Street photography with the Ricoh GRIII
We are out and about in Menton on the C?te d'Azur, the perfect opportunity for travel and street photography. With us is the Ricoh GRIII, a compact high-end camera for snapshots, travel and street photography. Watch this video for tips on street photography and how the GRIII can help you.
What is street photography?
As always, there are many definitions. Let's summarize it in a simplified way: It's about capturing images in public spaces exactly as the photographer sees them. No elements of the image may be influenced by the photographer. Usually, people can be seen in the picture, but this is not mandatory.
What should I photograph?
The most important thing in street photography is to observe before you take the shot. Pay attention to the people around you and how and where the light is coming from. Shapes, patterns and colors also play a role on the way to the street photo. Pay attention to the emotions in the different scenes and think about how you can best capture them. If you have discovered an interesting scene, take several pictures so you are more likely to get a good one at the end. Speed is extremely important here, and the GRIII supports you with a fast switch-on time and quick autofocus. You can find inspiration for your photography in various street photo competitions or on 500px, Flickr and co.
Highlights of the Ricoh GR III
- High-end digital compact camera
- APS-C CMOS sensor with primary color filter
- 28 mm wide angle (with KB)
- sensor-based 3-axis Shake Reduction System (SR)
- built-in stereo microphone
Technical data of the Ricoh GR III
- 24.24 megapixels
- Focal length: 28 mm (35 mm)
- Lens speed: F2.8
- Storage system SD card slot
- Display size approx. 7.62 cm
- Weight: 257g
90% of street photos are not actually street photos
The rejection rate in street photography is extremely high and only a few pictures really convey the emotions you wanted to capture. This is completely normal and is part of street photography. A moving streetcar has something to do with the street, but the photographer should ask himself what this picture should trigger in the viewer, or whether he is simply photographing a moving streetcar. BTW: We do not claim to have taken the perfect street photo for all the pictures we show you. Don't let "bad" criticism get you down and try again next time instead. A good street photo tells a story and looks good too! In the end, street photography is just like any other field. Everyone will have a different opinion of your photo, the most important thing is that you like it yourself.
Get to know your camera
As mentioned at the beginning, speed is extremely important in street photography. The more familiar you are with your camera, the faster you can react to a change in brightness, for example. Over time, you'll learn to assess the focal length and be able to create your photos even more consciously. Personally, I use aperture priority when taking photos and let the camera calculate the ISO and shutter speed itself. This works very well for me and the RAW also gives me options afterwards if the exposure is not quite right. The Ricoh GRIII also gives me the option of working with a slower shutter speed, because the sensor is stabilized in 3 axes. This allows me to capture moving scenes beautifully.
Street photography and the law
Especially after the GDPR, many photographers' hearts have dropped. Of course, there are still options for legally compliant photography. We only want to provide you with guidelines for this, but of course we cannot give you legally compliant advice. If a person can be seen in the picture but is not recognizable, you are on the safe side. In reality, street photographers are less concerned about the legal situation, but assess the risk and simply take the photo. Before each photo, ask yourself whether you could explain to the person why you have photographed them in case you are discovered. This will also increase your own self-confidence when taking photos and the fear of being discovered will disappear. If people are recognizable in the photo, the legally secure way is to conclude a modeling contract. You can do that, but "Where there's no plaintiff, there's no judge."
Our conclusion
The Ricoh GRIII is a worthy successor to the traditional GR series. The compact high-end camera is particularly suitable for street photographers, as the speed and high image quality support the workflow. At the end of the trip, we developed a RAW photo and printed it on A1. It looks great in terms of color, sharpness and dynamic range! So if you're looking for a compact camera for traveling and have a soft spot for the wide-angle fixed focal length, then we can only recommend the Ricoh GR III.
Ricoh GR III
