The Best Way to Photograph Events on the Street

[@timjamiesonphotos]

🔴Let me know your top tip for photographing events below! I love talking about all things street photography, so drop a comment. As always thanks for watching!

[@alanwainwright79]

Your point about turning your camera on the crowd is event gold. You get to capture emotions and reactions as well as great random moments. Great video as usual Tim. Cheers.

[@timjamiesonphotos]

Thanks, Alan! 🙏🏻

[@tommybond98]

Great video, man! I totally agree with what you’re saying. Keep doing your thing! 🙏🏻

[@timjamiesonphotos]

@@tommybond98Cheers dude! Appreciate that ✌🏻

[@Sean-Smith-Photos]

24mm lens for events is my go to

[@timjamiesonphotos]

That’s very wide! Must be tricky to get close enough to fill the scene, but I’ve never shot with super wide focal lengths - need to give it a try

[@martingreenberg870]

@@timjamiesonphotos Way too wide for me. Glad it works for you. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)

[@martingreenberg870]

Tip #1 is so important. I go to parades ~ 1 hour before the jump off. I want up close and personal images of the costumed participants. I have never had a problem taking any of their photographs. Plus I don’t bring a telephoto lens with me to parades. Thus if I don’t capture images of the paraders before the parade they are too small in the frame to photograph when they are parading. Tip#2. The people on the sidewalk are the primary subjects of my parade photography. I’m with them. The sidewalk people are emotionally involved in reacting to the parade and thus very interesting. They are typically watching the parade so it is easy to get close and photograph them. There is much less resistance to being photographed while at a parade. Quite right about using a wide lens. Virtually the only time I use my 28mm lens is at a parade or protest. Tip#7 is why I’m at the parade. I love taking street portraits at parades and festivals. Next week I’m visiting NYC for my birthday and a week of walkabout. My favorite event of the year is the San Gerarro festival in Little Italy. Seven blocks of tightly packed people eating, shopping, and having fun is heaven. People either don’t mind being photographed or are unaware they are being photographed. Lots of opportunities to make candid street portraits. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)

[@MarcusSortijas]

This video of tips and your previous POV video of shooting the Pride parade have been great inspiration on shooting street events. Love the moments and characters you’ve captured. I’m more comfortable with shooting indoor parties and events. Your videos have gotten me excited to shoot outdoor events. A big reason I’ve been scared to do street photography is the possibility of being confronted by people who don’t want to be photographed. When you said that people at parades are in a happy, festive mood and more open to photos, that went a long way toward alleviating my fear. My top tip is to find interesting characters, then wait for a good moment or a good facial expression. When I was starting out, I’d snap away indiscriminately, and would just end up with more photos I’d discard lol. Now I aim and wait until there’s something worth photographing. Which gives me more “keeper” photos. Another tip is you don’t have to snap the photo from where you are standing. Walk around the subject to find a better angle, better light, etc. I do this a lot if a subject’s face is turned away from me. I walk around to capture the face. I’ll look for outdoor events in my area to practice photography. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

[@timjamiesonphotos]

Thanks, Marcus!

[@michgreeno1]

Excellent advice, thank you 👍

[@timjamiesonphotos]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@chippy511]

I love your vid. I love your inspiration. I am a bit of a novice. But am interested to do such shots like you. I liked angel wings and man. I think that was great. Thank you Tim

[@timjamiesonphotos]

Thank you, Michael! Glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@ChrisBrogan]

I hit enter too early. "Context is the enemy" is a wonderful way to look at it!

[@abchappell01]

That was a wonderful video presentation. Your perspective on event photography are really helpful. Thank you so much. 😊

[@timjamiesonphotos]

Thank you! My pleasure, glad you found it useful :)

[@JoeLopez]

Great tips! I do a few and will try the others.

[@timjamiesonphotos]

Thanks, Joe! Glad you found it useful :)

[@tropicado]

Thank you for sharing. I''m still be confused whenever I'm in street events. I learn so much from you. God bless! Great photography

[@timjamiesonphotos]

Ah such a lovely comment! Only way to get confident and less confused it to keep doing it and practice as much as possible 😊

[@martingreenberg870]

@@timjamiesonphotos And have fun doing it. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)

[@MichaelPittaway]

Really enjoyed the video and your tips.

[@timjamiesonphotos]

My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@nolawernicke9078]

Thank you Tim, good tips to keep in mind. Hopefully they won't fall out during the fun. 😊

[@scotskinner4350]

Farmers Market in the morning. I wasn't going to go, the forecast for tomorrow is 15 degrees below normal for this time of year. After watching this video, Tim, I'm going to have to go and try a few of these tips.

