Street Photography 2019

The thing about photography is that you’re fitting a moment into a frame; you can’t include every part of a scene, but you can make the most of the space in that frame to create something that has maximum impact.

I consider myself a tyro in street photography at the moment - maybe this should be my perpetual belief as that will compel me to always seek more knowledge, and push the boundaries of my own creations and beliefs. I consider it to be one of the most important genres of photography there is. Street Photography not only captures great moments (usually human), but can make great the simplest of moments. Good work can even ignite our other senses: hearing, touch, smell, taste. Perhaps, more importantly, the image can ignite our emotions.

Each photographer, naturally, has their own predispositions and motives when street shooting. I don’t believe the craft is limited to any specific set of rules, but the reason(s) for shooting will influence the resulting image, and the way it’s interpreted by the viewer. To be true to myself, I prefer to capture moments the way I’d like to relive them - not only a week, or a month, or a year from now, but also consider how I’d like to relive them as someone from another generation, or someone else in general. So, the viewer is a very important part of my photography - I want them to get the most out of the time they spend looking at an image I created.

In many ways street photography requires more of viewers, but also gives more to the viewer once it’s appreciated. Initially, I was fascinated by the idea of capturing life as it unfolded around me here in Guyana. Several lectures, articles, and countless hours spent viewing and reviewing work from masters of the art, and I still have to get out and really put the work in. One of the reasons I’ve been so hesitant to get fully into the street photography is that I didn’t want to be doing it for the wrong reasons.

Before I finish here, one more thing I must mention is that I believe street photography, although it would be safer to go out shooting in groups (especially in Georgetown), is best done as a solitary practice. That way the photographer is more focused and interacts as an individual.

I’ll update the blog with more information as I get out shooting and my experience grows.