Here are the top 7 photography tips from some of the best contemporary street photographers I interviewed and featured on the Street Photography London blog (RIP)

Here are their answers to the following question:

What is the single most important piece of photography advice you could share or wish someone gave you when you started?

"Always carry a simple photography business card – the one time you don’t have one on you will be the one time you need it. And don’t spend too much time looking for funny juxtapositions, as you will find many of them contrived in a few years." - Paul Russell

"Discover your passions and try to find ways to express them in your photographs. Don’t try to imitate, because art is about expressing yourself. And try to find a job that has nothing to do with photography because it might happen, that you have to do lots of photography jobs that aren’t creative or funny at all. So: focus on what you really love to do." - Juergen Buergin

"Yes. When shooting street, leave your lens cap off and your camera on at all times. Also make sure your camera is as inconspicuous as possible. Leave off the battery grip, the huge zoom lens. You don't need that. You need your camera to look as bland and as ordinary as possible." - Idene Roozbayani

"Photography is a journey which starts with the willingness to see the world differently. I think that this is a commitment that every artist should do, to him/herself and others. Limiting oneself to following rules and best practices established by others is bound to restrain you to no avail: experiment, go out, fail often and try again. That’s the only way to find who you are." - Marie Laigneau

“Don’t use watermarks.” - Reuben Radding

"Probably not to focus too much on equipment. For the last four years I have been shooting with the same system (M9) with basically two focal lengths (35mm - 50/). Though the temptation to upgrade (GAS) is sometimes there, at some point you realize that lack of skill, vision or even time are the major reasons of one’s shortcomings, not owning the latest camera. Spending the money on travel or shooting time is the best way to progress quickly. Still, the equipment discovery phase is probably a step that a beginner has to go through to find what best fits its shooting style and vision." - Yanidel