Street & Travel Photography – 10 Images, 10 Behind-the-Scenes, 10 Tips

Klaus Wohlmann is a professional photographer and one of our Friends with Vision. He lives and works in Cologne, Germany, and has been a freelance painter and photographer since 1993. His two passions in photography are travel and street photography, two genres that can be combined easily. Most other areas of photography are not as comprehensive as these two, as they require the eye for the composition of an image, quick realization and action, knowledge of genres from architectural photography to portrait photography and interaction with people, as well as the understanding and skillful play with light and shadow.

We asked Klaus to take us on a little journey with 10 of his images, tell us the story behind them and share a tip or two that we too can use to improve the shots from our next trip.

1. Antwerp (Belgium) – The journey begins

35-150 mm f2-f2,8 @ 49 mm, 1/125 sec, f/4, ISO 3200

Let the journey begin in Antwerp!

For me, it’s the shooting position that really makes this picture work. I am on platform height and almost on the tracks with the camera – an effect that can be achieved by shifting the position accordingly. When in doubt, don’t be afraid to get a little dirty (always consider your own safety!) or to hold camera with the arm outstretched. A tilting monitor which many cameras have nowadays, is a great help when composing pictures like this.

When designing the image, it was important to me that the main line into the image is the platform, the edge where the train would usually stop. I also made sure that the distances within the picture fit, so that the space of the relief on the left wall roughly correspond to the space of the glass panes on the right.

The person positioned in the picture was a participant of my workshop . , but also with a little patience it would certainly have come to a similar shot. If you are traveling alone, such pictures can still be implemented, because again and again travelers enter the platform to wait for the train.

A photo like this is great for documenting the beginning or end of a trip.

2. Porto (Portugal) – Lines

35-150 mm f2-f2,8 @ 150 mm, 1/400 sec, f/4,5, ISO 320

With this picture we’re traveling to Porto (Portugal), although it could just as well have been taken in any other place in the world. It therefore classifies itself more as street photography for me, even though it was taken during one of my trips.

Here we have an example where I actually waited for someone to move through the image exactly as I imagined.

For my composition, I placed the yellow line vertically into the image, which at the same time makes the streetcar tracks run through the image from top left to bottom right. Then it was a matter of waiting for a person to choose the path from the bottom left to the top right of the image. The important thing here is that the person is not on the rails but right in between them – so the image convinces with a strong line of the crossing streetcar rails, the yellow line and the man’s path. The interruption of the yellow line by the manhole cover, which is on also still within the same rail tracks as the person, is another eye-catcher for me.

3. Calcutta (India) – The image statement

35-150 mm f2-f2,8 @ 58 mm, 1/10 sec, f/18, ISO 2000

This picture takes us to India, more precisely to Calcutta.

When I discovered the fence with the sign “GO SLOW”, it was clear to me that the game of standstill and movement should be staged in this image – after all, the lettering already gives the perfect indication of it. So I wanted to integrate motion blur into the image as well, which is why I waited for a bus to arrive. A longer exposure time provides the motion blur. The bus also made a man stop at the road because he wanted to cross the street. In fact, his standstill at the road once again provides a contrast to the statement that you should walk slowly at this point.

In terms of color, we have a nice contrast in this picture between the green in the upper area and the red bus, a color that is even found in the red shirt of the person waiting (pure luck!). In order to explain where the green in the back area comes from, it was important to me to depict a tree trunk as well. The contrasts of colors, standstill and movement, nature and asphalt road are what make this picture for me.

4. Varanasi (India) – Bustle in the foreign city

20-40 mm f2,8 @ 20 mm, 1/5 sec, f/14, ISO 500

Another picture from India. It was taken in Varanasi, a city at the Ganges with more than 1 million inhabitants. To capture the hustle and bustle at this not very inviting street corner, I chose a wide angle and positioned myself on the opposite side. Although I didn’t have a tripod with me, I managed to achieve motion blur by using the stabilizer and a steady hand. The best way to achieve this is to rest your elbows against your body while photographing and to consciously take pictures while pausing your breath. This allows longer exposure times to be achieved – a lower ISO also helps.

I centered the blue edge of the building with the two gutters and waited for movement both to the right and left of the building from people walking by.

5. Varanasi (India) – Portrait photography by the river

35-150 mm f2-f2,8 @ 35 mm, 1/2000 sec, f/3,2, ISO 1250

For me, portraits are part of documenting a trip, because it’s the encounters with people that are important to me and I like to remember them later with the help of the portraits. Intimate portraits don’t happen without getting into conversation with people, creating trust and building a short-term relationship.

