The best camera settings for street photography

In street photography, more often than not, you would not be able to stage the scene that you want to capture.These moments are fleeting, and you have to have your camera set up properly to ensure that you are able to click on the shutter button as soon as the moment occurs.

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Different photographers might have different preferences and styles, but here are the settings that have worked for many street photographers.

Shutter speed

Because objects, specifically people, will appear suddenly and move through the scene, the right shutter speed is essential so that there is not much blur in the image and, at the same time, the lighting is just right. For scenes that are a bit dark, a shutter speed of 1/160th of a second (or something a bit slower) would suffice. But if it is sunny, the speed can be increased to 1/400th or 1/500th.

ISO

Cameras are becoming more advanced than ever. You can now raise the camera’s ISO setting without having to worry about noise or grain ruining the image. Practice often with your camera and in different lightings to find out which ISO level works best. Remember that in street photography, the higher ISO, the better as there is generally less than ideal light.

 Image source:amateurphotographer.co.uk

Aperture

The camera’s aperture will depend on the depth of field you want. If there are multiple subjects and you want all of them to look sharp in the image, a narrower aperture is better. If you want the background to appear out-of-focus, increase the aperture. Keep in mind, however, that it can cause overexposure and more blurred objects.

Hello there! Ashwin Khubchandani here, a travel photographer and a budding street photographer. I use my profession as a means of spreading positivity in the world. For more information about me, visit this website.