This is a solid example of how to keep the background in the shot even when shooting against a wall. Try to include the background whenever you can. It really gives depth and weight to your shot.

Bokeh blur is most easily achieved when the background has a lot of depth. In this photo, the trees and plants are at least ten feet behind the model, so the background is nicely blurred while the young lady is in sharp focus. This helps the subject to stand out in a strong way.

You’ll notice many of our photos have the subject standing at the edge of the sidewalk. It helps keep the background far enough away that you get enough bokeh blur to minimize the distractions. You will also not have to worry about blocking off the sidewalk and dealing with people passing directly in front of your shot.

This is one of those rare occasions when the foreground is closer than the subject. The reason this works is that the camera is focused on the subject. You’ll notice that both the bookcase on the right and the background are blurred. The end result is a voyeuristic feeling. This technique can be very powerful, but don’t overuse it. Too many of your photos shot this way can become very gimmicky.

Any time you see a row or line of things—like this set of trees by San Francisco’s City Hall—use them to create that classic X composition where the elements in the photo form an X with the subject at the crossing point. As you can see, it makes for a really strong impression and a powerful photo.

We compose most of our photos in three different ways: slightly angled (like this shot), against a wall, or down a street with the background centered. If your subject has time, try to take one of each kind and see what shots are the best. Not only will you get different compositional results, you’ll likely get different natural lighting and different poses and expressions.

This simple shot is one of our favorites. Off frame to the right is a falafel cart we thoughtfully angled out of the shot. We could have had the subject put the water bottle away, but part of the beauty of street style is the fact that you’re capturing snippets of someone’s regular day. So it might be okay if the person is having a smoke, taking a phone call, or holding a refreshment. It’s these small details that separate street style from studio photography, and grant it a candid feeling, even when the subject strikes a pose for you.

The horizon doesn’t have to be perfectly level, because the ground isn’t always perfectly level, especially in a hilly place like San Francisco. As long as your subject is level, you’ll be fine.

We put a bit more space in this photo than usual. Most of the time, our subjects fill up the majority of the frame, but variety is the key to keeping your shots interesting, and some backgrounds just work for these kinds of shots. Again, when time permits, shoot your subject from different distances as well as angles and choose the one that looks best.

When shooting trousers or jeans with a wider or unique shape, make sure the subject stands in such a way that you can see the silhouette. We also contrasted this woman’s blond hair against the green tree, and it worked like gangbusters.

We used the arched dome to frame the subject, but it isn’t always necessary to center your subject perfectly. This technique will lose its impact if you use it in every one of your shots.

Here’s a classic example of using the lines of the wall and sidewalk to form an X behind your subject. You don’t have to do it in every shot, but be conscious of these naturally occurring lines in a background and use them to your benefit.

Any bright color can provide a pleasing burst of brilliance to your photo, but you can enhance it further by making sure to shoot against a muted background.

We remembered to contrast the blonde hair with a dark green background this time.

Always be aware of how much space is around your subject. Leave enough space so you can crop if needed. It also helps to keep the photo from looking cramped. If this photo were framed so the top of the woman’s head touched the very top of the photo, it would look odd. You want to fill the frame of the shot with your subject, but not too much.

When shooting someone with light-colored hair—like this platinum blond—make sure to contrast it against a dark background. This subject didn’t have a lot of time to pose, so we weren’t able to place her against as dark a background as we would have liked—but the “Highlights’ adjustment in iPhoto was able to give enough definition to her hair that it doesn’t get lost in the background.

When shooting a person in a single-colored outfit—especially black—make sure you have really good light. If you don’t, all the details could get lost in just one solid, dark block of color.

We boosted the “Saturation” adjustment of this shot in iPhoto. It gave the lipstick and bag a stronger impact.

This was taken with a crop-sensor dSLR, with a lens that had an f/2.8 maximum aperture (not an exceptionally fast lens). You can see that we didn’t get as strong a bokeh effect as we would have with our recommended set-up (see page 47). The difference in this photo is that the bus, signs, and people aren’t very blurred. It still works, but good bokeh would have made this shot even better.

When going for a closer shot of your subject, remember that less is more—try choosing a stark background.

This was taken on a hill. Can you tell?

Yes, those trees were very purposely positioned behind the dark hair of the subject. You’re getting this now, aren’t you?

See? This way, when you do center someone perfectly in the background, it is a significant thing.

Here’s an example of a nighttime street style shot. We used the available light from street lights and a falafel cart that was located just off frame. Be creative and use your natural surroundings to your advantage.

This shot was taken on a dreary day. Although the rain poses a risk to your equipment, these kinds of overcast days provide really stunning light for street style. The cloud cover prevents harsh shadows, and the wet pavement reflects light to your lens.

We moved this man around several times to get the perfect light. If the subject is patient, don’t be afraid to try shooting from different directions on the street. The best photos depend on the quality of light.

This photo was taken at twilight. The sun had almost completely set, so it was a little bit past the golden hour. This can be a tricky lighting period to shoot in, and you will really need to keep your camera steady.

You’ll notice that this woman is standing on the shaded side of the street. You will have to experiment with your camera and lens to see what lighting works best, since every camera and lens have different limitations and strengths.

Direct, bright sunlight can cause lens flare effects like the one on the bottom of this photo. Normally we position our models facing the sun so that their features are illuminated. But if you want to experiment with flares, try to get the bright light right behind your subject’s head—it lights them up with an ethereal glow.

The portrait shot of this young lady is taken at a lower level to use the lines and texture of the background buildings. This portrait has a unique perspective for a three-quarter shot.

When you find outfits that have nice details from the side or back, try mixing it up and taking a few shots from that angle. It will add diversity to your photos and also offer new compositional opportunities.