Street Photography - The Joy of Benches

Street photography has generally been defined as candid photos of people taken in a public space.  I’ve found that one of the most interesting places to photograph people on the street is on a public bench. 

A bench offers a myriad of compelling photo-worthy scenarios.  Strangers may sit side by side, ignoring each other.  Friends might sit together, having a chat or a bite to eat.  Benches are places to read, to nap, to rest, to smoke, to wait for a train, or to contemplate the world. 

It can be difficult to capture a good bench photo without being detected.  I live in a huge urban metropolis (New York City), where surly people may not take too kindly to having their privacy invaded.  I’ve employed two techniques for my bench photographs.  One is to use a powerful zoom lens, which allows you to discreetly capture the action from a safe distance.  In my experience, these photos tend to have a somewhat sterile feel to them.  For bench photography (and street photography in general), being closer to the scene adds vibrancy to the photo. 

Bench photos look best when taken from a low angle.  My preferred bench photography technique involves using my iPhone 16 Pro and a pair of wired Apple earbuds.  This set-up allows me to “shoot from the hip”, achieving that nice low angle. The wired Apple earbuds are the key ingredient.  When plugged into the iPhone, the volume-up or volume-down button on the headphones act as a shutter release.  If I’m strolling around and a bench scene catches my eye, I hold my iPhone at the level of my hip with one hand, and hold the volume-up or down button on the headphones in the other hand.  As I get nearer to my subject, I slow down my pace and start pretending to talk into the microphone on the headphones, saying something innocuous like, “I’m heading your way. I should be there in about five minutes.” Meanwhile, I’m pressing the volume button furiously, obtaining multiple shots as I casually wander past the bench.  I typically end up with a series of photos, with the person(s) in the left, center, and right side of the frame.  I have practiced this technique many times, and I know instinctively which lens to choose (1x vs 2x) based on my distance from the bench when I approach. 

I am not familiar with smartphones other than the iPhone, so I don’t know if other wired headphones can serve as a shutter release with other smartphones.  An alternative method would be to use a Bluetooth shutter remote, allowing you to activate the shutter while the phone is held at your hip, but I would wear some kind of headphones or earbuds as well, as the pretend conversation makes you look less suspicious. 

Here are of some of my favorite bench photos.