Safuan Shahril Photography: Street Photography | Shoot From the Hip Technique

Video by Eric Kim | Click here to check out Eric Kim's Work

Hello all the lovable people out there! Today I'm going to share this technique called shoot from the hip. About this technique is that it's a really popular technique used by modern street photographers. I probably assume that this have done with DSLRs. I wouldn't even dare doing this with film cameras. Haha it's common sense and I shouldn't have mention it. But hey! since you're reading this I thought you might find this useful. To sum it up, “shooting from the hip” it is holding your camera at waist-level, and shooting upwards without looking through the viewfinder. One of the reasons why this technique is widely popular is because it allows you to take much more candid images of people, as they do not see you shooting them with your eye through your viewfinder, and assume you aren't taking images. Another thing is that when shooting from the hip, you often get a much more interesting perspective as you shoot from a much lower perspective.

Although some people find shooting from the hip and consider it as the “easy way out,” simply disregard their words. Framing while shooting from the hip is very difficult when starting off. For every 100 shots you take shooting from the hip, you will probably only get 5-10 or so “decently” framed images. So here's a list of simple ways to use this technique:-

1.Use a wide angle lens

So this is one of the basics rule of using this technique. By saying so in street photography I find that people usually mess it up at this part. Knowing what you're using is important because you would estimate the distance between you and the subject. Sometimes your shot would be too close to the subject or too far from the subject. So it's important to know what lens and what range you're going to use in order to get the best out of this technique. Take for an example, using a kit lens would do enough justice for you (18mm-55mm). By setting the lens to the widest at 18mm you would probably get a wider perspective and you could guarantee that the subject is in the frame. Plus, it gives the viewer a more of a dynamic and interesting view.

2. Don't look at the camera while shooting

When you are shooting from the hip, your goal is most-likely to capture candid images of people. Therefore if you walk around and shoot from the hip while looking directly at your camera, people will be more drawn to your camera. So when you are walking past people and shooting from the hip, keep your eyes looking forward and also prevent making eye contact with your subjects. This way you will be nearly invisible to those around you.

3. Prefocus your lens

If you are shooting from the hip, the best way to make sure your images are in-focus is to “pre-focus” your lens before shooting. In order to do this, stand in front of a wall and judge the distance how close you want to be to people once you shoot from the hip. Once you have measured that distance you are comfortable with, focus your lens manually on that wall and keep it there. Then once you are walking by people and shooting from the hip, your subjects should be in focus. Also try to experiment with your focusing ring. If your images turn out out-of-focus, change your focus manually and keep adjusting until your images turn out clear.

4. Take tone of photos

Shooting from the hip takes a ton of practice, so do not feel disappointed when the majority of your images are out of focus, blurry, of just framed incorrectly. I know it is cliché, but practice makes perfect. Take hundreds upon hundreds of photos when shooting from the hip, and experiment with different techniques. Try shooting from a lower angle like from your legs, or even higher at your chest. Shoot with your camera dangling by your side in a vertical format, and shoot from your hip when passing people who are sitting down. The possibilities are endless and after much practice, you will master shooting from the hip.

I would also like to share a video of how a professional street photographer do the job with this technique and I'll end this post with my final images from this week. Enjoy! :)