How do you street photography professionally?

[hypnoeyez99]

The only way you can really use "street" photography is for display in art galleries and stuff like that. You are forbidden from selling or making any money off the images.

In order to use images of people you've photographed on the street for monetary gain is to get a model release form from the person you've photographed. It's best that they are aware of what their images could be used for so they understand what they're signing. Then you're (probably) free from liability.

 

[Drenton]

I mean, I've always wondered how one would go about doing street photography for a living. With things like commercial photography and photojournalism (As in spot news, I know street is a form of photojournalism), there are guidelines for what route to take, yet I've never seen a guide on how to do street professionally.

This has been gnawing my mind for quite some time.
For the record, I'm not actually considering a career in street photography. I'm just interested in know how one does it.
*in knowing

I hate typos.

 

[fhotoace]

Where is not much money in shooting "street photography". All those I know who do shoot street photography are artists and have a benefactor that keeps food on their table and helps pay for all the film and paper they need to keep their "art" flowing ... most use a schools darkroom rather than spend money building their own. At a minimum they have to pay for tuition (under $300 a semester)

Most are using old Leica rangefinder cameras and a 35 mm lens.

To really learn how to shoot "street photography" visit a few galleries that show such art and talk to the artists. It is really the only way to get the straight information.

 

[Mere_Mortal]

Over the last century only a handful have been able to do it.

If you are doing it as art for publication or sale you are going to have to have model releases from everyone you photograph. That's not a bad thing it keeps you legal and it makes your imagery more desirable to galleries, distributors and money men. But it can be a pain.

I don't know if you are going to school in the future but I would study a back up field such as Aviation or Optometry just in case. Photography is tough.