By Max Milano
Street photography is an art form that conjures images of Henri Cartier-Bresson's iconic black-and-white photographs captured with his trusted Leica. It's an art form that captures the beauty of the everyday life surrounding us.
As a street photographer, your task is to seize light as it dances and shapes life in your surroundings, especially during magic hour, when long, contrasting shadows practically beg for a discerning eye to immortalize the moment in splendid black and white.
However, delving into street photography doesn't necessitate adhering strictly to black and white. The pioneers of the genre employed black and white due to its availability, establishing a look that many contemporary street photographers strive to emulate.
But since street photography revolves around capturing life in all its colors, photographers should feel free to utilize as much color as they need to express their emotional connection to the scene.
Personally, I often opt for black and white because it aligns better with the emotions I'm trying to convey. Sometimes, I choose black and white to evade clichés, particularly when exploring vibrant locations where other photographers and Instagrammers have already captured every conceivable shade of the color wheel.
Street Photography Gear
With these considerations in mind, I embarked on a day of street photography in San Francisco, California. My goal was to sidestep the city's clichés and capture its more melancholic, still-life essence that dominates its urban landscape today.
For equipment, I relied on my "Baby Leica," a term I affectionately use for my Canon EOS M6 Mark II mirrorless camera paired with a 22-millimeter Canon M series lens. Additionally, I carried a Canon 18 to 150-millimeter M lens and a Canon EVF-DC2 electronic viewfinder that attaches to the M6's hot shoe.
Canon M6 Mark II
Great for street photography when
paired with electronic viewfinder.
SmallRig Cage
Ergonomic, extra hot shoe & many attachment points.
To address the limitation of having only one hot shoe attachment (already occupied by the electronic viewfinder), I paired the M6 Mark II camera with a cage from SmallRig specifically designed for the M6. This cage is surprisingly comfortable to hold, enhances ergonomics, and provides an additional hot shoe attachment for microphones or even a monitor for video.
The cage's multiple holes allow for extra hot shoe attachments or even a handle for video shooting.
On A Mission
My street photography adventure began in San Francisco's Mission District, where I focused on the small churchyard cemetery of Mission San Francisco de Asís. This historical cemetery, featured in Alfred Hitchcock's movie "Vertigo," offers a wonderfully atmospheric setting for street photography. Pigeons fluttered around the graves of Old Californios from the era of El Zorro and the Spanish and Mexican periods of San Francisco, creating a haunting backdrop.
Churchyard Cemetery at Mission San Francisco de Asís (Pic by Max Milano)
Being both a photographer and a poet, I couldn't resist composing a short poem as a homage to the eerie ambiance of the Old Mission Churchyard cemetery on a quiet midweek afternoon.
On A Mission by Max Milano
Mission San Francisco de Asís (Pic by Max Milano)
Cross at Mission San Francisco de Asís (Pic by Max Milano)
North Beach
As the magical hour approached, I moved on to North Beach, San Francisco's "Little Italy." This neighborhood, where Joe DiMaggio spent his childhood, boasts numerous Italian delicatessens, churches, and small parks that define its character.
Italian Deli, North Beach (Pic by Max Milano)
Man at Caffe Greco, North Beach, San Francisco (Pic by Max Milano)
Caffe Greco, North Beach, San Francisco (Pic by Max Milano)
Long Shadows. North Beach, San Francisco (Pic by Max Milano)
Magic Hour, North Beach, San Francisco (Pic by Max Milano).
After capturing the storefronts of some Italian delis and the play of shadows and light on cafe tables during golden hour, a serendipitous moment presented itself. I'd stumbled upon the now-abandoned former location of "The Stinking Rose," a classic Italian-American restaurant adorned with red and white checkered tablecloths and countless chianti and garlic threads hanging from the ceiling. It felt as if everyone had left in a hurry, leaving behind empty tables with chianti bottles wrapped in straw and half-melted candles stuffed in their necks, serving as centerpieces. The reflections from the windows added to the still-life atmosphere. I enthusiastically captured the scene and found myself exceptionally pleased with the results.
Still life, The Stinking Rose, North Beach, San Francisco (Pic by Max Milano)
Italo-American, North Beach, San Francisco, California (Pic by Max Milano)
Sonoma Plaza
Sonoma Plaza is a charming Spanish colonial-era square north of San Francisco in wine country that exudes historical significance. It features a beautiful mission church and a presidio once occupied by Spanish and later Mexican soldiers. This plaza was the site of the Bear Republic rebellion that occurred in June of 1846 when thirty-three illegal immigrants from the USA took Californio Lieutenant Colonel Mariano Vallejo hostage and declared independence under the Bear Republic flag. Although the Bear Republic lasted only 25 days before the USA annexed it, its memory endures in history.
While exploring the plaza, I captured various scenes, including a Mexican Cowboy under the arches of Sonoma City Hall, the entrance to a French bistro, and the vibrant ambiance of outdoor cafes. Sonoma Plaza left such a lasting impression that I promised myself a return visit for a dedicated street photography session.
Mexican Cowboy in Sonona Plaza (Pic by Max Milano)
Chateau Sonoma (Pic by Max Milano)
Santa Cruz
The following day led me to Santa Cruz, a picturesque beach town south of San Francisco renowned for its surf culture, the boardwalk featured in the movie "The Lost Boys," and its college town atmosphere, home to UC Santa Cruz ("Go Banana Slugs!").
Red 57 Chevy Aptos Beach (Pic by Max Milano)
At Aptos, on the southern side of Santa Cruz, I found myself immersed in the unique Californian/American ambiance of palm trees and classic cars. Pelicans gracefully flew around a rusted ferry that had sunk just off the beach decades ago. Later, I visited the famous Santa Cruz pier, adjacent to the boardwalk, where I captured the playful sea lions barking beneath the pier.
Santa Cruz Pier Sea Lions (Pic by Max Milano)
Santa Cruz Pier Beach Brunch (Pic by Max Milano)
Rust & Pelicans (Pic by Max Milano)
At the pier, the morning sun bathed the scene in a golden light, like the finger of some ancient Greek god.
Life waits for no one, and daylight is always fleeting. So don't hesitate to grab whatever camera you have on hand, even if it's just a cellphone, and just go for it. Venture out and engage in the art of street photography. I am confident you will find it as enriching and rewarding as I do.
Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco (Pic by Max Milano)
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