

But shooting from a side-on angle can also work… as you’ll see in the photo below.

When you’ve composed your shot, just wait for a person to enter the scene.

The pattern will create an amazing backdrop. The person will add a strong focal point and give meaning to the image.

5. Frame Your Subject With Architectural Elements

Here’s a great technique to draw attention to your street photography subjects…

Frame your subject with architectural elements!

This technique works so well in black and white street photography. The strong shape of the frame stands out more clearly when you remove the color from the scene.

There are many opportunities to use framing in the city. Archways, tunnels, doorways, and windows make great frames for your photos.

Once you find a good “frame,” compose your shot and wait for a person to walk into the scene.

Use burst mode to capture multiple shots as the person walks through the frame. You can then choose the best photo with the subject in the perfect position and pose.

To activate burst mode, drag the shutter button to the left. Or hold down the volume-up button on the side of your iPhone.

I love to create symmetrical compositions with the subject in the center of the photo. But having the subject nearer the edge of the frame can also work.

If you’re shooting from inside looking out toward the light, you might need to adjust exposure (image brightness).

Often, you’ll need to reduce exposure to ensure the bright areas don’t lose their detail.

I usually start by reducing exposure to -1. But sometimes you’ll need to drop it further, e.g. to -2.

To adjust exposure in the iPhone Camera app, swipe up (or press the arrow at the top of the screen). Tap the +/- icon near the bottom of the screen. Then use the slider to adjust the exposure.

Once you’ve set the exposure value, you can keep taking photos and the exposure will remain at that setting. Just remember to set it back to zero after!

Note that older iPhones don’t have this exposure value setting. But you can also adjust exposure by tapping on the screen to set focus and then swiping up or down.

When you reduce exposure, keep in mind that the shadows will become darker – sometimes even pure black. And while you will lose some detail in the shadows, it can actually look really great.

You’ll see exactly what I mean in the next tip!

6. Shoot Striking Silhouette Street Photos

Have you ever tried capturing silhouettes in your photos?

Silhouettes are perfect for creative street photography. And they look amazing in black and white!

The dark outline of your subject will grab the viewer’s attention. And the lack of detail adds a sense of mystery and intrigue!

So how do you shoot silhouette photos with the iPhone?

First, you need to shoot toward the light… with your subject in front of the bright background.

The golden hours of sunrise and sunset are perfect for silhouette photography. When the sun is close to the horizon, it’s easy to get the bright light behind your subject.

But a bright sky at other times of the day can work. Or try using other light sources, such as street lights, illuminated shop windows, or even a brightly-lit wall.

If you’re shooting against the sky, try shooting from a lower angle to get more bright sky behind your subject.

When you’ve composed your shot, reduce exposure to make the image darker. Remember, the goal is to have the subject as a dark outline against the brighter background.

To reduce exposure, you can tap the screen where you want to set focus, then swipe down to make the image darker.

On newer iPhones, you can also swipe up on the screen (or press the arrow at the top of the screen) and tap the +/- icon. Then use the slider to adjust exposure.

7. Use Shadows For More Unique Street Photos

Do you want to shoot more unique black and white street photos?

Then try using shadows in your images!

This technique isn’t used by many people. So your photos will definitely stand out!

Shadows add mystery and drama to your image. And they really grab the viewer’s attention.

Now, you won’t get shadows on an overcast day. So you’ll need to shoot when there’s direct sunlight in the scene.

The best time of day to shoot shadows is during golden hour (just after sunrise or just before sunset). When the sun is low on the horizon, you’ll get amazing long shadows.

Just like silhouette photography, you’ll need to reduce exposure to make the shadows dark and dramatic.

Don’t worry about losing detail in the shadows. This can actually create a really powerful image!

When photographing shadows, remember the basic elements that make a great black and white street photo… leading lines, patterns, frames, etc.

The only difference is that you’re capturing the shadows of subjects instead of the subjects themselves.

And of course, this is a great opportunity to include yourself (well, your shadow) in the photo!

8. Clean Up Your Street Photos In Editing

Shooting with the iPhone Noir filter is a great start for your black and white street photos. But you can improve your photos even further in post-processing.

There are plenty of iPhone photo editing apps you can use.

I like to use Lightroom. But the built-in Photos app has a great set of editing tools which are perfect for beginners.

Simple adjustments to brightness, contrast, shadows, and highlights can make a big difference to the final image.

[Drag the slider to compare the original and edited images]

When it comes to black and white photography, increasing the contrast (or adjusting shadows and highlights) is a great place to start. A simple adjustment can add drama to your image and really make it stand out!

Cropping is another simple, yet powerful, way to improve your images.

Why? Because it can be hard to achieve perfect composition at the time of shooting.

Perhaps you shot too wide and want to crop in to make your subject stand out. Or maybe you didn’t notice distracting elements at the edges of the frame.

Perhaps the horizon appears slightly tilted. Or maybe you didn’t get your leading lines starting right in the corners of the frame.

All of these issues can be fixed with the Crop tool.

Remember, the most powerful photos are usually the simplest ones. For stunning minimalist street photos, you’ll need to remove distracting objects from images.

The cleaner the better!

Luckily, there are several apps that make it easy to remove objects (or people) from your photos. Adobe Lightroom and TouchRetouch both have tools for cleaning up your photos.

In the example above, I used the Healing tool in Lightroom to simply brush over the sign and make it disappear!

About The Author
Maksim Kyshtymov is the founder of a design studio specializing in designing websites. His photography journey started in 2009, and he has experience shooting with DSLR and mirrorless cameras. But three years ago, Maksim realized he prefers to shoot with the iPhone due to its portability. He loves the freedom of going for a long walk in a new location with just his iPhone to capture photos. Those are moments of true happiness for him.

The post 8 Tips For Striking Black & White Street Photography With iPhone appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

1. Brave The Rain For Fascinating iPhone Street Photography

Does a rainy day put you off taking photos?

If so, you’re definitely not alone! But rain offers so many amazing opportunities for street photography.

And the best thing? You don’t even have to get wet!

When it rains in the city, I usually find a covered area to shoot from. There are plenty of awnings, bus stops, archways, and doorways to keep you dry.

One of the great things about rain is that people use umbrellas!

The bold shape and colors of umbrellas allow you to create a strong focal point in your image.

And they’re perfect for adding an interesting storytelling element to your iPhone street photos.

So the next time it rains, don’t stay at home. Head into the city for some spectacular rain photography!

2. Get Creative With Your iPhone Rain Photography

If you want to get really creative, try shooting photos through raindrops on a window.

You could sit in a cafe and capture photos as people walk past the window. Or shoot through the glass of a bus stop.

You could even hop on a bus and take photos through the windows as you pass by interesting scenes.

A great way to capture creative window shots is to get your camera lens quite close to the glass.

Compose your shot, then tap the camera screen to set focus on the raindrops in the foreground.

When you do this, the background will appear beautifully blurred. And the image will have a wonderful abstract quality that really draws the viewer in.

As you can see, taking street photos in bad weather adds a whole new level of creativity.

And once you start shooting in the rain, this might become your favorite kind of weather for iPhone street photography!

3. Capture Stunning Puddle Reflection Photos

When the rain stops, you’ll have another opportunity to capture some fascinating street photos.

All you need to do is walk around the city and look for reflections in puddles!

Try to find reflections that include buildings or architecture. These add interest to the reflection and help you create a stronger composition.

You’ll need to crouch down low to get more of the reflection in your frame.

You might get some funny looks, but don’t worry about that. You’re about to capture some really stunning photos!

Flip your iPhone upside down to get the lens really close to the water. Then adjust the camera angle until you’re happy with the composition.

When a person walks by, take multiple photos as they walk through the frame. You can use burst mode to help you capture the subject in the perfect position.

To activate burst mode, drag the shutter button towards the image thumbnail (bottom left if holding the phone vertically). Or if you’re using an older iPhone, just hold down the shutter button.

Your iPhone will take multiple photos until you release the shutter button. You can then choose the best shots from the burst and discard the rest.

4. Add A Creative Twist To Your iPhone Reflection Photos

After you’ve taken your puddle reflection shots, try this simple photo editing trick to make it even more interesting:

Flip your photo upside down so that the reflection appears at the top!

You can do this in any photo editing app, including the built-in Photos app on your iPhone.

Flipping your reflection photos creates a more intriguing image as the viewer tries to work out what’s going on.

It’s simple but very effective!

One last thing to think about is how much of the reflection you include in your photo.

You could compose the shot 50-50 so that half of the image is taken up with reflection. This is great for creating striking symmetrical compositions.

But don’t be afraid to fill most of the frame with the reflection. In the image below, I included just the legs of the man walking by, while the rest of the frame is filled with reflection.

Creating unusual compositions like this is a great way to capture more unique reflection photos.

5. Capture Snowy Scenes For Wonderful Storytelling

Snow is my favorite weather for street photography!

It completely transforms the city, turning familiar places into brand new environments to shoot.

And it’s perfect for capturing interesting stories of people as they fight the winter elements.

So wrap up warm and head into the city with your iPhone to capture some incredible winter photography!

Start by finding a good place to set up your shot.

Instead of always walking around searching for a scene, I like to go to my usual spots or ‘fishing holes.’ These are places that I’ve photographed many times, so composing my shot is easy.

I like to use the architecture of the city to frame my subject or create an interesting backdrop.

Buildings, bridges, and crosswalks make great backgrounds for your snowy street photography.

If you want to capture falling snowflakes in your photos, you’ll need a darker background so that the white snowflakes show up.

Once you’ve found a good location, compose your shot and wait for a person to enter the scene.

Ideally, you want someone who has something visually interesting about them… something that tells a story.

Perhaps they’re holding an umbrella, wearing a hat, or wrapped up in a colorful coat. Maybe they’re working out on the streets to sweep up the snow. Or perhaps their body language tells a story of fighting the elements on a cold winter’s day.

Take a few shots as the person walks past. Or use burst mode to capture a series of photos as they move through the frame.

6. Adjust Exposure For Perfect Snow Photography

When you’re doing snow photography, keep in mind that snow can affect the exposure (brightness) of your photos.

If most of the scene is white, it can trick your camera into under-exposing the shot. This can result in a photo where the snow looks grey instead of white.

But here’s the good news! You can easily adjust your iPhone camera’s exposure.

Simply tap on the camera screen to set focus on your subject, then swipe up to make the image brighter (or down to make it darker).

You can also use exposure to create different moods in your photos.

If you want a bright and airy image, swipe up to increase the exposure. For a dark and moody photo, swipe down to reduce it.

Of course, you can also use photo editing apps to adjust exposure after taking the photo. But it’s always better to get it right in-camera!

7. Shoot In Fog To Add A Sense Of Mystery

Fog offers another great way to capture street photos in bad weather. It’s perfect for moody street photography with an added sense of mystery!

I will literally drop everything I’m doing to capture some mysterious photos in the fog!

Fog adds a grey, murky feel to your images. That might sound unappealing, but the results can be dramatically beautiful.

Your photos will have a dream-like quality to them… which is quite unusual in street photography.

The key to great photography in fog is to have an interesting subject in the foreground.

A lone figure is perfect for fog photography. It adds to the eery atmosphere!

So be patient. And keep your eyes peeled for a person that stands out against the fog.

It also helps to have some kind of architectural element that gradually fades into the fog.

A bridge or road will create a strong leading line in your composition. And as it fades into the distance, you’ll get an amazing sense of depth in the scene.

Compose your shot so that the person in the foreground stands out against the brighter background. You might need to shoot from a low angle to achieve this.

Having a bright background also allows you to capture your subject as a dark silhouette. This is a great way to create dramatic and mysterious street photos.

To create a silhouette, ensure the subject’s outline is clearly defined against the brighter fog.

Tap to set focus on your subject, then swipe down to reduce exposure so the subject appears dark or completely black.

Don’t worry if the silhouette doesn’t look perfect when taking the shot. You can always edit the photo later to increase the contrast, making the silhouette darker and the foggy background brighter.

8. Convert Your Bad-Weather Street Photos To Black & White

There is one downside of doing street photography in rain, snow, and fog. The colors in your photos can end up dull and ‘muddy.’

But here’s an easy solution that will transform your moody-weather photos:

Convert your images to black and white!

A black and white edit accentuates the tones and textures in your image. And it creates wonderfully moody images that convey emotions and stories.

For successful black and white photography, you need a good amount of contrast in your scene. That means you need bright highlights as well as dark shadows.

