Street photography works because it teaches you things other genres won’t.

A couple of years ago I was a lost soul. I loved photography but I was a generalist. I’d take photographs but with no real order.

So this annoyed me. Because I felt like I needed to focus. And that led me to doing some deep thinking.

Because of that, I remembered that I’d completed journalism training a few years ago. I’m not a journalist. But I did the training because I like human stories.

And I linked that to my photography — and arrived at documentary photography.

But that felt like something too specialised. I needed something that would be more accessible. Consequently, I read around and discovered street photography.

I knew almost instantly that it was the genre for me.

Because those Human stories I like so much? Well, street photography was going to let me get into that. In a big way.

So next, off I went to be a street photographer. And failed, big time. I took loads of static shots. And photos of passers-by.

Also, I was paranoid the whole time, about being spotted. I’m an introvert, so this genre was hard.

As a result of that, I did more reading and shot a lot more photographs. And eventually, I started to develop a better instinct. And I learned to smile and blend in. So I didn’t look out of place. I became an unseen observer.

And that’s why street photography works. You have to know your camera well. And you have to be able to notice. I swear I see more the longer I’m out on the streets.

Overall then, I reckon street photography isn’t just the main genre I photograph in. It’s become a way of life. Even when I’m photographing urban or natural landscapes, I look for a story.

See you on the streets…