Course description

A shaft of morning light across a market square, a busker framed in an archway, umbrellas reflected in wet cobbles: street photography finds small, real moments in ordinary places. This course teaches you to see and capture everyday life in towns and cities, with a phone or a camera, and to do it with respect for the people you photograph.

It's written for beginners who want to photograph candid everyday life in UK towns and cities. You start with what street photography is and a short written code for photographing people, then learn settings for fast, quiet shooting, including zone focusing, how to read and use street light, composition with layers, frames, lines, juxtaposition and gesture, and how to wait for and work a scene in any weather. Ethics and the law run all the way through: when a candid photo is fair, children, what to do if someone objects, street portraits with permission, private land, police and security, data protection and copyright, all in general terms, mainly for England and Wales, with notes where Scotland and Northern Ireland differ.

There are 10 sections and 50 written lessons, each with a worked example, common slips, questions people often ask and a short exercise to try, and each section ends with a short quiz. You follow Nesrin, who works in a builders' merchant's office in Thrandle, a made-up northern market town, as she moves from nervous phone snaps to a finished series. In the final project you make your own 12-photo series on a theme close to home, with a shot plan, an ethics checklist, a contact sheet edit and captions, and you can compare it with Nesrin's worked model answer. Every section has a practice pack with a worksheet, example answers, a cheat sheet and worked examples, plus a glossary, a settings cheat sheet, a zone focusing card, a composition checklist, a scene finder worksheet, an ethics and law checklist, a card on what to say if someone objects, a street portrait permission script, a shoot log spreadsheet, a series planner, an editing and selection checklist, planning templates and worksheets with answer keys.

What you'll learn

• Getting started, and respect first: what street photography is, the main approaches described in general terms, writing your own code for photographing people, the law in outline, and the small kit you need, starting with a phone.
• Settings for fast, discreet shooting: shutter speeds for walkers and cyclists, aperture and depth of field, zone focusing, auto ISO and exposure compensation, bursts, quiet shutters and a phone set up for the street.
• Light and shadow in streets: reading the light, shafts and pools of light, long shadows and silhouettes, reflections in windows and puddles, times of day, the British seasons and grey days.
• Composition on the street: layers, frames and leading lines, kind juxtaposition and humour, gesture and timing, and choosing colour or black and white.
• Working a scene, patience and conditions: finding a stage and waiting, working a scene, confidence and blending in, rain, wind and cold, night streets and events.
• People in the frame, with respect: when a candid photo is fair, children, what to do when someone notices you, what to do if someone objects, and street portraits with permission.
• The law, places and personal safety: photographing in public in England and Wales, harassment, private land open to the public, police and security, data protection in general terms, and keeping safe.
• Projects, series and a practice routine: from single shots to a series, choosing a theme close to home, a shot plan, variety and consistency, and a weekly routine with a shoot log.
• Editing, sharing and a portfolio: the contact sheet edit, a light and truthful edit, sequencing and captions, copyright and permissions in outline, and sharing safely.
• Final project: a 12-photo series: a brief, a shot plan and ethics checklist, three shoots, a contact sheet edit, captions and a review of your own 12-photo series.

Who it's for

Beginners in the UK who want to photograph everyday life in towns and cities, with a phone or a camera of any kind. You need to know how to take a photo and copy it to a computer or share it. No experience of street photography is needed, and you don't need to be confident with strangers: the course builds that up in small steps.

What this course is, and isn't

This course is about photographing real life truthfully and kindly. It doesn't recommend makes or models of kit, apps or software, and it doesn't cover prices. The law is explained in general terms, mainly for England and Wales, as read on official UK pages on 3 November 2026. It isn't legal advice: Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own laws in some areas, and rules change, so check the official pages, or get advice, before you rely on them. There are no real photos in the course; the practice packs use drawn diagrams. Nesrin, Thrandle and every other person, place and business in the course are made up.

What will I learn?

• Write your own short code for photographing people, and put respect first on every walk
• Set shutter speed, aperture, ISO and exposure compensation for fast, quiet shooting, and use zone focusing on a camera or focus lock on a phone
• Read street light, and use shafts of light, long shadows, silhouettes and reflections
• Compose with layers, frames, leading lines, kind juxtaposition and gesture, and choose colour or black and white
• Find a stage, wait for the moment, work a scene, and shoot in rain, cold and at night
• Decide when a candid photo is fair, take extra care with children, and handle questions and objections calmly
• Ask strangers for street portraits, and note what they agreed
• Understand in general terms the law on photography in public places in England and Wales, private land, police and security, data protection and copyright
• Plan a series with a theme, a shot plan, an ethics checklist and a weekly practice routine
• Choose, edit, sequence and caption a 12-photo series, and share it safely

Frequently asked questions