As you become more familiar with black and white photography, you’ll begin to notice areas of contrast in a scene.

While I shoot in color, I see only the many shades of blacks, whites, and grays.

As you’re walking about the city, try to pick out areas of contrast that might look good in your black and white photos.

Notice bright areas such as the sky, natural sunlight, street lamps, and headlights from passing cars.

Then look for dark areas such as shadows cast on buildings, the darkness inside a tunnel or archway, etc.

You can then choose a location that has both bright and dark areas, knowing that the photo will look great when you convert it to black and white!

Capturing a lone figure against a well-lit background also works well.

Just make sure you adjust the exposure so the subject appears as a dark silhouette against the brighter background.

9. Experiment With Black & White Photo Editing Apps

There are many editing apps for converting your iPhone photos to black and white.

Some of my favorites are Lightroom, Snapseed, and Blackie. But you can also use filters in the built-in Photos app to quickly turn your photo black and white.

Each app brings something different to the final edit. So experiment with different apps and settings until you achieve a look that you like.

For example, you might prefer clean, crisp edits with high contrast levels.

Or perhaps you’ll go for a grainy, grungy look that emulates the look of old film.

There’s no right or wrong. It all comes down to personal preference and what kind of look will suit the photo you’re editing.

And of course, if you prefer to keep your moody-weather photos in color, that’s perfectly okay too!

About the Photographer
Andrew Gimblet is a fine art street photographer from Philadelphia, USA. He loves to venture out in ‘bad’ weather, using his iPhone to capture lone figures against the backdrop of the city. When he’s in the streets, he’s constantly people-watching and looking for ways to use light and shadow to create stunning black and white street photos. You can see more of Andrew’s compelling iPhone photos on Instagram.

The post 9 Tips For Amazing iPhone Street Photos In Bad Weather appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

1. Shoot On A Sunny Day For Impressive Street Photography Shadows

You won’t always see shadows out on the street. They’ll only appear when the light is right.

So what kind of light do you need for capturing shadow pictures?

You need bright sunlight!

You won’t see strong shadows on a cloudy day. This is because the clouds soften and diffuse the sunlight.

So for dark, defined shadows, you need a bright, sunny day.

However, it’s best to avoid shooting during the middle of the day.

When the sun is high in the sky, the light is very harsh. And this intense, bright light can be difficult to shoot in.

The iPhone camera produces much better photos when the light is less harsh.

So when is the perfect time to capture street photography shadows?

The best times are early to mid-morning and late afternoon to early evening.

When the sun is lower in the sky, the quality of the light is much nicer.

You’ll get great shadows – but without the harsh contrast that you get in midday sun.

So whenever you have bright sunlight in the morning or late afternoon, grab your iPhone and hunt out some amazing shadows!

Notice how the shadows of people, bicycles, lampposts, and other urban elements fall onto walls and sidewalks.

Once you start looking for shadows, you’ll see them all around you… as long as you have bright sunlight!

2. Shoot During The Golden Hours For Amazing Long Shadows

The golden hours around sunrise and sunset are fantastic for shadow photography.

Why?

Because when the sun is low in the sky, the angle of light creates magnificent long shadows.

These long shadows add fascinating visual interest to your street photos.

In fact, the shadows are often more interesting than the actual person.

And here’s another great reason to shoot during the golden hours:

Your scene will be bathed in a beautiful warm light.

The combination of golden light and long shadows lets you create spectacular iPhone street photography.

So make sure you go out to shoot around sunrise and sunset.

The results will be breathtaking!

3. Reduce Exposure For Dark & Dramatic Shadow Photography

When you shoot shadow pictures with your iPhone, you want the shadows to appear dark.

Dark shadows add a wonderful sense of drama. And they help you create beautifully moody street photography.

The contrast between dark and light also allows you to create jaw-dropping compositions like the one below.

But when you photograph shadows, the dark scene can trick the camera into brightening up the image.

The camera brightens the exposure in an attempt to capture lots of detail in the shadows.

As a result, you lose the darkness in the shadows. And the brighter areas of the scene can appear over-exposed (too bright).

So how do you ensure your iPhone camera captures dark shadows and correctly-exposed highlights?

You simply adjust exposure in the iPhone Camera app!

Start by locking focus and exposure on a bright area of the scene (preferably where you think a person will walk by).

To do this, tap and hold the screen until you see AE/AF Lock in yellow.

The yellow box with a sun icon indicates the focus/exposure point.

Setting the focus/exposure on a bright part of the scene tells the camera to expose for the highlights. In other words, it ensures the bright areas are correctly exposed with plenty of color and detail.

The shadows should now already appear fairly dark. But you can darken the exposure further by swiping down on the screen.

In most cases, you’ll probably want the shadows quite dark, but with a little bit of detail.

For a more dramatic image, you could reduce the exposure even further to make the shadows pure black.

4. Use Direction Of Light To Control The Position Of Shadows

When you’re shooting street photography shadows, always be aware of the direction of the light.

The position of the sun in relation to you and your subject affects where the shadows appear.

And you can make use of this to capture shadows in different areas of your photo.

Do you want a person’s shadow to loom large in the foreground of your photo?

Then you’ll need the sun behind your subject. And you’ll need to shoot towards the light.

Do you want to capture a person’s shadow on a wall?

Then you’ll need to have the sun behind you with the light shining onto the wall.

When the sun is behind you, be careful that you don’t cast your own shadow into the scene.

You might need to change your shooting angle or position to eliminate your shadow from the photo.

That said, capturing your own shadow on a wall or sidewalk is a great way to shoot an interesting self-portrait!

If the sun shining onto the scene from the left, the subject’s shadow will appear to the right. And vice versa.

As you can see, the direction of the light affects where the shadows appear in the scene.

Once you become aware of this, you can anticipate where the shadows will be when a person walks into the frame.

And you can use this to your advantage to capture eye-catching street photography shadows!

5. Shoot From A High Perspective To Capture Shadows On The Ground

Do you always shoot your photos from ground level?

If so, you’re missing out on some great opportunities for incredible shadow photography!

I love to find a high perspective for capturing street photography shadows.

This technique allows you to place more emphasis on the shadows.

The person becomes less prominent when you shoot from above. But the shadows on the ground form interesting shapes that really catch the eye.

Shooting from above works particularly well around sunrise and sunset. When the sun is low in the sky, the long shadows look spectacular from above.

A high perspective works well when you want to shoot from a distance. The shadows become the main focus, so you don’t need to worry about whether the person has interesting details or features.

When I shoot street photography shadows, I tend to just include a single person in my composition. Having too many people and shadows in the scene can create a confusing image.

However, when you’re shooting from above, a lot of shadows can actually work well.

So next time you’re shooting street photos at golden hour, search for a higher viewpoint.

Try shooting from a bridge or balcony so you can capture those incredible long shadows from above.

6. Use Dark Shadows To Frame Your Subject

Did you know you can create striking compositions by framing your subject with dark shadows?

First, you need to find an area of light that’s surrounded by dark shadows.

Look for bridges, archways, or tall buildings that cast large shadows on the ground or a wall.

Ideally, you want the bright area to have some texture or detail. A brick wall, wooden fencing, peeling paint, or graffiti all work well.

It usually works best if you shoot from the other side of the road. That way, you can get plenty of the shadowed area into your frame.

Compose your shot so you have a slice of light surrounded by dark shadows on two or more sides.

The shadows act as a “frame” which draws your eye to the bright part of the scene.

Explore different angles and perspectives until you find a composition that works.

You could position the bright area in the center of the frame to create a symmetrical composition.

Or use the rule of thirds to position the light towards one side of the frame.

Don’t be afraid to include large areas of shadow in your photo.

These dark, empty areas of negative space will help to draw attention to your subject.

When you’re happy with the composition, tap and hold to lock focus on the bright area.

If necessary, swipe down to darken the exposure.

Now, wait for someone to walk into the illuminated part of the scene.

Look for interesting features that will make your subject more interesting.

A colorful coat or bag will add a pop of color to your image. A hat or briefcase can create a strong shape that stands out.

When you’re ready to shoot, hold down the shutter button to activate burst mode.

Burst mode is great for photographing moving subjects. It allows you to capture a sequence of images as the person moves through the frame.

You can then choose the best shot where the person and their shadow are in the perfect position with an open stride.

7. Use Shadows To Create Mystery In Your iPhone Street Photography

Do you want to shoot more compelling iPhone street photography?

Do you want to take photos that really capture the viewer’s imagination?

An easy way to do this is to create a sense of mystery in your pictures.

Shadow photography is perfect for creating mystery and intrigue.

Dark shadows are mysterious because they obscure detail in the scene.

And in photography, the less you see, the more compelling the image can be.

Mystery helps you tell more interesting stories in your street photography. It makes the viewer stop longer on the image while they try to work out what’s going on.

So how can you use shadows to create mystery in your iPhone street photography?

One technique is to partially obscure your subject within the dark shadows.

For example, you could have their face, or part of their face, hidden within the shadows. Or have most of their body in shadow with just an arm or a leg in the light.

Experiment with having the person in different positions within the shadows.

For example, they could be emerging from the shadows or just about to walk into the darkness.

You could also try capturing just the shadow of a person. Or just the legs or feet of a person along with their shadow.

This is a great technique if you’re new to street photography.

It can be daunting to point your camera at someone’s face. But it’s less intrusive to shoot down at the ground to capture just their shadow.

Remember, less is often more in photography. And mystery helps you tell more intriguing stories.

So make use of shadows to create more compelling and mysterious street photos.

8. Combine Silhouettes & Shadows For Wonderfully Moody Street Photography

Dark shadows are perfect for creating moody, mysterious street photos.

But you can make your shadow pictures even more dramatic by including a silhouette.

The combination of shadow and silhouette can be incredibly powerful.

So how do you capture both silhouettes and shadows in your iPhone street photography?

First, you need to find the right kind of light.

A bright sunrise or sunset is perfect.

But you can create a silhouette whenever you have a bright light or background behind the subject.

So you could shoot towards the light with the sun behind your subject.

Or you could use a wall, road, or sidewalk that’s brightly illuminated by the sun.

Tap and hold the iPhone screen to lock focus and exposure on the brightest area of the scene.

Then swipe down to reduce the exposure. You want the shadows to appear very dark to ensure your subject appears as a silhouette.

When combining shadows and silhouettes, experiment with different compositions.

For example, you could create a symmetrical composition with the person’s shadow in the foreground.

Or you could use shadows to frame your silhouetted subject as they pass through a bright area of the scene.

Tunnels, archways, and beneath bridges are great places to create shadowed frames around a silhouetted subject.

You can even create shadow and silhouette photos indoors by shooting towards a window.

As long as you have a bright background, you can get really creative with your silhouette and shadow photography!

9. Edit Your Photos To Enhance The Shadows

Have you taken a shadow picture and been disappointed with the results?

Even if you’ve followed the tips in this tutorial, your shadow photos might lack impact.

Perhaps the shadows don’t look dark enough. Maybe the image lacks contrast or the colors don’t pop.

But don’t worry! You can easily fix these problems using a photo editing app.

The free Snapseed app is perfect for enhancing your shadow pictures.

Open your photo in Snapseed. Tap Tools, then select Tune Image.

Next, swipe up or down on the screen to access the adjustment tools.

To adjust the brightness of your shadows, select Shadows.

Then swipe left over your photo to darken the shadows. Or swipe right to brighten them.

To adjust the bright areas of your photo, swipe up or down and select Highlights.

Then swipe left or right to make the highlights darker or brighter.

Do you want to make the colors more vibrant?

Swipe up or down and select Saturation. Then swipe right to make the colors more saturated.

Experiment with the other adjustments if you wish. Then tap the checkmark at the bottom right.

Snapseed also lets you create black and white photos.

Shadow and silhouette photos work particularly well in black and white.

So, if you want to create black and white street photography, go to Tools > Black & White.

Then select a black and white filter from the bottom of the screen.

When you convert an image to black and white, it can look a bit “flat” to start with. Black and white photos usually look better if you increase the contrast – darkening shadows and brightening highlights.

To adjust the contrast, swipe up or down and select Contrast. Swipe right to increase the contrast.

Tap the checkmark when you’re happy with your black and white edit.

You could also use the Tune Image tool to make further adjustments to the shadows, highlights, etc.

Save your edited photo by going to Export > Save A Copy.

Taking a few minutes to edit your shadow pictures can make a big difference to the final image.

Editing can turn an ordinary photo into a stunning masterpiece.

So don’t forget this final step!

