Shooting Street Portraits in Lima [Peru]
When we arrived in Lima, it didn't particularly appeal to us and I didn’t even think about doing some street photography. It was cloudy, cold and gray all the time–but we ended up staying 3 weeks anyway before flying to Mexico. We stayed in a few different AirBnbs so we could explore different areas of the city. It's a vast city so it takes time to get from one area to another. One day, when visiting the historic center, I decided to do some street photography. Well, street portraits actually. I walked the streets and asked some random strangers is I could take their photo...
Here’s the video on my YouTube channel…
Buying photography gear in Peru
But first, let me tell you how it is to buy a camera and microphone in Peru. While I was there, I needed a new camera. As a backup but also to record my YouTube videos. I was recording them with my GoPro Hero 7 but it's just not the right camera to record videos like the ones I make. So, I decided to buy a Canon M50, from what I saw on the internet, the best value for money. I also wanted a microphone to go with it.
Now, I thought it would be easy. Just go to a camera store and buy what I needed. It's not that easy in Lima. First of all, I couldn't find a proper camera store. I found one store I thought was a camera store but when we arrived there, it turned out to be just some offices of an online store. I couldn't buy the Canon M50 there, I had to order it online and wait. Luckily, the nice people working there, called a few department stores in malls all over the city and one close by had the Canon M50 in stock.
So, that worked out in the end. Then, the microphone. Like I said, we didn't see any camera stores when walking around. Nothing. Nada. Online however, I did find some. We went there and when we arrived... nothing. So, weird. Anyway, to make a long story short... there are camera stores in Lima after all but they're hidden in ordinary looking houses. There are no signs, no names, nothing. You have to ring the bell, they open the gate and when you go in the house, there's a store in there displaying cameras and gear. So, when in Lima and you need a camera or gear, look for a camera store online, copy the address, take a taxi, go there and just ring the bell.
Taking street portraits in Lima
OK, back to street photography. Lima is a busy city but like I said, cold, gray and cloudy when we were there. It also reflects in the people. I mean, they're friendly but not as open as let's say Mexicans or Colombians. I had no idea how the people would react but I decided to just go for it. I love street photography like that but it's always a bit tricky. The start is difficult. Not knowing how people react and things like that.
Surprisingly, everyone I asked was OK with having their photo taken. Sometimes, they were a bit hesitant but there were no weird reactions or people who said no. I always tried to have a chat with them and I let them know that I'm from Europe and that I'm traveling to take pictures of people in each country. I feel like most people like to be part of that.
Why street photography is difficult
Like I said, the start is always difficult for me. I have to force myself to go out and ask people if I can take their photo. It's that feeling of not knowing how the people will react and what will happen. The thing is, 99.9% of the times, it's just fun. Once you're out there for an hour and the people are nice, like usual, it just gets fun. So, don't worry if you're struggling with street photography.
Try to force yourself to go out there. And yes, some people do say no but it's not that bad. The feeling that people might say no is a lot worse than when they actually say no when you're out there. You need to get over that initial fear and it will always work out. Let me know if you want some tips on how to take photos of strangers. There are some things you can do to make it easier for you... and the people you're photographing.