The Art of the Frame: A Strasbourg Street Photography Adventure

Editor’s note: Did you know that Strasbourg is the “Capital of Christmas”? You can even access the capital of Alsace on a day trip from Paris, since the TGV journey takes an hour and 45 minutes.

As you know from my previous vignettes, my core passion is street photography, though I find it impossible to avoid the occasional scenic story. On this recent trip, I decided to dedicate myself one afternoon to the craft by taking a master class with Nijat, who founded Street Photography France a little over a year ago.

The adventure, running from noon until 5 PM in Strasbourg, began after a train ride from Paris Est. Interestingly, Nijat and I use the same camera (a Fuji XT-5) and share many perspectives. Though we spent hours on the streets (I filled up my primary SD card for the first time—a true measure of a good workshop!), we focused intensely on his key three principles. I won’t reveal them here, as they are part of the class, but you will surely start to decipher them in the pictures.

We began right at the train station, concentrating on deliberate subject framing (“cadrés”). Walking away from the station, we utilized a safety cone as an unexpected tool to frame a different way (“vitesse figée”). Another technique involved finding a slice of dramatic light and patiently waiting for someone to enter the scene and glance our way (“baigné de lumière”).

As we wandered through the artistic and cultural heart of Strasbourg, we came across a “couple” hiding in the light cast by a museum arch, a perfectly composed silence (“paire en silence”). We tried to capture motion near the museum but never quite found the decisive moment. In street photography, you must be ready 100% of the time, because those moments pass in a flash, offering only two paths to the photographer (“deux chemins”).

We took a brief break for coffee and tea to warm up, reflecting on the intense hours just passed. On leaving the café, we saw a gentleman who raised his glass to us beneath a painting depicting a similar joviality from the past (“santé”).

Nijat also enjoys experimenting with double exposures, a tricky feat in street photography. The concept is to take one picture, then use that first image to take another, raising the creative bar. While eating a gaufre (a necessary indulgence), I did a quick one myself (“amour à Strasbourg”) that seemed to perfectly capture the idea.

Later, walking along a busy street, we started interacting with people inside a shop. A group of young salespeople waved us in, and after a brief chat, we snapped a picture of them (“bienvenue dans notre magasin”). Though not purely street photography, it was a fantastic exercise in interacting with the subjects, a vital part of the street experience.

The day ended, but the lesson continued. The next day, practicing the master class principles, I suddenly spotted a group of young people venturing down to the river in a unique way (“1-2-3 saute”) or someone running for the train (“une seconde trop tard”). As Nijat impressed upon us, the key is to always be looking around for that story or leveraging what is around you to rework a basic scene into something more interesting (“reflets dans la vie quotidienne”).

If you are interested in classes, check out www.streetphotographyfrance.fr. The current book they highlight even features one of my older pictures!