About The Author
Lucy Hamidzadeh is a photographer and writer from south east London. She has a deep affection for unpredictable weather and the hustle and bustle of city life. Lucy has just published her first book, Unfinished Stories, with the publishing company Trope. It contains an extensive collection of photographs that capture the daily lives of people: on the streets, in trains, and at cafés. Her images capture people going through their day, often without much thought or notice, but captured in an indelible way by Lucy’s eye and camera. Their “unfinished stories” are the inspiration for her first solo book of words and pictures, making for a lasting glimpse at the fleeting moments she encounters on the streets of London.

The post 9 Tips For Capturing Incredible Shadows In Your iPhone Street Photography appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

1. Capture Window Reflections For Unique Multi-Layered Images

For more creative street photography, you have to shoot from interesting perspectives.

Ask yourself: “How can I present this ordinary street scene in a different or unique way?”

One very effective way to do this is to capture the street in a window reflection.

But to make your photo even more interesting, you’ll want to have a person behind the glass as well.

Combine these two elements will create an intriguing multi-layered image.

The reflections of the street will blend into the person you’re photographing. The image will captivate the viewer as they try to work out what’s going on in the photo.

To create these reflection photos, simply find a cafe or bar with people sat in the windows.

Stationary buses and trains are also great places for window reflection photography.

When you’ve found a suitable window with a person behind it, look at the reflections in the glass.

What do you see in those reflections?

Buildings? Vehicles? People walking by?

At night, you’ll even see reflections of street lights and neon signs.

All these reflected elements will add incredible visual interest to your photos.

And when the reflection blends into the person behind the glass, you can create a really unique image.

If you’re shooting straight on at the window, you’ll even see your own reflection in the glass. This can add an extra layer and another point of interest to your photo.

Don’t be afraid to get up close to the window. Try to capture the facial expressions of the people behind the glass.

Capturing emotions helps you tell more compelling stories through your street photography.

If you don’t want the person to notice you, you’ll need to take the shot quickly and move on.

But it’s not always a bad thing if the person sees you taking their photo.

If they notice you, they’ll often look directly into the lens of your iPhone. And this can create a very powerful street photo.

You might find this daunting at first – especially if you’re new to street photography.

To improve your confidence, just believe that you have the right to capture what interests you.

There’s no need to be sneaky when photographing strangers. In fact, trying to go unnoticed can make you nervous. And this will actually draw more attention to yourself.

So walk up to that window. And start shooting stunning reflection photos with your iPhone!

2. Shoot A Street Scene Through Raindrops On Glass

Do you want to know another creative way to use windows in your street photography?

Shoot through raindrops on glass!

The water droplets will distort the scene, creating an abstract quality to your image.

Shooting through raindrops adds an extra foreground layer to an image. And this helps to create more visual interest in your photo.

Rain also adds context and story to your photo. It gives the viewer more information about what you were experiencing.

During or after the rain, look out for windows covered in raindrops.

You could shoot from the outside to capture a person in a cafe, shop, or vehicle.

Or you could shoot from inside. For example, you could sit inside a cafe and photograph the street through the window.

You could also take photos from inside a vehicle when you’re stopped in traffic. You could even shoot through raindrops at a glass bus stop.

Do you want the raindrops in sharp focus and the background blurred?

If so, start by holding your iPhone a few inches from the glass.

Now, you need to get the camera to focus on the raindrops.

The iPhone camera lets you set focus by tapping on the screen. But because the raindrops are small, it can be tricky to tap on a single droplet to get it in focus.

So here’s the key to getting perfectly focused raindrops:

Zoom in by pinching outwards on the screen. As you zoom in, the magnification number at the bottom of the viewfinder will increase.

Don’t worry that the image quality looks bad. You won’t actually be taking the photo zoomed in like this!

Now that the raindrops appear bigger, it’s much easier to set focus on a single droplet.

Tap and hold to lock focus on one of the raindrops. You’ll see AE/AF Lock at the top of the screen when the focus is locked.

When the droplet is in focus, zoom back out by pinching inwards.

Ensure you zoom out to either 1x or 2x magnification. If you zoom to any other number, the image quality will be reduced.

If necessary, adjust exposure (brightness) by swiping up or down on the screen.

When you’re ready, press the shutter button to take your shot.

Your photo should have perfectly focused raindrops. And the street in the background will appear blurred.

Of course, you could also try focusing on the street and having the raindrops blurred.

Or you could shoot from further away to ensure everything is sharply focused.

As you can see, rainy weather is great for iPhone street photography.

So next time it rains, get out on the streets and shoot some amazing water droplet photos!

3. Blur Your Photo For Wonderfully Creative Street Photography

Normally, we strive to shoot perfectly sharp photos.

We want our subjects to be in sharp focus. And we want to capture every detail in the scene.

But for the most creative photography, you often need to break the rules!

One of my favorite shooting techniques is to create intentionally blurry photos.

Why?

Because blur can make something very ordinary look extraordinary. And it helps to spark curiosity in the viewer.

Blur works particularly well for street photography. The distortion emphasizes the movement and anonymity of your subjects.

So, how do you create beautifully blurred street photography with your iPhone?

First, I’d recommend creating blur at the time of shooting – rather than using an app to blur your photo in post-processing.

I think the results always look better if you create the blur while taking the photo.

One simple technique for creating blur is to use intentional camera movement.

Rather than trying to keep your camera perfectly still, move your iPhone as you take the shot.

Try moving it horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. You could even rotate it on its axis.

Intentional camera movement works better in low light as the camera uses a slower shutter speed. The longer exposure time means you’ll be able to capture more blur in your image.

Keep experimenting until you achieve an effect that you like. Your aim is to create a blurred and distorted image that conveys a sense of movement.

When you take your shot, use burst mode to capture a sequence of images as you move the camera.

To activate burst mode, simply hold down the shutter button while you shoot. You can then choose the best shots from the burst and discard the rest.

Another interesting technique is to defocus the camera before you take the picture.

This throws everything out of focus, creating a wonderful sense of mystery in your photos.

To create this effect, you’ll need to use a third-party iPhone camera app with a manual focus feature. VSCO, Manual, and Camera+ 2 all allow you to shoot with manual focus.

Whichever app you use, drag the manual focus slider until everything appears blurred.

The effect is different from the blur you get with intentional camera movement. But it’s equally as effective!

Blur photography is beautiful. It’s rebellious. And it allows for more creativity when you’re shooting.

So try it out for yourself. You’ll be amazed at the results!

4. Shoot In Harsh Light To Capture Spectacular Shadows

Most people avoid taking photos in harsh light.

But bright sunlight is fantastic for shooting more creative street photography.

Why?

Because harsh light creates dramatic shadows.

And shadows allow you to shoot moody and mysterious street photos.

Creating a sense of mystery is key to telling compelling stories in your iPhone street photography.

So when you’re walking the streets on a sunny day, look for areas with interesting light and shadow play.

Find a wall or sidewalk that’s partly lit and partly in shadow.

You can use the contrast between light and shade to create intriguing compositions.

Frame your shot to include both the light and shadow in the frame.

Then tap and hold the screen to lock focus on the bright area. If necessary, swipe down to darken the shadows further.

Now, wait for a person to enter the scene. Then hold down the shutter button to capture a burst of images as they walk by.

You could photograph a person walking from darkness into the light. Or capture them as they disappear into the shadows.

You could obscure most of their body or face in the shadows. Or have them fully illuminated while surrounded by the shadows.

Remember that you can darken shadows further using an editing app such as Snapseed.

And high-contrast images with shadows often look great when converted to black and white.

5. Capture Silhouettes For Jaw-Dropping iPhone Street Photography

Silhouettes are dramatic.

They allow you to isolate the subject. And they grab the viewer’s attention.

They’re also wonderfully mysterious. The lack of color and detail allows the viewer to create their own narrative about the subject.

So how do you create magnificent silhouette street photography?

It’s actually very easy!

First, you need a bright background.

If the sun is setting behind your subject, you can shoot towards the light.

But in most urban locations, you won’t be able to see the sunset like this. And what if you’re shooting in the middle of the day?

Here are some easy ways to find a bright background for urban silhouette photography:

Look for a wall that’s illuminated by the sun. Then just wait for someone to walk between you and the wall.

If you’re shooting indoors, shoot towards a window. Your subject will be silhouetted against the bright background.

You can even create silhouette photos at night. Just find an illuminated storefront or billboard, and shoot towards the light.

Once you’ve found a bright background, compose your shot. Then tap and hold on a bright area to lock focus and exposure on that part of the scene.

Next, swipe down to darken the exposure. You want the shadows to appear really dark.

Now, all you need to do is wait for someone to walk into the frame. Shoot using burst mode to ensure you have lots of shots to choose from.

Silhouettes usually look better when you can see the side profile of the subject’s face.

You also want to be able to see the subject’s limbs. So try to catch a moment when the subject is in full stride.

Once you’ve taken a silhouette photo, you can usually improve it in post-processing.

For example, you could use an app like Snapseed to darken the shadows or increase contrast.

Silhouette photos also look great black and white. The contrast between the dark subject and bright background really lends itself to this style of editing.

6. Explore Different Shooting Angles & Perspectives

Most people shoot straight on at the subject from the height of a standing adult. But this can result in very ordinary images.

For more creative photography, you need to explore different shooting angles.

Before you take a photo, ask yourself: “Is there a more interesting or unique perspective that I could shoot from?”

Maybe you could take the picture from a higher perspective.

Try standing on a bridge or shooting from an upstairs window or balcony.

Perhaps you could shoot from a lower angle.

Try crouching down. Or hold your iPhone at hip level and point it upwards.

Think about which angle you’d like to photograph the person from.

If you’re new to street photography, shooting from behind is a great option.

It allows you to remain discreet as the person won’t see you taking their photo.

Shooting from behind also shows the viewer what your subject was looking at.

And obscuring the subject’s face is an easy way to create a sense of mystery in your street photography.

Once you become more confident, try shooting a side-on view of the subject.

Next, you could photograph the subject from the front to capture their facial expressions.

Don’t be afraid to approach people and ask if you can shoot their portrait. Often, they’ll be happy to let you take their photo, especially if you offer to send it to them.

Talk to them as you take a few shots. Engaging with them ensures they don’t become too guarded as they pose for your photo.

When you’re really confident, try getting up close to the subject for a headshot photo.

A great place for close-up portraits is on the subway.

It’s easy to get this kind of shot when you’re in close proximity to other passengers.

Close-up street photos don’t always have to include the subject’s face though.

How about getting a close-up shot of a person’s hands?

Or compose your picture to capture just the legs of your subject.

Don’t be afraid to exclude parts of a subject or scene from your photo. When it comes to street photography storytelling, what you don’t see can be just as important as what you do see.

Perspective in photography is an important skill to master. So make sure you start exploring more unique angles to shoot from.

Your photos will become more compelling, simply because you found a more interesting perspective.

7. Use Reflections For More Creative Street Photography Compositions

Reflections are a great way to create extraordinary compositions from an ordinary scene.

You’ve already learned about capturing multi-layered images in window reflections.

But how else can you use reflections for more creative street photography?

A really powerful technique is to use reflections to create striking symmetrical compositions.

Find a vertical reflective surface, such as a shop window or a building with a reflective facade.

Now, hold your iPhone against the surface. Compose the shot so that approximately half of the frame is filled with the street and the other half with the reflection.

You can use the camera’s gridlines to help you get the line of symmetry perfectly central. (To switch on the grid, go to Settings > Camera > Grid).

You could also experiment with placing the line of symmetry slightly off-center, as I did in the photo below.

Shiny floors inside buildings are another great place to capture reflections.

Look for areas where you have a lot of window light illuminating the floor. Then frame your shot to capture the people and their reflections.

You can even use cars to create amazing reflection street photography.

As you’re walking down the street, notice how the surrounding buildings are reflected in parked cars.

In the photo below, I captured the reflection of the colorful doors in a car roof.

At night, you can create magnificent reflection photos using cars.

Look for neon signs and illuminated billboards. Then notice how the light is reflected in nearby cars.

The shape of the car will create wonderfully distorted reflection photos with an abstract quality.

8. Shoot Through Foreground Objects For More Interesting Street Photography

Creating a composition with multiple layers will make your street photos more interesting.

And one of the easiest ways to add an extra layer is to shoot through something in the foreground.

Read on to discover some great street photography tips for shooting through foreground objects.

An easy way to get started is to use a piece of architecture to frame your subject.

