Street Photography Changes How You See The World
There are few, but some, universal truths when it comes to street photographers. One, is that every street photographer see's potential photographs even on days they don't have a camera with them. You can be shopping, running errands or out with friends, and occasionally your attention is drawn to something in the corner of your eye - a moment of magic.
Maybe the light is casting perfect shadows on an interesting wall as someone walks past wearing a complimentary colour... click!
You take the mental snapshot and feel the excitement of knowing there was a 'keeper' there… if only you had a camera ready!
I've even found myself jokingly holding up an imaginary camera; fingers and thumbs in a rectangle and clicking my tongue as I push my index finger onto a non-existent shutter button… click!
St Paul’s Cathedral in London, reflected almost as a double exposure in a sign marked window.
So we know, for the most part, photography is always with us in some way, even subconsciously. Photography is often a very thought consuming passion, and that can be quite disruptive at times. Particularly if your new obsession gets in the way of life outside of photography, or when the mind wanders towards feelings of self doubt or the dreaded imposter syndrome... but on a subconscious level, I believe it has some positive influences on how we see and understand the world around us too.
Street photography makes you a better observer of the world around you, every day.
Being a street photographer is more than just taking pictures, it's the ability to see and feel the space that you're in, then capture a story within it. As fast-paced city folk flow mindlessly from A to B, street photographers carefully wander the streets, searching for beauty, love and pain. We are constantly observing and exploring the actions of other people, their interactions, their differences, their cultures - all bringing us a greater understanding of the world beyond ourselves.
That understanding is a powerful personal asset, building stronger connections and compassion for others. This doesn’t only apply to when we are ‘in the zone’ either, it often carries through into our own everyday interactions and social judgements.
A photographer lost in the crowd in Krakow, Poland.
If, like me, you travelled well before taking photographs with any serious intent, you might have noticed the difference yourself. The way I absorb and appreciate a new city now, with a real camera, is like suddenly turning the lights on. Street photography begs you to walk paths unknown, down unfamiliar streets, hoping to pull back the veil and capture the heart and truth of the city and its inhabitants.
A typical tourist (the old me) will visit the obligatory sightseeing hotspots, follow the crowd, and enjoy what it offers them at face value. They may even take a snapshot on their phone if it impresses enough; forever consigned to the bowels of memory - both of phone and mind.
A photographer goes to the same location just when the sun hits it perfectly, looking for composition, shape and form. Our photography begs us to search (sometimes for hours) for a deeper understanding of the location, its history, or an interaction within it that tells a story.
The carefree tourist will buy something from a bustling market, with attention on little else, other than their self indulgent purchase. Full holiday mode.
The street photographer is capturing the beads of sweat that glisten off the market seller’s head as they make the exchange, counting the change with hard working leathered hands.
We are not the same.
I’ll say it again, street photography changes how you see the world.
Please consider this, next time you are sitting at your desk questioning your work, don't just ask what you have done for street photography, ask yourself what street photography has done for you.
It is often more than you think.
