Peterfiore Loc: Where DR goes south

I use a 27mm lens on an APS camera. Roughly a 40mm equivalent. At the age of 10, my first camera was a Zeiss Ikon Contessa, with a 40mm fixed lens. I just learned to see with that camera.

chrisg-optical Loc: New York, NY

35mm 1.8 DX Nikkor on D7200 which is ~~ 52mm FF view....but sometimes 70-300 or 28-300 Nikkors.

woodfrog Loc: Tennessee

I use a 24mm pancake lens on a Canon T2i. Works for me, I like to get fairly close.

Bill_de Loc: US

Knowing whether you shoot with a full frame or crop sensor camera would be helpful.

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frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

I use the 18-140mm on D7200.... Mostly at 50mm and below... Unless I want to zoom in without being noticed to much.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Cartier-Bresson did a lot of great street photography with his Leica and a 50mm lens. A 35mm F1.8 on a crop sensor would be a good choice.

rlynes Loc: Wisconsin

I use a 35mm f1.4 on a FF typically, although it is a real 'in your face' lens (which is my style preference).

If I want to lug around a second camera body, then the 70-200mm would be the preference for that.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Leica 10-25mm f/1.7 on Micro 4/3. It has a similar field of view as 20-50mm on full frame, or 15-38mm on APS-C.

It’s a pricey choice, but tack sharp, edge to edge, and very versatile! They are working on a 25-50mm f/1.7 companion for it…

I like to hedge my bets with a zoom. That said, 35mm on full frame, or 23mm on APS-C, or 15 or 17mm on Micro 4/3 is my lifetime favorite default field of view.

Abo

No man, it's Ron Barassi Park under the elevated M2 tollway (City Link)
just North of the Bolte bridge.

I really like the image; even though I posted it in the "Gallery",
and "Street Photography" you are the only person that's bothered to acknowledge its
existence... thanks Ross.

Alan

Peterfiore Loc: Where DR goes south

You added an image in someone else's thread. If you had posted it in the street category as your new post, I think you would have received comments.

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

Depends on how you want to conduct your street photography. People sometimes get upset if you are pointing a camera at them. If you want to work up close, use the tiniest lens possible - what they call a pancake lens if your camera system has one. Also, swing the view screen out so you are looking down for your shots since a lot of people will not pick up on the fact you are aiming at them. I think the 23mm. you are using is a good choice if the smaller lens is not available. My all time favorite for shots like that is a 24mm on a full frame camera. On the other end of the spectrum, would be to use a telephoto at a distance -- a 200 to 300mm range. I find little use for medium length lenses for street photography since they are large and can get you some dirty looks (or worse) if you aim at someone not wanting to be photographed.

Traveller_Jeff

A 50mm lens in the film days was the standard. That's the equivalent of the current 35mm lens. If you use a 50mm lens on your modern camera, that's the same as the old 80mm moderate telephoto lens of film days.

User ID

Working semi-close raises far less defensiveness than sniping.

200 to 300 is cool for street fairs and other dense crowds. No subject is aware of being singled out, and most everyone ignores photographers as being simply routine at such events.

Peterfiore Loc: Where DR goes south

That is correct if you are using a camera with an APS sensor.

If your using a full-frame digital camera a 50mm will be a 50mm field of view. The 35mm will be a 35mm field of view.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

There is no such thing as a STANDARD lens focal length for street photography or just about anythg else- it all depends on your style, what you want to capture, the working conditions, the degree of danger or NOT, and environment.

I rarely did street photography as a hobby, an art, or a vocation- it wasn't my thing until I went to work as a news photographer on a daily newspaper. On slow news days, the editors would say "hit the streets and shoot the street artists and performers in Old Montreal, it hot outside- shoot the kids in the park, illegally opening the fire hydrants, OR there's rumour of a riot on St. Catherin Street- get there early and shoot what's goin' on". "They are writing up a series on street gangs they need pictures". Go shoot some "human interests" shots! All of a sudden I was a street-photograher.

What focal lenght- anything from 24mm to 1200mm. In the festive atmosphere of Old Montreal, the artists are painting pictures and selling them, buskers and street performers are just about posing for pictures- they love the attention! Photographers, amateur and professional are commonplace and you just blend in- nobody cares. If you want to come in close for more intimate shots or keep your distance with a longer lens, that is strictly your business.

In some neighbourhoods the local gentry may not be particularly interested in being photographed- they might even take you for a police surveillance photographer! And...nowadays, this may not necesseralyy pertain to a troubled inner-city ghetto-like place. With current privacy issues, even the privileged and fancy folks have bad misconceptions of photographers and misinformed expectations of privacy in public places. Your presence with a camera in their face may no be welcomed. There could be altercations. They might call the cops! They might attempt to kill you. You may be better off with a BIG HEAVY long lens so that you can shoot at a safe distance and use it to defend yourself if you are attacked. I some foreign countries. there may be no laws agaistn killing members of the media- there are stories!

These are famous street photographers of the past:

Henri Cartier-Bresson. The most famous street photographer of all time is the French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908 – 2004).
Saul Leiter. Saul Leiter (1923 – 2013) was an American photographer working in the 1940s and 1950s. ...
Robert Doisneau. ...
Vivian Maier. ...
Fan Ho. ...
André Kertész. ...
Garry Winogrand. ...
Robert Frank. ...
Brassaï – Gyula Halász. ...
Elliott Erwitt.

My recollections of reading about them seem to be that most of them used low-profile 35mm rangefinder cameras with normal and wide range lenses. Leicas were popular, they are lightweight, compact, quiet, and well made to stand up against the elements. The work of Gary Winograd is my favourite.

Problem is, it ain't the 1950s and 60s anymore and the street can be more hostile toward photographers.

After a while, however, one does develop an instinct as to who and where it is safe to shoot up close and personal and where it is not.

On one assignment the crew was sent out to cover waht was rumoured to be a kinda gang-war- BIKERS! There were some interesting characters assembling on one of the street corners. I was with a reporter, kinda hiding in a recessed storefront when we were suddenly approached by a very large person. He smiled and asked us if we could take his picture and send it to him- seems he never had a "nice" shot in his colours. We gladly accommodated him! The bikers began circling the area- making lots of noise and there were a few fights. Within 5 minutes a busload of "heavily armed police" showed up, then the cruisers, and then the cops on horseback with rather large truncheons. The mob quickly dispersed. The only good shots I got were the wise guy in his colours and a bunch of dejected bikers being heard in a patty wagon. Nikon F- 35mm lens. Tri-X at ISO 800 processed in Acufine. Lighting furnished by street lamps and the headlights of police cars.