For example, you could find an archway and then wait for someone to walk or cycle through it.

A framing element serves several purposes in your composition.

It’s great for drawing the viewer’s eye towards the subject within the frame. And having something in the foreground adds a sense of depth to the photo.

Framing elements also add context to your image. They give the viewer a bit more information about the location.

When you spot a good “frame” in the urban environment, compose your shot to include the frame and the scene beyond it.

Next, set focus and exposure. That way, you’ll be ready to take the shot as soon as someone enters the scene.

Try to set focus on the area where you think the person will appear, e.g. on the sidewalk.

Lock the focus by tapping and holding for a couple of seconds until you see AE/AF Lock. Then swipe up or down to adjust exposure if you wish.

Locking focus allows you to take lots of photos of the scene without having to set focus and exposure for each new shot.

Once you start looking, you’ll spot interesting framing elements all around you.

And you can use them to create eye-catching compositions where your subject appears within the frame.

Another way to use foreground objects is to shoot through something that distorts or blurs the subject behind it.

In the example below, I shot through a steamed-up window of a train.

This creates a gorgeous natural filter that blurs the detail of the subject’s face.

Shooting through rippled glass is another way to create amazing distortion in your photos.

Keep your eyes peeled for anything in the foreground that you could shoot through.

It could be a framing object. Or it could be something that blurs or distorts your photo.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. That’s how you’ll produce the most creative street photography!

About The Author
Brendan Ó Sé is a multi-award winning mobile photographer from Cork, Ireland. He teaches mobile photography workshops. And his images have been exhibited across the globe. Brendan uses his iPhone camera to see and create in unusual ways. And this results in some unique imagery and striking street photography. Check out Brendan’s Instagram to discover more of his fascinating street photos.

The post 8 Easy Ways To Shoot More Creative Street Photography On iPhone appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

1. Obscure The Subject’s Face To Create Mysterious Characters

Street photography is all about photographing people.

But that doesn’t mean you have to show their faces in your photos.

In fact, obscuring a person’s face is one of the easiest ways to create mystery in your street photos.

And it’s what I do in most of my pictures.

When you hide the subject’s face, they become a mysterious character.

And this is perfect for creating intriguing stories in your iPhone street photography.

Mystery creates the strongest sense of story.

So it’s always a good idea to leave something to the viewer’s imagination.

If you exclude the person’s face, the viewer will create their own story about the photo.

They’ll start to ask questions…

Who is that person? What do they look like? What are they feeling?

The viewer might even imagine that it’s them or someone they know in the photo.

So how do you obscure a person’s face when you’re taking photos on the street?

Here’s a really simple trick:

Shoot from behind your subject.

Or find a high perspective and shoot down from above.

You could also look for a person whose face is obscured by another object.

Perhaps they’re wearing a hat or holding an umbrella that hides their face.

Maybe they’re holding up a newspaper or standing behind a street sign.

Or perhaps their face is obscured by another person in the scene.

One of my favorite techniques is to capture the subject’s face in shadow or as a dark silhouette.

(You’ll learn more about shadows and silhouettes shortly!)

Obscuring the subject’s face encourages the viewer to engage with the photo on a deeper level.

So go ahead and try it out for yourself.

If you hide the subject’s face, your iPhone street photography will become more moody and mysterious.

And that’s exactly what you want!

2. Capture Dark Shadows For Moody & Mysterious Street Photography

If you want to capture moody and mysterious street photography with your iPhone…

…include shadows in your composition.

Dark shadows create wonderfully moody images.

And they’re fantastic for adding a sense of drama and mystery to your street photography.

So how do you find great shadows in the city?

First, you have to find the right kind of light.

An overcast day is no good because the light is soft and even. You need direct sunlight for dramatic shadows.

Early morning and late afternoon are the perfect times for capturing street photography shadows.

When the sun is low in the sky, it casts amazing long shadows. And you can use these long shadows to create intriguing images.

Look for areas in the city where you have bright shafts of light and dark shadows.

Then compose your shot to include both light and shade in the frame.

You can use shadows to obscure your subject’s face.

Or capture just the shadow of a person for a fascinating composition.

Now, here’s an important tip for shadow photography:

Before you take the shot, adjust the camera’s exposure to ensure the shadows appear dark and dramatic.

Fortunately, this is easy to do in the iPhone Camera app.

First, tap on a bright part of the scene to expose for the highlights. This ensures the bright areas retain color and detail – rather than being over-exposed.

You can now darken the image further by swiping down on the screen.

If you can’t get the shadows dark enough while shooting, don’t worry. You can always darken them further in post-processing.

But your aim should always be to capture dark and mysterious shadows.

That’s the key to shooting moody photography with an amazing sense of mystery!

3. Create Dark Silhouettes For A Dramatic Sense Of Mystery

For the most dramatic sense of mystery, you should capture silhouettes.

Silhouette photos are incredibly powerful.

The black outline of the subject creates a strong focal point in your image.

But more importantly, the lack of detail creates amazing mystery.

So how do you capture jaw-dropping silhouette photos in your street photography?

It all starts with breaking the first rule of photography – which is to never shoot into the light.

To create a silhouette, you have to shoot towards the light!

The golden hours around sunrise and sunset are perfect for silhouette photography.

When the sun is low in the sky, it’s easy to get the light behind your subject.

When you’ve framed your shot, tap to set focus, then swipe down to darken the exposure.

You want your subject to appear very dark or completely black against the brighter background.

When shooting silhouettes, you only see the outline of your subject. So the position of the subject is very important.

A side profile of a person makes an amazing silhouette because it reveals the shape of their face.

If your subject is wearing a hat, you can also capture interesting silhouettes by shooting from in front or behind.

If the subject is walking, try to capture them in full stride so that their limbs are clearly defined.

If you follow these tips, you’ll be able to capture stunning silhouettes with your iPhone!

4. Use Creative Blur To Distort The Detail In Your Photos

Here’s another tip for creating mysterious street photography on iPhone:

Use blur in your photos.

Normally, we strive for clear and sharp, blur-free shots.

So why would you want to create blurry pictures?

Here’s the reason:

Blur distorts the detail in your photos. And this is perfect for creating a sense of mystery and intrigue.

If the blur is caused by movement, it also adds a wonderful sense of motion to your images.

So how do you create blur in your photos?

One technique is to use an editing app to add blur in post-processing.

But for the most natural blur, I recommend capturing blur at the time of shooting.

You can capture motion blur by using a slow shutter speed when taking the photo.

Slow shutter speeds enable the camera to capture movement as motion blur.

Anything that’s moving will appear blurred, while stationary objects remain sharp.

You can use a dedicated long exposure app, such as Slow Shutter Cam. Or you can use an iPhone camera app like ProCamera which lets you change the shutter speed.

Whichever app you use, select a slow shutter speed. Then simply press the shutter when a person walks past.

You won’t always get good results on the first shot. You might need to experiment with different shutter speeds until you find one that works.

The trick is to take lots of photos until you capture something interesting.

You can also create blur using intentional camera movement.

So rather than capturing blur from the movement of your subject, you create blur by moving the camera.

When you use blur intentionally, you open up a whole new world of creativity.

So for more unique street photography with magnificent mystery, try creating blur in your images!

5. Capture Reflections For Mesmerizing iPhone Street Photography

Reflections offer another great way to create unique iPhone street photography.

Reflections create mirroring and distortion that can confuse the viewer.

Confusion can be a good thing in photography. It makes you stop and look at the image while you try to work out what’s going on.

So where can you find reflections in the city?

They’re actually all around you… in glass, in mirrors, in metallic objects, and in water. Even a small puddle offers the potential for an incredible reflection photo.

Reflective materials do interesting things with the light. So this kind of photography is great for when the light isn’t perfect.

For example, if you’re shooting at noon when the light is too bright to capture good pictures, try taking reflection photos instead.

Here’s a fun technique for capturing interesting reflections in your street photography:

Find a store or cafe window. But don’t just look through the window at what’s behind it.

Take a second to look at the reflection in the glass. The street behind you will appear in the reflection.

Now, try to capture an interesting composition. Include a subject behind the window as well as the reflection in the glass.

The resulting image will have multiple layers. And it’s these layers that create the mystery and intrigue needed for amazing photos.

So don’t forget to look out for reflections as you’re walking the streets.

Once you start looking, you’ll see them everywhere. Then all you have to do is capture an interesting composition!

6. Experiment With Different Shooting Angles & Perspectives

Most people shoot straight ahead from the height of a standing adult.

But for more unique photos, try to show the world from a perspective that we don’t normally see.

This is a great way to shoot more mysterious street photography. It creates something a little bit different. And that’s what grabs the viewer’s attention.

The easiest way to experiment with perspective is to shoot from a low angle. Get down low and point your camera up.

The scene above you will appear imposing as it looms over you.

Next, try to find a high vantage point and shoot down onto your subjects.

Shooting from high up can help to obscure the faces of your subjects.

Try shooting down onto the street from a bridge or a tall building.

Or pay to go on one of those double-decker sight-seeing buses. I do this whenever I go to a new city. You can’t get that high perspective right on the street from anywhere else!

Here’s another way to use perspective to create mystery:

Shoot through a window with raindrops.

The water droplets distort the scene behind the glass. They also add an extra layer of visual interest in the foreground.

Try sitting in a cafe on a rainy day. Get a seat by a window and capture photos as people walk past.

You could also shoot through the glass at a bus stop when it’s raining.

Finally, look for interesting elements in the foreground to frame your subject.

The more unusual the object, the more intriguing your photo will be.

Switching up your shooting angle allows you to create more unique street photography.

And the fun part is that you’ll never quite know what you’ll get until you try it!

7. Compose Your Shots To Leave Out Certain Elements

Choosing what to include and what to leave out of your compositions is the key to great street photography.

If you want to create a sense of mystery, you have to compose your photos carefully.

You have to include enough information to create a story.

But you also have to choose what to leave out.

Excluding certain elements from your photo adds to the sense of mystery.

It allows the viewer to fill in the missing elements using their imagination.

Imagine you’re photographing a person looking at something across the street. If you compose your photo to include what they’re looking at, you’ve revealed the whole story.

But if you compose your shot to leave out what they’re looking at, the photo will be more mysterious. And this allows the viewer to create their own story about what caught the subject’s eye.

When composing your street photos, try to be more deliberate. Don’t just point and shoot. Take a few moments to look at the scene.

Start by deciding which elements you want to include.

As well as having a person in your shot, you want the viewer to see the context in which the subject appears.

You might need to step back a bit to include some more of the surroundings.

Now, it’s time to take your composition skills a bit further.

Could your image be more interesting if you exclude certain elements from the frame?

How could you create a sense of mystery? How could you create a more intriguing story?

You might need to get closer to remove certain elements from your photo. Or perhaps you need to change your shooting angle.

Maybe you could capture just the shadow or reflection of a person, rather than the actual person.

Leaving out certain elements from your photo might not come naturally at first. But try to resist the temptation to include everything in your shot.

Practice choosing what to include and then what to exclude from your composition.

Once you master it, your iPhone street photography will dramatically improve!

8. Edit In Black & White To Create Beautifully Moody Photos

Knowing how to take mysterious photos is just the first step to creative street photography.

Of course, you have to follow the above street photography tips to capture mystery in your pictures.

But for me, creating mood is usually done in post-processing.

When I’m shooting, I’m concentrating on the light and the interesting moments I see. I’m not thinking too much about whether the photo looks “moody.”

It’s only afterwards, using photo editing apps, that I create the final dark and moody image.

So how do you edit your photos to make them moodier?

You convert them to black and white!

It’s true that some of my photos are edited in color.

But I only do this if there’s a strong sense of color in the original shot – such as the red hat in the photo below.

In most cases, I prefer black and white street photography.

As well as creating wonderful mood, black and white cuts out “visual noise.”

When you remove the color from a photo, it takes away the distractions. It allows the viewer to focus more on the subject matter and story.

There are many apps for converting photos to black and white. But I usually use Snapseed.

There are a couple of ways to remove color in Snapseed. You can go to Tools > Tune Image. Swipe up or down and select Saturation, then swipe left until the color is completely removed.

Another option is to use the black and white filters in Snapseed. Go to Tools > Black & White, then choose a filter style from the bottom of the screen.

You can tweak the filter settings by swiping up or down. Fine-tune the Brightness, Contrast, and Grain to achieve your desired result.

I love to add grain to my black and white photos. It’s great for creating moody images that look like they were shot on film. For me, the perfect level of grain in Snapseed is 68!

