10 SNEAKY Street Photography Techniques 

1 more tip: use a noiseless mirrorless. not a 1200D like me, the shutter sounds loud like a gun 🤣

I used to live in Japan and have a story about taking stranger's picture. I lived in a small city (about 25 minutes ride from Nagoya). One day in a morning on my way to the train station, I saw Japanese students (maybe 1st graders) lining up and crossing the intersection with their teachers. Imagine The Beatles cover, but the cuter version of it. I mean, they're wearing JAPANESE school uniform while holding umbrellas (it's raining that day, by the way). I can't help to freeze the moment with my phone camera. I took a few pictures and RUN. BECAUSE, my train soon will arrive and I want to sit in a good spot! No one likes to spend two hours ride while standing, right? Unfortunately, the teachers saw me, they approached me with angry faces. and asked : "NAN NO TAMENI?! NAN NO TAMENI?! NAN NO TAMENI?!" or, "WHAT'S THAT FOR?!" in English. I was shocked, didn't see that coming. I'm bowing deeply and repetitively, asking for apologies. With my limited Japanese language I told them that I didn't have any bad intentions. I told them all about me, including where I live and where I work so they would trust me and wouldn't bring me to the Police. It seems like finally they have forgiven me, but they asked me to delete the pictures. After that, one of them hit me gently on the shoulder and said "Dame yo." (which means, it's forbidden). And then they left. While contemplating what I have done and asked myself what's wrong with me, the train arrived and I saw the reflection of myself from the glass windows. I just realized I'm wearing glasses with photochromic lenses that automatically turn dark under sunlight, ....and Flat cap, ....plus long black coat, ...with hoody (that was on when I took the pictures). That's why teacher got freak out. I definitely look like kid predator from foreign country. So, my dear sneaky photographer friends, if you want to take pictures, be mindful about your outfit. Especially in Japan.

I'm watching this five years later, but how fun! I do a few of these. Pretending to shoot something else. Fiddling with the camera (Garry Winogrand is my spirit animal), the fake phone call was a good idea, as was the pretending you're shooting video. I'm stealing those. Thank you!

Man, I loved this video. It was something I was tempted to make myself, but your styling and sound design are SOOO well done. Great work brother! Loved it.

I've sat in Union Square in San Francisco with my camera in my lap, and captured people/made like I'm taking pictures of buildings. I do not get in people's faces. Thanks for the video!

i every video from u ,,,i find it that u a great fan of garry winogrand. u doing his technik so nice !!!!!!!!

Every time you came on screen and started to smirk I was laughing way too hard! I usually play dumb and mumble to myself lol

I get the reference on number 10, Winogrand !!!

Sam, you forgot to mention your 11th disguise technique - mustache.

First tip is really helpful. Helps in clicking candids and street without making the subject photo conscious and hence getting the most natural shot.

I practiced hanging camera around my neck and the angles if I stand straight or slouch, then I use the Sony bluetooth remote in my pocket. Trick is knowing how to zone focus and compose in your mind

Pretending to be shooting video is amazing in Christmas time, when people are usually holding their cellphones and taking pictures of Christmas lights. But what I like to do is to sit down and take pictures with the camera on my lap. I use a G7X II, which has good zoom capabilities, so pretending to shoot something else, like a big building, then zooming it on the subject works well too.

Loads of amazing photos. Love all of them and cool advice. I use the 'pretending I'm filming' one, but I will try the 'talking on the phone' one next time!

Haha, great tips and photography. You really captured some nice, candid moments! I like to find a spot behind something, so that it’s too late when they see me!

YES! I'm gonna practice this in the streets of San Francisco tomorrow! Thanks Samuel!

What's your settings for this technique? I mean how to set the shutter speed and how will the focus turn out nice?

Great tips. My camera has a flip up screen with touch focus and shoot so shooting from chest level is very easy and sometimes I’ll pretend to be scrolling through pictures I’ve already taken to get shots.

Ah ah very funny and thank you for some technics !

I also recommend using a small camera and use silent shutter if you have the option (electronic shutter on mirror less).

When you're moving swiftly like that, what shutter speed are you using?

Hahaha number 4 was good. I find pretending to shoot video with my Ricoh works the best and for some reason being in a video is less offensive than being in your photo. Sometimes I pretend my Ricoh is my phone and snap a portrait of people up close beside me.

awesome video thank you!

If you can turn off the shutter sound that helps a lot. Remember that all countries are not friendly photo so be careful out there where ever you are.

Aaaaaah! Sale Ernesto 💓💓💓💓💓

Top tips. Thanks..

Can a Ricoh gr III use a generic bluetooth or wifi trigger, or does that only work with the smart phone app?

"Playing dumb and fiddling with the camera", also known as "pulling a Winogrand".

I laughed a lil too hard at the shooting from the hip scene lol

1 2 and 4 all day! A technique that I do is pretend I'm shooting through the evf something up (a building, landmark or the sky) then feign I'm checking the picture I took but shoot at that moment looking in the lcd :)

2:19 You can hear Samuel trying to hold his laugh in the back when Ernesto gets totally caught shooting that guy!

love this 😂

These are pretty legit tips 😂

10 is actually really helpful thank u

funny and useful video! you're a natural on the street! good acting, too ;)

this is a comedy, but I like it. Great job bro

I was concerned about what the video may convey to the audience, but I have to say, your edit of this vid was beautiful and I feel like it ended up being a good introductory vid for some newcomers.

damn, some of it actually makes sense

Great video!

