Understanding Street Photography: An Introduction to Shooting Compelling Images on the Street
Bryan Peterson, an internationally recognised photographer and bestselling author, turns his lens on one of photography's most rewarding disciplines: capturing life as it unfolds on the street. Not just city streets, either. Country roads, back alleys, crowded bridges, anything goes. The book takes a broad view of what street photography actually means. An image qualifies if it shows evidence of human presence, whether that's a bustling market, a pair of shoes abandoned on a kerb, or a stranger caught mid-stride in golden afternoon light. It's a generous definition, and it opens up a world of creative possibility. What makes this particularly useful is the inclusion of 120 'mini diaries', short entries in which Peterson walks you through the thinking behind each photograph. Composition choices, colour psychology, the precise camera settings used (aperture, shutter speed, ISO, lens selection), all laid out so you can understand his decisions and apply similar logic to your own shooting. The locations span the globe, from the chaotic, colour-drenched streets of Varanasi to the tourist-thick pathways of Prague's Charles Bridge. Both seasoned photographers and those just starting out will find practical value here. Lessons cover posing and candid work, handling tricky light and movement, using shadows and architecture to your advantage, and adapting to unpredictable weather. Exercises and personal anecdotes keep things lively rather than dry. Peterson writes like someone who genuinely loves being out on the street with a camera, and that enthusiasm, kept in check by solid technical grounding, makes this a worthwhile addition to any photographer's shelf.
- Author: Bryan Peterson
- Publisher: Watson-Guptill
- Genre: Architecture
- ISBN: 978-1984860583
- Pages: 192 pages