Once you’ve converted to black and white, you can make further edits to enhance the mood of your photo.

For example, you could bring down the brightness to create a dark and moody image. Or darken the shadows and brighten the highlights to add more contrast.

I sometimes use the vignette tool to darken the edges.

This is great for creating dark and moody photos. And it helps to draw attention to the brighter part of the scene.

Of course, everyone has their own unique editing style. So play around with a few editing apps until you find what works for you.

Remember, great photography is a combination of shooting and editing.

So shoot to capture interesting moments with a sense of mystery and intrigue. Then edit to enhance the mood.

The post 8 Tips For Moody & Mysterious Street Photography On iPhone appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

1. How To Create Pictures That Tell Stories

Most people struggle with the idea of capturing an interesting story in a single photo. After all, how do you tell a story with just a moment frozen in time?

Here’s the key to storytelling through photography:

You don’t need to tell the complete story!

In fact, creating a sense of mystery is the best way to capture the viewer’s imagination.

You want to make people ask questions about what’s going on in your photo.

Who is that person? What are they doing? Why are they there? Are they a couple? Why are they dressed like that? What are they thinking? What are they looking at?

Your photos don’t have to reveal what was actually happening in reality. Instead, you need to capture just enough interest or emotion to grab the viewer’s attention.

As the photographer, you don’t actually tell the story. You capture a moment that speaks to you. The viewer then projects their own story onto what they see.

Keep in mind that not every viewer will see the same story.

Their interpretation of the photo will depend on their past experiences and memories. Even their current emotional state will affect how they interpret the story.

With this in mind, storytelling through photography isn’t actually that difficult.

Taking pictures that tell stories is simply a matter of capturing a moment that interests you. The rest of the storytelling process is out of your control.

Ultimately, it’s the viewer who creates the story. And that story is based on their emotional connection with the characters in your photo.

So how do you start photographing interesting moments in the lives of strangers?

Read on to discover how to create powerful street photography storytelling images.

2. Look For Interesting Characters For Your iPhone Street Photography

When you’re out on the street, you’re surrounded by people. But how do you choose who to photograph?

Who will make an interesting subject? Who will add an intriguing storytelling element to your photo?

Start by looking for an interesting character.

Does the outward appearance of a particular person stand out to you? If so, they’re likely to make a good subject.

Maybe their clothing or hairstyle catches your attention.

Perhaps they’re wearing a mask or carrying a placard with a political message.

Maybe you’re intrigued by a person’s facial expression or body language.

Anything that’s slightly unusual or “off” is likely to make a captivating photo.

Busy locations are the perfect place to find interesting people to photograph. The bigger the crowd, the more opportunity you have to find unique characters.

My favorite place to shoot street photography is in the subway. You see an incredible diversity of people in terms of age, economic class, ethnic background, etc.

But wherever you choose to shoot in the city, you’re sure to find interesting people to photograph.

And that’s the first step to fascinating street photography storytelling!

3. Capture Emotion For Powerful Street Photography Storytelling

One of the easiest ways to tell a story in a photo is to capture some kind of emotion.

Emotional photography allows the viewer to create a strong connection with your image. And that’s really important for street photography storytelling.

You want your photo to resonate with the viewer. You want them to empathize or identify with the subject.

Above all, you want the viewer to feel some kind of emotion when they look at your photo.

It’s also important that you feel some kind of emotional connection with your subject. Then you can create a story from that.

Look for facial expressions that convey some kind of emotion.

Capture positive emotions such as happiness, love, excitement, and laughter.

But don’t be afraid to look for negative emotions too.

Sadness, anger, fear, or disappointment often create emotional and gripping stories.

Even a look of boredom on the subject’s face can make a captivating image.

Get close to the subject so that you can capture their facial expressions.

Sitting on the subway is a great way to capture the emotions of people sitting opposite you. During your journey, you might be able to capture many different emotions in a single subject.

You’ll find a lot of heightened emotion at festivals, events, political rallies, and protests. Emotions can range from joy and excitement to horror and disgust.

Remember, you’re capturing your own perception of the subject’s emotions. You don’t need to capture the true emotions that the person is actually feeling.

And the viewer might project a different emotion onto the subject.

But this is part of the joy of street photography storytelling!

A single image can be open to many different interpretations.

Your job is to capture something interesting. So focus closely on your subjects. And be open to all the emotions happening around you.

This is the key to shooting compelling street photography with iPhone!

4. Photograph Interactions Between People

Another way to tell interesting stories is to capture the interactions between people.

When people are interacting or communicating, it can be easier to find a story in the image. The story is already there – you just need to capture it.

Interactions between people often display strong emotions. And that will help with your street photography storytelling.

I find interactions between couples really intriguing.

Look for couples displaying affection towards each other. Maybe they’re holding hands, hugging, laughing, or sharing an in-joke.

But also photograph couples who don’t look so happy together.

Perhaps they’re looking in opposite directions. Or maybe they look bored in each other’s company.

All of these interactions can tell fascinating stories and evoke strong emotions. The viewer can probably identify with the subjects based on past or current experience.

Interactions between friends can be interesting too.

You could also look out for parents and children interacting.

Interactions between different types of people often portray powerful stories. For example, you could look for communication between young and old or rich and poor.

Airports and train stations are great places to capture emotional interactions. Look for people arriving or departing. And capture the stories as people say goodbye or greet each other.

Try to capture people’s gestures as they interact. A hug or a touch of the hand is a great way to tell a story and show emotion.

Photograph the unscripted, candid moments between people. And that will take your street photography storytelling to a whole new level.

Remember, don’t just photograph people. Photograph the stories that are unfolding in front of you!

5. Photograph A Solitary Person

Interactions between people make it easy to tell compelling street photography stories.

But a solitary person also makes a great subject.

Taking a good street photography portrait of a single person can be more challenging.

You have to work harder to create a story. And it’s often difficult to isolate a single person when you’re in a busy city.

But the following iPhone street photography tips will help you capture interesting stories of lone people.

First, focus on the outward appearance of your subject. What draws you to them? What’s unusual about them?

Next, focus on the emotion of your subject. Study their facial expressions. Watch their gestures and body language.

People on their own often appear deep in thought. And that’s perfect for street photography storytelling.

Why? Because the photo will be open to many different interpretations.

Each viewer will come up with a unique story about what the subject might be thinking.

Finally, try to include some context that helps create a story.

Compose your shot to include some of the surroundings. This will give the viewer a clue about where that subject is and what they might be doing.

Maybe they’re sitting on a park bench, waiting on a street corner, or standing at a bus stop in the rain.

You could also focus on the person’s actions.

For example, they could be looking at their mobile phone, reading a book, or listening to music.

With these iPhone street photography tips, you can tell interesting stories with just a single person.

6. Look For The Unusual Or Unexpected

You’ve learned that street photography storytelling starts with an interesting character. And then you need to capture some kind of emotion.

But the most intriguing stories will also have some kind of twist or tension.

So how do you create this in a still image?

You look for something unusual or unexpected!

Anything that’s slightly “off” about the scene is a great starting point for a story.

Ask yourself whether there’s anything odd or surreal about the scene.

Maybe someone is doing something that you don’t see very often.

Or perhaps a person looks out of place in that location.

Humor is also a great way to add a twist to a story.

When capturing humor in your photos, try to approach the story with empathy.

It’s not a good idea to take photos just to make fun of someone.

Once you start looking, you’ll find all sorts of unexpected and unusual scenes in front of you.

And these will add an extra storytelling layer to your street photography.

7. Capture Interesting Interactions Between People & Their Environment

With street photography, you become very focused on the subject. But that means you can forget to check the surroundings.

Incorporating background elements can help you to tell more intriguing stories.

It also allows you to create more pleasing and eye-catching compositions.

So what exactly should you look for?

First of all, you can use something as simple as color.

Color can create visual cohesion or tension in an image.

In the photo above, the yellow banana skin matches the color of the taxi in the background.

This creates a relationship between these two elements. Your eye travels from one yellow object to the other.

Posters and billboards offer another way to create a relationship between a subject and their surroundings.

In the photo above, the young man in the poster contrasts with the older woman in the doorway.

Trains are a great place to find posters with interesting slogans.

Include the poster behind your subject to add an extra storytelling element to your photo.

The slogan might be construed as a message that you’re trying to convey. And it can often add an element of humor to your photo.

People standing by statues can sometimes make for interesting pictures too.

In the photo below, the statue appears to be looking over the woman’s shoulder at her phone.

Sometimes you can plan your shot by finding a good background and waiting for a person to enter the scene.

But other times you’ll need to act quickly before the moment is gone.

In the photo below, the man and dog are both peering out from behind something. And that’s what makes the image so entertaining.

This moment only lasted for a second or two, so I had to shoot quickly.

Capturing interesting background elements as well as an intriguing subject can be challenging.

But when you manage it, your photos will tell even more compelling stories!

8. Create A Sense Of Mystery For The Most Intriguing Stories

The most captivating photos are often the most ambiguous or mysterious.

So try to leave something to the viewer’s imagination. It’s the perfect way to get them to engage with your photo.

You want the viewer to ask questions about your picture. You want to them to be curious about what’s going on.

And you want your photo to be open to different interpretations.

So don’t always go for the obvious shot. You don’t have to reveal everything that’s happening in reality.

Instead, compose your photo to create a sense of mystery or curiosity.

Read on to discover some simple ways to create mystery in your iPhone street photography.

One of the easiest techniques is to obscure the face of your subject.

Not showing their face adds a mysterious element to the photo.

Who is that person? What do they look like? Who’s under the mask? Why did the photographer choose to hide their face?

You can obscure the subject’s face in several ways. The easiest method is to shoot from behind so you only capture the back of the subject.

Another technique is to use an object in the foreground to hide the person’s face.

Sometimes, their face might be obscured by something they’re wearing or holding.

For example, they might be wearing a mask, a hat, or a veil that hides their face.

Perhaps they’re holding an umbrella over their head.

Or maybe their face is hidden by a book, a bunch of flowers, or some other object that they’re holding.

You could also try capturing the subject’s face in dark shadow. (You can always darken the shadows further using a photo editing app).

Street photography shadows are a great way to add a sense of mystery and drama to your pictures.

In fact, you can even photograph just the shadow of your subject against a wall or sidewalk.

For dark, dramatic shadows, shoot in harsh sunlight. And for long shadows, shoot during the golden hours of sunrise and sunset.

Reflections are another way to create a sense of mystery.

You can capture fantastic urban reflection photos in glass, water, or other shiny surfaces.

Another way to create curiosity is to photograph someone looking at something… but don’t actually show what they’re seeing.

This makes you wonder: What’s the person looking at? What’s caught their attention?

Remember, the viewer will project their own thoughts and feelings onto your photo. And they’ll create their own story about what’s going on.

The more ambiguous and mysterious the photo, the more thought-provoking it will be.

9. Anticipate What’s Happening Around You… And Be Ready To Shoot

Street photography is all about capturing fleeting moments and emotions.

If you miss the shot, that moment is gone forever!

So always be fully aware of what’s going on around you.

Anticipate what’s about to happen. Be in the moment. And make sure you’re ready to shoot.

I always have my iPhone Camera app open when I’m walking the streets or riding the subway.

I use the iPhone’s volume buttons to take pictures (rather than the on-screen shutter button). So I always keep my finger on the volume button.

That way, I’m ready to press the shutter whenever I see a moment I want to capture.

Sometimes, you’ll have a little bit of time to set up your shot.

For example, if you find a good location and then decide to wait for someone to walk through the frame.

In these cases, it’s a good idea to set focus and exposure in advance.

Lock the focus point by tapping and holding the screen for a couple of seconds (until you see AE/AF Lock). Then swipe up or down to adjust the exposure (brightness).

If the action is happening very quickly, you won’t have time to do this. But it’s better to take the shot, rather than to miss it while you’re playing around with camera settings.

If you have time, you can also compose your shot in advance. Then you’ll be ready to take an eye-catching photo as soon as a person enters the scene.

When you’re thinking about composition, be aware of what’s around your subject. Then decide what to include and what to exclude to help you tell the story.

Experiment with different angles and perspectives. And try shooting at different distances from the subject.

Keep an eye on what’s happening around you.

Is someone going to walk into your shot and ruin the photo? Is someone even more interesting about to enter the scene?

Do you need to change your shooting angle to eliminate unwanted objects?

Maybe you need to get closer to remove distractions. Or perhaps shooting from a lower angle will isolate the subject from a distracting background.