I think the common key of all techniques is; a body language which reassures that you are not interested in the person directly or personally.

Why does every street photography channel have the same background music

How to become a real NINJA!

superbes idées !

Awesome video guys! 👍

Nice video. Thanks a lot. 🤘🏻🖤

What if you use a DSLR and it makes a noise when press the shutter button? That makes some of the techniques more awkward.

Silent shutter is most important 😂or one of the most important things

Hahaha...I really love it. Thanks for the tips

I wish covid would be over so I could travel to Japan

I use cellphone to take photo, i can pretend messaging or else and dim the screen brightness and hope for lucky shots

Ay that shot at 4:42 was mint!

Hoooold on, what camera was that at the end that had "GR" on it? Looked like a mirrorless.

Good to use a wide lens to not miss the shot

Amazing video as always Samuel📸👌

everybody gangsta till your shutter loud af

A Great video with some Great techniques, BUT you missed on key camera feature that you missed mentioning is Turning off the auto focus assist light and camera capture sound on a DSLR's, so not to let people know you are trying to or actually taking a shot!

Is really difficult sneak Sony a7ii + 28 to 70mm gear. Lastly i sit down on the street with camera in legs, saw the picture in my head and take the camera quickly and shoot. Totally love the cooperation with tengu.

useful!👍😀

I think there are lot sneaky techniques ... but lot time you not know what you do on street... But you start discover it when you start looking at pictures on your computer at home and discover that you were very sneaky :)) . But all that's part of it, if you want to find good pictures. Cool small funny video :))

Top!

Informative yet very entertaining! Love your style 👊🏽

Nice photos...

Mega nice, danke man. Echt hilfreich!

That was great man! loved it

My problem with trying this stuff is, what if you like to be on Manual, instead of SP or AP, and have to adjust that stuff everytime you wanna take a shot? that can be really hard to do before you take every shot, if the lighting and all of that has changed, correct?

when you shoot on the street, what exposure metering mode do you use? spot metering or evaluative/pattern? thanks-

I usually camp, or just be quick. xD Another thing, just don't have eye contact with people u wanna shoot, and pretend you look somewhere else also works.

awesome video! very helpful information man!

These are great tips!

Japón con jamón

Loved it, interesting and helpful!

I didn't expect to see Ernesto from NekojitaBlog in the video, nice crossover. 👌 Hahaha

Hahaha Ernesto from the super popular youtube channel nekojitablog xD

hard not to get noticed when I have a Leica. I tape over the logo.

God, I had a good laugh. Thanks! I thought of another technique... Set your camera's timer to shoot automatically every couple of second (the time-laps thing) so your finger perched on the "trigger". There's something about having your finger on the button that alerts people to your intentions.

In days gone by I would put a camera on a tripod with a shutter release cable attached. I would show no interest in people approaching, but I would be clicking away.

wait the guy with the camo shirt is from japonconjamon???

Also, what camera are you fiddling with in step 10?

This was good fun 😊

I live in Sweden and when I was in a city called “lund” and someone took a bunch of photos of me and my best friend while we where holding (I don’t know how you say it? Arms? Like holding hands but just with out arms) and a guy walked past us and we just heard a bunch of clikcing noises and then released someone took some pics of us, fast there and suddenly gone, I want to find him and look at the pictures, any ideas of how to find a street photographer’s socials? Lund is a Swedish city

I'm an old lady....nobody cares what I do!

AMAZING TRICKS

Hahahahaha, great video, so funny! I usually shot with the 9th and 1st technique... about that one, what are these pipes spreading steam???

this is fun to watch, lol.

hilarious 😆

fun

This can pass as vintage silent film or talkies if it was shot in BW.

In Mexico the Narcos location scout lost his life photographing the wrong location. These examples are great in the context that the video shows.

When will the Fujifilm X-HGR be released ? lol

We need a video with Ernesto.

I always use the camping technique when shooting street photography in Seattle Washington. I find the scene that I want to capture and then sit and wait for an interesting subject to walk by. I also keep my drive mode to mid speed and my focus on continuous autofocus on my sony a6000 and I always take at least 4-6 pictures in a burst because odds are in those 4-6 shots you'll get the subject in the exact placement you wanted them in while they walk by. I then keep my camera up acting as if I'm trying to get a picture of something behind the person I was actually taking a picture of. It's never actually failed me and no one has ever asked if I took a picture of them. I have gotten strange looks before of course but the real secret is just to return the strange looks with a genuine smile and normally people will just smile back.

Ernesto de Nekojitablog, qué haces aquí? lol

My favorite technique is long camera strap + WiFi and you look like scrolling FB like everyone around.

I like that strap on the GR.,.. link?

#10: “The Winogrand”

I always play dumb like im a tourist or just don't know how to use the camera

My sony a7 can be heard from miles ago, doesn't stop me tho.

But what can you do with these pictures? Can you make a book with sneaky pictures without the authorization of the people?

Ah chinga! Ese es Ernesto no?

Nadie, absolutamente NADIE se ha dado cuenta que, quizá, el que está grabando todo el video es el man de Japón con Jamón (que sale al inicio).

One of the most common ones: + Pretend to be a simple-minded tourist 🤭