Daido Moriyama: How I Take Photographs — Study Guide for Street Photographers
Daido Moriyama is one of the most important figures in street photography. His book How I Take Photographs offers not just technical notes, but a philosophy of seeing, walking, and reacting to the world.
This study guide captures his advice with direct quotes and distills them into practical lessons for anyone aiming to follow his way of photographing.
1. The First Rule: Get Outside
Moriyama begins with his most famous piece of advice:
“Well, the first thing I always tell anyone who asks me for advice is: Get outside. It’s all about getting out and walking. That’s the first thing. If you do that and photograph everything… just shoot. Take photographs — of anything and everything, whatever catches your eye. Don’t put time to think.”
- Photography begins with walking.
- No hierarchy of subjects: everything is fair game.
- Instinct over planning: “Don’t put time to think.”
2. The Street as Training Ground (Sunamachi)
“I was so eager to go out on the streets with a camera and find something really way-out and exciting that I’d never experienced, that I’d end up doing it — essentially lying on the streets — for the next few decades.”
- Ordinary streets are the best practice field.
- Walk up and down the same street. The light changes, the details shift.
- Choose subjects deliberately, then give them your full attention.
3. Snapshots at the Water’s Edge (Tsukudajima)
“If you’re near water, try shooting against the sun. The surface hardens, the ripples gleam, and the whole scene becomes more vivid.”
- Water is alive; reflections and silhouettes emerge when shooting into the light.
- The street isn’t only asphalt—look for rivers, canals, shorelines.
- Light and shadow against water create photographs with texture and depth.
4. A Debut in Digital (Ginza)
“It doesn’t matter what kind of camera you use. Compact or digital, whatever. What’s important is to be free and unburdened.”
- Tools are secondary; vision is primary.
- Smaller cameras keep you nimble and unnoticed.
- Digital allows endless shooting: embrace it, then edit later.
5. Postcards and Neutrality (Haneda Airport)
“There’s nothing wrong with postcards. A neutral photograph can express the smell of a place.”
- Don’t fear clichés. Photograph landmarks and airports anyway.
- Neutral, “boring” images can enrich the narrative of a series.
- Even postcard shots have value—especially when sequenced with other images.
6. Highway Speed (Shooting from the Car)
“When the world rushes at you through the car window, you’re forced to respond at its pace. That’s also photography.”
- Blurred, fast frames capture the speed of modern life.
- The car window acts as a frame within a frame.
- But when frustration builds, he insists: stop the car and walk again.
7. Doubt as Philosophy
“Am I really photographing freely? I want to be, but I wonder often whether that is true… Always questioning myself, and this is the doubt continually at the back of my mind.”
- Freedom is never certain; doubt keeps you sharp.
- Always ask: am I photographing instinctively, or repeating myself?
- Photography should raise questions, not deliver final answers.
8. Breaking Rules and Conformity
“I’ve never felt that I should conform to any particular set of rules – and not just in photography. I have no truck with what passes for the normal way of doing things.”
“I’ve even considered doing away with the copyright symbol from my photos altogether.”
- Moriyama rejects “photographer’s rights” codes and fixed traditions.
- Originality comes from the instant, not from legal ownership or academic categories.
- His motto: no rules, no conformity, no safety nets.
9. Moriyama’s Attitude
“Oh, come on, get real…”
This is his refrain whenever someone becomes pretentious or overcomplicates photography. It captures his entire philosophy: photography should be raw, instinctive, direct.
Key Takeaways — Checklist of How Daido Moriyama Photographs
Here is a distilled list of Moriyama’s method, exactly how he takes photographs:
- Get outside. Begin with walking. Photograph in the first five minutes.
- Shoot anything and everything. Posters, shadows, strangers, puddles, cars, signs.
- Don’t overthink. Instinct over intellect. Press the shutter.
- Work streets twice. Walk up and back, and always look behind you.
- Pay attention. When you pick a subject, give it full, deliberate attention.
- Shoot a lot. Volume matters. Take many frames, edit later.
- Stay light. Use small, compact cameras to stay quick and unburdened.
- Shoot into the sun. Especially near water—reflections and silhouettes appear.
- Accept postcards. Neutral or “boring” shots can be powerful later.
- Experiment with speed. From car windows, capture blur and rush.
- Edit in sequences. Think in books and series, not single frames.
- Doubt yourself. Question your freedom, avoid complacency.
- Break the rules. Reject conformity; the only criterion is that there are no criteria.
- Stay real. Don’t complicate—just photograph.
Conclusion
Daido Moriyama’s How I Take Photographs teaches us that the street is infinite if you have the courage to walk, look, and shoot without hesitation. His philosophy is not about perfect images but about raw encounters with life.
The essence of his message:
“Get outside. Walk. Photograph everything. Don’t think—just shoot.”