Finally, if the action is unpredictable or happening very quickly, use burst mode.

Burst mode is an iPhone camera feature that lets you take a series of shots in quick succession.

To activate burst mode, simply hold down the shutter button. The camera will keep taking photos until you release the shutter.

Afterward, you can select the best shots from the burst and delete the rest.

Street photography can be very fast-paced. You have to capture those moments quickly before they’re gone.

At first, this can be daunting. But if you shoot regularly, you’ll soon become aware of everything going on around you.

And this will help you shoot fascinating street photos that tell wonderful stories.

10. Be Discreet To Ensure You Capture Unguarded Moments & Emotions

The iPhone is the perfect camera for capturing unguarded moments and emotions.

Your phone is so discreet that your subjects won’t realize you’re taking their photo.

Even if someone notices you holding your iPhone, they probably won’t think you’re taking a picture.

And that’s really important.

Because to capture true emotion, your subject shouldn’t know you’re taking their photo.

If they realize they’re being photographed, they’ll become more guarded.

And then you won’t be able to capture the authentic emotion that tells a powerful story.

Obviously, if you hold your iPhone out in front of you and take a picture, you’ll probably get noticed.

But here are some tricks for remaining discreet when doing street photography with iPhone.

First of all, it’s much easier to remain discreet in crowded locations.

Nobody will notice you taking photos because you’ll blend in amongst the mass of people.

Always mute the volume on your phone. You don’t want the loud camera shutter sound going off every time you take a photo. That will really give you away!

Don’t tap the shutter button on the screen to take a photo. Instead, use the volume buttons on the side of your phone (or on your Apple headphones). This makes it less obvious that you’re taking a photo.

Don’t make eye contact with the subject. That’s a surefire way to draw attention to yourself!

Try “shooting from the hip.” This involves holding your iPhone at hip level and taking the photo without looking at the screen.

Of course, you can look down briefly to check the framing. But with practice, you’ll know which angle to shoot from even though you can’t see the screen.

If you need to shoot with the iPhone held up higher, here are a few tricks you can use:

Pretend you’re taking a selfie. Hold the iPhone up in front of your face and smile as if you’re taking your own picture. (But really, you’re photographing the person in front of you.)

You could also pretend you’re looking at directions or making a phone call.

Anything that makes it look like you’re not taking a photo will work!

For powerful street photography storytelling, you need to capture unguarded moments and emotions.

And the only way you can do that is to be discreet when taking pictures.

If you go unnoticed, you’ll be able to shoot wonderfully thought-provoking street photography.

You can find more of my street photography on Instagram @shelserkin.

The post 10 Tips For Powerful Storytelling Through Your iPhone Street Photography appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

1. Shoot In Black & White To Envisage The Final Image

Many people shoot in color and then convert to black and white in post-processing.

But I recommend shooting in black and white.

Why?

Because it allows you to see the scene in black and white before you even take the picture.

It helps you visualize whether a scene will work as a black and white photo.

There are many third-party camera apps that let you shoot in black and white.

But I always use the built-in iPhone Camera app. With this app, you can use an in-camera black and white filter while you’re shooting.

This technique lets you view and capture the scene in black and white.

To shoot black and white photos with the Camera app, tap the Filters icon (three circles) at the top right. Swipe across the filters at the bottom of the screen and select Mono.

Now everything in the viewfinder will be black and white.

You can hide the filters by tapping the Filter icon at the top right of the screen. (To return to shooting in color, select the Original filter.)

The great thing about the Camera app filters is that you can remove them after you’ve taken the shot.

So, if you decide the image would look better in color, you can simply remove the black and white filter.

You can also use the color version of the image in editing – converting it to black and white yourself using an editing app. (More on editing later!)

This will give you more control over the final look of your black and white photo.

If you want to convert a photo back to full color, open the image in the Photos app. Then tap Edit at the top right.

Tap the Filters icon (three circles) at the bottom of the screen. Swipe across the filters beneath the image and select Original. Tap Done to save the changes.

2. Seek Out Contrast For Incredible Black & White Urban Photography

Not all photos look good in black and white.

So what makes a great black and white image?

First, you need plenty of contrast.

In other words, you want to find an urban scene that has both bright and dark areas.

The contrast between dark and light is what makes a black and white photo so powerful.

For incredible black and white city photography, seek out dark shadows and beams of bright light.

Where can you find this kind of light and contrast in a city?

Tall buildings are perfect for casting large shadows on roads and sidewalks. Look out for areas of bright light surrounded by dark shadows.

Alleyways, underground staircases, and tunnels are also perfect locations. Position yourself in the darkness, facing towards the light.

Remember, you can always increase the contrast in post-processing – making the shadows darker and the highlights brighter.

3. Shoot In Harsh Light For Amazing Contrast & Shadows

One of the best ways to capture high-contrast black and white pictures is to shoot in harsh light.

This means taking photos in bright sunlight.

A cloudy day isn’t good as the clouds will diffuse and soften the light. This means you won’t get those hard shadows that work so well in black and white photography.

For the sharpest contrast, shoot in the middle of the day when the sun is high in the sky.

Look out for bright beams of light and dark shadows. Then use this contrast to create a striking black and white photo.

The dark shadows can act as a frame around the brighter area, drawing the eye to the illuminated part of the scene.

Another great time to shoot is in the late afternoon (around 5pm).

When the sun is very low in sky, it casts amazing long shadows.

And you can use these shadows to create intriguing and mysterious street photography.

When the light is behind your subject, you can also capture dramatic silhouettes.

A dark silhouetted figure against a bright background is an amazing way to create contrast in an image.

And just like shadows, silhouettes add an air of mystery to your photos.

4. Look For Lines, Patterns, And Shapes

Other elements that work well in black and white photography include lines, patterns, and geometric shapes.

These add a graphic quality to your image. And they create natural contrast without the need for light and shade.

Urban environments are perfect for finding lines, shapes, and patterns.

Crosswalks offer a great opportunity for creating striking black and white photos.

Try getting up high and shooting down on them. Fill the entire frame with the crosswalk for maximum impact.

Or shoot from the sidewalk and use the crosswalk as a leading line – drawing the eye from the foreground into the distance.

Windows on buildings and trains provide bold shapes that look great in black and white pictures.

If you include a person in the shot, the window will act as a frame. This helps to draw the viewer’s eye towards the person in the window.

Repetitive patterns are a great way to create an abstract quality in your black and white photos.

And the city is the perfect place to find patterns. Once you look closely at architecture and other urban design elements, you’ll notice repetitive patterns all around you.

Train your eye to notice lines, shapes, and patterns… and your black and white urban photography will instantly improve.

5. Use Street Lights For Black And White Night Urban Photography

Cities provide fantastic opportunities for shooting at night.

The contrast between bright street lights and dark shadows is perfect for black and white photography.

The key to great black and white night photography is to seek out some kind of light source.

In urban locations, you’ll find street lights, neon signs, and illuminated storefronts.

All of these light sources will create contrast with the darker surroundings.

When shooting in low light, you need to watch out for exposure problems.

The dark conditions can trick the camera into making the scene brighter. The image will be over-exposed, making everything appear too bright.

If this happens, simply tap on the screen to set focus, then swipe down to reduce exposure and darken the image.

iPhone night photography might sound challenging if you haven’t done it before.

But if you look for contrast between light and shade, you’ll be able to create incredible night photos in the city.

6. Include A Person In Your Black & White Urban Photography

For truly captivating black and white city photography, you need to convey some kind of emotion.

And the best way to do that is to include people in your pictures.

Adding a human element helps you tell more compelling stories in your iPhone street photography.

People make your photos more intriguing. They encourage the viewer to ask questions about the image.

“Who is that person?” “What are they doing?” “What are they thinking?”

Including a person in the photo is a great way to break the pattern of an otherwise static scene.

A person also adds a sense of scale to the image. It gives the viewer a sense of the size of the surroundings.

A great trick is to shoot from a distance so that the person appears tiny compared to the buildings towering above them.

When you’re out shooting street photos, keep your eyes peeled for interesting looking people.

I love to photograph people wearing hats or trench coats. They create bold shapes that are perfect for black and white photos.

People with umbrellas make great subjects too. The shape of the umbrella will add a strong focal point to your image.

I also like to photograph people on bikes, especially when they cast a long shadow on the ground.

If you’re worried about photographing strangers in the street, start by shooting from afar.

Or photograph a person from behind so that they don’t notice you.

The iPhone is the perfect camera for street photography because it’s so discreet.

People won’t even realize you’re taking a photo. And this means you can capture natural poses and expressions as people go about their business.

7. Compose Your Street Photography Shot In Advance

To shoot the most compelling black and white street photography, you need to be patient.

Once you’ve found the perfect location with great light and contrast, don’t just take a shot and move on.

You might need to wait a while for the perfect moment when a single person walks through the scene.

And when that moment arrives, you need to be ready to take the shot.

That’s why it’s important to compose your photo in advance.

Take a few minutes to explore different angles and shooting perspectives.

Would a low angle work well? Or would it be better to find a high vantage point and shoot down on the scene?

Think about how you can isolate a person from the background. For example, you could ensure the person will be positioned against a bright part of the scene.

Are there any leading lines that you could use to draw the viewer’s eye into the image? If so, compose your shot so the lines lead from foreground to background.

Can you find any symmetry in the chaos of the busy city? If so, take a few moments to line up your composition for a perfectly symmetrical image.

Once you’re happy with the composition of your photo, you can set focus and exposure.

Setting focus and exposure in advance means you’ll be ready to press the shutter as soon as a person walks into the scene.

It’s a good idea to lock the focus and exposure using the AE/AF Lock camera feature. That way, you can take multiple shots with the same focus and exposure settings.

How do you lock focus and exposure in the Camera app?

Simply tap and hold until you see AE/AF Lock at the top of the screen. Just make sure you tap to set focus at the point where you think a person will walk through. A yellow box with a sun indicates the focus point.

You can now adjust exposure (brightness) by swiping up or down on the screen.

To create high contrast black and white photos, I often swipe up to brighten the exposure. This is because I want the highlights (bright areas) to blow out.

This means that the brighter areas will appear completely white – which looks amazing in high-contrast black and white urban photography.

When you’re editing your photo, you can then darken the shadows to make them black or very dark.

8. Use Burst Mode To Capture The Perfect Moment

When you’ve composed your photo and someone enters the scene, you only have a few moments to take the shot.

So, how do you ensure you capture the person in the perfect position? How do you capture the perfect pose or stride?

The answer:

Use burst mode.

Burst mode is an iPhone camera feature that lets you take a series of photos in quick succession.

You can then select the best photos from the burst and discard the rest.

To activate burst mode, simply hold down the shutter button in the Camera app.

The camera will keep taking photos until you release your finger.

To select the images you want to keep, open the Photos app. Open the burst that you captured (the image thumbnail will appear as a stack of images). Then tap Select at the bottom of the screen.

Scroll across and select the images you want to keep. Tap Done, then choose to Keep Only Favorites.

The photos you selected will appear as individual images in your photo library. The rest of the burst photos will be deleted.

Burst mode is perfect for photographing moving subjects.

So don’t forget to use it to increase your chances of capturing the perfect moment.

9. Boost The Contrast When Editing In Black & White

One of the biggest mistakes people make with black and white photography is not adding enough contrast when editing.

Even if you shot the photo in black and white, you’ll still need to edit it to create an eye-catching final image.

If you don’t add enough contrast in editing, the photo will look flat and lifeless.

Below is a simple editing workflow for converting a photo to black and white in post-processing.

We’ll be converting this color image…

… into the high-contrast black and white photo below.

In this example, we’ll use the fantastic free Snapseed app. But you can use a different photo editing app if you prefer.

Open your image in Snapseed. Tap Tools, then select Tune Image.

Swipe up or down on the screen to access the list of adjustments.

If your photo is in color, you’ll need to convert it to black and white. Select Saturation, then swipe left to set the value to -100. This removes all of the color from your picture.

At this point, your black and white photo probably won’t look great. This is because it lacks contrast between the dark and bright areas.

So the next step is to boost contrast – making the highlights brighter and the shadows darker.

Swipe up or down to access the list of adjustments. Then select Contrast. Swipe right to increase the contrast.

Notice how the highlights become much brighter and the shadows become much darker.

Most people are afraid of adding too much contrast, preferring to keep some detail in the shadows and highlights.

But for striking black and white urban photography, high-contrast is exactly what you want.

Don’t be afraid to make the shadows pure black and the highlights pure white.

