So, you’ve decided to give street photography a try but what do you photograph. Just wandering around and hoping something will catch your eye never seems to bear fruit. And being focused on some image that you just say on Instagram is no way to do it either. When your focused on one idea you might be walking past lots of good shots that you just don’t notice.
The idea of a shot list isn’t just for street photography. It’s used a lot in wedding photography. When I was shooting documentary work I always made myself a list of key shots that I wanted and would then explore for other images based on those ideas. Fashion photographers have look books that guide their work for wardrobe and makeup. It’s not that you want to check off each shot and then quit. It should be used kind of as an outline. Artist Richard Serra famously did the same thing with his “Verb List”. He used his list as a starting point for creating his art.
My shot list changes from time to time. Here is one that I found in my notes while I was pursuing my photography degree. Remember they can be used individually or combined.
Shot List
Get high, shoot down
Contrasting subjects
Contrasting colors
Irony
Reflections
Show motion
Monochrome
One dominant color
Silhouettes
Old and New
Repetition
Get Low
Framing
Minimalism
Geometry
So that’s 15 ideas to get you going. You can also take just one idea and use it as a photography assignment. How many images can you get using a theme in 3 months. So print this list or make your own and take it with you when shooting.