10 simple exercises to get you going

It can be daunting to shoot strangers with a camera. Here are ten exercises to help you wear down your initial shyness and get started.

Exercise 1: Start a conversation

Have a conversation with a stranger and ask him or her for permission to take a photo.

Exercise 2: Look for signs

Look for signs (billboards, advertisements, arrows, and so on) and juxtapose one with a person either standing next to it or walking past it.

Exercise 3: Don’t ask for permission

Find someone you want to take a photo of, approach him or her, and take the photograph without permission. After taking the photograph, wave at your subject, smile, and say thank-you.

Exercise 4: Stand still

Stand still at a busy intersection for twenty minutes and take photos of people who come near you.

Exercise 5: Walk around

Walk around holding your camera to your eye as if it were a video camera, but don’t take any photos. Note people’s reactions.

Exercise 6: Be selective

Work on being selective. Spend an entire day shooting street photography, but limit yourself to thirty-six shots.

Exercise 7: Ask people to pose

Go out in public and tell someone you are working on a street photography project. Then ask him or her to pose for you a certain way. Present the same question to three different people. Note how each reacts to you.

Exercise 8: Make eye contact

Capture a photograph while making eye contact. If you see someone you want to take a photograph of, aim your camera at him or her. Wait for the subject to sense your presence and turn toward you, then take the photo.

Exercise 9: Take it to the next level

Take a photograph of a stranger. When your subject looks at you, say “Pretend that I’m not here.” Continue photographing and see how he or she reacts.

Exercise 10: Work on a theme

Spend an entire day photographing only one thing, such as cars, the color red, feet, hands, hair, and so on.