If you want to make the shadows even darker, swipe up or down and select Shadows. Then take the shadows down to pure black.

To brighten the highlights even more, swipe up or down and select Highlights. Then increase the brightness so the highlights become pure white.

When you’re happy with your edit, tap the checkmark at the bottom right.

Of course, you can tweak your image further using other editing tools within the app. But the workflow above is all you need to get started with creating high-contrast black and white edits.

To save your Snapseed edit, tap Export > Save A Copy.

The post 9 Tips For Striking Black And White Urban Photography On iPhone appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

1. Shoot During The Golden Hours For The Best iPhone Street Light

Great photography starts with great light.

So, to get great black and white street photography…

…you need to find some light that really blows people away.

You see, light can make or break a black and white photo.

If your shot has poor light, it just won’t work.

But if your shot has good light?

Then it can be amazing.

Notice how the light created a long shadow in the photo below. If the light had been different, I wouldn’t have captured such a powerful shot.

What counts as good light?

When it comes to black and white street photography, I recommend you only shoot during early morning and late afternoon.

(These are known as the golden hours.)

During these times, the sun is low on the horizon. The light is soft and pleasant.

But, most importantly, you get great shadows and silhouettes.

These are fantastic for creating dramatic and mysterious street photography.

So, here’s the bottom line:

Shoot during the golden hours. That’s when you’ll get the most stunning photos.

2. Use The Rule Of Thirds For Perfect Black And White Street Photography Compositions

How do you create gorgeous black and white compositions?

That is, how do you decide how to arrange the main elements in your photos?

Mastering composition might seem tough.

Fortunately, there are a few simple tricks you can use–tips that will immediately take your compositional abilities to the next level.

Here’s the first of the street photography composition tips:

Use the rule of thirds.

Now, the rule of thirds is quite simple. It states:

Find the main elements in your composition. And place these elements a third of the way into the frame.

Here’s a neat trick:

Your iPhone has a built-in rule of thirds grid to help you get your subject in the perfect position.

Notice how the person in the photo above falls along the right gridline. That’s because I followed the rule of thirds when composing my photo. I placed the person a third of the way into the frame.

To turn on the grid, simply open the Settings app, select Camera, then switch the Grid option to On.

And voila! Your iPhone camera screen will display a grid.

This is super useful for composing your street photography shots. I’d recommend you keep the grid on all the time.

That way, when you’re out shooting, you can reference the grid. And you can line it up with the main elements of your photos!

If you have a horizon in your photo, place it along the top or bottom gridline.

If you have a person in your photo, place them at the intersection of two gridlines.

But the rule of thirds isn’t the only compositional trick out there. Read on to find out another…

3. Look For Shapes, Lines, And Patterns For Eye-Catching Compositions

Here’s another composition tip for incredible black and white street photography:

When you’re out shooting, look for shapes. Look for lines. And look for patterns.

These elements all look stunning in black and white photos. They make a bold statement that really catch the viewer’s eye.

Let’s take these elements one at a time:

First, you should look for obvious shapes. For instance, arches create clear ovals.

And windows are powerful squares–or sometimes even circles.

Second, you should look for lines.

Just look for poles, railings, and the edges of buildings. These will all make for great compositional elements.

Shadows also create amazing lines. I can’t emphasize this enough: Take advantage of shadows.

Use them whenever you can to create mesmerizing street photography shadows.

Try composing your shot so that the lines lead from the foreground to the background.

This creates amazing depth, drawing the viewer’s eye into the photo.

Finally, look for patterns.

Now, patterns exist everywhere in the city. You just have to look carefully.

There are huge walls full of windows.

There are blocks with identical doors.

And you’ll often find interesting patterns in paving on the ground.

Once you’ve found a pattern, compose your photo to emphasize it.

Try filling the entire frame with the pattern. This will have an incredibly strong visual impact.

Using graphical urban design elements, such as shapes, lines, and patterns will blow the viewer away.

4. Add A Single Person To Complete The Shot

When I do street photography, I almost always include one person.

Why?

Because a person acts as a focal point. A person gives the viewer something to focus on in the photo.

However, it’s important that you don’t have too many people in your photo. One person is perfect.

Because too many people will be distracting. The viewer won’t know where to look.

Here’s what you should do:

Start by finding a beautiful background.

The best backgrounds have lines, shapes, and patterns. Notice the geometry in the background below:

Then simply wait for a person to walk into the frame.

You might have to wait a bit for the perfect moment. But be patient. Someone will walk through eventually.

Now, here’s the key thing to remember:

You want to make sure the person is standing in the best place possible.

Use the rule of thirds for this. Place the person at the intersection of two gridlines. Or place them along one of the gridlines.

Notice how the person in the photo below stands along the left gridline.

If you can include a person in your shot, you’ll get the absolute best image possible.

People add so much to a street image.

It’s exactly what you want.

5. Find A High Vantage Point For The Most Unique Photos

If you want truly unique black and white photography, then you’re going to need to change things up a bit.

You’re going to need to capture black and white pictures that nobody else has thought of–which is a tall order.

But here’s a great way of taking unique photos:

Find a high vantage point.

And then shoot downward.

A high vantage point could be a bridge, a cliff, or a window. Just find a place that lets you look out at the scene in an unusual way.

Look at the photo above. Without my high vantage point, this shot would be boring.

But, by finding a high vantage point, I took an extremely unusual photo.

High vantage points work best when the shadows are long and heavy.

So you should definitely wait until the golden hours before trying this.

Remember, a high vantage point really can take your images to the next level.

6. Shoot In Black And White To Master The Medium

If you want to master black and white street photography…

…then I recommend you shoot in black and white.

That is, your iPhone screen should show the image in black and white (rather than color).

I shoot in black and white all the time.

Because shooting black and white helps you see the world without color.

You’ll start to notice what contrasts with what. And you’ll notice how you can take incredible photos in black and white.

Here’s the good news: Your iPhone has a handy filter that lets you photograph in black and white.

Simply tap the filter icon (three overlapping circles) in the built-in Camera app.

Then scroll to the three black and white filters, and choose whichever is to your liking.

Now, you’ll be able to take black and white photos–in real time.

After taking the shot, you can always remove the filter and convert the photo back to a color image if you like.

But shooting in black and white will really give you a head-start.

7. Return To The Same Place Repeatedly For The Best Shots

Powerful street photography is all about good light.

But the light actually changes…

…on a day-to-day basis.

So, when you find a location you like, don’t just shoot it once and then leave.

Instead, think about how the location might change over time.

What would the location look like under an evening sun? What would the location look like in the winter or in the rain?

If you return to the same location, over and over again, you’ll start to notice unique photogenic qualities about that location.

You’ll become intimately familiar with it.

And you’ll take unbelievable photos over and over again.

The post 7 Tips For Stunning Black And White Street Photography On iPhone appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

1. Shoot Into The Light To Capture A Gorgeous Silhouette Picture

In silhouette photography, proper lighting is essential.

So if you want to create stunning silhouettes, you have to choose your lighting carefully.

What light is best for black and white silhouettes?

There’s a simple answer: backlight.

Backlight is the type of light you get when you shoot toward the sun. That is, your subject should be between you and the light source.

In the photo below, the light is clearly coming from the sky behind the subject.

In ideal situations, the light source (generally the sun) is directly behind your subject. However, it’s okay if the light source exists slightly off to one side. Just make sure that your subject is lit primarily from behind.

You also need to make sure that your photo is sufficiently dark.

(After all, silhouettes require dramatically dark subjects.)

You can do this pretty easily. When you’re about to take a photo, first tap on the iPhone screen. You’ll see a yellow box (as pictured below). Then swipe downwards. This will darken the photo. And it will create a gorgeous silhouette.

But why is backlight so good for a black and white iPhone silhouette?

First, backlight renders the main subject completely dark. It results in a bright background–but a very dark subject. This is what you want in a silhouette, as explained above.

Second, backlight creates a lot of contrast between the subject and the background.

(Notice the dark subject against the bright background.)

Contrast is great for black and white photos. It makes them dramatic. In fact, when it comes to black and white, more contrast is almost always better.

To recap: If you want gorgeous black and white silhouettes, shoot toward the light.

Your pictures will be much more striking.

2. Shoot In Late Afternoon For The Best Light

Do you want to create jaw-dropping silhouettes?

Then you should pay attention to the light–and make sure you shoot in the late afternoon.

Late afternoon light is great for silhouettes. This is because the sun is low in the sky. And this makes it far easier to shoot into the sun.

Plus, late afternoon light is rich and golden. It can even add a halo to your backlit subjects.

But late afternoon light is also great for black and white photography. Because late afternoon light creates long, dramatic shadows.

Look at the dramatic shadow in the photo below. I could never have achieved this shot without late afternoon lighting.

And you can use these shadows in your black and white photography. You can use them to create interest or to lead the eye around the frame.

For instance, try focusing on just the shadow of your subject. If you do this during midday, your subject will have hardly any shadow at all. You won’t get a good shot.

But if you do this in late afternoon…

…your subject will have a long, dark shadow.

And this will really draw the eye!

So shoot in the late afternoon. Your pictures will quickly improve.

3. Use A Human Figure As A Focal Point For Amazing Silhouette Pictures

Now that you know how to create a striking silhouette, you need to choose a silhouette subject.

That is, you need to choose the element of your photo that the viewer should focus on. You need a focal point.

What makes a great black and white silhouette subject?

A great subject is easy to recognize. And a great subject catches the eye.

That’s why I recommend that you use people as your main subject.

People offer very clear outlines–which makes for easily discernible silhouettes.

Plus, people are abundant. You can walk around town and find lots of people to shoot.

Here’s a trick: When you’re shooting people, make sure that you capture them walking alone. A single person is much more compelling than a group.

Why is this?

Groups of people make for messy silhouette photos–because the people tend to overlap in a chaotic way.

Whereas individual people draw the eye. They offer the viewer something to focus on, which is exactly what you want to do in your photography.

Here’s another trick: Shoot people wearing interesting hats. Hats create unique silhouettes. And these silhouettes are far more eye-catching than those of a normal person.

Note the interesting silhouette in the photo below. Would it be quite so powerful if the subject weren’t wearing a hat?

Remember: Shoot people as your black and white silhouette subjects.

They make for powerful focal points.

4. Look For Streaks Of Light For The Most Original Black And White Pictures

If you want to create silhouette photos that rise above the rest, then here’s a great trick:

Look for streaks of light.

And then incorporate them into your photos.

Let me explain: When the sun is setting, it drops down low. This means that it often shines through objects–for instance, tree trunks and buildings.

You’ve probably seen this effect while out walking in the evening: a single beam of sunlight falling between two trees.

Or maybe you’ve seen a single streak of sunlight resting on the wall of a building.

Now, when you’re out looking for silhouette subjects, actively look for these streaks of light.

As soon as you find one, stop. Carefully compose your image so as to include the streak of light.

Next, tap on the streak of light. Swipe down so as to darken the image.

Note where I’ve tapped in the image below: On the brightest part of the shot. Then I’ve swiped down to darken the entire photo.

You want the whole photo to be black–except for that streak of light.

Then wait for a person to walk through. And take their photo.

It’s important to note: A photo like this isn’t technically backlit. You’re not shooting into the sun.

However, you are shooting toward the light–the bright streak of light resting on a wall.

And it can make for truly striking silhouette compositions!

5. Look For Shapes To Create Stunning Black And White Compositions

Composition is all about shapes.

When you compose an image, you’re simply arranging shapes. Ideally, you try to arrange them in a pleasing way.

That’s what a gorgeous composition is: A pleasing arrangement of shapes.

This is especially true in black and white photography. After all, there are no colors to distract the viewer.

So if you want to do the most gorgeous black and white silhouette photography, you need to think in terms of shapes.

How do you do this?

Start by observing the world around you. Look for obvious shapes. Windows and doors are some of the easiest shapes to find, as they’re obvious rectangles.

But then try to go deeper. Look at the shadows. What shape are they? Are they triangles? Squares? Lines?

Once you’ve noticed the shapes around you, it’s time to arrange them in your composition.

Here’s what I recommend:

Only include a few shapes in your images. Too many shapes cause chaos.

Instead, one or two shapes should be just fine. Try to make one of the shapes the focal point of the photo. You can do this by making sure there are no surrounding distractions.

Look at the shapes in the photo below. Do you see the geometry? And can you see how simple the photo is? You only need a few shapes to take a great photo!

Hopefully, you’re starting to understand how to see in shapes.

