Street photography is tough. The way I see it, there are at least two approaches by which to achieve success. One requires stealth, quick reaction time, finely tuned powers of observation and anticipation. It requires an intimate comfort with your camera of choice. The other method is to engage with your subjects. Play with them. Get in close. Get to know them and gain their trust and then ask or feel confident that it’s OK to take a photograph. This is a much more conspicuous and honest approach.
I recently read the excellent article published right here on 35mmc by Scott Ferguson – Photochemical Graffiti – a play on the similarly titled Led Zeppelin album. In his article, Scott describes how in his earlier days in this genre, he was too shy, lacked confidence and felt that he was taking too much of the subjects time. Judging from what he photographed on the day of his street adventure, he’s obviously come a long way. Check out his article.
Me on the other hand……
I struggle with street photography. Mightily. I employ the stealth method. I’m a coward. And that unfortunately makes the whole enterprise more difficult. Last month there was an outdoor music festival in my hometown of Hamilton, Ontario. I arrived on the scene in the later afternoon poised to take some photographs of people doing what they do. I loaded up my Leica M3 with some HP5 + and attached a f4 – 90mm Rokkor lens. A good and proper stealth approach. I could keep my distance. As usual however, this led me to feel as if I was stealing photographs. Cloak and dagger stuff. I felt that it was I that was being watched and not doing the watching. Just look at the guy in the photo below! What was he thinking as I shot this rather innocuous image of a lady shopping his wares?
I continued on that afternoon taking a few more marginally interesting- or perhaps boring shots like this. But, I WAS being watched! See!
And some like this like this. Ho hum.
But stay with me as I’m about to change gears here. I hope you appreciate the humour. (If there’s one thing missing from 35mmc, it’s a sense of humour 😉)
Nearing the end of the film roll I came across the scene as photographed below. I just couldn’t resist! Employing all my powers of observation, anticipation, stealth and a certain level of comfort with my gear, I aimed and fired. So here’s my contribution to the canon of street photography. In keeping with Scott Ferguson’s play on Led Zeppelin album titles I’ll call this one “In Through The Out Door”. Please don’t think less of me.
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Jonathan Leavitt on Street Photography is Tough
Comment posted: 02/09/2026
There should be no such thing as street photography. What Henri Cartier-Bresson did was “surrealism” but he wisely avoided the term because he knew no one would hire a photographer who called himself a surrealist. He called it “à la sauvette“
Daily life is cliché. The photographers’s job is to seize those moments when life briefly organizes itself into a poem.
It is impolite to shove a camera in peoples faces without their consent. And it doesn’t produce good photographs, unless you love startled and angry expressions. If you feel uncomfortable doing it, there’s probably a good reason. You will often get better photographs with permission
Polite stealth, discreet observation, is the way to be go. The idea that you must get closer and shove a camera right up into someone’s face may be true for news photography, but with grab shots you need someone’s implied permission, even if it’s just eye contact or a knowing look. Some people like being photographed.
Streets are the worst place to find photographs. The background is distracting, and the lighting is not good, except at night.
If I can be excused for promoting myself, please allow me to plug my book, “Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird“ at Brilliant Graphics press.