Street Photography By Christophe Jacrot

Most kinds of portable camera are used for street photography; for example rangefinders, digital and 35mm SLRs, and point-and-shoot cameras. A commonly used focusing technique is zone focusing — setting a fixed focal distance and shooting from that distance — as an alternative to autofocus, particularly using wide angle lenses with their increased depth of field. Zone focusing facilitates shooting "from the hip" i.e. without bringing the camera up to the eye. Alternatively waist-level finders allow for composing the shot or adjusting focus without bringing attention to the photographer.
Street photography versus documentary photography
Street photography and documentary photography are two very similar genres of photography that often overlap while having distinct individual qualities. Street photography has the ability to document while documentary has the definite intention of recording history. Documentary photography can be candid, but street photography is defined by its candidness. Street photography produces ironic amusement while documentary provides emotional intensity. The language of street photography is subtle and not as loud and outspoken as documentary photography often is. In the 19th century, the peak of street photography, most photographers were naïve to the fact that they were "documenting" history. As street photographers they had no definite intentions or goals beyond the production of a candid print.