But even if you’re not, don’t get discouraged. Because I have a tip that will really help you to see in shapes.

And it will help you compose better photos…

6. Shoot In Black And White For The Best Compositions

If you want to create unbelievable black and white photos, then you need to see in terms of shapes.

And if you’re struggling to see shapes, then you should try photographing in black and white.

That is, you should set the screen of your iPhone camera to display in black and white.

This will strip all color from the scene. It will allow you to focus on the fundamental components of the image: shapes!

How do you set your iPhone to display the screen in black and white?

You have a couple of good options.

First, you could use a dedicated black and white camera app such as Blackie. This allows you to take photos in black and white. That way, you can compose with the black and white composition in mind.

Second, you could simply use the built-in camera app.

Here’s how:

Go to your iPhone camera. Then tap on the filter icon (the three overlapping circles). This gives you access to all the built-in camera filters.

Finally, scroll to the end of the filter selection. Here you’ll find several black and white filters. Which filter you choose isn’t important.

Once you’ve selected a filter, the camera screen will display in black and white.

(Note: You’ll need to select the filter again each time you want to start a black and white photo outing.)

Once you start shooting in black and white, your ability to see in shapes will take off. And your photos will immediately improve.

7. Include Layers In Your Photos For Striking Black And White Photography

I have one more composition tip for you. When used correctly, it results in really stunning black and white silhouette images.

Here it is:

Include layers in your photos.

What do I mean by this? Simply that you should look for individual layers in a single scene. And try to compose with multiple layers.

For instance, I love to include at least two layers in a scene. I might have a background layer (for instance, the boat in the photo below).

And then I’d have a foreground layer with a silhouetted person.

However, you have to be careful. It’s not always easy to isolate layers–and you want to make sure that none of them overlap with one another. The individual layers must remain separate.

Here’s the bottom line: Layers are extremely compelling.

So include them in your black and white silhouettes for more powerful photos.

You won’t regret it.

8. Edit To Enhance Your Black And White Silhouette Photography

Do you want to create the best photos you possibly can?

Then there’s one last step you need to follow:

You need to edit your photos.

Fortunately, you don’t have to do much editing to make your black and white silhouettes pop.

And the editing you do need to focus on is quite easy! To do this, use an editing app such as Snapseed.

First, open your photo in Snapseed. You can do this by pressing Open, and selecting your photo.

Next, tap Tools, then Tune Image.

Swipe up to access the Adjustment menu.

If you’ve shot in color, scroll down to Saturation, and swipe left until the image is completely desaturated. This will remove the color from your image (and turn it black and white).

Then tap the checkmark to save the edit.

The next step is to raise the contrast. Silhouettes require a lot of contrast!

So swipe up to access the Adjustment menu. Scroll down to Contrast, and swipe right. This will add some drama and punch to your photo.

Finally, I like to add a bit of a vignette to my silhouette photos.

(A vignette is a dark circle around the edges of the frame.)

You can do this using Snapseed’s Vignette tool.

Tap on Tools, then scroll down until you find Vignette. Select this option.

Now you can experiment with different vignetting effects. You can make the vignette larger (for a more dramatic effect), or smaller (for a more subtle effect).

No matter what you choose, the vignette will help create drama in your images.

And the careful editing will enhance them!

To conclude: Don’t forget to edit your photos.

Because a little editing can make a big difference.

The post 8 Tips For Stunning Black And White Silhouette Photography On iPhone appeared first on iPhone Photography School.

1. Choose The Perfect Background For Brilliant Street Photography

Do you want to take amazing street photographs? The first step is to find the perfect background.

In street photography, a great background is essential. A great background provides an exciting setting for your photo. It also helps the subject stand out.

What does the perfect street photography background look like?

The perfect street photography background is straightforward and uncluttered. It prevents the viewer from becoming confused or distracted.

Therefore, find a location with a simple background. You want to isolate your main subject. You want them to stand out. In the photo below, the person is framed by an uncluttered backdrop. Nothing distracts. Nothing takes away from the subject.

Also, consider how date and time affect the background. For instance, early mornings before rush hour are often ideal. Empty streets make for great backgrounds.

Therefore, if you’re looking to do amazing mobile street photography, start by finding a great background. It’s a quick way of ensuring your street photos become far stronger.

2. Photograph Strangers For More Compelling iPhone Street Photography

The best street photography has a compelling subject. What are the most compelling subjects?

In street photography, the most compelling subjects are strangers.

Strangers act naturally. Their actions tell stories. While you can use models for street photography, I don’t recommend it. Compelling street photography storytelling requires openness and diversity.

Plus, compelling street photography is all about capturing unique moments. You want to photograph people going about their daily lives.

Therefore, you need to photograph strangers.

However, photographing strangers can be tough for a beginner. It often causes anxiety. After all, you’re taking pictures of people you’ve never met. What if they get angry?

Fortunately, your iPhone is the perfect tool for unobtrusive street photos. The iPhone is small and barely noticeable. Plus, you can always pretend you’re using the iPhone for something else—when you’re actually snapping photos!

Here’s another street photography tip: You can take photos with the volume buttons on your iPhone! Just press the Volume Up or Volume Down button while on the camera screen. Your iPhone will snap a picture!

Here’s an even better tip for discreet photos: You can take pictures using the volume controls on your Apple headphones. Make sure your headphones are plugged in. Then press the Volume Up or Volume Down button. Your iPhone will immediately take a shot.

Both of these techniques are fantastic for getting great street shots without people noticing.

Another technique is to blend in with your surroundings.

Don’t stand in the middle of the road with your iPhone held out. Instead, stand against walls or sit on benches.

If you want to nab incredible street photographs, you have to photograph strangers. Your iPhone is the perfect tool for this task. It will allow you to photograph unobtrusively. You’ll blend right in, and nobody will notice that you’re taking amazing photos.

Thus, from now on, photograph strangers.

3. Use Burst Mode For Fantastic Shots Of Moving Subjects

Do you want to photograph moving subjects? A lot of the best mobile street photography is of people moving: walking, running, or skateboarding.

However, capturing shots of moving subjects can be difficult.

For one thing, it’s easy to capture a moving subject in a bad pose—when they’re overlapping with another person, for instance.

How do you deal with these issues?

You use burst mode.

Burst mode is an iPhone camera feature that allows you to take about a dozen frames per second. Therefore, burst mode ensures that you capture the perfect moment.

How do you activate burst mode?

It’s simple! To activate burst mode, hold down the shutter button. Your iPhone will immediately take a series of shots. Once the moment has passed, let go of the shutter button. Your iPhone will stop taking photos.

You can then choose the best photos from the sequence. To do this, find your Burst of photos in the Photos app. Tap Select. Then scroll through and find the images you like. When you’re finished, tap Done. Your selected images will be saved. The rest will be deleted.

If you want to capture incredible photos of moving subjects, use burst mode. Your keeper rate will shoot right up!

4. Use The Telephoto Lens To Get Close To Your Subject

In iPhone street photography, it’s often tough to fill the entire frame with your subject. If you want those in-your-face shots, you have to get close—sometimes uncomfortably close.

Is there a way around this?

If you have the iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XS, or iPhone XS Max, then yes!

All of these iPhones have a telephoto lens in addition to the standard wide-angle lens. A telephoto lens magnifies the subject. It allows you to get more powerful, full-frame images of strangers.

How do you switch to the telephoto lens?

Fortunately, it’s quite easy. All you have to do is tap the 1x icon at the bottom of the camera screen. This will immediately activate the telephoto lens. The 1x icon will switch to 2x.

When you’re done using the telephoto lens, tap the 2x icon. This will reactivate the wide-angle lens.

Therefore, if you want to get those compelling, in-your-face shots, use your telephoto lens! You won’t regret it.

5. Photograph Architecture For Unique Urban Street Photography

Street photography isn’t all about photographing people. If you want to shoot more unique urban street photography, then photograph architecture!

Towns and cities are full of great architecture. Yet how do you photograph it?

First, find an interesting building. Try capturing it from the outside. You might also focus on part of the building to create a more abstract shot.

Then photograph the building from the inside. Try out different angles to create unique compositions or symmetry. For the shot below, I pointed my iPhone straight up. This resulted in a very unique image.

If you want more unique street photos, then try photographing architecture! It’s a lot of fun, and this type of urban street photography will really expand your portfolio.

6. Look Down For A Creative Street Photo

Do you want to create a street photo that stuns the viewer? Do you want to capture an image that is beautifully disorienting? Then make sure you look down!

What do I mean by this? I mean that you should pay attention to what’s beneath you. Look down at the ground!

The ground offers all sorts of interesting photo opportunities. For instance, cracks in the pavement can make for wonderful abstracts. Discarded objects can be interesting subjects, as well.

Pay attention to puddles and shiny metal.  You can often capture stunning reflections in these surfaces. For a more intriguing approach, try flipping your image upside down in post-processing. I did this for the image below.

Alternatively, shoot from up high to get a bird’s-eye view of the scene. Try standing on a bridge or a balcony and shooting straight down on a busy street scene.

Stairwells also make great locations for this kind of shot. Try to be creative when shooting stairwell photos. For instance, a person makes for a great focal point!

If you want to shoot more creative street photography, look down! You’ll be surprised by the wonderful world that awaits.

7. Get Close To Capture Magical Macro Scenes

Street photography isn’t all about capturing vast street scenes. Great street photographers often capture close-ups.

Try getting up close to your subject. Capture the small details.

For instance, why not take a close-up shot of peeling paint on an old building? Why not photograph the umbrella of a person walking in the rain?

You can even use props of your own. Just place them in your street scene, then shoot!

For instance, I added my watch to the scene below. You can still make out famous landmarks in the distance. However, the close-up of the watch adds beautiful detail to the scene.

Another interesting technique you can try out is to capture a close-up of raindrops on a shiny surface. In the shot below, I managed to get a close-up of raindrops—with a building reflected through them!

If you want to capture more unique, magical scenes, then try some close-up street photography. You’ll be amazed by what you can find!

8. Shoot During The Golden Hours For Amazing Light

If you want to capture incredible street photographs, you need to shoot in the best light. Great light can make a huge difference in your photography.

In fact, among a group of street photography tips, this one stands out.

How do you find the best light?

A failsafe way to find the best light is to shoot during the golden hours. The golden hours are the hour or two just after sunrise and just before sunset.

These are the times when the light is soft and golden—hence the term, “Golden hours.” The golden hours result in incredible photographic opportunities. Such beautiful light casts a wonderful glow over the streets—and makes for amazing photography.

The golden hours are also the perfect time for capturing stunning silhouettes. Point your iPhone toward the sun, find a nice composition, and shoot!

If you want to capture amazing street photos, shoot during the golden hours. They’re one of the best times to do street photography.

Another great time to do street photography is covered in the next tip!

9. Shoot In Harsh Light For Dramatic Street Photos

The golden hours are a great time for street photography. However, are there any other times that you can shoot?

As it turns out, yes. You can capture amazing street photographs at other times of the day. One of the best times to do street photography is during midday.

Why is midday so great? It’s during midday that the sunlight is harsh. The sun beats down on your subjects from above. This results in very dark shadows. It also results in dramatic, contrast-heavy images. For instance, the photo below was taken during the middle of the day:

Midday light adds drama and mystery to your photos. During midday, look for locations that have bright areas and dark shadows. Buildings are great for casting large shadows over a scene.

If you want to capture dramatic street photos, go out during the middle of the day. Look for lots of light and shadow—and then start snapping away.

Street photography shadows are a really great way to take your images to the next level!

10. Venture Out In Bad Weather For Atmospheric Photos

If you’re looking to capture extremely dramatic, atmospheric images, then shoot during bad weather.

Rain, snow, and fog make for unbelievable street photos.

For one thing, rainy days result in a great prop: umbrellas! Umbrellas add a lovely splash of color to your images.

Water droplets, reflections, and textures on wet roads are also great additions to your images.

One of my favorite techniques is to take advantage of little water droplet formations on windows. You can find these at bus stops or coffee shops on a rainy day. Shooting strangers through the droplets can lead to incredible abstract street photos.

Fog is great for isolating your subject. It provides a simple, white backdrop for your photos. Plus, you can create powerful images by photographing tall buildings that disappear into the fog.

Finally, snow creates a beautiful environment for street photography. Snow adds a lovely sense of atmosphere to the scene.

So wrap up warm and venture out into the city in bad weather. I guarantee you’ll find some great street scenes to capture with your iPhone!

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