Street photography tips from the pros

Pat Kay pulls together lessons from well-known street photographers into one tidy, well-paced video: how close to stand, when to wait for a scene instead of chasing it, and what to do in the moment someone notices your camera.

It’s practical rather than precious, and Pat’s own frames are a lesson in themselves — bold colour, careful edges, people caught mid-thought.

Why I keep rewatching it

I’m shy with a camera. Pointing a lens at a stranger on the 28 tram still makes my ears go pink. This film gave me permission to wait instead: find good light, stand still and let the city walk into it. That’s how most of the photographs in Golden hour on the 28 tram happened. I rewatch it every few months, usually after a week of coming home with nothing but rooftops and pigeons.