Of course, in Varanasi a boat trip along the city on the Ganges is considered indispensable and therefore I looked for someone along the river, who would be perfect for such a tour. I found the above boat owner, with whom I made an appointment for the next morning.

A few hours later on the same day he sees me in the area again while I am taking pictures. He invites me to come on his boat to take better pictures from there. That was the moment I asked him for a portrait.

I did not change his posture for the picture, because I noticed that he sat in this position the whole time and I wanted an authentic image. In order to capture it I am on the boat at the same level he is and it was important to me to frame his boat and the river to show immediately that these are an important part of his life. I sit straight across from him in the middle, which ensures that the planks in the picture are also straight.

For the exposure of the picture, I used center-weighted metering on his face and increased the exposure time a bit so that in the overall bright picture the attention is drawn directly onto him because of the contrast.

6. Calcutta (India) – On the road in a cab

20-40 mm f2,8 @ 20 mm, 1/100 sec, f/14, ISO 400

For me, this is also a classic travel picture that documents my trip in India is very well. I was traveling in a cab and again we have a movement in the image caused by the bus, which was traveling in the opposite direction.

One recognizes at first sight that I am in a taxi because of the interior of the vehicle, which is also shown in the foreground. So I let people know immediately how I was traveling and perhaps somebody looking at the image already “smells” the car interior, which he or she associates with cabs (in India or elsewhere).

In post-processing I focused on the orange color, because in many countries taxis are orange, which easily helps to identify the vehicle. The fact that the bus also contains orange parts was a happy coincidence.

7. Porto (Portugal) – Shadow casting

35-150 mm f2-f2,8 @ 41 mm, 1/120 sec, f/13, ISO 800

The interesting part of this picture from Porto is the straight main line formed by the railing, which continues into the distance and divides the image into two halves. For the shot I was directly above the railing and due to angle of the afternoon sun, the fence is well recognizable thanks to shadow cast.

On the left side there is a path going down, on the footpath on the right there is a person walking, who also casts a shadow, but does not touch the shadow of the railing. Further back is a second person who adds depth to the image.

However, this image only works by converting it to black and white, because colors would be too distracting. Thus, through the contrasts created, the eye wanders from the bright, triangular area of light on the left of the path down to the railing at the bottom, then up to the first person, and finally to the second person in the distance.

For such shots, it is recommended to underexpose a bit in order to achieve a stronger contrast.

8. Siena (Italy) – Shadowgame

35-150 mm f2-f2,8 @ 35 mm, 1/400 sec, f/13, ISO 250

I photographed this shadowgame in Italy. Unlike the pictures before, where I sometimes waited a long time for people to move into the picture, I had to act quickly this time so that I could take advantage of the triangle created by the light. So I saw something and reacted to it: the combination of light and shadow and the woman who is exactly in the perfect picture area. The cut window frame, the shadow cast along the vertical wall and the round arch in the opposite wall that has an imaginary continuation pointing directly to the woman, emphasize the motif by guiding the gaze.

For such images it is important for you you as the photographer to really stand straight in relation to the subject so that the perspective is not being distorted.

9. Lisbon (Portugal) – Movement created by zoom effects

35-150 mm f2-f2,8 @ 44 mm, 1/8 sec, f/18, ISO 50

We are back in Portugal, this time in Lisbon. I have chosen the streetcar, which is typical for this city, to be the main motif of my picture here.

In this case the motion effect is created by a longer exposure time (about 1/10 sec) and a rotating movement on my zoom lens. To do this, I first focus on the streetcar and then turn the zoom with a steady movement at the same time as the shutter is released. The movement of the streetcar and the zoom effect create the impression of great speed draw the viewer’s eye into the center of the image to the streetcar.

10. Lisbon (Portugal) – Architecture in white

35-150 mm f2-f2,8 @ 35 mm, 1/1250 Sek, f/5,6, ISO 500

In this image from Lisbon, I have deliberately chosen a black and white conversion to reduce it as much as possible. It is striking that there are only a few dark elements in the image, the sun is quite high in the sky, which creates few shadows and the tree immediately catches the eye.

To achieve this, I used spot metering on the darkest element in the image: the olive tree. I chose this tree as the central and most powerful point of my image, towards which the lines should lead. I wanted the structure of the tree to still be visible despite the huge contrast. This created an almost abstract image that has a clear division and straight alignment.

While it is often preached that placing the subject in the center of the image is boring, in this case the image composition works great due to the strong contrast and lines.

About the Author – Klaus Wohlmann