[@timjamiesonphotos]

Ah thanks Scott! Happy shooting :)

[@SilatShooter]

Nice Stuff! Appreciate the tips! Subscribed!

[@timjamiesonphotos]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@joeycovington4681]

Thanks!

[@timjamiesonphotos]

My pleasure!

[@fintonmainz7845]

Excellent

[@timjamiesonphotos]

Thanks!

[@ChrisBrogan]

Really love the emotion point. All of them are swell, but I'm locked right in on the emotion one. :) Love your thoughts, Tim.

[@timjamiesonphotos]

Thank you, Chris!

[@Zainphotography]

Your photos shown here are really good. I am new to your channel and don't know what do you mainly use to take photos.

[@timjamiesonphotos]

Thank you! Pretty much all these photos shot with a Canon P, 35mm lens and Kodak Portra 400 film :)

[@papawinters]

Very well thought out and presented. I definitely will benefit from this video. Too bad I can’t have you sitting on my shoulder guiding me through my next adventure in street funography

[@timjamiesonphotos]

Ah thank you! That’s very kind. Glad you found it helpful 🙏🏻

[@TheUrbandilema]

Nothing hill carnival looks really awesome u need to come where I live tim 🇹🇹...I learn these festivals are planned especially carnival but love the point of the context is the enemy and sequences is key. Are you doing any videos on sequencing?

[@timjamiesonphotos]

Yeah it’s such a great event! I would love to travel there mate, maybe one day. Haven’t got any planned but maybe I’ll explore that in a future video

[@paulm8157]

Fine collection of experience-based tips, Tim. Sensory overload can be a challenge at events. Having fun is one thing, but a bit of objectivity is also of value, IMO. At two separate ethnic events I watched how two pro photojournalists from a local newspaper went about their work. In both instances, they simply observed events (w/o taking photos) for about 20 min to size up potential images (I surmised). Then they began taking photos. I try the same thing and find the practice helpful. Have you dropped digital, as you mentioned in prior vid? Cheers!

[@timjamiesonphotos]

Thanks Paul! That’s a very good tip not to be trigger happy and observe first to really get in tune with what’s going on. At the moment I’m loving film so just embracing that for the time being :)

[@martingreenberg870]

I find this 20’ period of observation limiting. I get into the mood by tip #1. I arrive an hour early and take images of the marchers. By the time the parade is ready to start I’m warmed up. I’m not missing the 1st 20’ of the parade. That could be close to 1/2 the parade. Everyone has their own technique. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)

[@reverton77]

What kind lens you were using on events like that... Prime? Zoom? Please

[@timjamiesonphotos]

35mm prime (full frame)

[@reverton77]

@@timjamiesonphotos thank you... Amazing Job and thank you for your videos.

[@bosiefoobar]

Do you stick to one single lens or swap lenses constantly? Would you rather take a zoom, given you “only” have primes? Also, what was the first magnum book you showed at the very beginning? Thank you

[@timjamiesonphotos]

The past year and a half I’ve only shot with a 35mm focal length. Each to their own but I like sticking with one prime lens for street photography. The book is Magnum Stories - it’s very good

[@bosiefoobar]

@@timjamiesonphotos thank you. I will have a look for the book (should put up affiliate links for everything ;)) Oh just street? What do you use a zoom for?

[@martingreenberg870]

During parades I prefer to use a zoom. No telling how close I’m going to be able to get to my subjects. I don’t want to be changing lenses all the time. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)

[@rhodriwilliams2891]

Where’s the link to the ‘context is the enemy’ video you referred to?

[@timjamiesonphotos]

Oh it should have popped up on the top of the screen when I was talking about it! It’s this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/faPPh6eaqdFnhMUsi=7Hy-yEFASDfFqaSS

[@rhodriwilliams2891]

@@timjamiesonphotos thanks

[@lexlawlss]

how do you find events to go to?

[@timjamiesonphotos]

I follow local instagram accounts that usually post info about upcoming events, I’m always checking the news or researching on Google for events/protests that might be coming up and then yearly events I put in my calendar at the start of the year so I don’t forget them :)

[@martingreenberg870]

Plus there are annual events to look for. I target the Pride and solstice parades. The Saint Patrick’s Day parade is fun too. San Generro festival in NYC is the best. Mask On Nurse Marty (Ret)