How to Turn Shopping Into a Photography Opportunity

For those living in the city, shopping is a frequent experience. Our modern lifestyle has created a shopping phenomenon, taking different forms and giving different photographic perspectives. Still, when we think back to the Silk Road, it’s clear shopping is an ancient human preoccupation. In traditional markets from all around the world, you can find colorful, busy atmospheres that are perfect for photography.

Whether you enjoy most the urban landscape or you love travel photography, these tips will come to hand.

Fill the frame with colors

Markets and shopping malls are great places to take colorful pictures. Composition is important when you focus only on one element, color being the subject in this particular situation. Look for patterns and textures and fill the frame with similar and colorful objects. People make wonderful subjects, too. For busy shopping centers use a wide lens to offer a large perspective. Try to photograph from above (from a balcony or a tower) to catch as much as possible from the vivid atmosphere. Use a color intensifier filter to get the perfect contrast. It’s better to use a filter and enhance colors on the spot than using post processing software and deal with it later. As a general rule, the real pictures are the ones that don’t need post-processing. Some photographers use analog cameras exclusively and consider digital cameras a mirage.

Be specific

Every shopping place has something unique or at least an identity. It can be the oriental spices from Central Asian bazaars, the Mediterranean fruits and vegetables markets or the cheese markets from little Dutch towns. It can be the glossy shopping malls featuring famous designers and luxury products. It can be a small bakery full of flour or an artisanal candy store. Your viewer should know how these locations smell from your pictures. Find angles and perspectives that add value to your subject. Focus on people as well on the products they buy, the seller, and the design of the store. Balance your photographs and use them wisely to pack everything. Also, use fast shutter speeds (especially if you take pictures in artificial light) and the lowest ISO possible to avoid noise.

Details

Many products look better if you photograph them from their level and not from above. Their shapes can be more interesting, their details more exciting. Don’t be afraid to get down on your knees or lie on your belly. If your camera lets you, use the screen instead of the viewfinder. Also, you should have a circular polarizing filter with you, especially for showcases. Glass gives some really strong reflections and you’ll end up with a selfie instead of a good picture.

Little details can say a lot about the shopping experience you are a witnessing. Money, hands exchange products, people trying clothes or shoes, emotions and facial expressions, are just some examples. Even the way the store is decorated tells a lot about that place and the people around it. Don’t overlook unique details that can completely transform your photographs.

Stay away from stereotypes and locate exquisite subjects in shopping centers. Small or large, busy or empty it doesn’t matter too much. With creativity, practice, and a storyteller gift you can make artistic photographs. Nevertheless, you should not advertise for a specific brand or stay in the way of shoppers. Staged photos are also inappropriate. Just let yourself submerge in the real world and good subjects, perspectives, and compositions will come to you.