Seeking chance encounters and random incidents are a big part of what makes street photography a kind of improvisational art. It’s vital we remember that patience is just as important. Much of the best street photography comes from being ready to capture a brief interlude of action when we see it.
“All the technique in the world doesn’t compensate for the inability to notice.” – Elliott Erwitt
Have patience. Be ready. Stay alert to the moments all around you.
Action is often repeated in recognizable patterns. The unloading of supplies from a delivery truck. A storekeep sweeping the sidewalk. The disembarking from public transit. If we are perceptive, we sometimes sense when that pattern will be interrupted and action is about to break in unexpected ways. These are the moments we are after.
- Action captures movement, interaction, a sense of flow, a happening.
- Look for moments where the action is unplanned
- Always be ready
- Look for movement, change, activity
